I wish I’d had the Reliefband 2.0 all the times I’ve had to deal with motion sickness. Examples? I get queasy when I ride in the backseat of a car and cool air isn’t blowing directly on me. I once lost my breakfast and had to quit early while on an all-day deep-sea fishing trip in Aruba; ugh, choppy water.
I’ve felt my gorge rise while riding on the Brooklyn Ferry; again, choppy water is not my friend. I nearly lost my lunch on a plane ride when the AC wasn’t working properly; it was hot, and I could smell diesel for the last 30 minutes before landing. Oh yeah, that one was bad as I had to throw up the minute I got off the plane and then get on another plane. Good times. Sorry, was that TMI?
So when I was offered the Reliefband 2.0 to review, I was skeptical but definitely interested. A bracelet that could turn off my nausea? Yes, please.
Perry (and his wife, Stacy) gave the original Reliefband a try when she was dealing with morning sickness and nausea. The Reliefband 2.0 has a vastly different design than the original, and this is what it promises:
Reliefband® 2.0 is indicated for use in the treatment of nausea, retching and vomiting due to motion sickness, chemotherapy and morning sickness associated with pregnancy. Reliefband 2.0 is also indicated as an adjunct to antiemetics in reducing postoperative nausea.
Drug-free Reliefband 2.0 uses clinically-proven technology to quickly and effectively relieve nausea, retching and vomiting.
Included in the package are the Reliefband 2.0, a charging cable, conductivity gel, and an instruction booklet.
The Reliefband 2.0 looks like a band (latex-free and hypoallergenic, of course) and plastic activity tracker with a large flathead screw on at the clasp. The “screw” is actually two 316L surgical steel hypoallergenic contacts that go on the inside of your wrist.
A substantial metal clasp allows you to tighten or loosen the band so it will properly fit.
Reliefband works by sending pulses from the two metal contacts that “signal the median nerve at the P6 location on the underside of the wrist.” Those signals travel through your body’s nervous system to the “part of the brain that controls nausea, retching, and vomiting. The signals have a rebalancing effect, normalizing nerve messages from the brain to the stomach and reducing symptoms of nausea, retching, and vomiting.” Okay, then!
I tried the Reliefband on my 5.75″ wrist and Kev’s 8.5″ wrist, and it fit on both of us just fine.
Before using the Reliefband, you’ll need to charge it with the included USB charger. It takes about two hours to fully charge the Reliefband 2.0, and the charge gives about 17 hours use on the mid-intensity level.
When you are ready to put it on, you start by finding the P6 area on either wrist; this is the spot in between the two tendons on the underside of your wrist. You’ll place a small dollop of the included conductivity gel in this area — spread it around until it’s about the size of a quarter; if you did it right, you should have a thin layer with a shiny appearance — no need to put too much!
Next, you hold the Reliefband 2.0 by the circular contact assembly — placing the contacts onto the gel that is covering your P6 area.
Once you have the contacts seated, you tighten the band so that you have a snug fit. To turn the Reliefband 2.0 on, you’ll press the bottom (power) button for a little over a second to turn the band on; then you press the top button to turn the intensity to 1; keep raising the intensity until you feel a tingling in your palm and middle fingers. Reliefband recommends that you set the intensity to the highest comfortable setting for maximum benefit.
The sensation feels like the pulses from a tinge unit; that’s the best comparison I can give you. It doesn’t hurt, it’s not unpleasant, but you’ll notice it.
Side note: You’ll need to replace the gel every 2-3 hours, or if you notice that the tingling has stopped.
You can tell how much battery is left by looking at the LED on the bottom right of the Reliefband 2.0’s face; the LEDs will glow when the band is charging or when you tap the bottom button. When the battery is low, you’ll get a single flashing red LED; as it charges (or depletes), you’ll see one to four blue LEDs. Easy.
Pressing the top button adjusts the intensity of the tingle up, and pressing the bottom button takes it back down. There are 10 different intensity settings.
It should be obvious, but if you wear a pacemaker, you should probably consult your doctor before using the Reliefband 2.0, and you should never place the contacts on your chest or near the pacemaker.
The blue LED in the upper left is the “therapy on” indicator.
The Reliefband is IPX4 splash-resistant, so you can wear it while washing your hands, but you shouldn’t wear it when showering or swimming.
I tested the Reliefband on my flights to and from Las Vegas — no issues, but the flights were pretty smooth, and they weren’t overheated. I also wore it in Vegas for CES during all of our backseat Lyft rides. There might have been one evening when I’d had a bit too much to drink, and I was stuck in the back seat of an overheated Lyft with several other people. I’m not going to lie: I felt queasy, but I did not get sick. I also gave it a try while wearing VR goggles — no nausea. That’s a win.
I’m not pregnant, and I’m not likely to get pregnant, so I can’t tell you how it might work for morning sickness. I can tell you, though, that it definitely works for backseat nausea and for nausea you get when you’ve maybe had a little too much to drink (hey, it happens!).
As much as I’d like to keep the Reliefband 2.0 on hand for the next time I’m stuck on a boat or in a backseat, I’m sending it to a friend who’s been dealing with chemo-related nausea. As soon as she’s had a chance to put it through its paces, I’ll update my review with her experience. Hopefully, it can help!
UPDATE: I received this from my friend —
I got the band earlier today and still have it on now! This has been one of the best days I’ve had in mooooonths.
I have nausea related to colorectal cancer, radiation, and recent colostomy surgery. My brain is lit up in several different ways to cause nausea, and I’m prescribed a cocktail of meds I take daily to combat all the ways my body creates and processes nausea.
I tried the Reliefband 2.0, and despite the wristband being too large and a bit too rigid for my wrist, I was able to get a suitable fit and soon felt the tingling sensation in my hand that signaled the band was working! It immediately took away the spins I felt, and after about 15 minutes of wear, my nausea was almost undetectable. It became nausea at a 2/10 vs my usual 6-8/10. There were a few breakthrough moments where I was gently reminded that the nausea was still present, but it never reached an intensity that would cause vomiting and didn’t interfere with me completing tasks or going about my day. I’m starting back on chemotherapy next week and the Reliefband 2.0 would definitely be a welcome addition to my nausea prevention routine.
Bear in mind that the Reliefband doesn’t cure the underlying causes of nausea, retching, and vomiting. If you aren’t pregnant, undergoing chemotherapy, or on a plane, car or boat, but you still have nausea and an upset stomach, then you should probably talk to your doctor about it. But if you are prone to experiencing motion sickness or have other “normal” reasons for experiencing nausea, the Reliefband 2.0 can help.
The Reliefband 2.0 retails for $179.99, and it is available directly from the manufacturer and will soon be on Amazon [affiliate link].
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Looks like a fitness tracker, but it keeps you from feeling nauseous; Rechargeable battery; Adjustable so that you can increase or decrease the tingling to a comfortable point; Band is comfortable and easy to fit various sized wrists; Great for motion sickness related nausea; Can help with chemotherapy-related nausea
What Needs Improvement: Nothing — it works as promised