P6 Acupressure for Nausea Relief

Most people can relate... you're in the back of an Uber on a winding road, or 30 minutes into a flight that's hitting turbulence, and that familiar wave of nausea starts. Most people try to just ride it out. However, there's a specific spot on your inner forearm that, when pressed correctly, has been shown to help calm nausea and even ease anxiety within just a couple of minutes. It's called P6, and it has a surprising amount of research behind it.

What Is P6?

P6 (also called Neiguan) is an acupressure point located on the inner forearm. To find it, turn your palm face up and place three fingers across your wrist with your ring finger touching the wrist crease. The point sits just past your index finger, moving toward your elbow, between the two tendons that run down the middle of your forearm. You might have even noticed this point being used before: those motion-sickness wristbands you've seen on cruise ships, flights, or during pregnancy are designed to press on this exact spot.

How Does It Work?

The median nerve runs directly under the P6 point. Stimulating this nerve appears to send signals that influence the vagus nerve and the brain's nausea-processing centers, which can help calm the signal before it becomes full-blown nausea or vomiting. The same pathways may also help shift the body toward a more relaxed state, which is why some studies have shown reductions in anxiety alongside nausea relief.

The effect tends to build within a few minutes of applied pressure and may last for hours afterward.

Several studies have found notable benefits:

• Pregnant women with severe morning sickness reported significantly less nausea and needed fewer anti-nausea medications when using P6 wristbands
• Patients recovering from surgery experienced lower rates of post-operative nausea and vomiting
• Chemotherapy patients showed reductions in nausea, vomiting, and anxiety scores compared to control groups
  

How to Use It

• You can use your fingers or a dedicated wristband.
• Turn your palm face up and place three fingers across your inner wrist with your ring finger touching the wrist crease. P6 is located just past your index finger toward your elbow, between the two central tendons.
• Apply firm, steady pressure with your thumb for 2-3 minutes per side
• Or wear an acupressure wristband (often sold as Sea-Bands) on both wrists
  

When it's most useful:

• Motion sickness in cars, boats, or planes
• Morning sickness during pregnancy
• Nausea from medication side effects
• General queasiness from anxiety or stress
  

For over 2,500 years, P6 acupressure has been used as a simple way to help the body settle. The next time nausea or anxiety starts to creep in, this small pressure point is worth a try!

Want to Learn More? Check Out:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7575310/

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