Acupressure, relieves the symptoms of motion sickness and reduces abnormalgastric activity

Context . Acupuncture at the P6 or Neiguan point to treat nausea and vomiti ng has been practiced in China for many years. More recently, acupressure a t P6 has been used successfully to decrease the symptoms of pregnancy sickn ess and with mixed results to decrease motion sickness. Objective . To determine whether an Acuband, a commercials available acupre ssure wristband, would relieve the symptoms of motion sickness. Method . 25 healthy subjects, aged 18 to 22 years, prescreened for suscepti bility to motion sickness, were tested on 3 separate occasions in a rotatin g optokinetic drum with the following conditions: wearing an Acuband on the wrist, wearing an Acuband on the arm, and wearing no Acuband. Main Outcome Measures . Subjective symptoms of motion sickness and abnormal gastric activity, as recorded via electrogastrography, were obtained throu ghout the procedure. Results . Subjects reported significantly fewer symptoms of motion sickness on days when wearing the Acuband on the wrist or the arm than they did on control days (when they wore no Acuband). Subjects also showed less abnorma l gastric activity on the days when Wearing an Acuband than they did on con trol days. Conclusion . An Acuband worn on the wrist or forearm decreases the symptoms of motion sickness and the gastric activity that usually accompanies motio n sickness.