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advice: don't let motion sickness derail your road trip
reader worries that nausea and vomiting are going to put her on the sidelines of summer adventures.
jul 17 2020
3 minute read
nausea while moving is no fun, but there are strategies that may help. stock/getty
dear asking for a friend,
i have had motion sickness for most of life, to the point that after about 30 minutes in a car i need to pull over to vomit. i am fine in planes and trains and street buses — but those big tour buses, not so much. this summer, my new boyfriend, who is a real adventurer, wants to take a long road trip and i am worried about my motion sickness. i don’t want to be a drag and ruin his time, but i also don’t want to spend the time away feeling horrible. plus, i don’t want to miss the adventure. help!
signed, need to stay still
dear need to stay still,
when you’re prone to motion sickness, getting to and from exotic destinations can spoil any traveler’s itinerary. nausea, vomiting and dizziness are just some of the unpleasant symptoms that occur when your vision and your brain can’t agree on whether you’re moving or standing still. this sensory mismatch is actually what causes motion sickness.
“motion sickness is a syndrome that occurs in response to actual or perceived motion,” says dr. alisha razack, family physician in toronto. “the brain’s estimate of motion is primarily based upon multiple inputs of vestibular, somatosensory, and visual information. when these three sensory cues are not congruent, a sensory conflict is generated in the brain, and it is thought that this conflict is the underlying pathogenesis of motion sickness.”
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it’s hard to predict the severity of motion sickness or know what makes someone prone to it. the good news is that there are options available to help relieve those awful symptoms.
“the approach to the treatment and prevention of motion sickness depends upon a patient’s past susceptibility,” explains razack. “environmental modifications such as looking at the horizon, avoidance of reading, and selecting a seat where motion is minimal may help from a preventative standpoint.”
she also says that complementary treatments such as ginger candies and acupressure bands may be helpful, as well as medicine, the most common being scopolamine and antihistamines.
getting a good night’s sleep, staying hydrated and eating a light, healthy snack before your trip and using music or audio books can keep your mind off the movement can help distract you. it’s also important to keep track of the triggers that set off your symptoms. these vary from person to person, but windy roads, poor visibility, being crammed in a car with other passengers without fresh air circulating, and scrolling through your phone (no surprise there) can make you feel queasy when on the move. if you know what brings on the nausea, you can prepare and take preventative measures. if you have more severe symptoms, your family physician can determine if prescription medication is right for you.
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those who suffer from motion sickness often live in a state of perpetual apprehension and the mere thought of a long road trip can induce those hallmark symptoms. but over time, and with the help of a few tools and tricks, you can find a solution that works best for you.
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