What it means
A complementary therapy used most often for pain, such as back pain, headache and arthritis, and for nausea, including nausea from chemotherapy and in pregnancy. A trained practitioner places sterile, single-use needles at chosen points. Acupressure uses finger pressure on the same points instead of needles, for example wrist bands for nausea.
For the nurse
Ask whether clients use acupuncture or other complementary therapies and include it in the history. It is generally safe with a licensed practitioner; clients on anticoagulants should tell the practitioner.
At a glance
| Spanish | acupuntura |
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