Acupuncture in Childbirth
Kenyon, J. N.
1983-01-01 00:00:00
Since acupuncture is used exten halfway down the spine. With this Dr. J. N. Kenyon sively in China for surgical pain method the patient is able to walk relief, a number of Western practi MDMHChB around during labour and has all tioners believe it may be useful in four limbs free. confinement. Curiously, the Chi The method used for analgesia Mothers using this method are nese do not use acupuncture for involves taping onto the skin a pair generally not completely painfree of small electro-conductive pads pain relief in labour, and they seem during labour and feel some dis placed in pairs: one pair just above to think it odd that we Westerners comfort atthe peak of each contrac the pubic bone on the lower require analgesia for this purpose. tion. Acupuncture has never re abdomen and the other pair over The research literature on the lieved the discomfort felt at the so the sacrum (the lowest part of the use of acupuncture for pain relief called transition stage from f rst to during confinement is asyet sparse, spine). Acupuncture needles were second stage, which only lasts a few then inserted into a point one but it does contain a number of well minutes. However, the mother gets hand's breadth above the inner side documented clinical trials, all of through to this stage without drugs of the ankle on each side, known as which show a success rate of and is usually in a much fitter state Spleen 6, and a second point one approximately 60 per cent. I carried to cope with the second stage of hand's breadth below the outer side out a pilot study in Liverpool some labour, when maximum coopera of the knee, known asStomach 36. five years ago on 20 randomly tion is required to push the baby All the needles and pads were chosen maternity patients and the out. stimulated with an electro-acu effectiveness of pain relief in this One incidental advantage of puncture stimulator, which gives group, on whom acupuncture was this method of pain control is that patients a pleasanttingling feeling in used, was compared with that of a labour seems to be accelerated. If all of these sites. controlled group who received this was shown to be a uniform My more recent work has either no analgesia or an injected effect, the almost habitual useof an shown that it is possible to do away pain killer (pethidine). We also intravenous drip with Syntocinon with acupuncture needles in the achieved a success rate of 60 per added might be obviated. limbs and to use instead the so cent. None ofthe patients were told However, putting up a drip will called 'uterus' point on the ear, that acupuncture might be used remain common practice since, as which issituated atthe top of the ear during labour and, indeed, a con every doctor knows, it can be vital towards the front. I have found this siderable proportion of them didn't to have an intravenous line ready very useful in the control of pain even realise afterwards that acu and available if things do go wrong. during labour. I insert very small puncture had been used. It is not In conclusion, the pain relief acupuncture needles into the unreasonable to expect that, with obtained in labour from acupunc uterus point on both sides and appropriate antenatal training, the ture analgesia is not as profound as stimulate them electrically. Then I success rate of acupuncture in epidural pain relief. However, the useathird setof padsplaced at each labour could be improved upon continueson page20 side of the midline, approximately considerably. Reproducedby pertnissio« 0; the Daily Exprf'S5
http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.pngAcupuncture in MedicineSAGEhttp://www.deepdyve.com/lp/sage/acupuncture-in-childbirth-gED0nZlstm
Since acupuncture is used exten halfway down the spine. With this Dr. J. N. Kenyon sively in China for surgical pain method the patient is able to walk relief, a number of Western practi MDMHChB around during labour and has all tioners believe it may be useful in four limbs free. confinement. Curiously, the Chi The method used for analgesia Mothers using this method are nese do not use acupuncture for involves taping onto the skin a pair generally not completely painfree of small electro-conductive pads pain relief in labour, and they seem during labour and feel some dis placed in pairs: one pair just above to think it odd that we Westerners comfort atthe peak of each contrac the pubic bone on the lower require analgesia for this purpose. tion. Acupuncture has never re abdomen and the other pair over The research literature on the lieved the discomfort felt at the so the sacrum (the lowest part of the use of acupuncture for pain relief called transition stage from f rst to during confinement is asyet sparse, spine). Acupuncture needles were second stage, which only lasts a few then inserted into a point one but it does contain a number of well minutes. However, the mother gets hand's breadth above the inner side documented clinical trials, all of through to this stage without drugs of the ankle on each side, known as which show a success rate of and is usually in a much fitter state Spleen 6, and a second point one approximately 60 per cent. I carried to cope with the second stage of hand's breadth below the outer side out a pilot study in Liverpool some labour, when maximum coopera of the knee, known asStomach 36. five years ago on 20 randomly tion is required to push the baby All the needles and pads were chosen maternity patients and the out. stimulated with an electro-acu effectiveness of pain relief in this One incidental advantage of puncture stimulator, which gives group, on whom acupuncture was this method of pain control is that patients a pleasanttingling feeling in used, was compared with that of a labour seems to be accelerated. If all of these sites. controlled group who received this was shown to be a uniform My more recent work has either no analgesia or an injected effect, the almost habitual useof an shown that it is possible to do away pain killer (pethidine). We also intravenous drip with Syntocinon with acupuncture needles in the achieved a success rate of 60 per added might be obviated. limbs and to use instead the so cent. None ofthe patients were told However, putting up a drip will called 'uterus' point on the ear, that acupuncture might be used remain common practice since, as which issituated atthe top of the ear during labour and, indeed, a con every doctor knows, it can be vital towards the front. I have found this siderable proportion of them didn't to have an intravenous line ready very useful in the control of pain even realise afterwards that acu and available if things do go wrong. during labour. I insert very small puncture had been used. It is not In conclusion, the pain relief acupuncture needles into the unreasonable to expect that, with obtained in labour from acupunc uterus point on both sides and appropriate antenatal training, the ture analgesia is not as profound as stimulate them electrically. Then I success rate of acupuncture in epidural pain relief. However, the useathird setof padsplaced at each labour could be improved upon continueson page20 side of the midline, approximately considerably. Reproducedby pertnissio« 0; the Daily Exprf'S5
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