Travel Sickness / Motion Sickness

It's a reaction to a movement that's thought to occur when the information your eyes send to the brain does not match with what the inner ear balancing system feels. For example, you may be looking at headrest in a car so your eyes indicate you are still, but your balance sensors detect movement. This mismatch can set off motion sickness. It can also happen when you are sitting still but looking at a rapidly moving video game or TV screen.

Motion sickness is a very common problem. It affects 30% of people when they travel, and 5% of these individuals will experience severe symptoms. It is more common in women and in children aged three to 12, but often children grow out of motion sickness.

Motion sickness can be developed at any point in life. It happens when a mismatch between sight and balance occur, but other conditions can make it worse such as pregnancy, menstruation, migraines and balance disorders. Loud noises, smell and the fear of being sick can provoke a motion sickness reaction too.

Nausea is the most common symptom but people also experience:

• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Panic
• Anxiety
• Pale skin
• Cold sweat
• An increase in saliva
• Rapid breathing
• Drowsiness
• Extreme tiredness
• Headaches

Often the symptoms fade away when motion stops, but this can take several hours to a day in some people.

The mismatch between what your eyes see and your inner ear feels causes motion sickness.

Your brain is frequently sent information about how you are moving, and the complex interaction between the senses can be thrown out when what you can see doesn't match with what the brain is processing. When your brain gets confused it leads to motion sickness symptoms.

Any kind of travel can provoke motion sickness. This includes cars, boats, airplanes, and trains. Video games, computer screens, fairground rides and even escalators and lifts can cause motion sickness.

Motion sickness is upsetting and can put individuals off travelling. There are some non-medical ways to help if you feel unwell.

• Choose a middle seat to minimise movement – such as above the wing of an aeroplane. A pillow or neck rest can help restrict movement too.
• Look at something that isn't moving, the horizon, for example, or close your eyes.
• Stop reading and put down electrical devices. They make a welcome distraction but can make symptoms worse.
• Get plenty of fresh air. Head outside on a boat or open the windows of a car.
• Try to relax. Listening to music or a downloaded story can help.
• Use deep breathing to reduce your heart rate.
• Keep cool with a hand fan if you are not able to open a window.
• If you can, lie down and close your eyes.
• Ginger

Some people suggest that chewing on ginger including ginger biscuits, ginger tea or ginger sweets can reduce symptoms. Ginger has been used as an anti-sickness tool for thousands of years.

• Acupressure wrist bands

Applying pressure on the tendons that run through your arms may reduce the feeling of motion sickness but they are not clinically proven.

• Medicines

Medicines for travel sickness work by blocking nerve channels so the brain does not become confused.

They can prevent and reduce the symptoms of nausea and dizziness and should be taken in advance of travel to be effective. Motion sickness medications are available as tablets, patches, and dissolvable pastels.

Anti histamines used to treat allergies may help motion sickness by reducing the symptoms of sickness.

If you experience continued motion sickness even after you have stopped travelling, speak to your doctor. This is because some inner ear infections like labyrinthitis have the same symptoms.

It's more effective to prevent motion sickness than to treat it. Try using the motion sickness tips listed above before symptoms begin and you may avoid them altogether.

Other tips to prevent motion sickness are:

• Avoid alcohol before and during your journey
• Avoid a heavy, greasy meal before and during your journey
• Snack on light foods throughout your journey
• Make frequent stops to walk around
• Drink water during the journey – dehydration can make you feel worse
• Be prepared with a sick bag so the pressure of vomiting is reduced
• Tell others you get motion sickness
• Try to sit in the front of a vehicle, facing forwards.
• Sleep if possible
• If you are able, drive the car instead of travelling as a passenger. The driver is much less likely to get travel sick because the brain is aware they're moving

Some people find that over time exposure to travel sickness means the brain adapts and they no longer experience symptoms of motion sickness. This can be the case particularly in children that take a bus to school and back each day. If you are on a cruise and feel unwell at the start, you may find you acclimatise throughout the journey.

Motions sickness does not cause long-term illness and is not dangerous, but it is upsetting, distressing and prevents some individuals from enjoying their life. Get prepared if you experience motion sickness by following the tips outlined above and arranging medication so that your journey is pleasant. There is no reason to dread travel and deal with the upsetting symptoms of travel sickness.