# "Relief Band" motion sickness remedy: really works, placebo, or woo? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668 "2013-02-28T21:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668/1 "2013-02-28T21:26:40Z")
12 years ago when I was learning to fly, I bought and used a device called a “Relief Band”. It is a wristwatch-like device that gives periodic small electric shocks to your inside wrist, and this is supposed to “disrupt” any motion sickness that you may be developing. Back then, it did kinda-sorta seem to work. But did it really work or work by placebo-effect? So does this thing actually work with evidence to back it up, or is it woo? The Power Balance bands fiasco have given wrist-worn devices a bad name. Was I fooling myself before? I ask because I may be going whale watching in a while and I’m thinking of digging the Relief Band out to use on the trip. Thanks, J. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668/2 "2013-03-01T23:01:21Z")
Anybody? (my one bump…) J. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668/3 "2013-03-02T00:20:47Z")
From [UpToDate.com](http://UpToDate.com), a pay medical website: > [@](#): > > Acupressure — Pressure at the P6 acupressure point on the anterior wrist (three fingerbreadths proximal to the proximal wrist fold, between the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis tendons) either by manual pressure or with a wrist band has been reported to be effective for motion sickness in some [62-64], but not all [65-67], controlled trials. A randomized trial with a device that applies electrical stimulation to the P6 point found no benefit [43] 62: [P6 acupressure reduces symptoms of vection-induced motion sickness - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=7575310) 63: [Acupressure relieves the symptoms of motion sickness and reduces abnormal gastric activity - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=11452572) 64: [Korean hand acupressure for motion sickness in prehospital trauma care: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial in a geriatric population - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=14693623) 65: [Acupressure and motion sickness - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=2339974) 66: [A double-blind placebo controlled evaluation of acupressure in the treatment of motion sickness - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=1930060) 67: [Efficacy of acupressure and acustimulation bands for the prevention of motion sickness - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=15018290) 43: [UpToDate](http://www.uptodate.com/contents/motion-sickness/abstract/43) Never say I never did nuthin’ fer ya! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668/4 "2013-03-02T00:24:05Z")
The pressure bands seem to work for me, or applying pressure with my fingertips, so I’m either in the “works for some” category that QtM is citing or placeborrific and I’m fine either way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relief-band-motion-sickness-remedy-really-works-placebo-or-woo/651668/5 "2013-03-02T01:09:22Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > 43: [UpToDate](http://www.uptodate.com/contents/motion-sickness/abstract/43) Oops! 43 ought to be: [Airsickness prevention in helicopter passengers - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=17484344)