The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of
acupuncture point PC6 (Neiguan) in controlling
nausea during intraoral impression taking. This study was conducted in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The sample consisted of 33 adult volunteers with
nausea, who were randomly divided into control and study groups, and treated with nonpenetrating
sham acupuncture and real acupuncture, respectively, at
acupoint PC6. The two groups had two maxillary impressions taken, one prior to acupuncture and the other after acupuncture. The
nausea assessment was made using the visual analog scale,
Gagging Severity Index (GSI), and
Gagging Prevention Index. Volunteers' expectation that
nausea would be reduced through acupuncture was also assessed. For statistical analysis, we used the t test and the Spearman correlation (p < 0.05). When assessed by
Gagging Severity Index/
Gagging Prevention Index,
nausea was reduced in the real acupuncture group (p < 0.01). In the visual analog scale assessment, similar reductions of
nausea were noted in both groups (p > 0.05). No correlation existed between the expected and the actual reductions in
nausea. Our results indicate that
acupoint PC6 was effective for controlling
nausea during the maxillary impression-taking procedure. Patients' expectation did not influence the results.