title: [Acupuncture to alleviate pain during colonoscopy].
abstract: 36 patients (18 males and 18 females, mean age 51 [21-76] years) were prepared for colonoscopy with acupuncture (points: Hegu, Neiguan, Zusanli and Gongsun bilaterally), without acupuncture or pretend acupuncture at points not expected to bring about pain relief. In the 12 acupuncture patients mean pain sensitivity, estimated during the examination by means of a visual analog scale, was significantly (P = 0.003) lower (1.4 +/- 0.4) than in the groups without acupuncture (n = 12; 2.7 +/- 0.3) or pretend acupuncture (n = 12; 3.0 +/- 0.3). In addition, analgesics and sedatives needed to be given significantly less to those with acupuncture (one patient each; P = 0.005) than those without (analgesics to five, sedatives to eight patients) or with pretend acupuncture (analgesics to four, sedatives to five patients). These data demonstrate that pain connected with colonoscopy can be reduced by preceding acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Gastroenterologie und Endokrinologie, Universität Göttingen.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nauck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löser
authors.forename: U R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Fölsch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Creutzfeldt
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control