Nausea and vomiting are the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy and are experienced by up to three-fourths of patients receiving chemotherapy. They can interfere with the ability to perform normal household tasks, enjoy meals, and maintain daily function and activities, thereby reducing their quality of life. The severity of these symptoms can also reduce adherence to chemotherapy regimens and lead to malnutrition. In addition to the numerous antiemetics that are available, several integrative therapies also significantly reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

Acupuncture

Several acupressure points, when stimulated by needles, electricity, or pressure, reduce CINV.^1-3 Acupressure reduces the severity of acute and delayed nausea, however, it has no benefit on the incidence and severity of vomiting.⁴ For the prevention of nausea, needles should be placed at least 30 minutes before the chemotherapy session and continued for as long as required. Acupuncture can also be done the day before and day after chemotherapy, and should be administered by acupuncturists specially trained in oncology who will have knowledge of contraindications.  Some specific acupuncture points are described below.

The PC6 (P6) acupressure point alleviates nausea and is easy to find:⁵

1. Take your index finger and middle finger and place them on your wrist at the base of your palm to measure where your nausea acupressure point is.