Efficacy of a portable acustimulation device in controlling seasickness
Bertolucci, L.E.; DiDario, B.
Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine 66(12): 1155-1158
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0095-6562 PMID: 8747609 Document Number: 439356
Background: Nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness are serious and sometimes debilitating symptoms for commercial and recreational seafarers. Hypothesis: in order to treat these symptoms, a portable device, the Relief Band, was designed to deliver acustimulation to the Neiguan (P6) acupuncture point. Method: Nine volunteers used the device on a placebo point or the P6 active point on the open seas outside the San Francisco Bay. Motion sickness symptoms were graded from 1 ("feel fine") to 5 ("intermittent vomiting, with or without nausea"). Results: Five subjects with motion sickness initially positioned the device at the placebo site and reported minimal symptom improvement (3.6 +- 0.6 to 3.4 +- 1.1)(mean, +- SD), whereas the other four subjects initially used the device in the P6 position and reported decreased symptoms (4.3 +- 1.0 to 1.0 +- 0.2). The position of the Relief Band was then switched; in the four subjects who switched to the placebo position, symptoms worsened (1.0 +- 0.2 to 4.0 +- 1.4); whereas, in the five subjects where the device was switched to the P6 position, symptoms improved in each subject (3.4 +- 1.1 to 1.0 +- 0.7) (p lt 0.01). Conclusions: Motion sickness symptoms were suppressed by portable acustimulation in field studies of seasickness. The Relief Band may be an alternative to drug treatments of the nausea and vomiting of sea-sickness.