Prescription medĪnother well-studied pharmaceutical solution is the scopolamine medicine-based patch, Transderm Scop. But they can also make you incredibly sleepy, which can be annoying on scenic train rides or Zodiac boat excursions and downright dangerous if you need to drive. I’ve been thankful for them in prolonged turbulence and on rough waters. The efficacy of antihistamines in combating motion sickness is supported by research, and doctors have been recommending them for decades. You can find pills and chewable tablets that last from 8 to 24 hours in most drugstores, gas stations, and even airport shops. Several antihistamines-including dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Antivert, Bonine)- prevent motion sickness by blocking H1 receptors that can cause nausea. These elasticized bracelets relieve nausea by exerting pressure on the pericardium 6 (aka P6 or Nei-Guan), an acupressure point that, according to traditional Chinese medicine, can help harmonize digestion. Here’s what you need to know: AcupressureĪ few years ago, I was boarding a whale-watching boat off the Dominican Republic’s Samana Peninsula when the crew began passing out Sea Bands. A health researcher–turned–travel journalist who suffers from motion sickness, I’ve surveyed the research and talked to experts to help make sense of it all. But with so many choices, such as acupressure Sea Bands and transdermal Scopolamine patches, it’s hard to guess which actually work. In any scenario, stay hydrated, keep fresh air flowing, and avoid reading or looking down at your phone or tablet to minimize that disconnect.Īs movement increases, the basics aren’t always enough to keep your inner ear in balance and your stomach calm, so you may want to rely on natural or pharmaceutical options. In a car, sit up front or take the wheel, and on a train, pick a seat that’s facing forward. On a plane, choose a seat situated over the wing or in front. On a ship, book a cabin near its center, and when you’re above deck, look to the horizon. To avoid the brain-body disconnect that causes motion sickness, Sowards recommends seeking out the place you’ll feel the least amount of movement or where you can find something still to look at. There are, however, some basic things you can do to reduce your chances of getting queasy when conditions are mild. Photos by istock illustration by Taylor Le As seriously intrepid expeditions-think polar cruises or space flight-become more accessible and climate change renders air turbulence more frequent and more violent, even individuals who aren’t usually vulnerable may find themselves lurching for the sick bag. “The eyes see one thing and the body feels another, and the inner ear does not know what is happening,” she says.Īlthough only about one-third of people are considered highly susceptible to motion sickness, almost anybody can experience it if things get shaky enough. That grouping of symptoms, more commonly known as motion sickness, is caused by a disturbance in the inner ear, the part of the body responsible for maintaining our sense of balance.Īccording to Vickie Sowards, RN, BSN, and director of nursing resources for Passport Health travel medicine clinics, whether you’re in a car, plane, ship, or train, the repetitive movements that are so common in travel disrupt one’s equilibrium by sending conflicting signals to the brain. But for many travelers-myself included-the simple act of being in transit can cause dizziness, sweating, nausea, and vomiting. There are times, like on road trips and cruise ships, when the process of moving from point A to point B is truly part of the adventure.
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