Electro-acupuncture is a form of acupuncture in which pairs of acupuncture needles are attached to a device that generates continuous electric pulses between them. Another term is Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS).
According to some acupuncturists, this practice augments the use of regular acupuncture, can restore health and well-being, and is particularly good for treating pain. For the most part, there is insufficient scientific evidence regarding the safety or efficacy of electro-acupuncture, although there is evidence for its efficacy in treating post-chemotherapyvomiting not for acute or delayed nausea severity.
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics advises doctors to tell their patients that devices used for electro-acupuncture and electro interstitial scanning "lack a scientifically plausible rationale and should be regarded as bogus."