The expression ‘getting there is half the fun’ may be true for some but for others who suffer from motion sickness all they care about is getting to their destination without getting sick.  Anyone who’s ever experienced motion sickness whether on a long car trip, turbulent airline flight or gotten seasick on rough waters knows full well this type of sickness is no fun.   The motion-induced nausea, light-headedness, sweating and at its worst – vomiting – has been felt by the majority of us at least once in our lifetime.

Causes of motion sickness

Motion sickness is caused when our inner ear senses motion that is different from the motion we visualize which then sends a conflicting signal to the brain.  It is a common occurrence when traveling by car, boat, train or airplane and can even be brought on when riding amusement park rides like a roller coaster or watching a 3D movie. 

It generally starts with a wave of uneasiness leading to sweating and/or dizziness until it escalates into a full-blown feeling of nauseousness.

Signs and symptoms of motion sickness include:

·         Nausea

·         Pale skin

·         Cold sweats

·         Vomiting

·         Dizziness

·         Headache

·         Increased salivation

·         Fatigue

Even though very unpleasant, motion sickness is not considered serious unless you are experiencing prolonged vomiting which could lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Common triggers of motion sickness

There are certain factors that may cause a person to develop motion sickness which include the following:

·         Children between ages 2 to 12 are most likely to get motion sickness

·         Being prone to nausea or vomiting

·         Someone with fear or anxiety about traveling

·         Poor ventilation in the mode of transportation

·         Sitting in the back seat of a car or where you cannot see out of a window to aid orientation

·         Pregnancy

Preventing motion sickness

The best advice is not to get motion sickness to begin with.  Motion sickness is much easier to prevent than to treat once it occurs.  But depending on circumstances, it may not always be feasible to prevent.  In the meantime, there are several strategies a person can use:

·         Sit in the front seat of a car or be the driver

  ·         Keep your eyes on the horizon focusing on a fixed object – This gives your brain a visual cue that matches the messages its receiving from the rest of your body

  ·         Do not read while traveling – reading increases the conflict between what the eyes see and what the body feels.

  ·         Rest your head against the seat to keep it still

  ·         On an airplane, sit near the wing as it is less turbulent there. 

  ·         On a boat, the middle area is the least rocky.

  ·         Lie down and close your eyes – reducing the amount of visual stimulus can ease symptoms.

  ·         Turn the air vents on cool toward your face.

  ·         Before air travel, avoid big, greasy meals and alcohol the night before and the day of travel.

  ·         Eat small, light meals or snacks when traveling.

  ·         Drink plenty of water – if already sick, try eating dry crackers and carbonated soda (such as ginger ale) to help ease nausea.

  ·         Take ginger before travels. Some studies have shown ginger to be effective for motion sickness.  Take one to two grams of ginger a half hour before traveling to get the best results.  Individuals on a blood thinner should consult with their physician before taking ginger as it can increase the risk of bleeding. 

  ·         There are medications that can help prevent motion sickness.  Over-the-counter medications such as Dramamine or Meclizine are effective if taken 30 to 60 minutes before you may become sick but they often induce drowsiness.  Another medication to consider is the scopolamine patch which you put behind your ear 6 to 8 hours before travel with the effects lasting up to 3 days. Side effects of it can be dry mouth, drowsiness, and blurred vision.

  ·         Acupressure is an alternative some people swear by.  Acupressure bracelets mimic applying pressure on the underside of your wrist or you can simply place your thumb in this same area for a few minutes and see if that helps.   

 The one good bit of news on motion sickness is it always eventually goes away after the motion stops with no lasting harm from it.  However, if you are someone who has to travel often and is prone to motion sickness occurring frequently, you may need to look into biofeedback and relaxation training to overcome the problem it imposes.