Nausea and Vomiting: Acupressure Points & Self-Care

Nausea is when you feel sick to your stomach, as if you are going to throw up. Vomiting is when you throw up. Both can be symptoms of many conditions, including morning sickness, stomach flu, migraines, motion sickness, food poisoning, certain medicines, GERD and ulcers, and intestinal obstruction.

Traditional use: in TCM, points such as PC-6, CV-12 and ST-36 are traditionally used for nausea and vomiting. What research says: a 2025 Cochrane review of clinical trials found that stimulating PC-6 on the inner wrist, alongside anti-nausea medicine, may reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery compared with a sham treatment. That review is about nausea after surgery; it did not study other kinds of nausea.

Recognizing Symptoms

Physical Symptoms

  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Vomiting

Primary Points for Nausea and Vomiting

Select a point to learn more.

Additional Support Points

Select a point to learn more.

Self-Care Acupressure Routines

Nausea Routine (5-8 minutes, repeat as needed)

  1. Sit upright and breathe slowly through your nose, out through mouth
  2. Press PC-6 for 1-2 minutes each arm
  3. Massage CV-12 gently
  4. Apply pressure to ST-36 for 30 seconds each leg
  5. For bloating: add SP-4 or ST-25

Everyday Considerations

Self-care

  • Fluids: Get enough fluids to avoid dehydration
  • Food: Eat bland foods and smaller meals more often; stay away from spicy, fatty or salty foods
  • Smells: Avoid strong smells, which can trigger nausea and vomiting

Pregnancy

  • Traditionally avoided during pregnancy: CV-12, ST-25. Skip these points if you are or may be pregnant.

When to Seek Medical Care

See a doctor if you have

  • Vomited for longer than 24 hours
  • Blood in the vomit
  • Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, infrequent urination or dark urine