Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Evidence

Why this page matters

Nausea and vomiting can be hard side effects of chemotherapy. Acupuncture is sometimes offered alongside anti-sickness medicine. This page reports what research found for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (often shortened to CINV). It is information only and does not replace your cancer team's advice.

Where the evidence stands

Most agreement about acupuncture for cancer treatment nausea rests on research done before current anti-sickness guidelines, so it is uncertain whether acupuncture helps when added to today's standard treatment. [1] The National Cancer Institute's PDQ summary calls the chemotherapy nausea studies the most convincing in cancer acupuncture research, because those studies benefit from scientifically sound designs. [2]

Label: promising but limited. Two things hold the evidence back. First, many trials compare acupuncture with usual care only, which cannot separate the needles from attention, expectation and hope. A sham-controlled design can address part of this but not all of it, and patients cannot always be blinded. Second, a 2025 study of English-language trials found selective outcome-reporting bias: only four of eleven had a trial registry, and none reported all outcomes as planned. [6]

Pressure and wristbands

Wristbands and finger pressure on the wrist point PC6 are needle-free options. In a three-group trial of 500 people having chemotherapy, nausea in the first cycle did not differ significantly between real wristbands, sham wristbands and antiemetics alone. [7] The NCI summary describes a small 2016 trial of ear-seed acupressure that reported less nausea, but it had 48 people and no placebo control. [2] See acupressure wristbands and nausea and ear seeds.

Evidence is also mixed by point. A placebo-controlled trial in 103 liver cancer patients found stimulation of the K1 point plus antiemetics did not prevent nausea. [2]

What a session may involve

An acupuncturist places fine needles at points on the body; some practices add small electrical current. See electroacupuncture and what to expect at a first appointment. Frequency, timing around chemotherapy days and needle sites should be agreed with your oncology team.

Care first

Do not use acupuncture to postpone seeing a health care provider. [1] Call your cancer team promptly if you cannot keep fluids down or medicines are not controlling vomiting. Call 911 for an emergency.