Motion Sickness and how to handle it.

[pelumi]

Recently i travelled by bus for 6 hours and it was the most uncomfortable road trip i’ve had in a very long while, i felt like puking and what made it worse, there were plenty fine sister’s beside me in the bus. But it wasn’t really a surprise, i always hated travelling by bus, i probably should buy a plane. Anyways i looked up what to do about motion sickness on the internet today and decided to share my findings.

Motion sickness is the feeling you get when the motion you sense with your inner ear is different from the motion you visualize. It is a common condition that occurs in some people who travel by car, train, airplane or boat. Many people suffer from this condition if they ride on a roller coaster or other similar amusement park rides. Motion sickness progresses from a feeling of uneasiness to sweating and/or dizziness. This is usually quickly followed by nausea and/or vomiting.

Who is at risk for motion sickness?
Although pregnant women and children are more susceptible to motion sickness, almost anyone that is traveling is at risk for motion sickness. For those people who travel on boats, seasickness can be considered a form of motion sickness. Other risk factors include the person’s fear or anxiety about traveling, the mode of travel, poor ventilation in the traveling vehicle, and the inability to see out of a window to aid orientation.

What are causes of motion sickness?

Motion sickness is caused by the mixed signals sent to the brain by the eyes and the inner ear (semicircular canals). If you cannot see the motion your body’s feeling, or conversely, if you cannot feel the motion your eyes see, then it is likely that the brain will get mixed signals and the person will develop some aspect or symptom of motion sickness.

What are the signs and symptoms of motion sickness?

The signs and symptoms of motion sickness usually begin with a feeling of uneasiness followed by cold sweats and dizziness. Some people may exhibit pale skin and increased saliva production along with headache and fatigue. Nausea and vomiting usually occur after these initial symptoms.

When should I call a doctor for motion sickness?

In most cases, a doctor doesn’t need to be called for motion sickness unless the person starts to develop dehydration from persistent and intractable vomiting. In most people, once the motion has stopped, the symptoms slowly decrease and then disappear.

How is motion sickness diagnosed?
In general, motion sickness is diagnosed by the patient’s history and physical examination. The individual’s description of symptoms and the context in which they occur is most often sufficient to make the diagnosis. Laboratory testing is not generally required.

What is the treatment for motion sickness?

Treatment for motion sickness can consist of medical treatment, simple changes in the environment (for example, sitting by the open window of a car), over-the-counter (OTC) medications and for some people, home remedies may be effective. In addition, some patients respond well to biofeedback training and relaxation techniques.

Home remedies for motion sickness

Although few, if any, studies have examined the effectiveness of home remedies, people have used herbs such as ginger, peppermint, and tea as home remedies for motion sickness. In addition, some people respond well to acupuncture.

OTC and prescription medication for motion sickness
Over-the-counter medications, and occasionally prescription medications, are used to relieve and in some cases prevent motion sickness. Some of the more common medications that can be used for motion sickness include:

scopolamine (transdermal patches, Transderm-Scop)
dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, Meni-D, Antrizine)
promethazine (Phenergan, Phenadoz, Promethegan)
diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
cyclizine (Marezine)

Before taking any of these medications, read the precautions as many of these medications have side effects that include drowsiness, dry mouth, blurry vision, and occasionally disorientation. Therefore, these medications should not be taken by people who drive vehicles or operate heavy equipment.

if you have more local ways to help with motion sickness, drop them in the comment section.

[pelumi]

What is motion sickness?
Motion sickness, also called seasickness, is a common disturbance of the inner ear. This is the area of the body that affects your sense of balance and equilibrium. Motion sickness happens when your brain receives conflicting messages about motion and your body’s position in space. The conflicting messages are delivered from your inner ear, your eyes (what you see), your skin receptors (what you feel), and muscle and joint sensors.

For example, you might become airsick because your eyes cannot see the turbulence that is tossing the plane from side to side. Motion sickness can occur with any mode of travel: ship, plane, train, bus, or car.

What are the symptoms of motion sickness?
Symptoms of motion sickness include dizziness, sweating, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms can strike suddenly, progressing from simply not feeling well to cold sweats, dizziness, and then vomiting.

Motion sickness is more common in women and in children 2-12 years old. People who suffer from migraine headaches are also more prone to motion sickness.

What can I do to prevent or minimize motion sickness?
If you know you have motion sickness or might be prone to it, consider this advice:

On a ship: When making your reservations, choose a cabin in the middle of the ship and near the waterline. When on board, go up on deck and focus on the horizon.
In an airplane: Request a window seat and look out the window. A seat over the front edge of the wing is the most preferable spot (the degree of motion is the lowest here). Direct the air vent to blow cool air on your face.
On a train: Always face forward and sit near a window.
In a vehicle: Sit in the front seat; if you are the passenger, look at the scenery in the distance. For some people, driving the vehicle (rather than being a passenger) is an instant remedy.
Other tips to prevent or minimize motion sickness:

Do not read in a moving vehicle. If you are prone to motion sickness, reading is likely to make it worse.
Get plenty of rest. Get a good night’s sleep the evening before you travel. Being overtired can make you more susceptible to motion sickness.
Avoid greasy or acidic foods. Avoid heavy, greasy, and acidic foods in the hours before you travel. These types of foods – such as coffee, orange juice/grapefruit juice, bacon, sausage, pancakes – are slow to digest, and in the case of coffee, can speed up dehydration. Better choices include breads, cereals, grains, milk, water, apple juice, apples, or bananas. Do not skip eating but do not overeat.
Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist and urine light in color.
Do not drink large amounts of alcohol the evening before you travel. Alcohol speeds up dehydration and generally lowers your body’s resistance to motion sickness, if you are prone to it.
Stand if you feel queasy. Stand up, if you can, and look out over the horizon. Despite what you might think, sitting or lying down actually may make you feel worse.
Don’t smoke and avoid others who smoke.
Eat dry crackers. Dry crackers may help settle a queasy stomach.
Use the seat head rest. Lean your head against the back of the seat or head rest when traveling in vehicles with seats to minimize head movements.
Avoid others who have become nauseous with motion sickness. Seeing and smelling others who have motion sickness may cause you to become sick.
How is motion sickness treated?
Motion sickness can be treated with over-the-counter and prescription drug products.

Over-the-counter products: Antihistamines are commonly used both to prevent and treat motion sickness. Antihistamines to consider for this purpose include meclizine (Antivert®, Bonine®), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl®). The side effect of these medications is drowsiness. Meclizine is much less sedating, making it a preferred treatment. Nonsedating antihistamines such as fexofenadine (Allegra®) are not effective in treating motion sickness.
Prescription products: Scopolamine oral pills and skin patch (Transderm Scop®) is another option. The patch formulation is applied to the skin area behind the ear and can help prevent motion sickness for up to three days per patch. Scopolamine may create an annoying dry mouth side effect. Certain patients with glaucoma and other health problems should not use this drug. Be sure to tell your doctor of your existing health problems so that he or she can determine which drug is best suited for you.
Of the above drug products, only dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine are recommended for use in young children.

Nonpharmaceutical remedies

Numerous nondrug options have been promoted as being helpful in relieving or preventing motion sickness. In most cases, the proof supporting these products is not as rigorous as that of approved drugs. However, you may want to try one of these options:

Aromatherapy with ginger or lavender may help.
Oral use of ginger or peppermint can sooth the stomach. Ginger, in pills or powder, is available in many herb or health food stores. Eating peppermint is also thought to be generally calming.
Acupressure wristbands may prevent the feeling of nausea for some.

[Mercy]

This is really nice.
Something happened to me on Tuesday and now I sense it’s motion sickness because the symptoms were exactly the ones listed in this topic; Uneasiness, headache, dizziness, cold sweat and all. Then I collapsed!

[Author]

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