Acupressure: What It Is and What Research Shows

What acupressure is

Acupressure means pressing on specific places on the body with fingers, thumbs, a wristband or a small device, instead of using needles. One systematic review describes acupressure as finger pressure applied along the meridians of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in the same way as Shiatsu. [1] Because nothing pierces the skin, acupressure does not carry the infection or organ-injury risks of needling. For the needle version, see What Is Acupuncture? and the side-by-side comparison acupuncture vs acupressure.

How it is traditionally explained

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the places that are pressed are called acupuncture points or acupoints. They are described as lying on channels called meridians, along which qi is said to move. This is a traditional framework. A critical review has examined the evidence behind basic concepts such as qi and meridians. [2] Trials of acupressure do not test those ideas. They test whether pressing at a chosen place, compared with sham pressure, usual care or medicine, changes a measured symptom. For the Chinese-medicine side of the topic, see acupressure in TCM context and acupuncture points explained.

Common forms

• Hands-on pressure from a practitioner such as an acupuncturist, a TCM practitioner, a massage therapist or a Shiatsu practitioner.
• Wristbands: see acupressure wristbands and nausea.
• Mats and pillows: see acupressure mats.
• Pressure on the ear with small seeds or beads: see ear seeds and auricular acupressure.
• Pressing on points yourself: see self-acupressure.

What research shows

Evidence differs a great deal from one use to the next. Trials also differ in what they call acupressure, so the table names the study type.

1. Nausea after surgery (wrist point PC6)

   Promising but limited

   A 2025 Cochrane network meta-analysis of 77 trials (9,847 people) found that non-invasive PC6 stimulation, such as wristbands, may reduce nausea (RR 0.67) and vomiting (RR 0.58) compared with sham, with low confidence. [3]

2. Nausea in early pregnancy

   Promising but limited

   The NHS says there is some evidence that pressure on the wrist may relieve symptoms. [4] A Cochrane review said evidence for P6 acupressure was limited. [5]

3. Chemotherapy nausea

   Promising but limited

   A review of 14 studies judged P6 and ear acupressure an effective complementary therapy and asked for standard guidelines. [6]

4. Labor pain

   Promising but limited

   A review of 13 trials (1,586 people) found less pain with acupressure plus standard care than with sham acupressure or standard care alone. [7]

5. Period pain

   Promising but limited

   A 2025 review of 23 trials found less menstrual pain than with placebo acupressure, medicine or usual treatment, and called the evidence low quality. [8]

6. Sleep quality

   Promising but limited

   A 2018 review of 32 trials found better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores than sham in 7 trials, with a high risk of bias because people could not be blinded. [9]

7. Anxiety

   Promising but limited

   A 2022 review of 27 studies found lower anxiety, with very high variation between studies. [10]

8. Headache and migraine

   Insufficient evidence

   Only small single trials were found. See acupressure for headache and pain.

9. Other uses

   Insufficient evidence

   A broad 2011 review found variable or poor evidence for stress, anxiety, dementia, renal disease symptoms and respiratory conditions. [1]

Detail on each group is on the pages for sleep, anxiety and stress, headache and pain and labor and pregnancy.

Practitioners and cost

In England, the NHS says complementary therapists other than chiropractors and osteopaths do not need to be registered by law, and advises choosing one registered with an organisation accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. [13] For the U.S., see NCCAOM and board certification and acupuncture licensing and training. We have not read each state's rules for acupressure alone, so ask your state board. We do not list practitioners or give prices.