How to Treat Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is a common ailment characterized by pallor, dizziness, restlessness and nausea leading to vomiting. It is caused by the body's inability to orient itself. Motion can complicate the body's ability to synthesize the visual, touch and balance information it uses for orientation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Physician
• Anti-nausea medication

Use Behavioral Strategies to Treat Motion Sickness

1. Know that motion sickness has a strong psychological component. Anticipating and avoiding the triggers of motion sickness can help you minimize or evade it altogether.
2. Sit in the front seat or drive when in a car. It is common for people who have no problem sitting in the front seat to experience motion sickness while seated in the back. It is easier to anticipate movements and help keep your body oriented if you have a better view from the front seat.
3. Stay in the middle when on a ship, and keep your eyes focused on the horizon. Again, this helps keep you oriented and minimizes the disorienting swaying motions you are more likely to experience at the ship's extremities. If you have problematic motion sickness, it may be better for you to avoid sea travel altogether.
4. Request a window seat when on a flight and try to stay near the front of the aircraft, where noise is reduced. While flying, look out the window at the sky, which will help trick your mind into thinking you are moving much more slowly than you actually are.
5. Understand that you can acclimatize yourself to the movements that cause motion sickness through an exercise technique called the "Puma method," described at PumaMethod.com.

Use Medicine to Treat Motion Sickness

6. Talk to your doctor about the gamut of over-the-counter and prescription medications available to treat motion sickness. Common pharmaceutical treatments for motion sickness include dimenhydrinate, meclizine or cyclizine, thorazine, diazepam (valium), scopolamine and promethazine. Your doctor will help you choose the right medicine(s), based on the frequency and severity of your symptoms.
7. Medicate about half an hour before you anticipate movement that may cause you motion sickness. This will give your body a chance to metabolize the drug so that symptoms of motion sickness will be immediately counteracted.
8. Know that individuals suffering from glaucoma or prostate problems are unable to take most of the prescription medications available to treat motion sickness. Your physician will be able to discuss alternative therapies with you if you suffer from either of those conditions.

Tips & Warnings

• You can treat your motion sickness by using alternatives to medication. Speak to your doctor or nutritionist about dietary supplements and eating practices that can help relieve your motion sickness. Exercise has proven valuable in some patients, as have homeopathy and acupuncture treatments.