Effective Use of Battlefield Acupuncture in Managing Labor Pain

Abstract

Abstract

Background:

Labor pain is multifactorial, complex, and intense due to various physiologic and psychosocial changes. Pharmacologic interventions are the most effective analgesia but have significant side-effects. Acupuncture offers benefits in labor analgesia with relatively low side-effects. Battlefield acupuncture (BFA), a subset of acupuncture, has shown effectiveness in rapid pain relief. This article reports the case of a primigravid patient who received BFA for pain relief during labor.

Case:

This is a case study of a 32-year-old patient whose labor was induced with a Foley-bulb and Pitocin^® and received BFA for pain relief. She was treated at Evans Army Community Hospital in Fort Carson, CO. BFA lasted for the duration of labor. The main outcome sought was reported pain relief during labor with a Pitocin infusion.

Results:

After placement of 10 Aiguille Semi-Permanente needles in both ears using the BFA protocol, the patient reported 40% pain relief with no other analgesia utilized and successfully completed an uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Conclusions:

Effectiveness of BFA in managing labor pain during this case study shows promise for possible use of BFA for labor analgesia as an alternative or adjunctive treatment to conventional pharmacologic interventions.