Using TENS for Motion Sickness Relief: A Safe, Drug-Free Option

Using TENS to Treat Motion Sickness and Nausea
TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machines are innovative devices known for providing drug-free, long-lasting pain relief. Beyond pain management, they also offer relief from nausea and motion sickness.

What Causes of Nausea?

So, let's start with understanding what causes nausea, it can stem from various factors, including:

• Motion sickness
• Travel sickness
• Morning sickness during pregnancy (hyperemesis)
• Post-operative nausea due to anaesthesia
• Chemotherapy
• Medication side effects

Using TENS for Motion Sickness Relief

TENS alleviates nausea by stimulating acupuncture points on the wrist and lower arm.

Electrode Pad Placement:

• Place two electrodes on the arm. You can use one arm with two pads (requiring a single-channel TENS unit) or apply pads to both arms for a total of four pads.
• For optimal results, use a continuous setting at a low frequency (around 10 Hz) with a high pulse rate (around 200 µS).

Keep the TENS unit running until you exit the environment causing the nausea or until symptoms subside.

Since TENS is drug-free, it is safe to use alongside most medications and can be applied for extended periods without adverse side effects.

For those seeking an effective solution to motion sickness and nausea, TENS machines offer a reliable, non-invasive option.

Resources:

• SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine discusses the applications of TENS and its effectiveness for various pain conditions. ​(SpringerLink).
• The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews includes meta-analyses that assess TENS's effects on pain management, which often encompasses nausea as a symptom. More information can be found here (you may need to search for specific studies within the database)​.

These sources provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of TENS, supporting its use for nausea and other related conditions.