3 Remedies for Motion Sickness
Motion sickness can make travelling—whether by boat, car or plane—an uncomfortable experience. Prepare for your ride with these remedies for motion sickness.
When you’re planning some time away, the last thing you want to deal with is the discomfort associated with motion sickness. Yet some 90 percent of adults are affected by it in some way. What are the best over-the-counter preventive remedies for someone prone to motion sickness? We asked Dr. Julie Thomson, a family physician specializing in travel medicine at the Odyssey Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic in Calgary, as well as Carmen Bell, a pharmacist and drug information consultant with the Saskatchewan Drug Information Service in Saskatoon, and Kathryn Nobrega-Porter, a naturopath in Toronto, for their advice.
Anti-Histamines
Examples: Gravol, Histanil and Life Brand Anti-Nauseant
How they work: Classified as anti-histamines, these medications are to be taken before travelling. They also block the cholinergic transmitters in the brain that control nerve impulses in the gastrointestinal tract and vomiting centre. Dimenhydrinate (the active ingredient in Gravol and Life Brand) offers relief for six to eight hours. Promethazine (the active ingredient in Histanil) may be effective for up to 12 hours, but causes more sedation than dimenhydrinate.
Need to know: Side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth and blurred vision; avoid alcohol and, if you are taking other medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist about interactions. If you are pregnant or lactating, these three products are all safe choices, says Thomson.
Try: Gravol Taste Free Liquid Gel Capsules, $12, well.ca
Ginger
Examples: Nature’s Way Ginger, Flora Ginger capsules and Quest Turmeric-Ginger Complex
How they work: Ginger contains the compounds gingerol and shogaol, which studies suggest have an anti-nausea and anti-vomiting effect. While the medications mentioned in the other two sections of this article work on the brain, these focus on the gastrointestinal tract, says Nobrega-Porter.
Need to know: Although ginger (at two grams per day) is effective for nausea and stomach upset, it won’t relieve sweating or light-headedness, says Thomson. Follow package directions or, 30 minutes prior to travel, take one gram of powdered ginger mixed with water (don’t exceed four grams daily). Side effects are rare, but check with your doctor first if you are pregnant, lactating or taking other medications.
Try: Nature’s Way Ginger, $17, well.ca
Anti-Nausea Bracelets
Products such as LYJEE Nausea Wristbands claim to eliminate motion sickness when positioned against acupuncture points known to reduce nausea. Do they work? “Research doesn’t support their efficacy for motion sickness,” says naturopath Kathryn Nobrega-Porter. But some reviewers argue otherwise, claiming it can help prevent everything from motion sickness on cruises to pregnancy-related nausea.
Try: LYJEE Nausea Wristbands, $8, amazon.ca
Next: How to Prevent Vacation Constipation—Yes, It’s a Thing
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