Motion Sickness and Yifeng Acupressure: What to Know Before Your Next Trip

Motion sickness relief can make a major difference when nausea, dizziness, sweating, or stomach discomfort turns an otherwise enjoyable trip into an unpleasant experience. Whether you are traveling by car, bus, plane, or boat, symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, cold sweating, stomach discomfort, and sometimes vomiting can appear surprisingly quickly.
Fortunately, there are several practical ways to reduce motion sickness. Some people also use traditional acupressure techniques, including stimulation of a point known as Yifeng.
But how much can acupressure really help?
Understanding both the traditional practice and the modern evidence can help you make safer, more informed choices.
Why Does Motion Sickness Happen?
Motion sickness is generally thought to occur when the brain receives conflicting information about movement from the eyes, inner ear, and other sensory systems involved in balance and body position.
For example, while sitting inside a moving car, your inner ear may detect acceleration and turning while your eyes are focused on a relatively stationary object such as a phone or book. This mismatch can contribute to symptoms including dizziness, nausea, sweating, increased salivation, fatigue, and vomiting.
This is why motion sickness can occur not only in cars and boats but also on airplanes, amusement rides, simulators, and virtual-reality systems.
What Is the Yifeng Acupressure Point?
Yifeng is a traditional acupuncture point located behind the ear.
In traditional East Asian medicine, the point is generally located in the depression behind the earlobe, near the area between the lower jaw and the bony prominence behind the ear.
Traditional practitioners may stimulate this area for symptoms involving the head, ears, dizziness, or discomfort associated with travel.
It is important, however, to distinguish traditional therapeutic theory from established modern clinical evidence.
How to Try Gentle Yifeng Acupressure
If you enjoy acupressure as a relaxation practice, Yifeng can be stimulated gently.
Locate the shallow depression immediately behind the lower part of the ear.
Using the pad of your index or middle finger, apply gentle, comfortable pressure.
Massage the area slowly using small circular movements.
You may notice mild pressure or tenderness, but the technique should not cause sharp pain.
Breathe slowly and normally while massaging.
You can repeat the technique on both sides.
There is no need to press aggressively. Stronger pressure does not necessarily produce a better result.
Stop if the area becomes painful, irritated, numb, or unusually uncomfortable.
Can Yifeng Acupressure Actually Prevent Motion Sickness?
This is where the original health claim needs to be treated carefully.
Although acupressure is widely promoted for motion sickness, current evidence does not show that acupressure reliably prevents or treats motion sickness. The CDC’s current travel-health guidance states that research does not support acupressure as an effective motion-sickness treatment, and laboratory studies of commonly used acupressure approaches have generally not shown benefits beyond placebo.
There is even less high-quality evidence specifically demonstrating that stimulation of the Yifeng point can relieve motion sickness.
For that reason, it would be inaccurate to claim that pressing Yifeng for three to five minutes will reliably stop nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or seasickness.
A better way to describe it is:
Yifeng acupressure may be used as a gentle traditional relaxation technique, but it should not be considered a proven treatment for motion sickness.
Some people may still find the ritual soothing, and relaxation itself can sometimes make travel more comfortable.
What Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Say?
Traditional Chinese medicine uses a different conceptual framework from modern vestibular medicine.
Historically, dizziness and nausea associated with travel may be interpreted through concepts such as disruption of qi movement or phlegm-dampness affecting the clear sensory openings.
These ideas belong to the traditional theoretical system and should not be interpreted literally as evidence that physical “phlegm” accumulates in the brain or that pressing an acupuncture point removes it.
Modern medicine instead explains motion sickness primarily through conflicting sensory signals involving the vestibular, visual, and motion-perception systems.
Presenting these two frameworks separately allows traditional wellness practices to be discussed without turning historical concepts into unsupported biological claims.
Evidence-Based Ways to Reduce Motion Sickness

For more reliable motion sickness relief, reducing visual and vestibular conflict is one of the most practical strategies.
If you know that you are susceptible to motion sickness, several behavioral strategies have stronger support.
Look toward the horizon or another stable external reference whenever possible.
Avoid reading, scrolling on your phone, watching videos, or performing visually demanding tasks while the vehicle is moving.
Try to minimize unnecessary head movements.
Choose a position where motion is less intense when possible.
Fresh air may make some travelers feel more comfortable.
Slow, controlled breathing can also help some people manage symptoms.
Getting enough sleep before traveling may also matter because sleep deprivation can worsen motion sickness. Alcohol and nicotine can increase susceptibility and are best avoided before or during travel.
What About Motion-Sickness Medication?
For people who frequently experience moderate or severe motion sickness, medication may be more reliable than complementary approaches.
Several established motion-sickness medicines act on the brain and vestibular pathways involved in nausea and balance. They tend to work better when taken before motion exposure rather than after severe symptoms have already developed.
However, these medications can cause side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, or blurred vision and may not be appropriate for everyone.
If you have medical conditions, take other medications, are pregnant, or need to drive, operate machinery, or remain highly alert while traveling, discuss appropriate options with a healthcare professional or pharmacist.
When Motion Sickness May Be Something Else
Occasional motion sickness during travel is common.
But frequent dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or imbalance when you are not traveling should not automatically be blamed on motion sickness.
Similar symptoms can occur with migraine, inner-ear disorders, vestibular conditions, medication effects, and other health problems. The CDC advises that other causes should be considered when symptoms are unusual or persistent.
Seek medical advice if dizziness or nausea becomes frequent, severe, suddenly different from your usual pattern, or occurs without an obvious motion trigger.
The Bottom Line
Yifeng acupressure is a simple traditional wellness practice that some people may find relaxing during travel.
It is inexpensive, does not require equipment, and can be performed almost anywhere.
However, it should not be promoted as a proven way to cure or reliably prevent motion sickness.
Current evidence favors practical strategies such as reducing visual-vestibular conflict, looking toward the horizon, avoiding reading or screen use, minimizing head movement, using controlled breathing, and considering appropriate medication when needed.
Traditional acupressure can be viewed as an optional comfort practice rather than a replacement for evidence-based prevention or medical care.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is provided for general educational and wellness purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and does not replace professional medical advice.
If you experience severe, persistent, recurrent, or unexplained dizziness, nausea, vomiting, vertigo, hearing changes, neurological symptoms, or balance problems, consult a qualified healthcare professional.