How to Motion Sickness / Symptoms and remedies / Take control of

If you suffer from motion sickness, don't travel on a empty stomach; have a light, bland, easily digestible meal before you leave.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. If you are prone to motion sickness, ask your doctor about Scopolamine, a drug available by prescription. One application, in the form of a skin patch taped behind the ear, lasts for about 72 hours. Scopolamine should not be given to children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those who suffer from liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal obstructions, bladder problems, or glaucoma.
2. Possible side effects are dry mouth, drowsiness, and blurred vision. A surprisingly effective alternative to motion sickness drugs is powdered ginger, and it has no adverse side effects. Capsules are available from pharmacists and health food stores. Take two or three 500-milligram capsules 1/2 hour before you leave on a trip.
3. If you suffer from motion sickness, don't travel on a empty stomach; have a light, bland, easily digestible meal before you leave. Avoid alcohol before and after a journey. Don't read in a car or bus; instead look at the horizon. Position yourself in the most stable areas of a vehicle: near the driver on a bus, forward on a plane or train, in the front seat of a car. Ventilation helps.
4. Open a car window or turn on the air conditioner; stay on deck rather than in the cabin when you're on a boat; use the overhead vent in a train, plane, or bus. Head movement can increase motion sickness. Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals from the inner ear, eyes, and other parts of the body that sense motion.
5. When you feel turbulence on a plane, your eyes don't see what's happening to cause the motion. Your brain gets one message from your inner ear, which senses the turbulence, but an opposing message from your eyes, which see only the apparently unmoving interior of the plane.