Preventing Motion Sickness

Are you traveling any time soon? Flying, perhaps? Or maybe traveling by sea? Travel usually involves some kind of locomotion – whether by plane, train, automobile, or boat – to get from home to a fun destination. Either way, motion sickness may sometimes be inevitable. It’s not a good feeling, especially when you just a had a heavy meal (you definitely do not want to see that meal again, if you know what I mean!). So what are the ways of preventing motion sickness?

Motion sickness, sometimes referred to as sea sickness or car sickness, is a very common disturbance of the inner ear that is caused by repeated motion. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Who are those most affected? Just about anyone can develop motion sickness, but people vary in their sensitivity to motion. Motion sickness most commonly affects children from 2 to 12 years old, and pregnant women. If the flight is turbulent or if thee car ride involves zigzag roads, then it will also make motion sickness worse.

Not to worry guys, the following tips may help you prevent tossing your cookies:

1. Minimize your consumption of foods, drinks, and alcohol before and during travel. Specifically, heavy, spicy, or fat-rich foods may worsen motion sickness in some people. Some even assert that traveling on an empty stomach is the best way to travel. Any small, low-fat meal should help though.
2. Try to choose a seat where you will experience the least motion. Also, it is advised not to sit facing backwards from your direction of travel.
3. If you are prone to motion sickness, avoid reading from your magazine, book, or smartphone. It can sometimes help to keep your gaze fixed on the horizon or on a fixed point. Some even prefer staring at the sky.
4. The over-the-counter medication meclizine (Bonine, Antivert, Dramamine) can be a very effective preventive measure for short trips or for mild cases of motion sickness. Before taking the trip though, discuss your motion sickness medications with your physician first.
5. Wrist bands have also been used to prevent motion sickness. How, you say? Some wrist band are known to be able to apply pressure to the P6 point (inner arm about 1.5 inches above the crease of the wrist, between the two tendons) where it supposedly controls nausea.

Try everything that you can to see what works best for you.