How can acupressure help you? What the research says

Acupressure involves applying pressure on specific places on your body to relieve several side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

How can acupressure help you? What the research says

We summarize the clinical evidence for each medical benefit here. We begin with our assessment of the strength of evidence within each category, followed by a brief summary of individual studies or reviews of several studies. In assessing the strength of evidence, we consider the study design, number of participants, and the size of the treatment effect (how much outcomes changed with treatment).

Our assessments of evidence for each medical benefit fall into one of these categories:

Strong evidence: consistent, significant effects in several large (or at least one very large) well designed clinical studies or at least two meta-analysesa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of clinical studies of moderate or better quality (or one large meta-analysis) finding similar results
Good evidence: significant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies ( randomized controlled trialsa study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds)
Modest evidence: significant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observationala type of study in which individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured, but no attempt is made to affect the outcome (for example, no treatment is given); an example is a study that records people’s diets, but doesn’t try to alter their diets, and looks for patterns of disease or other outcomes related to different foods studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis
Preliminary evidence: significant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect
Weak evidence: one or more case studies, supported by animal evidence OR small treatment effects of limited clinical significance OR studies with no controls OR weak trends of effects
Insufficient evidence: preclinical evidence only OR clinical studies with such poor or unclear methodology that no conclusion can be drawn OR conflicting findings across clinical studies with no preponderance of evidence in one direction; conflicting evidence occurs when studies find conflicting effects (positive effect vs no effect or negative effect) with the same treatment and the same general study population (same cancer type, for example)

Learn more about how we research and rate therapies and practices in How We Rate Therapies ›

Optimizing your body terrain

Does acupressure promote an environment within your body that is less supportive of cancer development, growth, or spread? We present the evidence.

Research has only begun studying the connections between body terrain factors and cancer outcomes, and the oncology community is not yet sure how to interpret all the findings. If any of these terrain factors could be an issue for you, we recommend that you ask your doctor if you need any diagnostic tests to detect terrain imbalances or any adjustments to your lifestyle or medications.

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

We also recommend that you share with your doctor the information here about how acupressure might affect these terrain factors if you have any imbalances.

High blood sugar and insulin resistance

Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of better blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes treated with acupressure

Lower fasting blood glucose levels after 24 hours, but no change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) after 3 months among people with type 2 diabetes self-treating with acupressure for a month compared to sham acupressure in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects¹Salmani Mood M, Yavari Z, Bahrami Taghanaki H, Mahmoudirad G. The effect of acupressure on fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and stress in patients with type 2 diabetes. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021 May;43:101393.
Lower blood sugar among people with diabetes mellitus treated with acupressure for 30 minutes per visit for 11 weeks compared to regular diabetes treatment in a small controlled triala study design in which people are assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatment; assignment is not random, and so this is not as strong a study design as a randomized controlled trial, but still stronger than an uncontrolled trial²Fitrullah, Rousdy A. Effectiveness of acupressure at the Zusanli (ST-36) acupoint as a comfortable treatment for diabetes mellitus: a pilot study in Indonesia. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. 2017 Apr;10(2):96-103.
Lower HbA1c levels among older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus self-treating with acupoint massage compared to baseline in a small uncontrolled triala study in which a therapy is used, but without a comparison group to judge outcomes against; an uncontrolled trial is considered a weak study design³Lyu WB, Gao Y, Cheng KY, Wu R, Zhou WQ. Effect of self-acupoint massage on blood glucose level and quality of life in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 2019 Aug 1;45(8):43-48.

Immune function

Increased immune system activation is not always beneficial, so your oncology team needs to determine whether immune activation would be favorable in your situation.

Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher markers of immune activation among people with lung cancer undergoing cancer treatment and treated with acupoint stimulation

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Is acupressure linked to fewer or less severe side effects or symptoms? Is it linked to less toxicity from cancer treatment? Does it support your quality of life or promote general well-being? We present the evidence.

Anxiety

Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less anxiety without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Preliminary evidence of less anxiety during chemotherapy among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Blood-related side effects

Preliminary evidence of better hemoglobin concentrations during chemotherapy for gynecological cancer among women treated with acupressure

Depression

Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less depression among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Fatigue

Preliminary evidence of less fatigue among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Modest evidence of less nausea but not vomiting from chemotherapy among people treated with acupressure

Less severe acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea, but no evidence of an effect on the incidence or frequency of vomiting, among people treated with acupressure compared to controls in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 12 controlled trialsa study design in which people are assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatment; assignment is not random, and so this is not as strong a study design as a randomized controlled trial, but still stronger than an uncontrolled trial of varying quality¹⁶Miao J, Liu X et al. Effects of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting-a systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2017 May;70:27-37.
Reduced incidence of acute nausea severity, but not acute vomiting or delayed symptoms during chemotherapy among people taking antiemetic medication and treated with acupressure compared to controls in a subgroup analysis by modality in a systematic review of 11 studies¹⁷Ezzo JM, Richardson MA et al. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006 Apr 19;(2):CD002285. Our note: acupuncture-point stimulation therapies in this meta-analysis include stimulation with needle, electroacupuncture, and acupressure
Higher complete response rates of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and lower incidence and severity of acute CINV, but not anticipatory CINV, among people with breast cancer treated with either auricular acupressure or sham auricular acupressure in addition to standard antiemetic treatment and care compared to standard care alone in a mid-sized RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects¹⁸Tan JY, Molassiotis A et al. Effects of auricular acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2022 Mar 24;22(1):87.
Lower frequency and intensity of both acute and delayed vomiting and nausea during chemotherapy among women with breast cancer treated with standard medication and ear (auricular) acupuncture compared to standard medications only in a small controlled trial¹⁹Eghbali M, Yekaninejad MS, et al. The effect of auricular acupressure on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among breast cancer patients. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2016 Aug;24:189-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.06.006. Epub 2016 Jul 5. PMID: 27502820.

Pain

Modest evidence of less cancer-related pain among people treated with auricular acupressure

Preliminary evidence of less less severe pain among women with breast cancer treated with relaxing acupressure, but less pain interference among those treated with stimulating acupressure

Preliminary evidence of less pain during bone marrow biopsy among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Sleep disruption

Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of better sleep quality without regard to cancer treatment phase among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Preliminary evidence of better sleep quality during chemotherapy among people with cancer treated with acupressure

Acupressure combined with other therapies

Preliminary evidence of less anxiety among women with breast cancer undergoing initial surgery using a self-care toolkit

Modest evidence of less breathlessness among people with advanced cancer treated with acupressure and reflexology

Symptoms not specific to cancer

Modest evidence of lower incidence of nausea and vomiting after surgery among people treated with acupressure

Insufficient (conflicting) evidencepreclinical evidence only OR clinical studies with such poor or unclear methodology that no conclusion can be drawn OR conflicting findings across clinical studies with no preponderance of evidence in one direction; conflicting evidence occurs when studies find conflicting effects (positive effect vs no effect or negative effect) with the same treatment and the same general study population (same cancer type, for example) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less pain after surgery among people treated with acupressure

No evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on recovery time, length of hospital stay, or return to normal physical activities among people undergoing major laparoscopic procedures treated with acupressure devices in a preliminary study

Modest evidence of lower incidence of nausea and vomiting after surgery among people treated with acupressure

Moderately lower incidence of nausea and vomiting and less need for rescue antiemetics after surgery among people treated with acupressure compared to sham acupressure or antiemetics in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 59 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects or comparison trials of low quality³⁰Lee A, Chan SK, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point PC6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015 Nov 2;2015(11):CD003281.
Lower risk of vomiting after abdominal surgery with general anesthesia among people treated with acupressure compared to placebo in a meta-analysis of 20 RCTs of varying quality³¹Fu C, Wu T, Shu Q, Song A, Jiao Y. Acupuncture therapy on postoperative nausea and vomiting in abdominal operation: a Bayesian network meta analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Jun 5;99(23):e20301.

Insufficient (conflicting) evidence of less pain after surgery among people treated with acupressure

No change in pain scores or opioid use for 2 days after surgery among people treated with acupressure compared to sham acupressure or no intervention in a mid-sized RCT³²Noll E, Shodhan S et al. Efficacy of acupressure on quality of recovery after surgery: randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Anaesthesiology. 2019 Aug;36(8):557-565.
Less pain and more comfort after gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) among people treated with acupressure compared to controls in a small RCT³³Topdemir EA, Saritas S. The effect of acupressure and reiki application on patients’ pain and comfort level after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021 May;43:101385.

No evidence of an effect on recovery time, length of hospital stay, or return to normal physical activities among people undergoing major laparoscopic procedures treated with acupressure devices in a preliminary study

No evidence of an effect on recovery time, length of hospital stay, or return to normal physical activities among people undergoing major laparoscopic procedures with acupressure devices 30 to 60 minutes before beginning anesthesia compared to a sham acustimulation device in a mid-sized RCT³⁴White PF, Zhao M, Tang J, Wender RH, Yumul R, Sloninsky AV, Naruse R, Kariger R, Cunneen S. Use of a disposable acupressure device as part of a multimodal antiemetic strategy for reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2012 Jul;115(1):31-7.

Keep reading about acupressure

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Author

Nancy Hepp, MS

Lead Researcher and Program Manager

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Reviewer

Emily Ryan, ND, MSOM, LAc

Research Associate

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Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS

Senior Clinical Consultant

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Last update: May 9, 2023

Last full literature review: September 2021

CancerChoices provides information about integrative in cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan cancer care. We review complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-care lifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices to help patients and professionals explore and integrate the best combination of conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and complementary therapies and practices for each person.

Our staff have no financial conflicts of interest to declare. We receive no funds from any manufacturers or retailers gaining financial profit by promoting or discouraging therapies mentioned on this site.

Acupressure

How can acupressure help you? What the research says

Optimizing your body terrain

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Keep reading about acupressure

Author

Nancy Hepp, MS

Reviewer

Emily Ryan, ND, MSOM, LAc

Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS

Learn more

Guidance for Each Phase

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

Yoga

References
1	Salmani Mood M, Yavari Z, Bahrami Taghanaki H, Mahmoudirad G. The effect of acupressure on fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and stress in patients with type 2 diabetes. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021 May;43:101393.
2	Fitrullah, Rousdy A. Effectiveness of acupressure at the Zusanli (ST-36) acupoint as a comfortable treatment for diabetes mellitus: a pilot study in Indonesia. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. 2017 Apr;10(2):96-103.
3	Lyu WB, Gao Y, Cheng KY, Wu R, Zhou WQ. Effect of self-acupoint massage on blood glucose level and quality of life in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 2019 Aug 1;45(8):43-48.
4	Chen HY, Li SG, Cho WC, Zhang ZJ. The role of acupoint stimulation as an adjunct therapy for lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013 Dec 17;13:362.
5, 21	Zick SM, Sen A. Impact of self-acupressure on co-occurring symptoms in cancer survivors. JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2018 Nov 1;2(4): pky064.
6, 14, 24	Lin L, Zhang Y et al. Auricular acupressure for cancer-related fatigue during lung cancer chemotherapy: a randomised trial. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. 2021 Mar;11(1):32-39.
7, 12, 15, 26	Zhang B, Dong JN, Sun P, Feng C, Liu YC. Effect of therapeutic care for treating fatigue in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Aug;96(33):e7750.
8	Zhang J, Qin Z et al. Electroacupuncture plus auricular acupressure for chemotherapy-associated insomnia in breast cancer patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2021 Jan-Dec;20:15347354211019103.
9, 13, 27	Hoang HTX, Molassiotis A, Chan CW, Vu AH, Bui PT. Pilot randomized sham-controlled trial of self-acupressure to manage the symptom cluster of insomnia, depression, and anxiety in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Sleep and Breathing. 2021 Apr 14.
10	Shih YW, Yang SF et al. Significant effect of acupressure in elevating blood stem cell factor during chemotherapy in patients with gynecologic cancer. Journal of Nursing Research. 2018 Dec;26(6):411-419.
11	Zick SM, Sen A. Impact of self-acupressure on co-occurring symptoms in cancer survivors. JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2018 Nov 1;2(4): pky064.
16	Miao J, Liu X et al. Effects of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting-a systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2017 May;70:27-37.
17	Ezzo JM, Richardson MA et al. Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006 Apr 19;(2):CD002285.
18	Tan JY, Molassiotis A et al. Effects of auricular acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2022 Mar 24;22(1):87.
19	Eghbali M, Yekaninejad MS, et al. The effect of auricular acupressure on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among breast cancer patients. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2016 Aug;24:189-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.06.006. Epub 2016 Jul 5. PMID: 27502820.
20	He Y, Guo X et al. Clinical evidence for association of acupuncture and acupressure with improved cancer pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Oncology. 2020 Feb 1;6(2):271-278.
22	Sharifi Rizi M, Shamsalinia A, Ghaffari F, Keyhanian S, Naderi Nabi B. The effect of acupressure on pain, anxiety, and the physiological indexes of patients with cancer undergoing bone marrow biopsy. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2017 Nov;29:136-141.
23	Cheung DST, Xu X et al. Invasive or noninvasive? A systematic review and network meta-analysis of acupuncture and acupressure to treat sleep disturbance in cancer patients. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. 2022 Dec 21.
25	Kuo HC, Tsao Y, Tu HY, Dai ZH, Creedy DK. Pilot randomized controlled trial of auricular point acupressure for sleep disturbances in women with ovarian cancer. Research in Nursing & Health. 2018 Oct;41(5):469-479.
28	Stoerkel E, Bellanti D et al. Effectiveness of a self-care toolkit for surgical breast cancer patients in a military treatment facility. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2018 Sep/Oct;24(9-10):916-925.
29	Gupta A, Sedhom R et al. Nonpharmacological interventions for managing breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review. JAMA Oncology. 2021 Feb 1;7(2):290-298.
30	Lee A, Chan SK, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point PC6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015 Nov 2;2015(11):CD003281.
31	Fu C, Wu T, Shu Q, Song A, Jiao Y. Acupuncture therapy on postoperative nausea and vomiting in abdominal operation: a Bayesian network meta analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Jun 5;99(23):e20301.
32	Noll E, Shodhan S et al. Efficacy of acupressure on quality of recovery after surgery: randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Anaesthesiology. 2019 Aug;36(8):557-565.
33	Topdemir EA, Saritas S. The effect of acupressure and reiki application on patients’ pain and comfort level after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021 May;43:101385.
34	White PF, Zhao M, Tang J, Wender RH, Yumul R, Sloninsky AV, Naruse R, Kariger R, Cunneen S. Use of a disposable acupressure device as part of a multimodal antiemetic strategy for reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2012 Jul;115(1):31-7.