Why Am I Getting Sick All of a Sudden? Motion Sickness

motion sickness treatment

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If you’ve ever been on a bullet train you’ll quickly see how they get the name. People who get motion sickness or ‘car’ sickness as it is also called may wonder why it is worst when they’re in a vehicle. Miscommunication between the brain and inner ear is what causes motion sickness, and frequent direction changes can make it worse because of the additional stimuli. For some people it can be bad, and Stugeron is a good motion sickness treatment.

Some people also only get bad motion sickness when they try to read on a bus or some type of similar example. This is around the same principle, added stimuli of any sort creates additional nerve signals that disturb the balance and sense of the inner ear. It’s possible that earlier ancestors got motion sickness of some sort too, but it likely wasn’t nearly as much of an issue before the invention of the internal combustion engine and then jet engine propulsion technology after that.

You can also get motion sickness from amusement park rides, but again there weren’t many rollercoasters or even amusement parks in operation in the late 19th century either. Today people who do get this have medicine for motion sickness they can take to quickly get them past the problem and continuing the rest of the ride – whatever type of ride it is. Motion sickness can also be worse if you’re sleep deprived or physically exhausted.

Sea sickness has the same causes of what the eye sees not matching what the inner is processing for position and rotation. One thing for sea sickness that is proven to work though is staring at the horizon and well away from the boat itself. Finding relief from car sickness can be more challenging. Let’s look at what causes motion sickness in more detail and talk about what might make one medication better than another.

V for Vestibular

The reason some people get bad motion sickness and others feeling little or none at all is because of how their vestibular system is wired. For some people there is much more load on the brain when the body is in motion although may be physically inert itself and the eyes are processing that movement. Motion sickness can also run in families, been you can have a genetic predisposition for it and likely will if your parents are familiar with motion sickness treatment.

Back then it was common to take Gravol as an OTC motion sickness medication, but you may find that you need something stronger and Stugeron works well for many people. It is formulated to relax the muscle cells of individual hair cells that receive the signals from the eye so that they don’t react as strongly and contribute to motion sickness. Stugeron is like Maxalt in that it is also prescribed for people who need migraine headache relief as well as for treatment of Meniere’s disease. That is when you get the ‘spins’ all the time and eventually get hearing problems to go along with it.

Why Not the Driver?

Here’s a legitimate question, how come so many people get motion sickness in a car but only when they’re a passenger in one? Driver’s won’t need a motion sickness treatment. The reason they don’t get it the same way passengers do is because their brain is able to process that they are in control of the vehicle, and for that reason the sensory information is seen as more accurate and not causing confusion. That person’s brain will begin to anticipate accelerations, decelerations, and turns. This soothes the brain in a way that the person with motion sickness won’t benefiting from.

Here’s what you can do as your own motion sickness treatment. Start by focusing on something, rhythmic breathing, and consider closing your eyes for a while too. It also helps to look at a stable object and as mentioned earlier it can be better if that object is in the distance and not in your immediate field of view. Getting fresh, air if possible, is also a good idea and for some people avoiding any type of reading or more stimulation of the eyes like watching videos is helpful too.

One last suggestion is that drinking too much is a bad idea if you get motion sickness. Although some people insist drinking helps them sleep straight through flights. The trade-off is you’re going to be even more dehydrated the next day, and that can be its own problem especially if you have plans to enjoy the day at your new destination.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.


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