Don’t let motion sickness spoil your journey
As the weather warms up this spring, many of us will be planning trips. But that fun experience will be clouded, for some, by motion sickness.
As the weather warms up this spring, many of us will be planning trips. But that fun experience will be clouded, for some, by motion sickness. One-third of the population is especially susceptible to this malady, easily becoming dizzy, fatigued or nauseated in a moving automobile, ship, train or airplane. The reasons for this susceptibility aren’t fully understood. But fortunately, doctors do have suggestions to minimize your discomfort.
WHY IT HAPPENS
Researchers believe motion sickness results in part from mixed messages to the brain that disturb your equilibrium. If you’re reading a book in a moving car, for example, your eyes are fixed on its pages. They’re telling you that things are stable, while your inner ear, sensitive to the car’s acceleration and its twists and turns on the highway, begs to differ.
WHAT TO DO
If you experience motion sickness in a moving vehicle, try to take a nap or at least close your eyes, suggests Steven Sabin, M.D., an otolaryngologist affiliated with Saint Peter’s University Hospital. “Also, if you’re on a road that’s very curvy, try looking at the horizon instead of the road.”
WHAT TO TAKE
There are a variety of over-the- counter and prescription medicines; see what works best for you. Side effects tend to be similar for all of these: dry mouth, drowsiness, blurred vision and, rarely, disorientation, memory troubles and sensitivity to light or eye pain. Over-the-counter antihistamines: Like cold and allergy remedies, these products block the effects of histamines at receptors in your body. Brand names include Dramamine, Antivert, Bonine, Marezine and Phenergan. Don’t consume alcohol while on these medications, and avoid driving the first time you take them until you see how drowsy they make you.
Prescription medications: Scopolamine is available by prescription in a skin patch, known as Transderm Scop, that is worn behind the ear and is effective for three days. You can try the patch for a day or two before traveling to see if it works for you without too many side effects. Motion sickness can sometimes cause nausea. Dr. Sabin recommends a prescription medicine called ondansetron (trade name Zofran) to relieve the symptoms of nausea in the most extreme cases.
Gingerroot (Zingiber officinale): Enthusiasts swear by this herbal preparation to relieve symptoms of motion sickness, and at least some research seems to support them. In one study, 80 percent of subjects who took a 500- milligram dose two hours before a boat trip were symptom- free. But gingerroot may act to inhibit blood clotting in susceptible individuals, so talk to your doctor before using it if you’re on anticoagulants or aspirin therapy.
Wristband stimulators: Some people have found relief with a special band worn on the underside of the wrist like a sports watch. Available over the counter for about $130 (ReliefBand is one brand), it electrically stimulates an acupuncture pressure point on the underside of your upper wrist; manufacturers say this signals the brain to resume normal stomach rhythms.
Fortunately, motion sickness usually stops when the motion stops. If yours persists—or if it is accompanied by hearing loss or a new onset of tinnitus (ringing in the ear)—see your physician, says Dr. Sabin. “Those could be signs that there’s something more going on in your ear than typical motion sickness.”
