For several years, I have received weekly acupuncture treatments. These treatments assist with pain management, stimulation of my weakened immune system, nausea, and other complaints.
Nausea has been one of my chief complaints with this cycle of treatment. I have some nausea from existing medications I am taking, so the addition of the Rituxan has multiplied the nausea symptoms. I did not want to add another medication such as anti-nausea drugs to my 40+ pills that I am taking each day.
My Mom struck on the idea for me to try Sea Bands. These are the acupressure wristbands that some people use on cruises to prevent sea sicknesses and expectant mothers utilize them to assist with morning sickness. There was really nothing to lose by giving them a try, so she purchased me a set and our experiment began. They have worked well and prevented me from having to take the anti-nausea medications!
These are placed around both wrists at the very points on the underneath side of my arms, slightly above the wrist that the acupuncture needles are inserted. The Nei-Kuan point is where the Sea Bands are positioned. To locate this position (you can apply pressure to this point without a Sea Band if you are ever nauseated). Just place your three middle fingers on the inside of your wrist , just below the bend of the wrist. This point will be beneath the index finger, between two tendons that you can feel running up your arm.
My results have been confirmed by clinical trials. In 1998, the National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Acupuncture concluded that promising results emerged that verified that acupuncture can improve chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. Data from several trials concluded that acupuncture stimulation of the P6 point appeared to be superior to antiemetic (anti-nausea) medication for nausea and acupuncture’s results were equivalent to the antiemetics for vomiting (PMID: 16813514).
Photograph from Sea Bands website
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