Acupressure is an ancient healing art that’s based on the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture. With acupressure, pressure is applied to specific places on your body. These places are called acupoints. Pressing these points can help release muscle tension and promote blood circulation. Research suggests that it can also relieve many common side effects of chemotherapy.

You can do acupressure at home by using your fingers to apply pressure to different acupoints. Watch this video or follow the steps below to learn how to perform acupressure to reduce nausea and vomiting.

Pressure Point P-6 (Neiguan)

Pressure point P-6, also called Neiguan, is located on your inner arm near your wrist. Doing acupressure on this point can help relieve nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy.

1. Position your hand so that your fingers are pointing up and your palm is facing you.
2. To find pressure point P-6, place the first 3 fingers of your opposite hand across your wrist (see Figure 1). Then, place your thumb on the inside of your wrist just below your index finger (see Figure 2). You should be able to feel 2 large tendons (tissue that connects muscles to bones) under your thumb. ?This is pressure point P-6.
   

   Figure 1.
   Placing 3 fingers across wrist

   

   Figure 2.
   Placing thumb on point below index finger

3. Use your thumb or forefinger to press on this point for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a circular motion. Be firm, but don’t press so hard that it hurts.
4. Repeat the process on your other wrist.