What causes seasickness. How can you prevent motion sickness on a cruise. Which medications are effective for seasickness. Where should you book your cabin to minimize seasickness. What foods help with nausea at sea. How does fresh air combat seasickness. Are acupressure wristbands useful for preventing motion sickness.

Understanding the Science Behind Seasickness

Seasickness, a form of motion sickness, occurs when there’s a mismatch between visual information and the movement sensed by your inner ear. Dr. John Bradberry, medical director for Carnival Cruise Lines, explains: “It is a complex physiological reaction to motion, resulting from a mismatch of information sent to the brain from the eyes, inner ear, and sensory nerves, such as in the feet.”

This sensory conflict can lead to a range of unpleasant symptoms, including:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Cold sweats

While some individuals may experience mild discomfort, others can find seasickness completely incapacitating. Understanding the underlying causes can help you take proactive steps to prevent or alleviate symptoms.

Are certain people more prone to seasickness?

Yes, susceptibility to motion sickness varies among individuals. Those who are prone to one form of motion sickness, such as car sickness or airsickness, tend to be more susceptible to other forms, including seasickness. Factors like fatigue, stress, and certain medical conditions can also increase your likelihood of experiencing motion sickness at sea.

Medication Options for Preventing Seasickness

One of the most effective ways to combat seasickness is through the use of antiemetic drugs. These medications work by counteracting the effects of chemicals released by the brain during seasickness.

Which medications are commonly used for seasickness?

Several options are available, both over-the-counter and by prescription:

• Antihistamines (e.g., Bonine, Dramamine)
• Scopolamine (available in pill or patch form)

It’s crucial to consult with your doctor before taking any medication, as they may interact with other drugs you’re taking or have side effects such as drowsiness and dry mouth.

When should you take seasickness medication?

For optimal results, take antihistamines like Dramamine before boarding the ship, especially for short trips. This preemptive approach allows the medication to start working before you’re exposed to the motion that triggers seasickness.

Strategic Cabin Selection to Minimize Motion

Your choice of cabin can significantly impact your susceptibility to seasickness. Dr. Bradberry advises selecting a cabin that experiences less movement:

• Mid-ship location
• Near the water line
• With a window or portal

“The side-to-side sway and the up and down ‘seesaw’ pitch motion of the ship is minimized in the middle of the boat,” explains Dr. Bradberry. A room with a view of the horizon can also help your brain reconcile visual cues with the ship’s motion.

How does cabin location affect seasickness?

Cabins located in the center of the ship and closer to the waterline experience less movement compared to those at the front, back, or upper decks. This reduced motion can help minimize the sensory mismatch that leads to seasickness. Additionally, having a window allows you to visually track the ship’s movement, which can help your brain process the motion more effectively.

Dietary Strategies to Combat Nausea

What you eat and drink can play a crucial role in preventing and managing seasickness. Light, bland foods are generally recommended, while certain items should be avoided.

Which foods are best for preventing seasickness?

Opt for simple, easily digestible options such as:

• Saltine crackers
• Plain bread
• Pretzels
• Ginger ale
• Peppermint tea

Ginger, in particular, is a well-known natural remedy for motion sickness and nausea. Peppermint can also have a calming effect on the stomach.

What foods and drinks should be avoided?

To minimize the risk of triggering or exacerbating seasickness, steer clear of:

• Greasy foods
• Spicy dishes
• Acidic foods (e.g., citrus fruits and juices)
• Large meals
• Alcohol

Alcohol is particularly problematic as it can accelerate dehydration and lower your body’s resistance to motion sickness.

The Power of Fresh Air and Visual Cues

Sometimes, the simplest solutions can be the most effective. Getting fresh air and focusing on the horizon can significantly alleviate seasickness symptoms.

How does fresh air help with seasickness?

Stepping out onto an open deck or balcony can provide relief in several ways:

1. The fresh air, especially a breeze on your face, can help reduce nausea.
2. Looking at the horizon allows your eyes to “see” the motion, aligning visual cues with the information from your inner ear.
3. Being outside can distract you from focusing on the ship’s movement.

Dr. Bradberry emphasizes the importance of keeping active and focusing on something other than the boat’s motion to help manage symptoms.

Alternative Remedies: Acupressure Wristbands

For those seeking non-medicinal options, acupressure wristbands offer a potential solution for managing seasickness symptoms.

How do acupressure wristbands work?

These wristbands apply pressure to a specific point on the inner wrist, typically where you would wear a watch. Many people find that this pressure helps alleviate nausea, a primary symptom of seasickness. While scientific evidence is mixed, some individuals report significant relief when using these bands.

Acupressure wristbands are widely available and can be found in pharmacies or ordered online. They offer a non-invasive, drug-free option that may be worth trying, especially for those who prefer to avoid medication.

Choosing the Right Cruise for Seasickness-Prone Travelers

If you’re particularly susceptible to motion sickness, your choice of cruise itinerary and ship can make a significant difference in your comfort level.

Which cruise routes are best for avoiding seasickness?

Opt for itineraries that traverse calmer waters. For example:

• The Gulf of Mexico
• The Caribbean Sea

These areas tend to have smoother sailing conditions compared to most parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

What ship features can help minimize seasickness?

When selecting a cruise:

• Choose larger ships, which are generally more stable in rough waters.
• Look for newer vessels equipped with advanced stabilization systems.
• Consider river cruises, which typically offer a smoother ride than ocean voyages.

Modern cruise ships are designed with passenger comfort in mind, incorporating technology to reduce the impact of waves and wind on the ship’s motion.

Preparing for Your Cruise: Pre-Trip Strategies

Taking steps before your cruise can set you up for a more enjoyable, seasickness-free experience.

How can you prepare your body to resist seasickness?

Consider these pre-trip strategies:

• Get plenty of rest before your cruise. Fatigue can increase susceptibility to motion sickness.
• Start taking ginger supplements a few days before your trip to build up its anti-nausea effects.
• Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation to manage stress, which can exacerbate symptoms.
• If using medication, start the regimen as directed by your doctor, which may be a day or two before sailing.

Being well-rested and relaxed can significantly improve your body’s ability to adapt to the ship’s motion.

What should you pack to combat potential seasickness?

Prepare a seasickness kit to bring onboard, including:

• Over-the-counter motion sickness medications
• Acupressure wristbands
• Ginger candies or supplements
• Peppermint tea bags
• Crackers or other bland snacks
• A refillable water bottle to stay hydrated

Having these items readily available can provide quick relief if symptoms arise unexpectedly.

Understanding the Role of Psychology in Seasickness

While seasickness has physiological causes, psychological factors can play a significant role in both the onset and management of symptoms.

Can anxiety worsen seasickness symptoms?

Yes, anxiety and stress can exacerbate seasickness. The fear of becoming ill can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, making you more susceptible to symptoms. Psychological techniques can help manage this anxiety:

• Practice positive visualization, imagining yourself enjoying the cruise without discomfort.
• Use distraction techniques, such as engaging in onboard activities or socializing with other passengers.
• Try cognitive behavioral techniques to challenge negative thoughts about seasickness.

By managing your mental state, you can potentially reduce the severity of seasickness symptoms or even prevent them altogether.

Adapting to Life at Sea: Tips for Onboard Comfort

Once you’re on the ship, certain strategies can help you acclimate to the motion and minimize discomfort.

How can you adjust to the ship’s movement?

Consider these tips for adapting to life at sea:

• Spend time on deck watching the horizon to help your brain process the ship’s motion.
• Engage in activities that keep you mentally occupied and physically balanced, such as dancing or sports.
• Use the ship’s amenities strategically – for example, swimming in the pool can help you get used to the motion.
• Avoid reading or using electronic devices for extended periods, especially in enclosed spaces.

Remember that most people adapt to the ship’s motion within a day or two, so symptoms often improve as the cruise progresses.

Emergency Measures: Dealing with Severe Seasickness

Despite your best efforts, you may still experience severe seasickness. Knowing how to handle intense symptoms can help you recover more quickly and salvage your cruise experience.

What should you do if seasickness becomes severe?

If you find yourself dealing with intense symptoms:

• Inform the ship’s medical staff. They can provide stronger medications or treatments if necessary.
• Stay hydrated, even if you’re vomiting. Small sips of water or clear fluids can help prevent dehydration.
• Try lying down in a dark, quiet room with your eyes closed to minimize sensory input.
• Use cool compresses on your forehead and neck to alleviate nausea and sweating.
• Consider using over-the-counter motion sickness patches if you haven’t already.

Remember that severe symptoms usually pass as your body adapts to the ship’s motion. Don’t hesitate to seek medical assistance if you’re concerned about your condition.

The Future of Seasickness Prevention: Emerging Technologies

As cruise tourism continues to grow, research into more effective seasickness prevention and treatment methods is ongoing. Several promising technologies are on the horizon.

What new technologies might help prevent seasickness in the future?

Emerging solutions include:

• Advanced stabilization systems for cruise ships that can predict and counteract wave patterns.
• Wearable devices that use electrical stimulation to disrupt the sensory mismatch causing seasickness.
• Virtual reality systems that help travelers acclimate to ship motion before and during their cruise.
• Personalized medication regimens based on genetic testing to determine individual susceptibility to motion sickness.

While many of these technologies are still in development, they offer hope for even more effective seasickness prevention in the future.

Balancing Seasickness Prevention with Cruise Enjoyment

While preventing seasickness is important, it’s equally crucial to ensure that your efforts don’t detract from your overall cruise experience.

How can you prevent seasickness without missing out on cruise activities?

Consider these strategies for balancing prevention with enjoyment:

• Use a combination of methods, such as medication and non-medicinal techniques, to find what works best for you without causing excessive drowsiness.
• Plan your medication schedule around important activities or shore excursions.
• Take advantage of the ship’s stabilized areas, like mid-ship lounges or restaurants, for activities if you’re feeling unwell.
• Participate in onboard activities that naturally help with seasickness, such as dance classes or sports that improve your balance and focus.

Remember that the goal is to enjoy your cruise while managing any potential discomfort. With the right approach, you can minimize the impact of seasickness on your vacation.

Easy Ways to Keep From Getting Seasick

Your dream cruise can become a nightmare if the ship’s motion causes you to become seasick. Motion sickness brings with it nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, and cold sweats. While seasickness can be mild, for some people it can be completely incapacitating.

“Seasickness is the result of a complex physiological reaction to motion,” says John Bradberry, MD, medical director for Carnival Cruise Lines. “It is a mismatch of information sent to the brain from the eyes, inner ear, and sensory nerves, such as in the feet.”

Think of it this way: When you are inside a cabin on a ship, your eyes do not see movement, but the inner ear senses it. Your eyes are telling your brain there is no movement, while the inner ear is telling the brain there is. The result in some people is seasickness.

You can get motion sickness from traveling in a car, airplane, train, or even in an amusement park ride. “People who are prone to one form of motion sickness tend to be more susceptible to other forms of it,” Bradberry says.

Strategies to Prevent Motion Sickness

Here are some ways you can reduce the risk of becoming seasick:

• Be well rested before setting sail. Missing sleep and feeling exhausted make you more susceptible to factors that can cause motion sickness. Wind down before your trip.

• Take antiemetic drugs. A variety of medications are available to help prevent or treat motion sickness. Medicines for nausea are called antiemetic drugs. They include antihistamines such as Bonine and Dramamine — available over the counter — and scopolamine drugs, which come in pill or patch form and require a prescription. “Most of the medications work by counteracting the effect of chemicals released by the brain during seasickness,” Bradberry says.

  Talk to you doctor about which medications are best for you, as you may be limited by other medications you are taking. Antihistamines can cause drowsiness and dry mouth and eyes. Because antihistamines block messages to the part of the brain that controls nausea and vomiting, taking a medication such as Dramamine works best if you take it before you get motion sickness. So for best results, take the pill before you board the ship, if you’re going on a short trip.

• Get fresh air. If you are feeling seasick, it is often helpful to go out on an open deck or balcony and look toward the horizon. Doing so helps your eyes “see” the motion, which will then send signals to the brain more in alignment with what the inner ear is “telling” the brain, Bradberry says. Fresh air, especially wind blowing in your face, tends to help. It also helps to focus on something other than the boat’s motion, so try to keep active while aboard the ship.
• Request a cabin mid ship and near the water line. “The side-to-side sway and the up and down ‘seesaw’ pitch motion of the ship is minimized in the middle of the boat,” Bradberry says. You might also want to request a room with a window or portal so that you can easily look out on the horizon.
• Have a bite. The best foods are light and bland, such as saltine crackers, plain bread, or pretzels. Having some food in your stomach is better than having an empty stomach, but be careful not to eat too much. Also, you might want to sip some ginger ale: Ginger is a well-known natural remedy for motion sickness. Peppermint also may have calming effects on the stomach. Many people find that eating crackers along with drinking water or soda helps.
• Wear an acupressure wristband. These wristbands apply pressure to a point on the wrist, generally where you wear a watch. Many people find the pressure helps them avoid nausea, one of the symptoms of motion sickness. You can find acupressure wristbands in some pharmacies, or order them from online stores such as Amazon.
• Avoid stimuli that can trigger nausea. “Nausea is a hallmark of seasickness. Any stimulus that triggers nausea can aggravate seasickness symptoms,” Bradberry says. Triggers include eating greasy foods, spicy foods, acidic foods such as citrus fruits and juices, and large meals. Avoiding alcohol helps because, as a diuretic, alcohol speeds up dehydration and can lower your body’s resistance to motion sickness, especially if you are prone to it. Steer clear of any noxious odors and other people on the boat who are vomiting from motion sickness.
• Choose your itinerary carefully. If you know that you get motion sickness, you should probably only sail on larger ships and select itineraries that go through calmer bodies of water. The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, for example, tend to be calmer than most portions of the Atlantic Ocean. Also, newer ships are built with the latest stabilization systems, which help reduce the motion you feel.

Related: Natural Ways to Relieve Nausea

Don’t let seasickness ruin a floating holiday. Planning ahead and being prepared with a variety of remedies should keep you feeling ship-shape.

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What causes motion sickness—and how can you prevent it?

For some travelers, a catamaran sail off Oahu, Hawaii, or a camel ride through the desert in Morocco isn’t an enviable vacation experience. It’s an encounter with nausea, dizziness, and cold sweats.

Motion sickness like this can happen to almost anyone, including children and dogs. Studies suggest that more than half of all people who ride in automobiles experience carsickness. Recent surveys of members of the Indian Navy, Icelandic fishermen, and South Carolina marine biologists indicate that up to 80 percent of individuals who work on boats get seasick sometimes.

“We’re even seeing cybersickness now, with people looking at their phones when riding in the car or wearing glasses for a 3D movie,” says Andrea Bubka, a professor of psychology at Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey, who has extensively studied motion sickness.

Here’s why motion sickness happens and what travelers can do to prevent it.

What causes it

Scientists aren’t sure why some people feel nauseated the second they step on a boat, while others can blithely read long novels while riding in the backseat of a car. But they have a few theories.

Many scholars believe motion sickness is caused by sensory conflict, a discrepancy between what people see and what their bodies are experiencing. “Human beings did not evolve to travel in space shuttles and use virtual-reality video games,” says Marcello Cherchi, a neurologist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

Sensory conflict happens when your body feels the heaving of an ocean ferry or the jolting motion of a bus winding through the mountains and your eyes, ears, and other senses can’t catch up. This results in symptoms like a dry mouth, dizziness, upset stomach, or a pounding headache.

However, other scientists believe that people get motion sick because they don’t instinctively change how they sit, stand, or walk in a moving mode of transport. That disconnect causes you to feel ill. 

Patricia Cowings (standing), a U.S. psychophysiologist who has extensively studied motion sickness, works with a test subject.

Photograph by HUM Images, Universal Images Group/Getty Images

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One of the biggest proponents of this “postural stability theory” is Tom Stoffregen, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Minnesota. “On a boat or plane, you have to learn to move differently—like sailors who get their ‘sea legs’ after a few days,” he says. “The key is physical control of your body, and some individuals adapt more quickly than others.”

Genetics might play a part, too. A 2015 study of 480,000 customers of DNA-testing company 23andme identified 413 genetic markers—many related to balance or eye, ear, and cranial development—that could make an individual predisposed to motion sickness.

Preventing motion sickness 

The easiest way to combat motion sickness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Hydrate and keep fresh air flowing while traveling, either by opening a window in the car, turning on the air vent above you on the plane, or heading to the deck on a cruise ship. 

“And be careful what you eat when you travel,” says Bubka. Anything that upsets your stomach on dry land—eating too much (or too little), drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or caffeine—could be amplified by motion. 

“Do everything you can to be sure your view isn’t obstructed,” says Natascha Tuznik, a doctor who specializes in travel medicine at the University of California Davis. “Look at the horizon if you’re out to sea and sit in the front seat of the car where you can see the road and what’s coming.” Closely watching what’s coming helps your eyes and inner ears sync more quickly with other bodily functions.

Avoiding triggers and anti-nausea training

Some research suggests that doing physical or mental exercises could help humans train themselves to be less motion sick. The Puma Method, developed by a flight surgeon to serve airsick pilots, uses yoga-like stretches and angular movements to build up anti-nausea conditioning. A 2020 study at England’s University of Warwick found that, after doing 15-minute visuospatial training exercises (finding hidden objects in puzzles, folding paper), many subjects didn’t get sick when taken for car rides.  

Commuters walk through a New York City subway station in 2017. Any form of transport—from trains to planes to boats—can induce motion sickness in humans.

Photograph by John Taggart, Redux

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“The advantage is that these approaches don’t require medication,” says Cherchi. “The disadvantage is that they can entail considerable discomfort, at least initially.”

People prone to motion sickness can also practice “trigger avoidance,” steering clear of activities that make them bilious. If long bus rides make you turn green, rent a car instead, then sit up front or drive yourself. Those prone to seasickness should take flat-water river cruises or choose larger oceangoing ships with smoother rides. 

Medication—or gadgets—might help

Another way to combat travel-related nausea? Use an over-the-counter motion sickness drug (like Dramamine) or a doctor-prescribed Scopolamine patch (usually worn behind the ear). Both are anticholinergics, which block and inhibit the central nervous system to create a calming effect on the muscles in the stomach and bowels.

However, these medicines only work if used a short time before you set sail or board that flight. Such drugs can also make you groggy, and many people have health conditions that preclude their use. Stoffregen advises travelers who don’t want to take pills to try ginger chews or gingersnaps instead. “There’s well-documented evidence that a little bit of ginger can significantly reduce nausea,” he says.

Multiple gadgets promise to help with motion sickness. Pressure-point wristbands, which rely on acupressure principles, come in models from inexpensive and basic to high-tech and high-priced. Wacky-looking anti-nausea glasses also came to market about two years ago, sporting liquid-filled frames and four round, glass-free lenses. The idea is that the liquid in the specs shifts as you move, creating an artificial horizon. 

While many users report feeling better when using these devices on planes, trains, and automobiles, studies have yet to support their efficacy. “Still, if there’s a placebo effect, and you don’t get sick, then I don’t care about the science,” says Stoffregen. “It’s money well spent.”

Jennifer Barger is a senior travel editor at National Geographic. Follow her on Instagram.

⚓ All About Seasickness

Differences in resistance to seasickness depend on ship size, sea conditions and sailing experience. Thus, if the provocative movement is active for a long time (for example, on board a ship during a storm), then in most people the degree of manifestations of motion sickness gradually decreases as they adapt to the rocking. The dynamics of this adaptation, as well as other characteristics of motion sickness, has individual differences, however, as a rule, noticeable adaptation occurs on the second or third day of swimming, and by the fourth, all symptoms usually completely disappear. Seasickness is rare among professional sailors. This is due to strict professional selection and training of the vestibular apparatus during training and subsequent work. But sometimes a person cannot adapt to rolling on a ship, even for a long sea service. The famous English naval commander Admiral Nelson spent many years at sea and, nevertheless, every time during a storm he suffered greatly from this disease. Approximately 5% of people do not adapt to rolling at sea at all, and they are subject to motion sickness throughout their lives. Persons with innate stability adapt more quickly to provoking accelerations.
Among other factors influencing the resistance to seasickness, personality traits (extroverts are more resistant than introverts), motivation, emotionality and activity of the central nervous system, as well as fear and anxiety are of great importance.
How can the unpleasant symptoms associated with seasickness be alleviated or prevented? First of all, it is necessary to limit head movements to a minimum, which affect the development of motion sickness, this is well known. You can limit the movement of your head arbitrarily, but it is better if it rests on an appropriate support – a headrest, roller, etc. It should be remembered that on board a ship experiencing motion, seasickness will be less pronounced with acceleration acting along the longitudinal axis of the head than along its anteroposterior axis.
It may be useful during swimming to reduce visual-vestibular mismatch. For example, while on a ship, at the first signs of motion sickness, it is advisable to sit with your eyes closed or fix your gaze, as noted above, on the horizon line or visible land.
A tried-and-tested remedy for nausea is a lemon, a slice of which should be put into the mouth as soon as possible at the first sign of seasickness. Less effective but still helpful are menthol caramel, chewing gum, spices, or anything acidic. It is good if the cabin smells of mint or pine needles (preferably the use of flavors).
Breakfast (lunch, dinner) before going to sea should be light, because both a full stomach and an empty stomach are an additional burden on the body. From food on the road, choose low-fat and hot food. Soda water, cake or cake with a lot of cream are not for you. It is useful to wipe the neck and temples with a damp towel. Hand massage will also help: put one hand on your knee, palm up. Gently massage with the thumb of the other hand under the wrist, and then with the index and thumb, the middle of the palm.
If a person experiences seasickness precisely in the expanses of water, then during pitching, proper breathing helps: the deck drops – inhale, rises – exhale.
In the long term, various types of vestibular training can be the most effective means of preventing seasickness: special physical and gymnastic exercises, volleyball, swimming, acrobatic trampolining, exercises on sports equipment: the Rhine wheel, triplex, etc. For passive – a swivel chair , swing, etc. With combined methods, active and passive exercises are combined. Such training not only contributes to the suppression of unpleasant vestibular reactions, but also improves orientation in space.
Active vestibular training is carried out daily in the morning before meals (eyes should be open when performing). All head movements are performed at a fast pace (approximately 120 per minute) for one minute, and after 30 seconds of movement, a pause of 5 seconds should follow. The whole set of exercises takes 8 minutes.
Starting from the first exercise, the complex is repeated and, if you feel well, perform for another eight minutes. At the end of the workout, you need to rest for two to three minutes.
The duration of the first classes is two minutes, and it is advisable to carry out the exercises while sitting. Subsequently, with each lesson, the training time should be increased by one to two minutes and, starting from the third to fifth lesson, movements should be performed in a standing position.
During training, coordination disorders (up to a fall) are possible, for the prevention of which it is necessary to provide insurance to the trainee. If some people have pronounced vestibulo-vegetative reactions (severe pallor, sweating, nausea, etc.), the session must be stopped.
In recent years, for the prevention of seasickness, methods of psychoprophylaxis and psychotherapy, autogenic training with training in self-control of some autonomic reactions, using biofeedback, which allows you to control, prevent or weaken the manifestations of motion sickness, have begun to be used.
A large role in the prevention and relief of seasickness is given to pharmacological agents, the number of which is currently significant.
However, it should be remembered that almost all drugs used as a means of preventing and relieving motion sickness have their own indications and contraindications. Therefore, before taking this or that drug with you on a trip, you must carefully read the corresponding instructions for its use. And be sure to test it on yourself even before the start of the sea voyage for individual intolerance.

Most often, so-called antihistamines are used to combat kinetosis – diphenhydramine, suprastin, pipolfen. Many of these drugs are familiar as allergy drugs, and the fight against motion sickness is “part-time work” for them. True, for some of these drugs, it becomes the main one. Aviomarin, bonin and kinedril are only sold as motion sickness remedies.

Kinedryl stands out a little in this group: in addition to the antihistamine, it also contains caffeine. And this supplement allows you to reduce the “inhibitory” effect of the antihistamine component – to reduce lethargy and drowsiness. But even despite the invigorating caffeine, kinedril could not completely get rid of the soporific effect.

It should be remembered that antihistamines do not act immediately (after 2 hours or more), but for a relatively long time. Bonin has a particularly long-lasting effect – up to 12 hours. Therefore, this group of medicines should be taken at least one hour before the trip.

Fast-acting drugs containing belladonna alkaloids can be attributed. Among them is such a well-known drug as Aeron, and not so often used Bellataminal and Bellaspon.

Among the official fighters against motion sickness there are also homeopathic preparations – domestic air-sea and German vertigoheel. These drugs act according to the classic homeopathic principle “like cures like”: they contain those components that provoke symptoms typical of motion sickness – nausea, vomiting, dizziness. But thanks to meager doses, they have a curative, not provocative effect.

Recently a biologically active supplement “Companion” has appeared. This is also an effective remedy for motion sickness, containing natural plant products – peeled ginger rhizome and chamomile flowers. You need to take it 1-2 tablets 30 minutes before the trip. By the way, ginger has long been used by sailors. Chinese sailors chewed it to reduce seasickness.

Do not have any of these drugs on hand? Validol or Valocordin can help: they can be used as sedatives and antiemetics. Peppermint tea or peppermint extract can help in this situation.

To help people overcome sea or air sickness, pharmacologists have invented many remedies. But most of them have many contraindications and side effects. Natural remedies for motion sickness are absolutely safe, but at the same time they are no less effective than drugs.

Homeopathy
The best homeopathic remedy for motion sickness is Nux Vomica. The standard dosage for adults is 10 drops or 3-5 grains to be taken before boarding a vehicle. You can buy Nux Vomica at any homeopathic pharmacy. This component is also part of the complex preparations – the Russian “Avia-Sea” or the German Nux Vomica-Homaccord.

Ginger root
In ancient times, Asian sailors had a habit of chewing ginger during long sea voyages. In the early 1990s, scientists from the US Herbal Medicine Research Laboratory in Salt Lake City decided to test the effectiveness of this ancient custom and conducted an experiment with 36 volunteers who suffered from motion sickness. It turned out that the effectiveness of ginger root powder is superior to known pharmacological drugs for motion sickness. To get rid of seasickness, take one gram of dried ginger root powder before you travel. If you feel nauseous during the trip, it is worth “upping the dose” – drink some ginger beer or eat a couple of gingerbread cookies. Ginger caramels are also suitable – after taking them, do not brush your teeth or rinse your mouth for a while.

Acupuncture
Another piece of advice borrowed from sailors. Before the trip, you need to carefully, but tightly enough, tighten your wrists with elastic bandages, which are sold in any pharmacy. This simple measure will create a pressure drop that will save you from discomfort while traveling. In addition, the bandages will constantly act on a special point in the wrist area, which will help overcome nausea. If you are still seasick, for several minutes rhythmically press with a fingernail or a match on another point under the earlobe.

Proper nutrition
Before traveling, neither starve nor indulge in gluttony. The best option is a small amount of lean protein food such as cottage cheese or a piece of fish. During the trip, especially if you are flying by plane, it is better to refresh yourself with food that you have brought from home in advance. On board, they usually offer quite fatty and sweet food, which can only worsen the condition. Therefore, the best option would be to take a bottle of drinking yogurt or kefir with you, a small portion of cold boiled chicken or turkey. Especially salty and sour foods help to cope with motion sickness. Therefore, during the trip, you can enjoy, for example, pickled herring, various pickles. Remember only that food should be taken in very small portions.

Cold compress
Scientists have shown that an ice pack applied to the head and neck during travel can significantly reduce the intensity of unpleasant symptoms, especially nausea. Ice can be replaced with a damp, cold cloth. This method is especially effective in combination with a warm heating pad on the feet.

Inner mood
An important factor is your mood and behavior during the trip. First, before the trip, convince yourself that this time you definitely won’t get seasick. Focus your eyes on some fixed object or horizon line. Try to provide yourself with constant access to a source of fresh air. And remember that the journey will soon end, and you will finally find yourself where you were so eager to get.
The most important thing is to get in the right mindset before the trip.

Sea sickness. What is Seasickness?

IMPORTANT
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.

Seasickness is a pathological condition resulting from the motion of the sea. It is manifested by nausea, dizziness, cephalalgia, vomiting, malaise, deviations in the emotional sphere (apathy / agitation), a drop in blood pressure, arrhythmia. Diagnosis is based on typical clinical symptoms. For the purpose of professional selection, instrumental methods for studying vestibular function are used. Depending on the manifestations, therapy is carried out with a combination of several drugs of the following groups: anticholinergics, antiemetics, antihistamines, psychostimulants, nootropics.

• Causes of motion sickness
• Pathogenesis
• Classification
• Symptoms of motion sickness
• Diagnostics
• Sea sickness treatment
• Prognosis and prevention
• Prices for treatment

General

Seasickness is an integral part of the concept of “kinetosis” (motion sickness), which includes various types of motion sickness: airsickness, motion sickness in road transport, ride sickness, riding sickness. Symptoms of kinetosis under appropriate conditions are detected in 60% of children, 30% of adults. The marine form is one of the most severe variants of kinetosis. Strong pitching can cause motion sickness of any person, only 3% of people are absolutely resistant to its effects. Most often, seasickness is observed in children 2-12 years old, least often in the elderly. Young people are more susceptible to the disease, according to some reports, about 2/3 of seafarers under 25 years of age suffer from seasickness. Women are less resistant to motion sickness than men. In children under 2 years of age, the symptoms of pathology during sea travel are practically not detected.

Seasickness

Causes of motion sickness

The main etiofactor of kinetosis is the effect on the vestibular apparatus of multidirectional accelerations that exceed the usual threshold stimuli. There are three forms of rolling: vertical (lifting-immersing the ship), keel (oscillations around the transverse axis of the ship), side (oscillations around the longitudinal axis). On large ships, heaving is felt weakly, but keel and side roll are significant. A number of factors are known to increase the likelihood of developing marine kinetosis, these include:

• Intense pitching. A slow, smooth roll is much easier to carry than a fast, fast one. The pitching period (the time the ship moves between the extreme positions) depends on the degree of sea roughness, the size, and the tonnage of the ship.
• Alcohol intake, fatty foods, overeating. These factors negatively affect the state of the body, reduce resistance to rolling. To provoke marine kinetosis can be the abuse of food and alcohol, the intake of carbonated drinks 1-2 days before the start of the voyage.
• Environmental hazards. The likelihood of seasickness increases under the influence of several adverse factors. So, in the engine room of a ship, sailors are affected by noise, vibration, air with harmful impurities.
• Chronic diseases. Cardiovascular pathologies, cholelithiasis, chronic gastritis, nephrolithiasis are accompanied by increased sensitivity of the receptor apparatus of the affected organ. As a result, slight accelerations cause a violent vegeto-somatic reaction.
• CNS pathology. Organic, functional diseases of the central nervous system cause hyperexcitability, inadequate response of the central structures that perceive impulses from peripheral receptors. Under such conditions, enhanced statokinetic effects during rolling easily provoke kinetosis.
• Optical factor. Constantly moving objects in front of the eyes contribute to motion sickness. Irritation of the visual analyzer, similar to the vestibular one, can cause dizziness and nausea.
• Psycho-emotional state. A tendency to anxiety-depressive states, self-absorption, a sense of fear increase the likelihood of motion sickness. Concentration of attention on a certain occupation, sleep helps to overcome kinetosis.

Pathogenesis

Despite the widespread prevalence, the mechanism of the development of pathology has not been fully studied. Many researchers believe that motion sickness is associated with the response of the CNS to increased afferent impulses. The peripheral vestibular analyzer is located in the inner ear. The receptors of the semicircular tubules perceive angular acceleration, the otolith organ – linear and gravitational acceleration. The information received through the vestibular nerve is transmitted to the central nervous system, supplemented by impulses from proprio- and baroreceptors. The result of processing the incoming afferent information is a response impulse going to the muscles, somatic organs, vegetative centers and aimed at adapting the body to the prevailing conditions. At the same time, many vegetative-visceral reactions occur, causing the main symptoms of kinetosis.

According to the theory of “sensory conflict”, the decisive factor is the inconsistency of sensory information entering the CNS. Confirmation is the aggravation of symptoms in the cabin, when vestibuloreceptor impulses indicate constant movement, and visual – the absence of movement of surrounding objects. Similarly, some experienced pilots flying as passengers experience airsickness. The usual combination of vestibular and visual information in the cockpit is replaced by a combination of identical vestibular sensations with a different visual afferentation due to the situation in the aircraft cabin.

Classification

Seasickness has variable clinical manifestations. The clinical polymorphism of the condition formed the basis of several classifications. Below are the two main ones.

According to the predominant clinical manifestations, 4 forms are distinguished:

• Nervous. The clinical picture is dominated by cephalgia, heaviness in the head, dizziness, drowsiness. Possibly impaired vision and hearing.
• Gastrointestinal. Accompanied by nausea, vomiting, changes in taste, a feeling of unpleasant aftertaste, decreased appetite. In some cases, there is intolerance to the smell of tobacco smoke, burnt food, etc.
• Cardiovascular. It is typical for people with cardiovascular pathology. It begins with tachycardia, increased blood pressure, palpitations, arrhythmia. Subsequently, bradycardia, arterial hypotension occurs.
• Mixed. Occurs most often. It is clinically manifested by a variable combination of symptoms of various forms.

According to the mental characteristics of the course, seasickness is classified into 3 options:

• Asthenic. The patient is depressed, asthenic, gets tired quickly, is somewhat retarded. The mood background is lowered.
• Agitated. Excessive talkativeness, fussiness, mobility, increased emotionality, theatricality of speech, pretentiousness of movements are noted.
• Mixed. It is an alternation of periods of asthenia and agitation. Perhaps the prevalence of one variant of mental reaction.

Symptoms of motion sickness

Symptoms are highly variable. Some patients experience apathy, weakness, lie on a bunk, others hurriedly walk around the deck, excited, extremely talkative. Typical dizziness, cephalalgia, nausea, giving temporary relief vomiting. Diplopia, chills, increased salivation may be detected. Patients complain of lack of appetite, rejection of many odors, changes in taste sensations. Disorders of the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract are not uncommon: diarrhea, constipation. The state of motion sickness is extremely difficult to tolerate, accompanied by pronounced changes in the psycho-emotional sphere.

In mild cases, motion sickness is limited to 2-3 days of dizziness, nausea. In severe cases, the patient is pale, the face is covered with cold sweat, there is bradycardia, repeated vomiting, an increase in respiratory rate, cardiac arrhythmias, impaired coordination of movements, a drop in pressure, and a confused state of consciousness are possible. Sometimes seasickness has a latent course. There is asthenia, decreased performance without obvious clinical manifestations of kinetosis. The absence of vivid symptoms makes it impossible to timely diagnose the latent form. A similar situation is dangerous if a sick team member receives a task that requires responsible performance.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic measures include taking an anamnesis (no symptoms before the trip, the presence of chronic diseases), detailing complaints, assessing the general status, and neurological examination of the patient. It is necessary to exclude diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal infection, cardiovascular diseases. The study of the neurological status does not reveal meningeal symptoms, focal neurological deficit, allows us to reject the possibility of neuroinfection (meningitis, encephalitis). Diagnosis of predisposition to kinetosis is necessary for the professional selection of sailors. The assessment of the vestibular analyzer is carried out by the following methods:

• Vestibulometry is a study of the reaction of the vestibular apparatus to various stimuli. It is carried out by using devices that simulate the impact of various forms of acceleration.
• Caloric test. Gives an idea of ​​the excitability of the labyrinth, allows you to identify labyrinth pathology.
• Rotational tests. Required to determine the adaptive capacity of the vestibular apparatus in terms of rotation. Carried out with the help of a special chair, where the test is located.
• Video oculography. It makes it possible to detect latent nystagmus, indicating a subclinical pathology of the labyrinth.

Sea sickness treatment

You can reduce the symptoms of motion sickness by eliminating aggravating factors. You need frequent light meals in small portions with the exception of fatty, whole milk, carbonated liquids. It is useful to drink water, tea with cranberry juice, lemon. Facilitates the state of resorption of lollipops, crackers. It is recommended to stand on the deck, fixing your gaze on the horizon, or take a horizontal position in the cabin (optimally, fall asleep). Pharmaceuticals that have anti-sickness effects include:

• Cholinolytics (hyoscyamine, platifillin). Widely used at the end of the 20th century, due to pronounced side effects, they are currently used to a limited extent. Scopolamine is the most effective. A special application form of the drug in the form of a patch allows for uniform diffusion of scopolamine into the blood, which significantly eliminates side effects.
• Sodium bicarbonate. Showed high efficiency against motion sickness. Intravenous infusions, rectal suppositories are prescribed.
• Antihistamines (dimenhydrinate, meclozine, promethazine). They block histamine receptors in the inner ear, vestibular nuclei, reducing vestibulo-vegetative reactions. Well tolerated, used prophylactically.
• Psychostimulants (mesocarb, caffeine). They are prescribed in combination with antihistamines / anticholinergics. Reduce the side effect in the form of CNS depression.
• Antiemetics (metoclopramide). Needed to stop repeated vomiting.
• Nootropics (aminophenylbutyric acid, piracetam). They increase the adaptive capabilities of the central nervous system, improve cerebral metabolism.
• Combination pharmaceuticals. They are a combination of several pharmaceuticals of the same type (scopolamine + hyoscyamine), agents of a different mechanism of action (antihistamine + psychostimulant).

Prognosis and prevention

Seasickness goes away when you stop rolling.