Some people get nervous at the very thought of traveling by plane, train or car.
The fear of motion sickness overshadows all dreams of a relaxed vacation and can turn the daily commute to work into a living nightmare.
Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals - between what our eyes see and what our body feels, when we are physically stationary (like sitting in a car), but still moving (traveling).
For example, when we sit in a moving car our bodies are physically stationary, but our eyes can see moving objects.
People who suffer from motion sickness react physically to these mixed signals - with symptoms of nausea, lightheadedness and general discomfort.
Some experience symptoms so aggressive that they prefer to avoid long trips altogether.
Others are still looking for a miracle cure.
But what exactly causes motion sickness and how is it treated?
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What is the cause?
To understand why motion sickness occurs, it helps to understand how our brain processes the sensory signals it receives from our body.
The brain receives constant sensory signals from the inner ear and receptors in the muscles, tendons and joints about the movement and position of the body.
The inner ear is the center of balance.
It is part of a network called the vestibular apparatus.
This system includes three pairs of semicircular canals and two sacs, called sacculus and utriculus.
They send information to the brain about the movement and position of the body.
The semicircular canals contain fluid that moves when you turn your head.
They detect the direction of head movement, such as tilting up or down, right or left, and turning sideways.
The sacculus and utriculus are sensitive to gravity.
They tell the brain when the body is moving forward, backward, sideways, or up and down.
But if your eyes see one thing, your muscles feel another, and your inner ear senses something else, the brain starts getting mixed signals.
This sensory mismatch leads to motion sickness.
For example, imagine that you are driving a car: objects enter and then exit your field of vision, prompting your eyes to send signals to your brain that you are moving.
But your inner ear and the nerve endings in your muscles and joints sense that you're still sitting - and therefore stationary - so those messages are conflicted.
On the other hand, in an airplane or on a ship, the exact opposite can happen: your inner ears and muscles sense movement, but the horizon seems motionless.
And so one sense senses movement, while the other does not.
The result: nausea, headaches and general discomfort and disorientation.
What are the symptoms of motion sickness?
Motion sickness triggers a multitude of symptoms.
They usually start out mild and get worse if the movement that started them is not stopped.
Symptoms include: fainting, lightheadedness, imbalance, or feeling dizzy.
- Nausea
- Vomit
- Headache
- Pale skin
- Sweating
- Aqueous
It usually takes 20 minutes for the symptoms to go away - or to get your "land feet" back, as sailors like to say.
Severe symptoms, however, may take up to 24 hours to resolve.
Who is prone to motion sickness?
Anyone can suffer from motion sickness, but some people are more susceptible to it than others - such as children between the ages of two and 12, pregnant women and people with a history of migraines.
To make things more interesting, babies are almost completely immune to motion sickness.
John Golding, professor of applied psychology at the University of Westminster, London, says this is most likely because their brains have not yet adapted to the correlation between eyes and ears - and their role in registering movement.
Genetics also play a role in motion sickness.
As many as 65 percent of people who suffer from motion sickness have inherited the condition, says Professor Golding.
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How to alleviate the symptoms?
Prevention is always better than cure.
Here are some tips that may help you prevent motion sickness:
Before the trip:
- Avoid heavy or spicy food
- Limit caffeine and alcohol intake
- Get a good night's sleep
During the trip:
Choose your seat carefully: sit in the front in the car, in the middle on the boat, or, on the train, choose a window seat facing the direction of travel
- Look at the horizon
- Avoid sudden head movements
- Wherever possible, open a window to let in as much fresh air as possible
- Do not read, watch movies or use electronic devices
- Occupy your attention with an activity, such as listening to music
- Close your eyes
- Drink lots of water
Ginger
Some studies suggest that ginger - taken in pill, biscuit or tea form - can reduce vomiting and lightheadedness.
Professor Golding, however, says that studies vary on this and explains that if ginger works, then it is possible that "the active ingredient helps to calm the gut".
"So ginger doesn't directly prevent motion sickness, it just makes you feel better while you have it."
Breath control
Breath control is simply breathing in a balanced - or normal - rhythm.
The effect of steady breathing is as beneficial as taking half an anti-nausea pill while driving, says Professor Golding.
"It's also free and doesn't have the side effects of a drug."
Breathing offers the brain a distraction, the professor says, while suppressing feelings of nausea.
Acupressure and bracelets
They are supposed to work by applying pressure to acupressure points.
Most studies, however, indicate that they are not effective in most people.
Lekovi
Anti-motion sickness medications work by preventing the symptoms of motion sickness rather than treating them.
As such, each medication must be taken well in advance - usually 30-60 minutes before the start of travel - to be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Professor Golding explains that motion sickness causes gastroparesis, when the stomach takes longer to empty its contents into the intestines.
So if you take the pills when you feel nauseous, they won't be absorbed and will therefore be less effective.
Motion sickness patches, on the other hand, work more slowly than tablets because the medicine in them is absorbed through the skin.
Therefore, they should be put on even earlier - almost 10 hours before the start of the trip.
The British National Health Service (NHS) advises that the patches be used by adults and children over 10 years of age.
What is the difference between motion sickness and vertigo?
Motion sickness and vertigo are sometimes confused because they have similar symptoms: both cause lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting.
However, there are several clear differences between these two conditions:
- Dizziness can happen regardless of whether you are in a moving vehicle, it can even happen while lying down
- Vertigo gives an aggressive, false sensation of spinning, which can occur every time you move your head
- It usually occurs in short waves, lasting a few seconds each
- It is more common in older people
- It is usually related to fluid problems in the inner ear, which plays a key role in our balance
It's always better to be prepared and plan ahead to deal with your motion sickness symptoms.
And as some sufferers like to say, never let motion sickness rule your life.
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