Acupuncture for Tonsillectomy Pain
Acupuncture for Tonsillectomy Pain
Pain after tonsillectomy can be severe and last ten days.

 Various new surgical instruments have been developed over the years in an attempt to reduce
 postoperative pain with mixed results and increased costs; no single tonsillectomy technique
 is superior to the rest. Patients are discharged to home usually on the day of surgery and
 often suffer significant pain and nausea. Pain medication is often prescribed which can cause
 nausea, vomiting and constipation. Children in pain are reluctant to take in fluids and may
 require intravenous hydration at an emergency department.

 "Battlefield acupuncture " has been recently developed by the US Air Force and is now being
 used in Iraq and Afghanistan on wounded warriors suffering severe acute pain from trauma.
 This protocol consists of five acupuncture points on the outer ear.

 A recent study has demonstrated decreased pain and agitation in children undergoing ear tube
 insertion. Ear tube patients have mild discomfort compared to tonsillectomy patients and are
 able to attend school the next day.

 The investigators have been encouraged by the benefits of acupuncture during surgery for ear
 tube patients and also wounded warriors recovering from their injuries. These findings
 motivated us to see if acupuncture during tonsillectomy surgery would result in less pain and
 nausea.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Children 2 to 17 years of age who need tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy
 with or without myringotomy tube(s)

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Developmental Delay