| was the best day of Paul’s life. He married | | | | Nose Throat Journal, long-term use of transdermal |
| Maria in a wonderful ceremony at the Catholic church | | | | Scopolamine patches carries a risk of chemical |
| in Coconut Grove, Florida. They had been in love for | | | | dependency. |
| a year and he had proposed two months ago. A | | | | Acupressure |
| white Rolls Royce took them from the church to the | | | | The Pc-6 point on the wrist is well known to all |
| family gathering. Two hundred family and friends | | | | Oriental medicine practitioners. The PC-6 point is |
| assembled under a tent on Paul’s | | | | located on the palm side of the wrist. To find the |
| parents’ property. They were all very nice | | | | PC-6 point, place your middle 3 fingers on the inside |
| people who smiled, danced and laughed all evening. | | | | of each wrist, with the edge of the ring finger on the |
| The food and champagne were plentiful. | | | | wrist crease. The PC-6 point is just under the edge |
| The married couple escaped to board a cruise ship in | | | | of your index finger (i.e. 1.5" to 2" from the wrist |
| Miami Beach. They had the best cabin and the newly | | | | crease) between the two central tendons. |
| wed Maria lay on the bed surrounded by flowers and | | | | An Acuband worn on the wrist or forearm decreases |
| presents. Maria’s shoes and stockings were | | | | the symptoms of motion sickness and the gastric |
| removed by Paul and he started to undress her as | | | | activity that usually accompanies motion sickness |
| the ship left the shores to the sea. | | | | The Relief Band® Device is a watch-like |
| A few minutes later, Paul was no longer with Maria. | | | | apparatus worn on the underside of the wrist. When |
| He was on the lower deck, his bow tie hanging on | | | | turned on, the device emits a low-level electrical pulse |
| the side, his white shirt half-undone. Paul’s | | | | across two small electrodes. |
| suntanned face had turned to green. He was hanging | | | | Ginger |
| on the riggings having the worst case of sea-sickness | | | | Ginger is well known in the form of ginger sticks or |
| you can imagine. He was dizzy, his mind was foggy | | | | ginger ale. The efficacy of ginger rhizome for the |
| and he was vomiting the three course meal from the | | | | prevention of nausea, dizziness, and vomiting as |
| reputed French chef his parents had hired for the | | | | symptoms of motion sickness, as well as for |
| wedding. | | | | postoperative vomiting and vomiting of pregnancy, |
| It was Paul and Maria’s worst night. | | | | has been well documented. It is more likely that any |
| Many people experience sea-sickness or motion | | | | reduction of motion sickness symptoms results from |
| sickness and it is a normal response to conditions | | | | the influence of the ginger root agents on the gastric |
| similar to those found on high seas during stormy | | | | system. |
| weather. Individuals can get nausea, malaise and | | | | Homeopathy |
| other unpleasant symptoms while on a boat, in a car, | | | | While the homeopathic literature describes several |
| on a plane, in space or even in an elevator. Space | | | | homeopathic remedies for sea-sickness and/or the |
| motion sickness is a well-recognized problem for | | | | symptoms associated with motion sickness, very |
| space flight and affects 73% of crew members | | | | few well designed studies are available. One German |
| within the first 2 or 3 days of their initial flight. Illness | | | | medication, Vertigoheel® was compared to SERC |
| severity is variable, but over half of the cases are | | | | betahistine hydrochloride, a vertigo medication used in |
| categorized as moderate to severe. | | | | Canada and Europe. Both remedies reduced the |
| Some people actually get "seasick" after returning to | | | | frequency, duration and intensity of vertigo attacks |
| land after being out on a boat for an extended | | | | during a 6-week treatment period. |
| period of time. To experience motion sickness, one | | | | In a previous study with the same homeopathic |
| must have a normally functioning vestibular, or | | | | medication vertigo-specific complaints were |
| balance, system. Most people adapt fairly rapidly to | | | | significantly reduced in both treatment groups. |
| motion, and after a few days at sea, for example, | | | | Statistical evaluations showed that the different |
| no longer experience the symptoms. | | | | vertigo and nausea symptoms as well as the trigger |
| Most medications used for prevention and treatment | | | | mechanisms of vertigo and nausea (i.e. getting up, |
| (e.g., anticholinergics and antihistamines) induce | | | | turning the head or gazing aside), highly significantly |
| unwanted sedation. Furthermore, no one drug is | | | | improved due to the therapy. |
| completely effective or preventive. | | | | One homeopathic medication suggested for |
| Some of the medications used for sea and motion | | | | sea-sickness is Nux vomica (poison nut), a well |
| sickness are: | | | | known remedy in the homeopathic literature. It is |
| Antihistamines | | | | indicated for irritability, nervousness and digestive |
| Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®) or | | | | conditions, nausea and vomiting, vertigo, with an |
| diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) 25 - 50 mg. every | | | | intoxicated feeling and headaches. It seems to trigger |
| 4-6 hrs. According to a comparative study with | | | | an adverse attraction to alcohol and to be safe in |
| transdermal scopolamine at the Israeli Naval Institute, | | | | homeopathic dilutions even in children. |
| dimenhydrinate adversely affects psychomotor | | | | Another homeopathic remedy, Bryonia (wild hops), is |
| function | | | | indicated for all symptoms that are worse from |
| Meclizine 12.5 to 25 mg. every 24 hrs. Up to 25 mg. | | | | motion and specifically for symptoms of vertigo and |
| every 6 hrs. This is available over the counter (OTC) | | | | nausea. |
| as Bonine® and Dramamine II®. The | | | | Tabacum (tobacco) is indicated for incessant nausea |
| prescriptive form is called Antivert®. | | | | which is worse from the smell of tobacco smoke, |
| Antihistamines may be contra-indicated. | | | | also for seasickness and when the skin may be cold |
| Contraindications and cautions are: High blood | | | | and sweaty. |
| pressure, glaucoma, prostatic enlargement. | | | | Cocculus (Indian cockle), Conium (Poison hemlock), |
| Side-effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, goose | | | | Petroleum (Crude rock oil) and Theridion |
| bumps, blurred vision, chills, urinary retention and | | | | (Orange-spider) are indicated for vertigo with nausea |
| hallucinations. | | | | and vomiting on the least motion. |
| Scopolamine | | | | Besides the conventional and non-conventional |
| Transdermal Scopolamine consists of patches that | | | | methods of treatment for sea-sickness, common |
| are placed on a clean, dry, hairless area behind the | | | | sense measures are suggested such as staying on |
| ear. Transdermal Scopolamine should be applied 4 | | | | deck and fixing a point at the horizon (or a star in |
| hours prior to when its effects will be needed. The | | | | the sky at night) which is not moving. |
| patches usually last for 3 days. Drinking alcohol should | | | | As far as Maria and Paul are concerned their marriage |
| be avoided when using these patches as increased | | | | did not last. They divorced the following year. Paul |
| drowsiness and dizziness may result. Scopolamine | | | | re-married with Shirley and took his new wife on a |
| may in fact cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred | | | | boat ride on the Gondolas at the Venetian Hotel in |
| vision and has been involved in cases of toxic | | | | Las Vegas. |
| psychosis. According to a 1996 article published in Ear | | | | |