Acupressure relieves motion sickness

Written by: DrTonyWillcox | May 24, 2013

 Acupressure relieves motion sickness

OBJECTIVE:
To determine whether an Acuband, a commercially available acupressure wristband, would relieve the symptoms of motion sickness.

METHODS:
25 healthy subjects, aged 18 to 22 years, prescreened for susceptibility to motion sickness, were tested on 3 separate occasions in a rotating optokinetic drum with the following conditions: wearing an Acuband on the wrist, wearing an Acuband on the arm, and wearing no Acuband.

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 abnormal gastric activity on the days when wearing an Acuband than they did on control days.

CONCLUSION:
An Acuband worn on the wrist or forearm decreases the symptoms of motion sickness and the gastric activity that usually accompanies motion sickness.

Acupuncture and Acupressure are effective  treatments for motion sickness

Patients waiting for acupuncture treatment

This picture above was taken in July 2019 when I was interning and completing my acupuncture Ph.D. at the Anhui University of Chinese Medicine in Hefei, China. There are many facets to the experience of being a western Acupuncture practitioner in this country. It is really an experience like no other. Treating hundreds of patients a day with a plethora of medical conditions including motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, pain, and so on. Whether it is treating with acupuncture or herbal medicine or both.

Firstly, an NIH study shows electroacupuncture reduces osteoarthritis pain by boosting 5-HT2A/2C serotonin receptor activity. Consequently, this activation produces strong anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, researchers from Maryland and Shanxi universities found electroacupuncture eases pain by stimulating serotonin receptors. These receptors modulate pain at the spinal level. Furthermore, the team noted electroacupuncture triggers serotonergic neurons, extending projections into the spinal cord.

 

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