First Aid for Motion Sickness

Motion Sickness: In Short

Motion sickness or kinetosis is one of the most common vacation spoilers. It is a general term for an unpleasant combination of symptoms, such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

It can occur when you travel by road, rail, air or sea. Travel sickness is typically caused by miscommunication between the brain and the inner ear.

Symptoms of motion sickness include a general feeling of not being well (malaise), nausea or vomiting, headache, cold sweating and pale appearance.

While there is no proven cure for these types of travel related sickness, there are steps that travelers can take to reduce their traveling illness.

Effective First Aid Treatment for Motion Sickness

You may escape kinetosis by planning ahead and reserve your seats where motion is felt least.

• By ship, request for a cabin in the front or middle of the ship, or on the upper deck.
• Passengers can ride in the front seat of a car or can look out the window of a moving plane. It helps to improve visualization of the movement of the vehicle.
• By train, take a seat near the front or next to a window. Face forward.
• Focus on a distant, stationery object. Avoid reading.
• Keep your head still while resting against a seat.
• Avoid smoking and keep a fair distance from smokers.
• Avoid eating spicy foods and alcohol.
• Sit in the direction where you are travelling, not in the opposite direction.
• Open up windows for fresh air.
• Don’t sit alone. Discussions on interesting topics can be helpful.

You can also try other methods of preventing kinetosis, such as taking powdered ginger capsules or wearing acupressure wristbands.

First aid for motion sickness can only help offer significant relief but do not totally cure your sickness.

Travelers with motion sickness should also make it a point of consulting their personal physician before undertaking a journey and if necessary, carry kinetosis medicines with them.