Sailors have been known to put patches behind their ears, starehopefully at the horizon, and eat quantities of stewed tomatoes to ease the displeasure of seasickness. Reports from a Rhode Island news columnist, however, describe conquering mal de mer with sessions of acupuncture.
Tom Meade, a boating writer for the Providence Journal, used to suffer miserably aboard boats whenever the weather kicked up anything larger than a slight chop. Acupuncture proved the answer, and now Meade can enjoy boats like the most hardened sailor.
Treatment consists of a specialized seasickness session, followed by application of tiny needles placed behind the ear. The needles, which can be worn for up to a week, apparently eliminate the nausea in seasickness victims. "Acupuncture is also used for nausea treatment of people on chemotherapy and pregnant women. It’s very effective," Meade said. "The headache and other symptoms of seasickness still persist with me, but that’s nothing compared to the nausea."
Meade has reportedly been using the treatment for three years and has only been seasick once since then, and that was because he neglected to visit his acupuncturist prior to his excursion.
