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John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC

It's summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and millions of our patients will be embarking on their long awaited holidays. Throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, countless thousands of our patients and friends, not to mention many of us, will suffer one of the most cruel scourges of the ages -- a condition which brings mighty men to their knees in front of the porcelain throne and has been the ruination of countless perfectly planned vacations. Of course I refer to "motion sickness."

Regardless of the mode of travel, plane, train, boat, bus, or auto, motion sickness strikes often without warning or worse yet, may give the victim hour upon hour of nausea before finally submitting to the will of nature.

It is the rare pregnancy indeed that does not experience a certain degree of "morning sickness" sometime during the term. As any woman who has ever experienced pregnancy can attest, morning sickness can leave an expectant mother miserable for weeks to months, turning an otherwise joyful time into a period of misery.

Fortunately there are several acupuncture points which when stimulated by the patients themselves with a firm pressure for 30-45 seconds per point, or with 20-25 firm taps with a ballpoint pen, produces a remarkable response. It has been my personal observation, that the points described here carry with it a success rate as high as 99 percent overall. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by utilizing these points.

Clip this article for future reference. Should a patient mention their upcoming vacation, inquire if the patient or any family member suffers from motion sickness. If they do, you are about to become a hero. You may be invited to pose with the family for inclusion in the vacation album.

In case of both morning and motion sickness, the patient should stimulate the points illustrated here as described above when an episode of sickness is first coming on and several times during the attack. Repeated stimulation may ward off impending attacks.

The points to treat preferably in the order described are:

TH 17 -- Yi Feng -- Shield the Wind -- directly behind the earlobe
SI 17 -- Tian Rong -- Celestial Receiving -- between earlobe and mandible

P 5 -- Jian Shi -- Intermediary -- four fingers above the palmar wrist crease

P 6 -- Nei Guan -- Inner Gate -- three fingers above the palmar wrist crease

SP 16 -- Fu Ai -- Abdomen Sorrow -- at edge of ribcage under earlobe

ST 36 -- Tsu San Li -- Leg Three Mile -- four fingers breadth below the lateral "eye of the knee" when the knee is bent, next to the tibial tuberosity

LIV 3 -- Tai Chong -- Bigger Rushing -- between the large toe and second toe

ST 45 -- Li Tui -- Severe Mouth -- Lateral aspect of nail bed of second toe

Have a great summer and remember to utilize these points on all of your motion and morning sickness patients. It will definitely be of tremendous benefit.

To all of my friends in the Southern Hemisphere save this article and re-read it in November when your summer vacations begin. However, everyone should keep in mind, with our mobile society and our shrinking globe, every season is travel season. Bon voyage!

John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC
Carefree, Arizona
DrAmaro@IAMA.edu