Readers offer advice for dealing with motion sickness

September 26, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Please tell your reader about Sea Bands. They really work. My local doctors are even giving them to chemo patients, pregnant women suffering from morning sickness and patients suffering from postoperative sickness.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I guess you don’t have motion sickness. In my opinion, the worst thing you could have a kid do is look out the side window of the car. Watching the trees and things flash by would always set me off as a child, whereas looking out the windshield was fine. The best thing that helped me was having the window down and the air blowing directly on my face. Even now, if I become queasy in an airplane, adjusting the vent to blow onto my face takes care of it.
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Carsick toddler has a tough ride

August 19, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My 2-year-old grandson gets carsick terribly. His parents do not feed him immediately prior to any trips, but he still throws up. Is there something they could give him prior to traveling?

DEAR READER: Motion sickness is rather common and can affect people of any age. It stems from a sensitivity of the inner ear. Unfortunately, it’s more traumatic when it happens to a youngster. Symptoms can include stomach upset, loss of appetite, cold sweats and vomiting. I hear about queasy feelings more frequently from people who sit in the back seat of the car and from people who read or otherwise engage in visual and mental stimulation in an effort to pass the time. This certainly is not the case with a 2-year-old, however. A child of that age is prohibited by law from riding in the front seat for safety reasons. So let’s consider options:
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Daily Column

June 1, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My daughter is in her mid-20s. She has developed (what I consider severe) motion sickness over the past 18 months. She gets carsick on anything other than a straight road. She takes no prescription medications, only guaifenesin daily since 2000. She has tried every over-the-counter medication, the seasick wrist bands, patches, and so forth. Nothing has worked for her.

DEAR READER:
Motion sickness may appear when the inner ear, eyes, and other areas of the body that sense movement send unexpected or conflicting messages to the brain, such as in a car when the eyes and inner ears sense motion but the body remains still. This leads to inappropriate stimulation of the ears, balance mechanisms and causes the individual to feel nauseated and/or dizzy often with vomiting. It is important to prevent symptoms because once started, it is very difficult to stop them.

Sudden onset of motion sickness is most likely due to an inner ear problem so I urge your daughter to see an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. He or she can test her for any abnormalities and provide treatment options.

While awaiting the appointment, your daughter may wish to try taking powdered ginger capsules. Many sufferers have had success in preventing motion sickness with these inexpensive pills found in most pharmacies and health food stores.

As an aside, I wonder if your daughter’s daily use of guaifenesin could be the culprit. This medication is an expectorant used to loosen phlegm and make coughs more productive. I have never heard of someone needing it on a daily basis. If she has excess mucus or a persistent cough, she needs to find out what is causing it. The ENT should also be able to assist her in this matter. ENDGOTT

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Daily Column

April 23, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have taken about 10 cruises in my adult lifetime. When I return home I experience the sensation of motion when sitting, standing, walking and even when lying in bed.

Is there any medication I could take to eradicate this sensation?

DEAR READER:
Some people who enjoy open ocean cruising, find that walking normally is impossible once on board. This causes them to compensate for the seawater movement. This ability to adapt is beneficial, especially for extended cruises that last more than a few days. However, once over, many individuals experience difficulty walking on firm land again. This is because the brain has not made the transition from sea to land and thus, tells the body to walk as if aboard the ship. It may take several days before the transition takes place, leaving sufferers wobbling around and occasionally feeling nauseated and unsteady.

Many people have had success treating this sensation with motion sickness medications such as prescription Anti-Vert and over-the-counter Dramamine. I suggest you try one of these medications. If the sensation lasts longer than 3 or 4 days, you should be evaluated by your physician because of the possibility of vertigo (loss of balance) due to an internal ear problem.

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