I reviewed a few general principles of acupuncture in my last post on its use for pain control. In addition, acupuncture has also been studied as a potential treatment modality for other nausea/vomiting, with some evidence to support its use in addition to anti-nausea (also called antiemetic) medications.

Acupuncture is a complementary approach that originated from traditional Chinese medicine, from a theory that the flow of vital energy, or "Qi" (pronounced CHEE, I believe, unless someone who speaks Chinese tells me otherwise) can be regulated by stimulation of key body areas with needles, heat, or pressure. It is generally felt to be quite safe when performed by properly qualified individuals, although caution is appropriate for patients with a tendency toward increased bleeding or known low platelets.