If you’re prone to motion sickness, you know the feeling of panic that comes with the onset of symptoms like nausea, dizziness and an upset stomach. Motion sickness manifests in different ways and affects many people differently — for me, it hits me almost every time I’m in the passenger seat of
a car
, on a boat or a bumpy
airplane ride
; for others, it can be on a train or in certain areas of a vehicle.
I spoke with four medical experts about how to treat symptoms and prevent them in the first place. I also rounded up my favorite products, as well as those of other NBC Select editors, to deal with motion sickness.
SKIP AHEAD
What causes motion sickness?
|
Who is more prone to motion sickness?
|
What are the best ways to prevent motion sickness?
|
Do medications work for motion sickness?
|
Are there any alternative remedies for motion sickness?
|
Why trust NBC Select?
Our top picks for treating motion sickness
Dramamine Ginger Chews
$7.22
$9.42
Amazon
Gin Gins Original Ginger Chews
$17.99
Amazon
Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Acupressure Wristband
$8.43
$9.99
Amazon
$10.99
Target
UpNature Peppermint Essential Oil Roll On
$8.97
$9.98
Amazon
Care Touch Alcohol Wipes
$9.99
$12.57
Amazon
What exactly causes motion sickness?
Our body is made up of several sensory systems that work together to help us experience the world: The vestibular system, located in our inner ear, gives us balance; the visual system gives us sight and perspective; and the somatosensory system helps us understand where our body is, says
Dr. Danielle Qing
, internal medicine physician and assistant professor in the department of medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.
But sometimes, the sensory inputs our brain receives don’t quite add up, and motion sickness usually occurs when the input from these systems is mixed or in conflict, experts say.
“For example, imagine you’re on a boat. The visual system is telling you that the room is still, while the vestibular system is telling you that you’re off balance, given the motion of the waves,” says Qing. “It works the other way too, such as feeling the balance of sitting still in a car but seeing the landscape pass you by quickly. This sensory conflict is where motion sickness develops.”
Other factors that tend to lead to motion sickness include a history of migraines, hormonal changes (for example, pregnant women) and genetics. Allergies and congestion, for example, affect your inner ear due to mucus and pressure buildup, which can throw off sensory signals, says
Dr. Barbara Bawer
, primary care physician and clinical assistant professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Also, being dehydrated, hungover or sleep-deprived can all increase feelings of nausea or dizziness, says
Dr. Terez Malka
, a travel medicine physician at Duration Health, a telehealth urgent care platform.
Even mindset can play a big role, and stress and anxiety about travel or motion sickness can make symptoms even worse. “Often, those who expect to get sick are the ones who do,” says
Dr. Natascha Tuznik
, infectious disease specialist and associate clinical professor of medicine at UC Davis Medical Center. (More on anxiety-related motion sickness below.)
Who is more prone to motion sickness?
Some people are more prone to motion sickness than others due to various factors. For example, women are more susceptible to motion sickness than men, and people experiencing hormonal changes (during pregnancy, for example) may also be more prone to motion sickness, says Tuznik. Generally, children under 2 years old and adults over 50 years old are the least susceptible to motion sickness, while kids between the ages of 2 and 12 may be more prone to experiencing it, says Tuznik.
People with a history of migraines or those with certain medical conditions that impact the inner ear or balance center in the brain, including hearing damage and tumors or masses, can experience motion sickness symptoms at a higher rate, experts say.
There is also a genetic component: If your parents get motion sick, you are more likely to experience motion sickness, too, says Malka.
What are the best ways to prevent motion sickness?
The most effective way to avoid motion sickness symptoms is to prevent it altogether. That means avoiding situations that can trigger nausea and dizziness, such as reading in a moving vehicle or sitting in the backseat of a car, according to my experts. However, if that’s unavoidable, here are some expert-recommended tips for preventing motion sickness in any situation:
-
Use your environment:
If you’re at sea, try looking at the horizon, or another stationary object or fixture if you’re in a moving vehicle, says Tuznik. -
Take any medications in advance:
Malka says all motion sickness medications work best if taken 20-40 minutes before you start traveling. -
Avoid reading or staring at a stationary object:
This includes putting down your phone or tablet, experts say. “Your eyes are looking at one thing, which is your screen or your phone or your book, but your ears are hearing things going past or your eyes are also moving,” says Bawer. “Let’s say you look up really quickly, and you see things whizzing by you. But when you look back down at the page, it sends mixed signals, and there’s a disconnect.” -
Where you sit matters.
“If you’re on a boat, avoid the upper levels. If you’re in a car, try to sit in the front. If you’re on a plane, look for a seat over the front edge of the wing,” says Tuznik. -
Stay hydrated and eat light:
Make sure you drink water as you travel and avoid alcohol before and during traveling because a hangover or dehydration will make your symptoms much worse, says Malka. “Eating a light meal or frequent, easy-to-digest snacks like crackers so you are not too full or empty is typically best,” she says. -
Be prepared: “
Getting adequate sleep and making sure you are dressed comfortably for the weather and not too warm, can also help keep your stomach settled,” says Malka.
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Do medications work for motion sickness?
Several over-the-counter and prescription medications can help relieve or prevent motion sickness. All of the experts I spoke to say that OTC and prescription medications are some of the most effective treatments for motion sickness, with the latter being the best way to relieve severe nausea, dizziness and other typical symptoms.
Keep in mind that most of the following medications are antihistamines, which means they can make you feel drowsy. They may also come with certain side effects. Our experts generally recommend avoiding medications if you have mild symptoms because the side effects tend to outweigh the benefits.
OTC medications
-
Dimenhydrinate
, also known by the brand name
Dramamine
, is a popular option to help reduce motion sickness symptoms like nausea. However, it is an antihistamine, which means it may cause drowsiness, dizziness and decreased mental alertness, says Tuznik. “Unfortunately, not much can be done to mitigate the side effects,” says Tuznik. “If you’ve taken it before, you should expect similar side effects each time.” You should avoid taking Dramamine while driving, according to experts. -
Meclizine
, also known by the brand name
Bonine
, is similar to Dramamine, but is less likely to cause drowsiness since you take it once a day (while you should take Dramamine every four to six hours as needed), says Tuznik.
Remember that non-sedative OTC antihistamines like Zyrtec, Claritin and Allegra won’t be effective for treating or preventing motion sickness, says Tuznik.
Prescription medications
-
Scopolamine patches:
A prescription-only transdermal patch you can wear behind your ear at least four hours before travel and use for up to 72 hours to prevent or treat motion sickness, experts say. This is the most effective treatment for motion sickness, according to experts. -
Ondansetron, promethazine and cyclizine
are oral medications and sedatives that treat nausea and vomiting. Like other anti-nausea medications I mention above, these are drowsy (sedating) antihistamines. They come with potential side effects, so talk to your primary care doctor or travel clinic about whether these medications are right for you.
Are there any alternative remedies for motion sickness?
If you have mild motion sickness or aren’t looking to endure the side effects of anti-nausea medication, there are several natural remedies to try. Keep in mind that these remedies, like aromatherapy and acupressure, have limited research showing effectiveness and whether they actually work usually varies from person to person.
Aromatherapy
Research shows that bad smells, like car fumes or cigarette smoke, can worsen motion sickness, while pleasant smells, like peppermint essential oils, may help reduce nausea. No major studies prove essential oils are safe or effective at treating motion sickness; however, ginger and peppermint essential oils or extracts have shown some promise in
small studies
, says Malka.
Zoe Malin
, NBC Select associate updates editor, uses the
UpNature Peppermint Essential Oil Roll-On
to reduce her car sickness. “I keep a little roller ball of peppermint essential oil in my bathroom and apply it to my wrists before I go on a car ride, which is when I tend to experience the most motion sickness,” says Malin. “If I start getting nauseous, I’ll smell the essential oil — after a few deep breaths, the scent starts to dull the nausea.”
It is important to remember not to ingest essential oils or apply them directly to your skin, and to keep them away from children or pets, says Malka.
Ginger extract
Ginger can be an effective and natural way of preventing and treating nausea, according to several
studies
.
Smaller studies
have also shown that ginger spice is
effective at reducing motion-related nausea
.
Ginger comes in several forms, including chews, candies, supplement capsules, teas and tablets. Though there is no ideal dose for motion sickness, ginger generally helps your digestive system and supports the release of blood pressure-regulating hormones to calm the body, which ultimately reduces nausea, says Tuznik.
For my motion sickness, I’m a fan of the
Dramamine Ginger Chews
because they have a subtle ginger taste compared to others I’ve tried (ginger can be intense, in my experience), are fast-acting and have a chewy texture that makes it feel like I’m eating regular candy. Despite the brand name, these chews do not actually have the dimenhydrinate medicine that we commonly associate with Dramamine, so it does not leave you feeling drowsy.
If you want a harder candy with a stronger taste, both Malin and I love the
Gin Gins Original Ginger Chews
. The strong ginger flavor stops motion sickness in the first place, in both my and Malin’s experience.
“Not only does the ginger taste of these candies make me feel less nauseous, but chewing them also gives me something to focus on other than how sick I feel in the car,” says Malin. “I’ve tried other ginger candies, but these are the only ones that have an intense enough flavor to dull my nausea.”
Acupressure
Some
studies show
that applying pressure on a certain point of the inner wrist may help prevent and treat nausea and vomiting, specifically at the pericardium 6 (P-6) acupressure point, which is three finger-widths away from the wrist, experts say.
Since I have severe motion sickness when I’m on a boat or in a moving car, I used the
Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Acupressure Wristbands
on each wrist during a vacation to Italy. Each band has a small plastic circle that presses on the P-6 pressure point, and they helped me avoid nausea and dizziness when on a tour boat in the Mediterranean ocean, on a ferry on the Amalfi Coast and in a small van riding through the hilly Tuscan vineyards.
While many people, including me, swear that pressing on an acupressure point at the base of the wrist or wearing bands that press on this area reduces motion sickness, research has not shown them to have much impact on symptoms. “But there is no harm in using them, either,” says Qing. They are also safe and relatively inexpensive to try, says Tuznik.
Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
Smelling rubbing alcohol can be a safe way to relieve nausea symptoms, and it’s sometimes as effective as some medications, says Malka. “Packaged single-use alcohol swabs are a safe, portable measure that you can bring with you to use as needed,” she says.
Frequently asked questions
Most motion sickness medications work best when you take them 20-40 minutes before you start traveling, so make sure to plan ahead, says Malka.
Avoid taking motion sickness medicines after the onset of symptoms. “Once you have the symptoms already, a lot of the anti-motion sickness medicines are not going to work as well because your stomach processing slows down, so the absorption of the medication you’re taking at that moment is going to be decreased,” says Bawer. “It’s still going to work, but it just won’t be as effective.”
For people with a history of mild motion sickness (which means that it does not interfere with your ability to function), experts recommend environmental modifications and natural remedies. Medications are usually not recommended because the side effects may outweigh the benefits, says Tuznik.
Though motion sickness is most common in children between the ages of 2 and 12, some motion sickness medicines are not recommended for children. Talk to your child’s doctor about medicines and correct dosing for motion sickness, and only give the recommended dosage, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
.
One of the most common motion sickness triggers is stress and anxiety, specifically anxiety before you even start your travels. “If you know that anxiety or nerves cause a lot of motion sickness for you, talk with your doctor or a therapist before you leave about some options to reduce anxiety like meditation, breathwork, journaling or, in some cases, medication,” says Malka.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
-
Dr. Danielle Qing
is an internal medicine physician and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, division of General Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. -
Dr. Barbara Bawer
is a primary care physician and clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
-
Dr. Terez Malka
is a travel medicine physician at Duration Health, a telehealth urgent care platform.
-
Dr. Natascha Tuznik
is an infectious disease specialist and an associate clinical professor of medicine and associate program director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship at UC Davis Medical Center.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am an
updates editor
at NBC Select covering a wide range of wellness topics, including
sunscreen for kids
,
deodorants and antiperspirants
, and
rosacea treatments
. For this article, I spoke to four physicians about the best ways to treat and prevent motion sickness, including OTC remedies and prescription medications. I also rounded up some NBC Select editor-favorite treatments for motion sickness.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of
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