Using TENS to treat Motion Sickness and Nausea

TENS machines are incredible devices – they not only provide drug-free, long-lasting pain relief, but they can also provide relief from other ailments such as nausea and motion sickness.

Nausea can be caused by a wide range of factors:

• Motion sickness
• Travel sickness
• Morning sickness during pregnancy (hyperemesis)
• Post-operative nausea (caused by anaesthetic)
• Chemotherapy
• Side effects from medication

A report by United Healthcare Oxford found that several studies supported the effectiveness of TENS to reduce nausea caused by the majority of the above factors (read more here).

Electrode Pad Placement

TENS works to relieve nausea by stimulating acupuncture points on the wrist and lower arm.

Simply place two electrodes onto the arm as shown in the image below.

You can use one arm with 2 pads (you will require a TENS unit that works with a single channel) or you can apply the pads to both arms to use all 4 pads.

It is best to use a Continuous setting at a low Frequency (around 10 Hz) and a high Pulse Rate (around 200 µS).

Keep using the TENS unit until you are out of the environment causing the nausea (i.e. when you have finished travelling), or until the nausea wears off.

Since TENS is drug-free, it is safe to use alongside most medication and can be used for long periods of time without any adverse side effects.