What to do if you get motion sickness? A general practitioner has given 5 effective tips

What to do if you get motion sickness? A general practitioner has given 5 effective tips

We tell you how to get rid of unpleasant symptoms while traveling.

Medical practitioner at LabQuest + Q-Clinica medical company

“Motion sickness syndromes (kinetosis or seasickness) is a pathological reaction of the body to unaccustomed movement due to monotonous vibrations.”

Causes and symptoms of motion sickness

The most well-known varieties of motion sickness are sea sickness, car sickness, carriage sickness, air sickness, lesser known are horseback riding sickness, space sickness, and elevator sickness, swing sickness, and amusement ride sickness.

Approximately 30% of adults and 60% of children are affected. The manifestation of motion sickness is increased due to emotional stress, which in turn builds up during motion sickness.

Motion sickness occurs during intense motion due to overstimulation of the areas of the inner ear responsible for balance. It can also be caused by conflicting information that the brain receives from the sensory organs, leading to malaise and related complaints.

Involved:

• vestibular receptors;
• proprioreceptors (muscles, ligaments, tendons) and mechanoreceptors of the skin and internal organs;
• visual receptors;
• receptors of mucous and serous membranes of abdominal cavity organs.

Taking into account the above, kinetosis can be conditionally divided into four main forms:

1. Neurologic form with leading symptoms in the form of dizziness, coordination disorders, headache, a feeling of heaviness in the head, feelings of lethargy, weakness, drowsiness, and disorders of consciousness.
2. Gastrointestinal form with symptoms in the form of nausea, vomiting, decreased and lack of appetite.
3. Cardiovascular form, which is particularly dangerous for those suffering from cardiovascular disease, as kinetosis may cause heart rhythm disturbances ranging from tachycardia and increased blood pressure (BP) to bradycardia (decreased heart rate).
4. Mixed form, in which the above pathological symptoms may occur in various combinations.

In the group of special risk – women, especially of reproductive age, since throughout the time there is a hormonal restructuring (menstrual cycle – especially the second phase of the cycle, pregnancy).

Also children under 16 years old belong to this group, as the vestibular apparatus is established by 12-16 years old. Therefore, up to 60% of children suffer from motion sickness in transportation, and sometimes on swings or other rides.

Ways to cope with motion sickness

At the manifestation of unpleasant sensations it is necessary:

1. Focus your gaze on a fixed object – for example, choose some point on the horizon.
2. Get comfortable on the seat – so that as little as possible to sway during the movement.
3. Try not to move your head or make sudden movements.
4. It is desirable to have a special fixation pillow or collar, take a comfortable position.
5. Drink plain or carbonated water, preferably cool.

Prevention

Preventive measures for kinetosis:

• A day before the proposed trip should be well rested and sleep well. Sleep should be at least eight hours.
• You should not overeat before traveling. However, hunger can also increase the manifestations of kinetosis.
• One should not drink a lot of fluids before traveling.
• On the day of travel, alcohol should be avoided and smoking should be limited.
• Take care in advance to purchase tickets for the seats of the lowest amplitude of movement.
• Night flights should be chosen if possible, as night flights or night sailing are usually easier to bear than day flights.
• One should not look through the side windows and actively follow the flickering of objects outside the windows.
• On the road it is necessary to avoid both overheating and hypothermia – the temperature in the cabin of the vehicle should be as comfortable as possible.
• Listening to light, unobtrusive and melodic music has a favorable effect.

• During the take-off and landing of the airplane should suck on caramel, as sucking movements help to reduce the symptoms of motion sickness.
• It may help to use a sitting position – tapping your feet on the floor from heel to toe. These movements minimize the mismatch of signals from the vision and vestibular apparatus to the brain and create the effect of walking on the ground.

Treatment

Kinetosis is treated using a combination of both medication and non-medication therapies.

Non-medications include:

• vestibular training programs (active – tennis, volleyball, swimming; and passive – swinging on swings, etc.);
• learning to breathe properly – breathing should be deep and slow to alleviate motion sickness and improve vestibular function;
• acupuncture. Pressure on certain points can help suppress vomiting.

With medication methods, prescriptions of drugs that improve the patient’s condition are carried out. It is possible to use a special patch or bracelet, which is one of the most popular means to combat motion sickness. It is necessary to use a few hours before traveling.

And remember: if you feel worse, you need to consult a specialist.