For Nausea or Racquet Sports

I went on a sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands last week which is really surprising considering that I don't sail and also considering that I get motion sickness.  Since me barfing can ruin my entire day, before I left on the trip I bought something called Sea-Bands which claim to prevent nausea and vomiting.  And right now the marketer in me is imagining the product naming meeting where there was a big debate as to why they couldn't be called NauSea-Bands.  But I digress.

Sea-Bands are knitted, elasticated (that is the manufacturer's word choice, not mine, and it does not pass the spell check by the way) wrist bands you wear on each wrist.  Once you have accessorized your swimsuit or other boating attire with your Sea-Bands, you look like you are all ready for a sporting activity that requires you stop the sweat from getting on your hands.  I have never even actually sweat so much to consider getting a paper towel, but from what I hear, preventing sweat from dripping down past your wrists is crucial to winning a title. 

I can tell you from my personal experience on a boat in 25 mph winds and seven foot swells that Sea-Bands are anti-barfing magic.  When I I had them on, the idea of barfing never entered my mind, which is a good thing, because you know what happens...once you start thinking about barfing, tragedy ensues.  After an especially turbulent night of non-stop pitching and rolling (I am referring to the boat, not to any other activity you may be presuming I was indulging in) I am certain I would have hurled if not for my Sea-Bands.

If you are wondering what makes Sea-Bands work, it's the white plastic stud (as shown on my own personal arm in the photo) that applies pressure to the nei kuan acupressure point on each wrist.  (Our friends at wikipedia provide a long, complex answer to your questions about what and where is a nei kuan pressure point.  Trust me, it is more than you want to know, but I like to be a full service blogger and give you the sources for the level of detail you need to feel fulfilled.) I actually have another theory about how Sea-Bands work:  if you leave them on long enough, the plastic stud presses into your nei kuan to such an extent that alarming indentations form on your inner wrists, which causes pain - on a scale of 1 to 10 - of about a 7.  You cannot possibly be distracted by vomiting when your wrists are turning purple and your hands are going numb.

Comments

[Eric Maher]

So, numb dry hands. LOL

I wonder if anybody has thought to use the sweatbands on their wrists to wipe their forehead?

:-P

[Anonymous]

I often find that the other pitching and rolling activity makes me want to barf. I should get those.