Do you feel dizzy or nauseous while traveling? Let's learn about Motion Sickness!

Have you ever felt dizzy, nauseous, or sick to your stomach while traveling on a bus in a mountainous area like Nuwara Eliya, or while taking a whale watching boat in Mirissa? You may have experienced this while riding a Ferris wheel at a carnival. This is actually a common discomfort that many people experience. This is what we medically call motion sickness . It is not a dangerous illness, but it can be quite uncomfortable and can ruin the fun of a trip. So let's see why this happens, and how to avoid it.

Why do we get motion sickness?

Simply put, this is caused by a conflict between the messages that are sent from our senses to the brain. Imagine you are riding in the back seat of a car.

• Your eyes: Maybe you're looking at the seat in front of you or at something inside the car. Your eyes are telling your brain, "We're in one place, there's no movement."
• Your Inner Ear: The part of our body that controls our balance , located inside the ear, senses the speed of the vehicle, the tilt of the car when cornering, and the bumps in the road. So the ear sends a message to the brain, "We're moving too fast, we're going to lose control."
• Your muscles and joints : The muscles in your body also feel this movement.

Now, look, the brain is getting three conflicting messages. The eyes are telling you it's in one place, and the ears are telling you it's moving. When you get these mixed, conflicting messages at once, the brain gets confused. As a result of that confused state, you get symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

The role of the ear and the brain

The balance system inside the ear

Our body's balance is mainly controlled by a special system inside our ear. We call this the vestibular system . It has three semicircular canals and two sac-like parts. When you shake your head, run, or tilt, a fluid inside those canals moves. According to that movement, information about your movement is sent to the brain. This system also helps the brain tell whether you are standing or lying down, depending on gravity. This vestibular system plays a major role in motion sickness.

How does the brain relate to this?

Normally, the brain collects and interprets all this data from the eyes, ears, and muscles to create a clear picture for us. But when you travel, these signals get mixed up. When you're on a plane, you feel like you're moving, but when you look around, you feel like you're standing still. Because everything inside the plane is still. Similarly, after spending days on a ship and then disembarking, some people still feel like the ground is shaking. All of this is due to conflicting signals that the brain receives.

Who gets this the most?

Motion sickness can affect anyone, but it is more common in pregnant women and children between the ages of 2 and 12. Some people who have migraines are also more likely to develop motion sickness.

What are the symptoms of this?

Motion sickness can start suddenly. It can start with a slight discomfort and gradually increase in severity. The main symptoms are listed in the table below.

How can this inconvenience be reduced?

Most of the time, once you get used to the journey, whether it's the rhythm of the boat or the movement of the train, this discomfort will subside on its own. But if it doesn't, you can try these simple things.

• Calm down: Don't get stressed out. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Count down from 100 to keep your mind focused. Closing your eyes often helps.
• Look at something still: If you're on a boat, look at the distant horizon. If you're in a car, look out the windshield at the road in the distance. Looking at trees moving quickly to the side can make you feel even more dizzy .
• Choose the best seat: If possible, try to choose a seat above the deck on a plane, a seat in the middle of the upper deck on a ship, or a seat in the front of a car/bus. There is less movement and therefore less discomfort.
• Have a light meal before your trip: Don't travel hungry, and don't eat until you're full. Avoid oily and spicy foods, and take a light meal with you.
• Fresh air: If possible, open a car window and let some fresh air in. Avoid being around people who smoke , and if you smoke, avoid it at that time.
• Avoid reading: Reading books, newspapers, or looking at your phone while traveling can increase dizziness . So avoid such things.
• Avoid alcohol : Avoid drinking alcohol before and during the trip.

Natural remedies

• Raw ginger: It's long been said to be good for nausea. Some people find relief by chewing a piece of ginger or drinking ginger tea. However, ginger can thin the blood , so if you're taking medication for another condition, talk to your doctor before using it.
• Peppermint: Chewing a mint leaf or two or inhaling the scent of mint is said to provide a calming effect on the body.

The drugs used for this

If this discomfort is too much and is difficult to control with the above measures, you can talk to your doctor and get a suitable medication. Do not buy medicine from the pharmacy as you feel like it. Because some medicines can have side effects such as drowsiness and dry mouth. Some of the most commonly used medications are:

• Dimenhydrinate
• Scopolamine (this is a patch that you apply behind the ear)
• Meclizine
• Promethazine

When should you see a doctor?

Usually, motion sickness goes away on its own within a few hours after the trip. However, if you still have these symptoms several hours after the trip , see a doctor immediately. Be especially careful if you have the following symptoms:

• Persistent severe headache
• Persistent vomiting
• Hearing loss or other ear discomfort
• Chest pain
• Blurred vision

If you have any of these symptoms, it could be a sign of something other than motion sickness. So see a doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) . motion sickness sinhala, vomiting while traveling, vomiting on the bus, dizziness, vestibular system, discomfort while traveling, medicine for motion sickness