What you did not know about motion sickness 2

So we are back now to learning about motion sickness… and yes, I am fine now. Thanks for asking.

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, motion sickness is otherwise known as car sickness, sea sickness or airsickness. Motion sickness is a term that describes an unpleasant combination of symptoms, such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting, that can occur when you’re travelling. Usually, the symptoms will always improve as your body adapts to the condition causing the problem or when motion stops. The risk factors include riding in a bus, car, ship or aeroplane, anxiety etc.

Causes

You begin to have the symptoms of motion sickness when either your eyes, inner ear or sensory nerves senses that your body is moving but the other parts do not. Consider this example: if you are in a car, an airplane, a train or a ship, you could get sick because in these instances, your eyes can see motion but your body does not sense it. Also, in the cabin of a moving ship, you could get sick because your ears sense the movement of waves but your eyes do not see it. it is this “war” between the senses that makes you sick.

Prevention

When it comes to motion sickness, I tell you prevention is really better than cure. This is because once the symptoms start, you may only feel relieved after the movement stops. In order to prevent motion sickness, note these:

• Avoid eating or drinking during short trips
• Don’t read and don’t smoke
• Ensure the vehicle is well ventilated
• Try as much as possible to keep your head still during your trip
• Get the front seat

Treatment

When you begin to have the symptoms, try these:

• Get some fresh air
• Try to lie down, or keep your head still
• You could sip on clear carbonated drinks like coke
• Keep your eyes on a fixed object – a good example of this will be the horizon
• Do anything that will make you relax. Probably listen to music.

Now you know what that uneasy feeling is and what causes it. Help others learn what you have learnt by sharing this post. It will also be really nice for you to drop a comment sharing your experience of motion sickness in the comment section below.