Acupressure for Nausea and Vomiting: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications in Modern Healthcare

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms associated with pregnancy, surgery, anesthesia, chemotherapy, gastrointestinal disorders, medication use, migraine, and numerous acute and chronic medical conditions. Although pharmacological antiemetic therapies remain central to clinical management, their effectiveness can vary and some patients experience adverse effects, contraindications, or incomplete symptom relief. These considerations have stimulated interest in complementary, non-invasive interventions such as acupressure. Acupressure involves applying manual pressure or mechanical stimulation to specific anatomical points and has been investigated as an adjunctive strategy for the prevention and management of nausea and vomiting. This review examines the proposed mechanisms of action, clinical applications, potential benefits, safety considerations, limitations of the current evidence, and future research directions. Proposed mechanisms include peripheral sensory stimulation, modulation of vagal and autonomic activity, influence on central emetic pathways, endogenous neurotransmitter regulation, and psychological relaxation. One of the most extensively studied approaches involves stimulation of the Pericardium-6 (P6) region at the wrist. Clinical research has investigated acupressure in postoperative nausea and vomiting, pregnancy-related nausea, chemotherapy-associated symptoms, and other settings. Evidence indicates potential benefit in several clinical contexts, particularly when acupressure is used as an adjunct rather than as a replacement for established antiemetic care. However, findings vary because studies differ in patient populations, pressure techniques, treatment timing, intervention duration, control conditions, and outcome definitions. Acupressure is generally considered low risk when appropriately administered, although its use should not delay evaluation of persistent, severe, or unexplained vomiting. Future research should employ standardized intervention protocols, adequately powered randomized controlled trials, clinically meaningful outcome measures, longer follow-up, safety reporting, and comparisons with standard care and combination therapies. Digital and wearable pressure devices also represent an emerging area requiring rigorous clinical validation. Overall, acupressure has promising potential as a practical component of multimodal nausea and vomiting management, but its precise clinical role should be determined through stronger evidence.