How to avoid motion sickness while traveling

Family vacations promise delightful moments, but for those prone to motion sickness during travel, fun away from home can quickly turn into discomfort. If you or any family member usually faces this uncomfortable condition, don’t worry. Here are various clarifications on the subject and a valuable compilation of tips on how to avoid motion sickness while traveling to make trips free of nausea and therefore more pleasant for everyone.

What is motion sickness called?

Some people think that travel sickness is labyrinthitis, since the labyrinth is the inner ear region connected to balance and body position perception. In fact, there are different labyrinth disorders, and the term labyrinthitis is usually erroneously used generically. Travel sickness most commonly results from a labyrinth condition called kinetosis, also known as “motion sickness.”

Which doctor treats motion sickness?

The specialist in kinetosis is the otolaryngologist, who treats motion sickness as well as other conditions related to the ear, nose, and throat, plus structures related to them, such as the head and neck.

What causes travel sickness?

Medicine hasn’t yet reached a definitive consensus on why we feel sick when traveling by bus, car, plane, and ship, but there are some theories. The most accepted is called the “sensory conflict theory,” which is based on the body’s balance system.

Balance isn’t controlled by a single organ but rather by collaboration between our vision, tactile sensations, and organs in the inner ear, such as the labyrinth. These elements form a system that determines the body’s position in space, like our internal GPS.

When the information our eyes see doesn’t match other balance sensations collected by the body – such as when we’re sitting inside a moving vehicle – the information conflict is processed by the brain, which tries to compare the current movement pattern with movements contained in memory.

If there’s no compatibility, meaning no memory of this movement pattern, a sensation of imbalance and instability arises, generating discomfort. Thus, the brain may activate the vomiting center as a defense against the situation perceived as potentially threatening.

Why do some people get motion sick and others don’t?

Despite still not knowing exactly the neurophysiological causes of kinetosis, meaning why the tendency for travel sickness varies from person to person, studies suggest some hypotheses. It might occur due to labyrinth immaturity, which may or may not stabilize with advancing age, the influence of hormonal factors, such as menstruation and pregnancy, as well as the habituation process. This means children, women, and people unaccustomed to traveling may suffer more frequently from motion sickness.

Children’s motion sickness

It’s not difficult to notice that more children get motion sick than adults. Many scientific studies have been conducted on this and found that kinetosis is not only more frequent in children but also varies according to age group. It has been shown to be more common from six or seven years of age, with the disorder’s peak occurring around ten years old. Various studies have also concluded that kinetosis prevalence is statistically more significant among girls than boys.

Although it’s a frequent problem, children’s travel sickness often goes unnoticed, probably due to difficulty diagnosing inner ear balance problems, known as the labyrinth or vestibular system. Symptoms are subjective and variable, complicating it for little ones to express discomfort. Adequate support and treatment, however, are essential to overcome the impacts that travel sickness can have on children’s development and well-being.

What affects travel sickness intensity?

Various factors influence kinetosis symptom intensity, many related to environment: exposure time and vehicle movement amplitude are determining factors for body reaction. While spending hours on a ship in a storm can cause intense sickness, a one-hour car trip on a road with almost no curves tends to cause less discomfort. Additionally, drivers tend to experience milder symptoms compared to passengers because being in control, they can anticipate vehicle movements and instinctively adjust their posture to better align with the swaying.

What’s the best medicine for travel sickness?

There are various neurotransmitters that participate in vertigo and nausea mechanisms, allowing a wide variety of medications to be used to treat kinetosis, such as antiemetics. However, there’s no evidence of superiority among drugs for controlling these symptoms. What varies are the action mechanisms, drug interactions, and side effects of each one. This makes choosing the best travel sickness medicine always a medical decision through individual patient evaluation.

Taking motion sickness medicine before travel

Some doctors recommend starting kinetosis medication a certain time before travel as a preventive measure, varying from a few hours to even a few days. This occurs because certain medications used to treat kinetosis need time to reach effective levels in the body and prevent symptoms before they occur.

Additionally, this strategy may also relate to the fact that many medications used to treat kinetosis have the potential to cause drowsiness and a certain “hangover” as side effects. By starting medication in advance, the body has a chance to gradually adjust to medication effects, reducing the probability of feeling very sluggish and prostrated during travel.

However, it’s important to follow medical instructions and specific guidelines for each medication, as efficacy and effects may vary. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any kinetosis medication, especially if you’re considering prevention before travel.

Alternative motion sickness remedies

There are also, besides allopathic options, homeopathic medications and alternative medicine treatments, such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, and even home remedies to avoid travel sickness. Choosing between different options may depend on personal preferences, health history, and individual experiences. Sometimes, finding the right option involves trying different approaches and evaluating how each body responds. And it’s not always necessary to choose a single approach. Some people combine different methods to improve motion sickness. However, it’s always a good idea to consult a doctor or healthcare professional before trying new approaches, especially if you have health concerns or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What to do to relieve motion sickness during travel?

When you’re in the middle of a trip and facing a kinetosis crisis, all you want to know is what to do to quickly relieve sickness. There are several measures indicated to try to relieve travel sickness, although each one’s efficacy varies from person to person. The best known are:

• Acupressure for sickness: Acupressure is a technique similar to acupuncture, but without needles. At the first sign of nausea, stimulate acupressure point PC6 (Pericardium 6), located on the inner part of either wrist, three fingers above the wrist fold, between tendons. Press gently for at least 1 to 2 minutes, until feeling better. Circular movements or static pressure are effective, depending on personal preference.