Battlefield Auricular Acupressure for Treatment of Pain in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: The Joint Commission mandates hospitals to offer non-pharmacologic therapies to treat pain given the current opioid epidemic. Auricular Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is utilized in the United States military to treat pain for its rapid onset, safety, and ease of application. Broader usage of BFA with acupuncture needles is limited by certain state regulations. Studies on auricular acupressure with beads suggest achievement of similar pain relief to that with acupuncture needles; however, none …