Intraoperative acupuncture results in reduced pain and earlier return to eating for children undergoing tonsillectomy, according to American researchers. Fifty-nine children were randomised to receive verum or sham acupuncture during anesthesia for tonsillectomy. Home surveys of patients revealed significant improvements in pain control in the acupuncture treatment-group post-operatively and oral intake of food also occurred significantly earlier in the acupuncture treatment group.
Intraoperative acupuncture for posttonsillectomy pain: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Laryngoscope. 2015 Apr 7. doi: 10.1002/lary.25252.
An Israeli team has also concluded that acupuncture, as an adjunct to analgesic treatment, is an effective treatment for post-tonsillectomy pain in children. Sixty children were randomly divided into a study group, who received perioperative acupuncture in addition to conventional postoperative analgesic treatment, and a control group, who received analgesics only. The results indicated that the acupuncture group experienced less post-operative pain, required less analgesic drugs and scored higher on ratings of patient/parent satisfaction with analgesic treatment than the control group.
Acupuncture for posttonsillectomy pain in children: a randomized, controlled study. Paediatr Anaesth. 2015 Jun;25(6):603-9.
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