Nausea & vomiting

Acupressure for the prevention of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain reliefThere have been numerous studies demonstrating the efficacy of acupressure on the P-6 (Neiguan) acupoint in preventing and alleviating nausea (1). However, researchers at the Department of Anesthesiology, Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan have recently demonstrated that this treatment has applications in childbirth.
Nausea arid vomiting are common side effects following administration of epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief. The researchers therefore sought to evaluate the antiemetic effect of P-6 acupressure in women who were given epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.
In a randomised, double-blind and controlled trial, sixty women receiving epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief were allocated to receive either the acupressure bands on the P-6 acupoint on both arms, or placebo bands, before the administration ofspinal anaesthesia and the women were monitored over the following 48 hours.
The data revealed that the incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly decreased from 43% and 27% in the control group, and from to 3% and 0% in the acupressure group. These results demonstrate that prophylactic use of acupressure bands bilaterally on the P-6 acupoint can significantly reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.