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FAMILY MEDICINE®
COLUMN
By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic
Medicine
3430-FM
02/04/11
DON’T LET MOTION SICKNESS RUIN YOUR
CRUISE
Question:
I am going on a cruise in a few weeks, and
I’m worried about getting seasick. Is there
a way to tell if I’m going to get seasick?
Is there anything I can do to prevent this?
Answer:
Many people become ill when traveling by
plane, train, automobile, ship or, even,
when riding amusement park rides. This is
called motion sickness, and it is a very
common problem associated with repeated
motion, which affects the inner ear. Motion
sickness may occur at any time in anyone as
a response to repetitive motion. However, if
you are not someone who has experienced
motion sickness from other modes of travel,
it is somewhat unlikely that you will do so
on your cruise. But there is no guarantee.
The symptoms of motion sickness can be quite
mild to very severe, or somewhere in
between. They include nausea, vomiting,
dizziness, sweating, and an overall feeling
of unwellness. Motion sickness can develop
at any time during your journey, but for
most people, it’s not a problem.
There are treatments available to prevent
motion sickness, and there are many things
you use to relieve symptoms once they’ve
developed.
The best treatment for motion sickness is to
avoid or stop the motion: get off the
amusement park ride, get out of the car, get
off the plane, or the boat. Obviously, this
is not necessarily in your control. So the
next best thing you can do is to use
preventive measures to minimize the chance
of developing motion sickness.
When you travel in a car, sit up front or in
the middle of the back seat, where you can
look straight ahead. Driving is the best
option to prevent car sickness. On a ship,
go on deck towards the front of the ship and
focus on the distant horizon, again,
straight ahead, to prevent sea sickness. In
a plane, try to sit in the middle of the
plane by a window. Don’t read or do
paperwork when in motion, and avoid riding
in a rear-facing seat.
Another tip is to watch what you eat before
and during travel. While you shouldn’t
travel on an empty stomach, avoid heavy,
fatty foods before you travel. Crackers and
ginger-ale are commonly thought to relieve
feelings of nausea, but have not been proven
to help scientifically.
For some, wrist bands that apply pressure to
sensitive areas of the wrists can also
prevent the nausea and vomiting associated
with travel. There are also over-the-counter
medications that can prevent mild motion
sickness. Your pharmacist can help you
identify these medicines, if you are not
familiar with them, but they often have a
side effect of drowsiness. If you’re prone
to severe motion sickness or you’re going on
a long journey, there are stronger
medications that your physician can
prescribe.
Hopefully your first voyage will be a
successful one. Most large ships have
limited medical facilities that can provide
care for seasickness if it becomes
necessary.
Family Medicine® is a weekly column. General
medical questions can be sent to Martha A.
Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University
College of Osteopathic Medicine,
Communication Office, Athens, Ohio 45701, or
familymedicine@oucom.ohiou.edu. Please
do not send letters asking Dr. Simpson to
diagnose a condition or suggest a treatment
plan. Medical information in Family
Medicine® is provided as an educational
service only and does not replace the
judgment of your personal physician, who
should be relied on to diagnose and
recommend treatment for your medical
conditions. Past columns are available
online at
www.familymedicinenews.org.
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Ohio University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701
Tel:
740-593-2202 |
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