Acupuncture/Electroacupuncture

Acupuncture is a method of producing analgesia or altering the function of a body system by inserting fine, wire-thin needles (about the diameter of a strand of hair) into acupoints along a specific meridian (meridians are channels in the body that transport energy). Electroacupuncture involves the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles to stimulate the acupoint via an electrode that is attached to the acupuncture needles. The electrical current substitutes for maneuvering the needles by hand. The P6 acupuncture point is most commonly used for nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture and electroacupuncture have been evaluated for their effects on anxiety, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, dyspnea, pain, depression, lymphedema, hot flashes, sleep–wake disturbances, peripheral neuropathy, and fatigue in patients with cancer.