This FDA-approved anti-nausea bracelet uses gentle nerve stimulation to help keep queasiness at bay.
Motion sickness? Oh, I know all about that — I could practically have a degree in it! Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a sensitive stomach on boats, planes, rides at amusement parks, and the subway if I’m going backwards — you name it, it probably makes me a bit nauseous. That hasn’t stopped me from going on amazing trips and chasing adventure, but let’s just say, some of those journeys have been...eventful (AKA full of nausea and plenty of those little sick bags).
If you get queasy easily, too, you’ll understand why I couldn’t resist trying out the EmeTerm Explore Anti-Nausea Wristband. After giving it a go in all kinds of situations, here are my thoughts and a few tips.
This text is a translation from Noovo Moi
How does it work?
The EmeTerm Explore Anti-Nausea Wristband works by stimulating nerves to help relieve feelings of nausea. These types of bracelets are usually based on the principles of acupressure, a practice from traditional Chinese medicine. They target a specific pressure point on the wrist called the Nei-Kuan point.
The technology behind bracelets can vary, but most use small electronic chips that send gentle electrical pulses to stimulate the acupressure point. That’s how this particular model works.
Pulses can be adjusted across five different intensity levels, so you can tailor the settings to your personal needs. Its effectiveness can vary from person to person, which is why being able to control the level of stimulation based on your sensitivity is such a useful feature.
The bracelet is easy to recharge using a cable and a magnetic dock that attaches to the back. Since you only turn it on when you start feeling nauseous, the battery can last for several hours on a single use.
The box also came with a conductive gel, but I never used it — I could feel the pulses just fine without it.
How do you wear it?
You wear it on your wrist — but upside down! The electrical pulses need to go through the carpal tunnel area, so the contact point has to be right there.
To make sure the bracelet is in the right spot, you start by turning it on. You should feel a tingling sensation (kind of like pins and needles) that starts at your wrist and travels down to the tip of your middle finger. Then, you adjust the intensity based on how it feels, just to be sure the signal is reaching all the way to your fingertips. The pulses are sent out consistently, about every three seconds.
You can turn it on as soon as you feel symptoms starting — or ahead of time if you know you're about to be in a nausea-triggering situation. Once the nausea eases up, you just switch it off.
Does it work?
Some people say the effects of these bracelets are just psychosomatic — that the pulses simply distract you from the nausea. But I don’t agree with that.
The first time I tried the bracelet was on a flight, and I truly believe the outcome would’ve been very different if I hadn’t been wearing it. Remember those two crazy windy days last February? (There were power outages all over the Montreal area.) Well, I happened to be flying from Toronto to Montreal during that mess — the turbulence and air pockets were intense during takeoff and descent. Without the bracelet, I’m 100% sure I would’ve gotten sick multiple times.
I still felt the nausea creeping in, but the symptoms were way milder — like they were dialled down significantly. I did get dizzy and flushed, but I didn’t throw up! Even I was surprised.
To be clear, the bracelet won’t magically erase all motion sickness. If you're really sensitive, you might still feel a bit off, but the symptoms will definitely be a lot less intense.
The benefits
I have to admit, there are quite a few perks to this little device. Here are some of the main ones:
Super easy to carry around and discreet — it looks just like a watch
Simple to turn on and adjust the intensity
Quickly relieves or reduces nausea symptoms
Doesn’t cause drowsiness like Gravol or other meds
Easy to recharge, and the battery lasts a good while
Waterproof — perfect for trips on or in the water
Also worth noting: the bracelet can be helpful not just for motion sickness, but also for pregnant women, people undergoing chemotherapy, or even when using a virtual reality headset.
The drawbacks
This type of bracelet really isn’t ideal for people who are hypersensitive. Even at the lowest setting, the electrical pulses can feel super uncomfortable for them.
After having a few friends and family members try it out, it was clear: anyone who’s hypersensitive really hated the tingling and numbness that runs from the wrist down to the fingers. Others were able to tolerate it but still said they preferred using Gravol or something similar.
Personally, even though I don’t love the numb feeling in my hand from the pulses, I’d much rather deal with that than suffer from nausea for hours or end up getting sick.
