Morning sickness comprises nausea and vomiting, and/or related physical distress, that occurs in pregnant women on or shortly after rising in the morning, especially during the earlier months of pregnancy. Though still called "morning sickness", the onset of nausea in many pregnant women can occur at almost anytime of the day, or it can be substantially constant for days, weeks or even months.
For most women, the distress of morning sickness is sufficiently severe that they are essentially incapacitated. Every woman who has suffered through "morning sickness" does not want it to happen again, ever.
I have discovered that the application of a continuum of a controlled degree of pressure, utilizing a technique called acupressure, to a particular point or points on the body, will afford the majority of women relief from morning sickness.
Acupressure is a technique derived from acupuncture, the original Chinese practice of puncturing the body with needles at predetermined key points or locations to cure disease or relieve pain. Acupressure is a related practice, not involving puncture of the skin, wherein relief from pain may be obtained by applying pressure to selected key points or locations on the human body.
One such point, known as the Neiguan point, which is located on the flexor side of the forearm just above the wrist, has been utilized in the practice of acupuncture and/or acupressure as an application point for the alleviation of discomfort and pain. Studies conducted at hospitals in Great Britain to test the efficacy of short term, manual application of pressure to this point on pregnant women have indicated that temporary relief from morning sickness may be obtained in a significant number of cases.
Quite recently, elastic bands with pressure applying buttons secured to the elastic have been advertised and sold for use in applying pressure to the Neiguan points on a person's forearms for the purported purpose of alleviating motion sickness. To the best of my knowledge, the concept has not been used prior to my invention to alleviate morning sickness in pregnant women. In particular, elastic bands are too uncomfortable for pregnant women to wear; they are not adjustable; they fit only a limited range of arm sizes, and do not accomodate the weight and size changes many women undergo during pregnancy; they interfere with blood circulation, which of course should be avoided during pregnancy; and they cannot be worn for any extended period of time. In general, therefore, elastic bands are quite unsuited to use during pregnancy.