The Effect of Acupressure PC6 and REN12 Points on Intensity of Nausea in Patients Undergoing Inguinal Hernia Repair Surgery

Background: Surgery of inguinal hernia has complications such as postoperative nausea and vomiting. Regarding the unpleasant side effects of anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drugs, as well as prolonged hospital stay, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of acupressure PC6 and REN 12 points on nausea intensity of patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery. Methods: This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial study performed on 60 patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair in two groups of intervention. After the surgery and full patient consciousness, acupressure was applied on PC6 and REN 12 points separately in each group for 5 minutes; 2, 4, and 6 hours later, acupressure was repeated on those points. Two hours after each acupressure, severity of nausea were determined using a visual analog scale (VAS). Data were analyzed using t, chi-square, and Fisher’s tests via SPSS software. Findings: In PC6 intervention group, recorded scores were as 16.17 ± 0.63, 8.83 ± 0.49, 2.97 ± 0.23, 0.50 ± 0.11, and 0.00 ± 0.00in without, mild, moderate, sever, and very sever nausea, respectively, whereas in REN12 intervention group, these scores were as 18.70 ± 0.80, 14.53 ± 0.64, 6.67 ± 0.42, 2.47 ± 0.37, and 0.50 ± 0.47, respectively. Conclusion: Generally, acupressure particularly on the PC6 point reduces severity of nausea in patients after inguinal hernia surgery; these results are better compared to the REN12 point.