This is the season when you can start planning your vacations! Hopefully, you’re checking your calendar to see when you can get away for some rest and relaxation. Before you go, make sure that you are familiar with this point for nausea: Nei Guan, Inner Gate, Pericardium 6, or PC 6. Several studies support the use of acupressure on this point to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting from motion sickness. In fact, the anesthesiologist from my last surgery uses press-acupuncture needles on his patients for post-surgical nausea and vomiting!
When I worked on the Coral Princess, I treated a lot of folks for seasickness, even those who had come prepared with those behind-the-ear patches! They were miserable until I treated them and taught them to press on Nei Guan. This point is also beneficial for nausea and vomiting post-surgery, after chemotherapy, and for pregnancy-induced morning sickness.
So, where is it? PC 6 is located in the groove between the two large tendons on the inside of the wrist. Lightly squeeze your index, middle, and ring fingers together and place them horizontally on your inside wrist, with your ring finger laying on the deepest crease between your hand and wrist. (Sometimes, it’s easier to imagine the points where a loose-fitting watch would fall.) This point is not often tender so you must use the exact instructions for finding it. You can also find wrist bands at your nearest pharmacy that have a little button placed on the inside to give you constant acupressure on PC 6. I recommend buying a pair and putting them on both wrists 1-2 hours before you set sail, get on a plane, or get in the passenger seat of your RV.
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