Abstract
This reports the second part of a single-centre, prospective, randomised, double-blind clinical trial with crossover. It has aimed to assess whether PC.6 acupressure could reduce nausea related to maxillary dental impression taking.
The selection criterion was a self registration of nausea greater than 33% of a 100mm visual analogue scale (VAS) following an initial maxillary impression (control) in patients referred for treatment. Exclusion criteria were: current medication with a secondary emetic or anti-emetic effect, prior knowledge of PC.6 acupressure, a recent history of nausea, and the first trimester of pregnancy. Twenty three entered the trial and 18 completed.
The test involved a second and third impression with prior application of finger pressure on either PC.6 or a dummy point on the forearm The initial point was chosen by the patient, leaving the other point to be pressed subsequent to crossover. The mean level of nausea was recorded by patients after PC.6 acupressure and also after pressure at a dummy point. These recordings were then compared.
The sample consisted of 6 males and 12 females, and the mean age was 14.74 years. The mean difference in nausea between PC.6 acupressure and pressure at the dummy point was −0.39mm % of the VAS (SD 40.48mm %). The 95% Confidence Interval was −20.52 and 19.74mm %, and the difference was not significant. Three and a half minutes of PC.6 acupressure did not significantly reduce nausea experienced with a maxillary impression, compared with pressure at the dummy point, in this small sample: both showed a mean reduction of 50% on the control figure.
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