A team at Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Brazil has demonstrated that acupuncture can significantly reduce the incidence of post-operative nausea in patients undergoing hysterectomy. A total of 97 patients were randomly allocated to receive either acupuncture or no acupuncture as a control. All patients received two standard drugs preventatively, in case of the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture was given at the point Neiguan bilaterally for 30 minutes pre-operatively.
Acupuncture was found to significantly reduce the incidence of nausea (29% versus 6%) and the need for rescue medication (33% versus 10%). Vomiting was unchanged.
(Effects of Preoperative Acupuncture on Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting and Plasma Serotonin Values in the Hysterectomy Postoperative Period: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies, 31 October 2022.)