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Ear Plaster Therapy as a Safe and Effective Treatment for Gestational Vomiting

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Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting.

J M Ezzo¹, M A Richardson, A Vickers

¹James P. Swyers Enterprises, 1905 West Rogers Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21209, USA. jeanetteezzo@prodigy.net

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|April 21, 2006

Summary

Acupuncture-point stimulation, including electroacupuncture and acupressure, shows promise in reducing acute chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea. Further research is needed to confirm clinical relevance, especially for refractory symptoms.

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Area of Science:

Integrative oncology
Complementary and alternative medicine

Background:

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remain significant challenges despite advances in antiemetic pharmacotherapy.
Expert panels recommend exploring additional methods to manage CINV symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture-point stimulation for managing acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in cancer patients.

Main Methods:

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving various acupuncture-point stimulation methods (needles, electroacupuncture, acupressure, magnets).
Searched multiple databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane registers.
Pooled data using fixed effect models to calculate relative risks, standardized mean differences, and weighted mean differences.

Main Results:

Acupuncture-point stimulation, as a whole, significantly reduced the incidence of acute vomiting (RR = 0.82).
Electroacupuncture and needle stimulation were effective in reducing acute vomiting.
Acupressure demonstrated a significant reduction in acute nausea severity (SMD = -0.19).
Noninvasive electrostimulation showed no significant benefit.

Conclusions:

Acupuncture-point stimulation exhibits a biologic effect on CINV, complementing existing antiemetic therapies.
Electroacupuncture shows potential for acute chemotherapy-induced vomiting, but further trials with state-of-the-art antiemetics and refractory patients are warranted.
Self-administered acupressure may offer a protective effect against acute nausea and is easily teachable, though placebo-controlled studies are needed.