Do you hate travelling just because you always get dizzy, sick, and nauseated? You are not alone. A big percentage of Americans suffers from motion sickness that prevents them from travelling far by car, plane or ship.
Also known as mal de mar or seasickness, motion sickness is principally characterized by vomiting and perpetual nausea. Dizziness and ice-cold sweat are also glaring indicators. But whatever it may entail, there sure is no relief from it other than to distance one’s self from the cause. As in other cases, however, it may as well be prevented.
It is in one’s inner ear that much movement registers. The sensory output is confusing, that is why motion sickness occurs. And through all the symptoms, experts have some things to say on how to deal with bumpy and rocky trips:
- Avoid eating heavy foods and drinking alcohol before traveling as they give certain heaviness inside the body, and not being able to recover from such weight brings about a feeling of puking. Instead, eat light and simply bring snacks along with you to help you fill up when traveling.
- When staring inside a moving transportation, be it a ship or a van, focus on the horizon or other unmoving point in the distance. It would also help if you do not think about your condition. Sometimes, it gets psychological that even though you are not feeling sick, you start to do so just because your brain is making yourself believe that it is.
- For children suffering from motion sickness, they should be elevated when riding a road vehicle, using either car children seat or a cushion to enable them to set their focus on more distant points.
- Medication is another resort to motion sickness. Over-the-counter medicines, more specifically antihistamines, are useful. They come as Bonine, Marezine, Dramamine, and Benadryl. Because they may somehow cause drowsiness, they should be taken in 30 to 60 minutes before setting off to travel.
- Scopolamine, under more severe cases, is administrated by physicians. Sold under Transderm Scop, it is used through a skin patch. The patch is usually placed behind the ear, and is more likely to have dry mouth as its surfacing side effect. However, this needs prescription.
Travels need not be hellacious with motion sickness. With the proper precaution and frame of mind, the getaways can be remained unspoiled by motion sickness.