This study aimed to identify predictors of treatment response in patients undergoing acupuncture treatment for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). An intervention-specific questionnaire was developed to assess perception of bodily sensations (PBS) in patients undergoing acupuncture treatment. Participants were 220 female patients scheduled for breast or gynaecologic surgery. They received true acupuncture on point P 6 (Neiguan) or placebo/sham acupuncture on a virtual point 1 cm proximal and lateral to P 6. Two hundred and two patients completed the PBS questionnaire before the intervention. The main outcome was incidence of PONV in relation to PBS and the kind of acupuncture applied. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of treatment response for those receiving surgery (n = 195). High PBS predicted low treatment response in patients receiving breast surgery (OR = 1.6; P = 0.039 for each 10-point increase). The PBS questionnaire showed good item difficulty, internal consistency and divergent validity. Treatment response was predicted by the kind of acupuncture applied (OR = 0.4; P = 0.027), whereas PBS played no role in this group.