Patient Perspective

  • Motion Sickness
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  • Visually Induced Dizziness – “Supermarket Syndrome”
  • Controlling Your Symptoms
  • Vestibular Disorder Triggers
  • Coping With Tinnitus
  • How to Deal with an Acute Vertigo Episode
  • Dietary Considerations
  • Home Safety
  • Tips for Dining Out
  • Tips for Attending Events
  • Environmental Influences on Vestibular Disorders
  • Stress Management
  • Meditation and Mindfulness
  • Managing Nausea, Vomiting & Poor Appetite
  • Relaxation Techniques
  • Healthy Sleep Habits
  • Mitigating Triggers from Digital Devices
  • Dentist’s Guide to the Dizzy Patient

Article Summary

Motion sickness is nausea and even vomiting caused by motion, often from riding in an airplane, automobile, or amusement park ride. Everyone has the potential to experience motion sickness, but about 10% of the overall population is more susceptible. Motion sickness is often caused by multi-axial motion and acceleration, especially if the eyes are seeing one thing while the body experiences another.

Motion sickness is the most common medical problem associated with travel.

WHAT IS MOTION SICKNESS?

Some people experience nausea and even vomiting when riding in an airplane, automobile, or amusement park ride. This is called motion sickness. Motion sickness is often caused by multi-axial motion and acceleration, especially if the eyes are seeing one thing while the body experiences another. An example of this would be if a person was sitting in the back seat of a car looking out the side window while the car accelerates down a hill and turns a corner at the same time. The sensation is often temporary, but for many it continues for a prolonged period of time, resulting in extreme discomfort and anxiety.

Early symptoms of motion sickness may include nausea, increased salivation, belching, feeling clammy (diapohoretic), hyperventilating, and a feeling of general unease. Because hyperventilation and progressive nausea are so unsettling, many people will report a feeling of impending doom that can lead to serious complications such as difficulty breathing, blood pressure drops (especially orthostatic hypotension), and even passing out (syncope). Motion sickness itself will not cause these symptoms, but can lead to a person feeling overwhelmed.

Many people experience motion sickness when riding on a boat or ship. This is called seasickness even though it is the same disorder. Motion sickness and seasickness are usually just a minor annoyance and do not signify any serious medical illness. However, some travelers are incapacitated by it, and a few even suffer symptoms for several days after the trip. In extreme instances people may develop Mal de Debarquement (MdDS) – literally, sickness of disembarkment – which can last weeks, months or even years (see VeDA’s article on MdDS).

Everyone has the potential to experience motion sickness, but some people, about 10% of the overall population, are more susceptible. Groups that have been found to be more likely to experience motion sickness include:

  • Women more often than men (Pregnant women especially)
  • People of Chinese descent
  • Children between the ages 2 and 12 years

The Anatomy of Balance

Your sense of balance is maintained by a complex interaction of the following parts of the nervous system:

  • The inner ears (also called the labyrinth), which monitor the directions of motion, such as turning or forward-backward, side-to-side, and up-and-down motions.
  • The eyes , which monitor where the body is in space (i.e., upside down, right-side up, etc.) and also directions of motion.
  • The skin pressure receptors such as in the seat and feet, which tell what parts of the body are down and touching the ground.
  • The muscle and joint sensory receptors , which tell what parts of the body are moving.
  • The central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which processes all the bits of information from the four other systems in order to coordinate it.

Some people describe a balance problem by saying they feel dizzy, lightheaded, unsteady, or giddy. This feeling of imbalance or disequilibrium, without a sensation of turning or spinning, is sometimes due to an inner ear problem.

“Vertigo” comes from the Latin verb “to turn.” People who experience this often say that they feel like they or their surroundings are turning or spinning. Vertigo is frequently due to an inner ear problem.

Dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. Researchers in space and aeronautical medicine call this sense spatial orientation, because it tells the brain where the body is “in space” — what direction it is pointing, what direction it is moving, and if it is turning or standing still.

The symptoms of motion sickness and dizziness appear when the central nervous system receives conflicting messages from the visual system and the vestibular system in the inner ears.

For example, suppose you are riding through a storm in an airplane and the plane is being tossed about by air turbulence. Your head is moving, triggering the hair cells in your inner ear. Your body is moving, triggering your skin and muscle receptors. But your eyes do not detect this motion because all you see is the inside of the airplane. Thus, your brain receives conflicting messages from these four systems and you might become “air sick.”

Another example is if you are sitting in the back seat of a moving car reading a book. Your inner ear and skin receptors will detect the motion of your travel, but your eyes see only the pages of your book. You could become “car sick.”

You might also suffer from dizziness, vertigo and/or nausea due to an inner ear dysfunction. Suppose you suffer inner ear damage on only one side from a head injury or an infection. The damaged inner ear does not send the same signals as the healthy ear. This gives conflicting signals to the brain about the sensation of rotation, and you could suffer a sense of spinning or vertigo, as well as nausea.

Because of the pervasive use of screen technology in Western civilization, which will often simulate motion, a new phenomenon has occurred with motion sickness when the body is not in motion and a person is viewing a screen. This has been called pseudo-motion sickness and is caused by the conflicting information between the visual and vestibular systems: the eyes are detecting motion while the vestibular system is not. The conflict causes the same symptoms as classic motion sickness.

What Can I Do for Motion Sickness?

The main cause of motion sickness is a conflict in sensory information between your visual and vestibular system, so the best means to manage symptoms are to prevent them from occurring.

Always ride where your eyes will see the same motion that your body and inner ears feel, such as the front seat of a car while looking at the distant scenery. If you are on a boat you can go up on the deck and watch the motion of the horizon. When in an airplane either sit by the window of the airplane and look outside and/or choose a seat over the wings, where the motion is the least.

  • Do not read while traveling if you are subject to motion sickness, and do not sit in a seat facing backward.
  • Do not watch or talk to another traveler.
  • Avoid strong odors and spicy or greasy foods immediately before and during your travel.

There are a variety of medications and homeopathic treatments that have been shown to be quite effective in managing motion sickness directly as well as managing the symptoms of nausea and indigestion. Some of these include:

  • Take one of the varieties of motion sickness medicines before your travel begins, as recommended by your physician. Some of these medications can be purchased without a prescription (i.e., Dramamine, Bonine, Marezine, etc.).
  • Scopolomine as a tablet and/or patch worn behind the ear has regularly been shown to be effective in managing motion sickness. The main side effect of scopolomine in any form is dry mouth.
  • Antihistamines have been shown to be effective. The main side effect is drowsiness.
  • Stronger medicines such as tranquilizers and nervous system depressants will require a prescription from your physician.
  • Acupuncture and acupressure have been shown to have a positive effect on the treatment of motion sickness. Acupressure bands worn around the wrist have shown a modest effect to prevent motion sickness.
  • Drinking ginger ale or ginger tea or eating candied ginger is often helpful.
  • Eating light and easily digested foods can help manage symptoms of nausea during bouts of motion sickness.
  • Medical research has not yet investigated the effectiveness of popular folk remedies such as soda crackers and Seven-Up or cola syrup over ice for motion sickness.

Remember: Most causes of dizziness and motion sickness are mild and self-treatable disorders. But severe cases, and those that become progressively worse, deserve the attention of a physician with specialized skills in diseases of the ear, nose, throat, equilibrium, and neurological systems. If the symptoms are strongly altering your ability to balance and be safe, seeking consultation is certainly warranted.

Originally adapted with permission from a publication by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Alexandria, Virginia, with edits by Dr. Jeremy Hinton.

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Related Articles

Some common questions about the effects of travel on people with vestibular dysfunction include:

“Will travel increase symptoms?” “Should I avoid travel?” “What is the best form of travel?” “What can I do to minimize discomfort while traveling?”

Travel conditions that may be problematic for a person with a vestibular disorder include those that involve exposure to rapid altitude or pressure changes, certain motion patterns, or disturbing lighting. Travel decisions that accommodate a person’s vestibular disorder will depend on the type of vestibular disorder, the method of transportation (e.g., train, boat, airplane, automobile), and the conditions and planned activities at the destination.

Causes of Dizziness

Dizziness, vertigo and disequilibrium are common symptoms reported by adults during visits to their doctors. They are all symptoms that can result from a peripheral vestibular disorder (a dysfunction of the balance organs of the inner ear) or central vestibular disorder (a dysfunction of one or more parts of the central nervous system that help process balance and spatial information). Although these three symptoms can be linked by a common cause, they have different meanings, and describing them accurately can mean the difference between a successful diagnosis and one that is missed.

Ear Anatomy

Overview The fluid within the inner ear's membranous labyrinth is called endolymph (endo-: inside or within). The fluid contained between the bony labyrinth and the membranous labyrinth is perilymph (peri-: around or about). These two

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doctor treating vertigo in raleigh nc

7 Cures for Vertigo and Motion Sickness

rmgadmin General Posts , Motion Sickness , Vertigo

Does the prospect of a road trip make you uneasy? Do twisted rural roads cause your stomach to lurch? Are you adamant to make sure you’re always the one driving or riding “shotgun?”

Motion sickness and vertigo can make anyone miserable. Certain people seem prone to these conditions, and we’ll take a detailed look at the causes behind them and how our internal medicine physicians can help you.

What’s The Difference Between Vertigo and Motion Sickness?

Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness that comes from problems deep within the inner ear. Vertigo can occur regardless of whether or not you’re in a moving vehicle or on a plane. In fact, vertigo can occur even if you’re lying down.

Motion sickness frequently occurs in response to either your motion or the motion in the environment.

Many of the reasons behind vertigo and motion sickness center on what’s happening in the inner ear. We’ll review its role in balance, the difference between vertigo and motion sickness, and what you can do about it.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo gives a severe, false sense of spinning. It’s usually centered on problems with the fluid in the inner ear, which plays a vital role in balance. It usually comes in short bursts lasting for several seconds. Symptoms include:

  • A feeling that the world is spinning

In certain types of vertigo, this spinning occurs whenever you move your head.

Do You Get Nauseous With Vertigo?

Yes, it’s not at all unusual to get nauseous with vertigo.

What Causes Vertigo?

Sometimes there is no cause. Other times it centers on carbonite crystals in the inner ear that have become dislodged (we’ll explain in more detail when we talk about the inner ear at the end of this article).

We do know that vertigo is more common in the elderly, and it can even be seen after major or mild head trauma.   Ménière’s disease  and labyrinthitis (an inner ear infection) are also common causes.

What Causes Dizziness and Motion Sickness?

We don’t have to explain what motion sickness is—you may have undoubtedly experienced it either riding in a car or on an amusement park ride.   But the causes of dizziness and motion sickness are more nuanced.

First, let’s separate these two conditions.

Dizziness can have several different causes. It’s a symptom and not a disease in itself. If you’re experiencing dizziness, we’re in a unique position to help you as internal medicine doctors in Raleigh.

We’re able to look at your overall health and determine which of your body’s systems are influencing others. This is one of the things that separates internal medicine physicians in Raleigh from other physicians.  We look at how these systems interact with the understanding that one disorder can have a “domino” effect on the others.

While motion sickness can cause dizziness, every case of dizziness isn’t due to motion sickness.

Motion sickness occurs when your brain can’t separate conflicting information. This happens when there’s a disconnect between what you see, what you feel, and what your muscles are experiencing.

Consider this example:

You’re flying when the plane goes through turbulence. While your muscles feel the movement and the balance organs in your ear detect a shift, your eye can’t see what is causing the motion. In many cases—especially if you are in an aisle seat—your eyes may not see anything “moving” at all.

These conflicting messages cause the nausea found in motion sickness.

The Inner Ear and Its Role in Balance

To fully understand the far-reaching effects of vertigo and motion sickness, we have to take a closer look at the inner ear , which is considered the balance center of the body.

In your inner ear are several tiny, fluid-filled canals .  They also have hair-like sensors that let your body know if you’re standing upright or where the body is in relation to your center of gravity.

At the base of these canals, sensory cells can help you distinguish between motions such as up and down (if you’re in an elevator or an airplane) or forward and backward. They also tell your body if you’re upright or lying down.

These sensors relay their messages to the brain, which can then enable the body to change direction to balance itself or make a different direction in motion.

Can You Take Motion Sickness Pills for Vertigo?

For certain types of vertigo, motion sickness pills may help. However, for other types—such as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)—motion sickness pills will not address the underlying issue, and may even delay your recovery.

What Is the Treatment for Motion Sickness and Vertigo?

We evaluate each individual case and recognize that there is no one treatment that is effective for everyone. However, in general, the following can be effective to help those with motion sickness or vertigo.

1. Repositioning

BPPV vertigo can be treated through “repositioning.” This procedure, often done in your doctor’s office, involves placing you in a position that induces vertigo, then turning you carefully into another position.

This change allows fluid and crystals in your inner ear to realign. This treatment has a good success rate.

2. Medications

There are several different medications to treat motion sickness . Contact your medical provider who will explain the benefits of each one and make a recommendation based upon your individualized needs.

U se caution when giving medication to children. Speak with their pediatrician first.

3. Determine Where You Sit

This can be a useful preventative technique when combating motion sickness. Wherever you decide to travel, make sure that you can see some type of motion. By ship that may mean getting a cabin near the water level, while on a plane , it may mean a seat over the front edge of a wing.

Opting to drive or sitting in the upfront passenger seat can help.

The goal is to give your eyes a chance to relay the message of motion to your brain, so that the “signals” between your muscles, eyes and inner ear balance without conflict.

Keep your focus, too. Try to look at the horizon and keep your head still.

If at all possible, avoid sitting around smokers.

4. Consider Ginger

Ginger supplements or even ginger ale can help combat nausea that accompanies motion sickness.

5. Eat Lightly

Avoid having a large meal before traveling. You might want to have some plain crackers to nibble on to help settle your stomach. Carbonated drinks—without caffeine—are also a good idea. Don’t drink alcohol.

6. Acupressure

While research into alternative therapies is ongoing, there is some evidence that a small amount of pressure on your wrist can alleviate nausea. However, other studies have shown mixed results.

7. Fresh Air

If you feel motion sickness coming on, roll down a window or, if possible, go outdoors.   Alternatively, you may wish to turn air vents toward you. Essentially, blowing cool air on your face or around your forehead may provide some relief.

Chronic Motion Sickness? Contact Us for An Appointment

Fortunately, most cases of motion sickness can be easily alleviated. However, if you’re having extensive trouble with nausea that resists treatment , it may be a symptom of another condition. 

For more than 20 years, we’ve served the Raleigh area as the leading internal medicine doctors in the Triangle area. Contact us  for solutions to your motion sickness and vertigo problems.

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Motion Sickness

woman in a mask sleeping on a plane

Motion sickness happens when the movement you see is different from what your inner ear senses. This can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. You can get motion sick in a car, or on a train, airplane, boat, or amusement park ride. Motion sickness can make traveling unpleasant, but there are strategies to prevent and treat it.

Preventing motion sickness without medicine

Avoiding situations that cause motion sickness is the best way to prevent it, but that is not always possible when you are traveling. The following strategies can help you avoid or lessen motion sickness.

  • Sit in the front of a car or bus.
  • Choose a window seat on flights and trains.
  • If possible, try lying down, shutting your eyes, sleeping, or looking at the horizon.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking water. Limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.
  • Eat small amounts of food frequently.
  • Avoid smoking. Even stopping for a short period of time helps.
  • Try and distract yourself with activities, such as listening to music.
  • Use flavored lozenges, such as ginger candy.

Using medicines for motion sickness

Medicines can be used to prevent or treat motion sickness, although many of them cause drowsiness. Talk to a healthcare professional to decide if you should take medicines for motion sickness. Commonly used medicines are diphenhydramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), and scopolamine.

Special Consideration for Children

family in airport

Motion sickness is more common in children ages 2 to 12 years old.

Some medicines used to prevent or treat motion sickness are not recommended for children. Talk to your healthcare professional about medicines and correct dosing of medicines for motion sickness for children. Only give the recommended dosage.

Although motion sickness medicines can make people sleepy, it can have the opposite effect for some children, causing them to be very active. Ask your doctor if you should give your child a test dose before traveling.

More Information

Motion Sickness in CDC Yellow Book

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Vertigo Detective

Flying with Vertigo: Tips for Plane Travel with Vertigo

by Dr. Kim Bell, DPT | Dec 14, 2019 | Blogs , BPPV , Clinical Practice , Dizziness , Geriatric Fall Prevention , Kimberley Bell, DPT , Migraines , My Healing Journey , Physical Therapy , Preventing Falls , San Diego , Shuffling Feet , The Bell Method , Travel Tips for People with Dizziness , Vertigo , Vestibular Rehabilitation , Walking Stability

Flying with Vertigo - Dr. Kim Bell, DPT - San Diego Vertigo Doctor

Can you go flying with Vertigo?

Many people ask me if they can go flying with vertigo. I cannot make that decision for you but I can share tips to get through the airport more comfortably. I have published three past blogs with helpful tips for flying with vertigo,   travel tips for people with dizziness and vertigo,  and  strategies for getting through the airport .

In this blog, I share additional insights and information about managing dizziness, vertigo, and nausea in the airport due to sensory overload. I discovered these strategies by traveling with dizziness, vertigo and nausea to visit my family last month.

Sensory Overload in the Airport

Sensory overload can occur when your brain is receiving too much new input at once, such as loud music with a spinning disco ball. Overloading your senses with too much stimuli can exacerbate dizziness, vertigo, and nausea.

These feelings will become worse if the experience also triggers anxiety.

You may have to ride on elevators, escalators, and moving walkways. These moving platforms change the way the vestibular system is being stimulated, may cause a change in visual input or create a conflict between visual and vestibular input. That is why the experience may induce or increase existing discomfort.

There are a lot of people, smells, and sounds that are unfamiliar that can cause sensory overload.

The best way I have learned to deal with this, when flying with vertigo, is to try to shut out as much as possible and use strategies to manage what I cannot avoid.

Visually Complex Environment

The airport is a chaotic hustle and bustle environment, which creates “visual complex” surroundings similar to the supermarket. People are walking around in all different directions at different speeds, with almost no uniformity.

Sometimes I wear my polarized sunglasses in the airport if I am feeling visually triggered, to cut down on glare from the windows and tile floors.

Other strategies that I use are to keep my eyes straight ahead and avoid swiveling my head all around while I am walking through a busy airport.

Once I get to a seat at my departure gate, I try to keep my eyes focused on something that is directly on my lap.

I may even softly close my eyes to block out all the movement and colors in my peripheral vision.

An eye mask may be beneficial once you are on the plane. I do not recommend it for the airport since it increases the risk of someone stealing your belongings.

Once you are on the plane, try to position yourself so that you cannot see any other passenger’s television screen in your peripheral vision.

Reducing visual input when flying with vertigo is especially important if you are experiencing migraine-associated dizziness, vertigo , or nausea while traveling.

Constant Overhead Announcements

Inside an airport, you simply cannot avoid being constantly bombarded with overhead announcements. For some people with dizziness, vertigo, or sensory overload, the overhead announcements may exacerbate their discomfort.

These loud overhead announcements continue, although to a lesser extent, on the plane.

Some strategies that might help when flying with vertigo include wearing ear plugs or ear muffs to muffle the intensity of the sound. You an also use headphones to listen to soft music, ocean waves, or other relaxing audio recordings like nature sounds while you are traveling.

Reducing auditory input is especially helpful for reducing migraine-associated vertigo while traveling.

Travel Causes Dehydration

Dehydration is a common result of traveling. Dehydration can result in two specific problems related to dizziness and vertigo .

Sometimes dehydration can trigger an onset of BPPV vertigo. This is usually first felt while lying down or rolling over in bed , but can also cause imbalance while standing.

Dehydration can also cause orthostatic hypotension. This is when blood pressure drops with standing up and causes lightheadedness.

In order to minimize dehydration, I recommend that you avoid drinking alcohol in airport bars and on the plane. Alcohol can cause  or worsen symptoms of dizziness and vertigo, and may interact with medications.

Low Blood Sugar Causes Dizziness

I also suggest that you pack healthy snacks to avoid low blood sugar when flying with vertigo.

On the Plane

Opt for a soft cervical collar neck brace instead of a Travel pillow for more support. You can purchase a soft cervical collar at most walk-in pharmacies.

During the flight, you may feel triggered by changes in cabin pressure, strong smells of body odor or perfume of neighbors, and turbulence. Any of these sensory stimuli could make you feel more dizzy, or they may not bother you at all.

Those sensory inputs may be especially magnified and unpleasant if you have a vestibular migraine .

For changes in cabin pressure, you can try to make sure to pop your ears by chewing candy or gum. Chewing and swallowing will help your Eustachian tube gape open to regulate the air pressure in your middle ear.

You can cover your nose with a scarf or handkerchief if your neighbor has on strong cologne or bad breath that is making you feel nauseous.

You can brace yourself with your arms on the armrests, and knees resting against the seat in front of you if you feel like you are losing your balance during any turbulence.

The most important thing is to stay calm so you do not escalate any true dizziness, vertigo, or nausea. Stress makes those uncomfortable symptoms feel worse and last longer than they would if you remain calm.

I was able to remain calm while I was traveling by focusing on what I wanted to share with you about the experience.

This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The content and any comments by Dr. Kim Bell, DPT are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The details of any case mentioned in this post represent a typical patient that Dr. Bell might see and do not describe the circumstances of a specific individual.

39 Comments

Sara

Hi Dr. Bell,

I am so grateful that I discovered your website. I am learning a lot about BPPV . I have been diagnosed with left lateral canalithiasis by my PT (specializing in vestibular rehab). I have been going to her for more than a month now. it’s a slow process, still experiencing dizziness, visual problems, and lately lightheadedness,. I guess because I had the condition 3 weeks before finally finding the appropriate health care professional.

As much as possible, I do not want to take Gravol or betahistine (which my family doctor prescribed). My PT advised that medication does not really help with BPPV.

I read about Reliefband for motion sickness. I wonder if this will also help ease my dizziness and lightheadedness. It’s a struggle to go to work and have these symptoms and if I can get away with it, I do not want to take any medication.

Best regards from Canada, Sara

Kimberley Bell

I am sorry for what you are going through but I am happy you have found a skilled Vestibular Physio in Canada to help you! I am also glad that my website is a helpful resource for you.

Studies have reported that BPPV resolves with proper treatment in 1-2 sessions about 85-90% of the time. Of course, that leaves 10-15% of BPPV cases that are more stubborn, requiring more treatments to resolve.

I definitely suggest that you advocate for a comprehensive root cause analysis to account for every symptom that you have.

Sometimes BPPV is accurately diagnosed, but is only a piece of a more complex puzzle.

I have written this blog , this blog , and this blog about medications for dizziness and vertigo. You might find that information helpful.

The band you are mentioning may or may not work for you. Everyone is different. What works for some people does not necessarily work for every one.

Either the band or the medications, whichever you use, will only “mask the symptoms” and allow you to function temporarily. That is a decision to discuss with your current healthcare team.

The most important step in recovery is to determine the root cause of your problem and work to resolve it.

I have treated a number of Canadians who were happy to make the trip to San Diego! You are always welcome to come down here if you would like my help in person.

Best wishes,

Kim Bell, DPT

Patty P

My daughter is 26 and suffering from this now/ she exercised every day at boot camp and now is limited to this. Isn’t she to young for this?

Dr. Kim Bell, DPT

These symptoms can affect people of any age.

I always recommend notifying the primary care provider or general practitioner about any new symptoms.

You can write up her case summary using this blog .

You can search for a local vertigo specialist using this blog .

I hope she finds answers and relief soon!

Josie

Thank you for these tips. Vertigo has been with me for the past 3 months. I take “Serc” twice a day and it does help enough that I can continue working. I am planning a trip in the near future and am nervous about feeling dizzy while away from home.

Laura

I feel for you because I also have the same problem. It’s been with me for 4 years.

Have you been on a plane as yet?

Anna

Vertigo has been with me for the past 3 years. I haven’t found the root cause even if I’ve seen several doctors and specialists. I would rather die than having another vertigo ahead. I hope I can find the root cause one day.

I am sorry to hear about this!

I suggest you find a local vertigo doctor or vestibular physical therapist to have an evaluation.

You can search for a local provider using this blog .

I hope you find answers and get relief soon!

Anna

I hope your vertigo is long gone now. But I wanted to share my experience about flying with vertigo.

I was diagnosed with bppv about six years ago. Had two sessions but didn’t help.

So I just tried to live with it like sleeping on my right side. Have two pillows instead of one.

I did feel dizzy few times a day but it was nothing like the whole room spinning around when I first had my vertigo.

I flew 13 hours straight on an international flight. The flight didn’t bother me on both ways. That was 2018.

Then my vertigo was completely gone after 2020.

I started joining taekwondo class with my daughter. I was really happy.

Then we went on a vacation on December 2022 to Caribbean.

On the way there I was ok but I did think the plane was really loud. I got stuffed ears when the plane starting to go off.

But that was it. I didn’t feel anything after that.

Then on the way back, it was four hours flight to Dallas. I was really dizzy I felt like I was going to pass out any minute after half way to Dallas.

My husband told me to try to breathe. So I closed my eyes. Covered my ears with my fingers the whole time.

I was still dizzy after got off plane but was able to walk. I laid in my bed for two days hoping to get better after we got home.

Then third day I was better so I thought I would take my daughter to the movie.

Bad decision. I got dizzy again after the 3d movie.

It’s been two weeks now. Still have my vertigo.

Sometimes I feel good but most of the time I am dizzy. Not too bad but just not comfortable.

I think smaller airplanes are louder and bumper and we had some turbulence that made my vertigo back.

I am going to see my doctor for this again. Hopefully I will feel better soon.

Connie G.

I’ve struggled off and on with Vertigo @ once a year for 12 years. My recent appt with an ENT Dr. recommended some vertigo exercises at home. Since mine is recurring, they suggest doing the exercises daily.

Mary

I have several episodes of vertigo the year. The only way I was able to get out of it by having 8 sessions of vestibular therapy I am taking a 13 hour flight and I am skeptical about it

Ita M

Help….. Im really distressed as my symptoms just are so debilitating. I have no proper diagnosis yet even after a year of Symptons. Light-headedness, wobbly sensations and in worst case scenarios the ground feels like it is moving like a trampoline especially after driving. No spinning just out of sync feeling, a lot of discomfort and now I feel as if I am destined to stay housebound. I’m frantic at this thought. When I am outdoors the Symptons are much less. Shopping centres and big stores are a night ere. Help. I’m in Northern Ireland

I am sorry to hear of your distress!

People with symptoms like yours can still improve with Vestibular Physical Therapy , even without a proper diagnosis.

You can use this blog to try to find a provider in your area.

This blog has some home remedies that may help.

I hope you find answers and relief soon!

Josie C

I am also feeling all your symptoms. I was diagnosed with cervocogenic dizziness stemming from the neck. Problems with the neck can cause vertigo and we wouldn’t think it was the neck. I found out that the neck, eyes, and ears are all connected with the vestibular system, and have to work well together. I didn’t know any of this before my symptoms. I’m still experiencing symptoms but I’m in vestibular physical therapy now.

Laura

Did you ever get a diagnosis or find a treatment that worked? I have had these same symptoms you describe for a month now. I have went to a pt serval times doing the Epley maneuver and it is not helping whatsoever.

Tina

I have vertigo and I was wondering if you have any suggestions I’m getting ready to fly from St. Louis to Madison Wisconsin and I had totally forgot about having it I haven’t had no symptoms lately and now I’m worried that I’m gonna end up sick and Curled up in a ball like I was the first time it happened My daughter had to call the ambulance the first time it happened because I couldn’t move and now it just comes back sometimes but I can tell before my feet hit the ground in the morning when I get out of bed if I’m gonna have a bad day and now I’m going to fly any suggestions

Yikes! Curled up in a ball and then riding in an ambulance sounds like a bad day.

This blog talks about a common cause of vertigo that people often feel before their feet hit the ground in the morning.

You can find a provider who treats that common type of vertigo using this blog .

I have four total blogs on traveling with dizziness and vertigo . I am glad you found this one!

Here are the links for the other three blogs I wrote to share my travel tips: Article 2 Article 3 Article 4

I hope that information is helpful!

Terri

Never had this before until last weekend and had no idea what I had or what was wrong with me. I couldn’t get up at all because room was spinning so badly and was so nauseated. I finally had to crawl to the bathroom and then down the hall to kitchen. End result was ambulance to ER. Was really scared. That determination was a bad reaction to a new med and they sent me home. Two days later was still sick and dizzy and no better. So back to ER in ambulance and then was admitted. After several tests and several drs was determined vertigo. Did first therapy this morning. Nothing I ever want to experience again.

Edna

I’m happy I ran across your website, there is a lot of helpful information here. I have had vertigo for 4 years now with no real diagnosis but my symptoms align most with BPPV. The only thing is when I do the tests for the BPPV diagnosis it doesn’t indicate I have BPPV. The strange thing is every time I get a vertigo attack I stop it by using the Epley maneuver. That is why I feel like I most likely have BPPV. Does that sound like something that would be possible in your opinion?

BPPV is a unique condition in that it responds to treatment very quickly, if properly assessed and treated.

You may be interested in this blog and this blog , which may help to answer your question.

This blog may also be helpful.

I am glad that you found relief, most importantly!

Brad C

I have been diagnosed by a neurologist with vestibular issues and nystagmus after… a fall in the yard. I’m in therapy for these and was improving. However, I went on a trip to the Caribbean and, after flying, being in the ocean and on a boat, my symptoms worsened. This was described by my neurologist as a “sensory mismatch”. What are your thoughts on this?

My thoughts are that traveling by plane or boat can exacerbate vestibular issues, so it does not surprise me that you feel worse after your trip.

I would consider that a “setback” in your recovery. However, sometimes you just have to live your life.

My suggestion is to return to the vestibular therapy and keep at it, since it has helped you improve before. If you do have a sensory mismatch, then vestibular therapy can help you get back on track.

I am glad you were able to enjoy the Caribbean! Hopefully the mental imagery and relaxation you experienced can keep you calm and peaceful as you work through your vestibular rehabilitation .

I have written this article and this article on reasons why vestibular therapy does not work, so you may want to check those out and avoid those common pitfalls.

Thank you, Kim. I’m back in vision/brain therapy and have seen some slow improvement. I also have chronic Lyme and mast cell activation. So there are a lot of things affecting my neurological system and my eyes.

Carole B

Hi, I was diagnosed with BPPV back in June 2021 did 2 treatments of Physio vestibular and everything stopped no more dizziness etc. Now I am going on a trip taking the plane on October 25 and wanted to know will BPPV come back with the pressure of plane or is it really just with the movement of head that BPPV comes back. Thank you!

That is a great question! Traveling is a common cause of BPPV recurrence for many of my patients.

You can learn more at this blog: BPPV Symptoms

I think one key point here is that there is a difference between causes of a new onset or recurrence of BPPV , which is the actual dislodging of new crystals.

Versus movements or positional triggers that can cause a spin when you have loose crystals.

Traveling can cause new crystals to come loose for some vestibular patients, due to the pressure changes.

Whereas, movement of the head can trigger vertigo symptoms in someone who has crystals loose .

This blog has Home Remedies that may help.

This blog has directories to find a provider in your local area. I suggest finding a vestibular physical therapist .

Aswani P.

This is the second time I had vertigo. Last time it took 1 month to get rid of it and after that I had recurring migraine. Every time I have an issue with eye movement, sound, and head position. This time my neck got stiff and I have inflammation. When I do neck exercises, inflammation goes to my shoulder and hand. I also forget things and have coordination problems. My doctor gave me betahistine but it’s not helping.

I am sorry to hear this!

I am glad to hear that you have sought individual medical advice for your situation from your doctor. That’s very important.

I have a written a few articles on topics that may be interesting to you.

This one and this one and this one are talking about dizziness related to neck pain or stiffness.

This article talks about who can possibly help with dizziness related to the neck.

This article and this article are about migraines and dizziness.

This article talks about how to find providers who specialize in vestibular rehab .

Hopefully those free articles are helpful for you.

Diane G.

Hi!! I’ve vertigo for 26 years but of course I go in-and-out of acute phases. I also have MS, some ear pain, and hearing loss. Currently in an acute phase. I’ve had every test on the planet been to several topped Otolaryngologists and the eplymaneuver does not seem to do anything.(not BPPV). Although doing it currently the vestibular therapy seems to make it more chronic than help me.. I do have to fly once in a while and I was surprised you didn’t suggest a decongestant wondering if you could shed any light on what I’ve been going through now for 5 weeks; 26 years. No diagnosis ever.

Thank you for sharing this comment.

I believe I suggested having medications for whatever symptoms you have related to dizziness and vertigo.

For some people, certainly a decongestant is appropriate.

Other people may have headaches, anxiety, etc, so I suggest for each person to bring whatever medications they need to address their individual symptoms when they travel.

If you are still searching for the root cause of your symptoms, I suggest you organize the description of your experience as I list in this blog .

I also share some common triggers in this blog , that you may want to include in your summary.

That will help your current and future healthcare providers with their case analysis.

The key is to document the onset, trigger, and duration of any dizzy spells or vertigo attacks. Then most specialty healthcare providers will have the information needed to assign a proper diagnosis.

I wish you all the best!

Ronnie

Hi I was diagnosed with bppv after a head injury I had now done the epley manoeuvre and she said I am fine to fly as i have no other symptoms like sensory etc. Do you think it’s okay too? I am just very unsure still.. She said technically the epley should have helped now. I have had it done only today and still feel like my brain is swimming…

Once the Epley maneuver (or other BPPV treatment maneuver) is successful, then the BPPV is considered “resolved.”

This blog discusses post treatment precautions.

If your healthcare provider thinks you are ok to travel, then that is the advice you should take since he or she has evaluated you in person.

It is common to feel your brain is swimming for a day or two, even after a successful treatment of vestibular physical therapy .

However, BPPV on both the right and left sides is common after a head injury.

So you should go back to get re-checked for BPPV again by that same healthcare provider, if you don’t feel better 12-48 hours after the treatment.

You also need to get a good sleep after each BPPV treatment to recover properly.

Best wishes!

kay

i was diagnosed with BPPV just over 2 years ago by a specialist but initially the doctor told me it was Labyrinthitis as i had ringing and hearing loss. The hearing came back but the affected ear has left me with a strange whooshing noise which I find difficult to deal with at times. It took me a few weeks to get my balance back but id say that Ive never fully recovered from this . Its like i have relapses. I recently got back from a 15 hour flight three weeks ago and Im all over the place. i feel totally out of sync and disorientated not to mention exhaustion. When i walk I struggle as I think Im about to fall . I have slight pain in my ears which comes and goes in sharp bursts. This was the first time I’ve taken a flight since I had the issue 2 years ago and the way I feel Im not sure i could go through with it again . Even when I was on holiday i struggled with my balance which made me in a constant anxious state . Also the jet lag didn’t help at all as its the worst I’ve ever experienced. Do you think its been the flight that has triggered this.? Ive not had the spinning sensation like I did when I was ill with the Labs/BPPV but I feel really off balance , its like a vertigo attack is about to hit me . I feel upset i may never get to travel on a plane again

Flying is a common trigger for BPPV and vestibular migraines. There are other conditions besides BPPV and migraines that can cause discomfort on planes, so it is best to consult with a doctor for an evaluation.

I have three other articles with travel tips, one on this website and two articles on BetterBalanceInLife.com here and here .

People with vertigo can travel, but we have to take extra steps and implement specific strategies before, during, and after traveling to get through it and recover.

Since this is such an important topic, I cover travel tips in my upcoming book, which is currently in the editing phase. Please join my mailing list if you want to be notified when my book comes out.

For now, you may want to find a vertigo doctor in your area using this article .

Best wishes

K. Robbat

I have post concussive symptoms, including vertigo. Head trauma happened 4 days ago. Scheduled to fly in 2 days. Thank you so much for your suggestions in the airport and on plane.

I am not inclined to take the flight as injury is new. Although I live with vertigo as a result of a damaged cervical spine, this feels different. May need more time to recover before I fly.

John M

I am glad I found your blog because I was a bit concerned about flying with vertigo. I have had two or three cases that I managed by using the Epley maneuver.

However, about 3 weeks ago I experienced a significant vertigo event one night. I managed through that and had no further major spinning or dizzy moments.

Yet, still, when I get up in the morning I still feel a bit wobbly but return to pretty much normal later in the day but with sort of a heavy-headed feeling.

Yes still doing Epley 4 – 5 times a day.

I’ll be seeing my primary physician in a couple of days to investigate whether, or not, there is something else going on in the inner ear.

I did have a bad cold a few weeks ago so wondering if there is a lingering problem.

In the meantime just being watchful while packing for week-long trip that involves flight.

Berk V.

I took a flight 2.5 weeks ago and haven’t felt right since. For several days I had ear pain. My regular doctor looked in my ears and didn’t see any problems; however, I have had increasing vertigo over the past 2 weeks. I have had BPPV in the past. Can a plane ride cause BPPV?

Yes! Airplane travel is a known cause of BPPV or recurrence of BPPV.

However, BPPV is not typically associated with ear pain.

Hopefully your doctor will rule out ear infection as a possible cause of ear pain.

One other cause of ear pain is upper cervical problems .

This blog can help you find a vestibular provider in your area.

This blog talks about who can help with upper cervical problems.

It’s possible you may need specialized treatment for vestibular care and upper cervical care.

I hope you feel better soon!

Nicolas M

Hello, I had a strong episode of BPPV this fall (for two weeks). It was diagnosed by several doctors and PT, I did the exercices on day 1 it appeared (Epler manoeuvres) and got rid of it in two weeks. The next weeks I had other physio exercices to get my vestibular system back to « normal ». Then I had a new episode of vertigo one week ago (that only lasted half a day) and then I started the exercises again to get the vestibular system (which at this point is confused) back to normal. I have a 6h+14h flight to New Zealand in three weeks and I’m a bit stressed out to have vertigo again on the plane. It this likely to happen for people that had BPPV? Thanks

Hi Nicolas,

I am sorry to hear all this!

It is great that your doctors and PT recognized BPPV and helped you with a full recovery in the past.

BPPV recurrence may require different maneuvers or exercises than a previous vertigo episode.

Therefore, I usually suggest for people with a vertigo recurrence to return to the providers who helped with vertigo in the past for re-evaluation and individual exercise prescription.

Your doctor can also recommend and prescribe any medications that might be helpful for your upcoming travel.

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  • Motion sickness: First aid

Any type of transportation can cause motion sickness. It can strike suddenly, progressing from a feeling of uneasiness to a cold sweat, dizziness and vomiting. It usually quiets down as soon as the motion stops. The more you travel, the more easily you'll adjust to being in motion.

You might avoid motion sickness by planning ahead. When traveling, avoid sitting in the rear of the vehicle or in seats that face backward. Pick seats where you'll feel motion least:

  • By ship, request a cabin in the front or middle of the ship near the water level.
  • By plane, ask for a seat over the front edge of a wing. Once aboard, direct the air vent flow to your face.
  • By train, take a forward-facing seat near the front and next to a window.
  • By automobile, drive or sit in the front passenger's seat. Children should be in age-appropriate seats and restraints.

If you're susceptible to motion sickness:

  • Focus on the horizon or on a distant, stationary object. Don't read or use electronic devices while traveling.
  • Keep your head still, while resting against a seat back.
  • Don't smoke and don't sit near smokers.
  • Avoid strong odors, spicy and greasy foods, and alcohol.
  • Take an antihistamine, which you can buy without a prescription. Medicines include dimenhydrinate (Dramamine, Driminate, others) and meclizine (Dramamine Less Drowsy, Travel-Ease, others). Dimenhydrinate is safe for children older than age 2. Take these medicines at least 30 to 60 minutes before you travel. Expect drowsiness as a side effect.
  • Consider scopolamine, available in a prescription adhesive patch called Transderm Scop. Several hours before you plan to travel, apply the patch behind your ear for 72-hour protection. Talk to your health care provider before using the medicine if you have health problems such as glaucoma or urine retention.
  • Try ginger. A ginger supplement combined with ginger snaps, ginger ale or candied ginger might help curb nausea.
  • Eat lightly. Some people find that nibbling on plain crackers and sipping cold water or a carbonated drink without caffeine help.
  • Ferri FF. Motion sickness. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2023. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Bennett JE, et al. Protection of travelers. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Priesol AJ. Motion sickness. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Motion sickness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/motion-sickness. Accessed Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Kc Leung A, et al. Motion sickness: An overview. Drugs in Context. 2019; doi:10.7573/dic.2019-9-4.
  • Dimenhydrinate oral. Facts & Comparisons eAnswers. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed Nov. 29, 2022.

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  • Dtsch Arztebl Int
  • v.115(41); 2018 Oct

The Neurophysiology and Treatment of Motion Sickness

Andreas koch.

1 Naval Institute of Maritime Medicine, Kronshagen, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Section Maritime Medicine Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel

Ingolf Cascorbi

2 Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel

Martin Westhofen

3 Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Plastic Surgery of the Head and Throat, RWTH Aachen

Manuel Dafotakis

4 Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen

Sebastian Klapa

Johann peter kuhtz-buschbeck.

5 Institute of Physiology Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel

Seasickness and travel sickness are classic types of motion illness. Modern simulation systems and virtual reality representations can also induce comparable symptoms. Such manifestations can be alleviated or prevented by various measures.

This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a PubMed search, with special attention to clinical trials and review articles.

Individuals vary in their susceptibility to autonomic symptoms, ranging from fatigue to massive vomiting, induced by passive movement at relatively low frequencies (0.2 to 0.4 Hz) in situations without any visual reference to the horizontal plane. Younger persons and women are considered more susceptible, and twin studies have revealed a genetic component as well. The various types of motion sickness are adequately explained by the intersensory conflict model, incorporating the vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive systems and extended to include consideration of postural instability and asymmetry of the otolith organs. Scopolamine and H1-antihistamines, such as dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine, can be used as pharmacotherapy. The symptoms can also be alleviated by habituation through long exposure or by the diminution of vestibular stimuli.

The various types of motion sickness can be treated with general measures to lessen the intersensory conflict, behavioral changes, and drugs.

The term “motion sickness” (also called “kinetosis”) describes a set of symptoms that occur in association with motion of a person or his or her surroundings, triggering a stress reaction that results in autonomic symptoms. The onset is often insidious, with drowsiness/yawning and reduced alertness, and symptoms progress through cold sweating and pallor, salivation, and occasionally headache, to nausea and vomiting with incapacitation that can be severe ( 1 ).

Once the triggering motion ceases, symptoms generally disappear completely within 24 hours.

Learning goals

After reading this article, the reader should:

  • Be familiar with the wide array of motion types and patterns that can trigger motion sickness.
  • Understand the widely accepted model of the pathogenesis of motion sickness—the sensory conflict model and its extensions.
  • Be able to diagnose motion sickness.
  • Be familiar with drug and non-drug treatments and know when each is appropriate.

Introduction

Motion or travel sickness is as old as the various types of motion that cause it, whether on land, in the air, or at sea; sea sickness is the most notorious and in the extreme case can affect as many as 60% of even an experienced crew ( 2 ). In any vehicle or ship, it is generally persons being passively transported who are affected most—a fact well explained by the sensory conflict model presented below.

The term “motion sickness” describes a set of autonomic symptoms caused by incongruent sensory impressions under conditions of motion. Cold sweats, pallor, nausea, and vomiting are caused by a stress reaction to the motion.

In days of old, those affected were mainly professional seafarers, a few of whom were unable to adapt adequately. Today, however, we see increasing numbers of temporary “seafarers,” not just on cruise ships, but also, for example, in the offshore wind industry, where it is necessary for “landlubber” engineers and technicians to be transported out to the wind parks in small boats. Modern transportation is also producing an increasing number of other trigger situations that are becoming relevant, from motion sickness in the back seat of a car, in a tilting train or an aircraft, to the “space sickness” experienced by astronauts in conditions of weightlessness.

It would appear that about two thirds of travelers have experienced symptoms of motion sickness at least once in a car, especially when in the back seat; half of them have even vomited, which among other things could have implications for the development of self-driving cars ( 3 ). In regard to the risk of becoming seasick on board a ship, and as an aid for shipbuilding design to help mitigate it, an ISO standard (IDO 2631) has even been defined, together with principles for the calculation of “motion sickness incidence” (MSI) that make it easier to estimate the expected percentage of persons who will vomit within 2 hours in given sea conditions ( 4 ).

And then there is the new phenomenon of “simulator sickness,” where playing complex video games on large screens or using virtual reality (VR) headsets can lead to symptoms surprisingly similar to those of classic seasickness, even though the persons affected are not physically in motion. As early as 1994, in a study of 146 volunteers, 61% of probands developed symptoms of malaise during a 20-min VR immersion period ( 5 ).

Young people, especially children between the ages of 6 and 12 years, and women are believed to be more susceptible to motion sickness ( 6 – 9 , e1 ), meaning that symptoms induced by computer simulations are particularly significant for this group.

Whatever the scenario that leads to motion sickness, it is nevertheless often necessary for the person affected to carry out active control tasks in fast-moving scenarios and/or on screen. Examples are the driver who has to intervene in a self-driving car, the drone pilot in a complex situation, or the operator of a virtual reality operation system. To ensure that such control tasks are carried out safely, critical issues are whether and when any relevant reductions in alertness and competence occur, and whether these are noticed at all before the symptoms of nausea obtrude.

Early symptoms of incipient motion sickness with reduced alertness are also called “sopite syndrome” (from the Latin sopire , “to lull, to put to sleep”). The term describes a condition of withdrawal with increasing apathy and lethargy ( e2 ), which the person affected may not even notice him- or herself. Few scientific publications exist on sopite syndrome. At the present time, PubMed shows only 16 publications on this subject.

Young people, especially children between the ages of 6 and 12 years, and women are believed to be more susceptible to motion sickness.

Many people habituate well to kinetogenic situations that at first cause them malaise. However, other affected persons can be unable to habituate adequately. For example, twins often react very similarly, as shown by a 2006 study of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, suggesting the existence of a genetic background ( 10 ).

What, now, do the various situations from seasickness to “simulator sickness” have in common, such that predisposed persons can develop a complex of symptoms that range from reduced alertness to discomfort to feeling violently ill with severe vomiting?

This article will first present pathophysiological models of the causes of motion sickness. Next, neurophysiological aspects of nausea and vomiting in motion sickness will be discussed. The complexity of the neurophysiology involved explains why there are so many different approaches to treatment, including habituation exercises and more unconventional methods in addition to medication.

For the presentation of the pathophysiology of the various forms of motion sickness, a selective literature search on PubMed was carried out for the purpose of determining the extent of consensus on the dominant conflict theory model on the basis of the number of high-quality publications (human studies, clinical trials, reviews) found, and also on particular aspects that extend or supplement the model ( ebox ).

Literature search on particular aspects of the pathophysiology of various forms of motion sickness

Literature search of the PubMed database for review articles or clinical studies in humans on the pathyphysiology of various forms of motion sickness: Filters: humans, clinical trial, review

  • Search terms for motion sickness: (motion sickness, sea sickness, simulator sickness, kinetosis)
  • Search strategy: (((motion sickness) OR (sea sickness) OR (simulator sickness) OR kinetosis)
  • 43 articles (human studies; clinical trials or reviews)
  • Search terms for conflict theory: sensory conflict, sensory mismatch
  • Search strategy: (((((motion sickness) OR sea sickness) OR simulator sickness) OR kinetosis) AND (sensory conflict) OR sensory mismatch)
  • Filters: humans, clinical trial, review
  • 12 articles (human studies; clinical trials or reviews)
  • Search terms for postural instability: postural instability
  • Search strategy: ((((postural instability) AND ((((sea sickness) OR motion sickness) OR simulator sickness) OR kinetosis)
  • 13 articles (human studies), no further filtering
  • Search terms for otolith asymmetry: otolith asymmetry
  • Search strategy: (((((otolith asymmetry) AND ((((sea sickness) OR motion sickness) OR simulator sickness) OR kinetosis)
  • Filter: Humans

Explanatory models of motion sickness

Vestibular, somatosensory, and visual afferents ( efigure ) provide information about body posture and body movements ( e3 ). The three semicircular canals of the vestibular apparatus are stimulated by angular acceleration, while the otolith organs of the vestibular apparatus (saccule and utricle) are stimulated by linear acceleration (including the acceleration of the Earth), because the otolithic membranes are weighed down by a layer of calcium carbonate crystals embedded within them ( e3 ). The position of the head relative to the torso is reported by proprioceptive afferents from the neck muscles and the vertebral column. Visual inputs provide information on the body‘s own motion and/or that of its environment. Proprioceptive afferents from the joints and skeletal musculature transmit the sense of joints movements, joint position, and acceleration. Normally the three sensory channels (vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive) complement each other without contradiction. The afferents are connected to motor centers in the brainstem, which stabilize body position, e.g., through the use of stabilization reactions.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is Dtsch_Arztebl_Int-115_0687_001.jpg

Sensory conflict. Vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive afferents provide complementary information about the motion and position of the body in space. Normally this information is congruent—it matches. In type A conflicts, visual and vestibular afferents contradict each other. In type B conflicts, signals from the semicircular canals and otolith organs of the vestibular apparatus are incongruent or ambiguous.

Unless the inputs from multiple sensory organs can be integrated, the information they provide remains incomplete. On its own, the visual system cannot reliably distinguish between motion of the body and motion of the environment (e.g., perception of vection [self motion] experienced by an observer in a stationary train when another train pulls in alongside). The semicircular canals register angular acceleration of the head, but their signal decays over the course of a long, smooth turn. The otolith organs register the size and direction of linear acceleration, including that of gravity (g↓). Because the same direction of acceleration can result from (a) an inclination of the head or (b) a combination of horizontal and vertical accelerations, the signals from the otolith organs need to be supplemented by the other afferents.

Illustration adapted from Bertolini G, Straumann D: Moving in a moving world: A review on vestibular motion sickness. Front Neurol 2016; 7: 14.

Genetic component

Twins often react very similarly, as shown by a 2006 study of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, suggesting the existence of a genetic background.

Sensory conflicts are the most current explanation of motion sickness ( 11 – 16 ). These conflicts arise when information from different sensory channels is contradictory or disagrees with expectations ( efigure ). Two categories, each with three conflict types, are described in Table 1 ( 13 , 16 ). Category A contains conflicts between visual and vestibular information. When both sensory systems report motion, but the reports disagree temporospatially, this is a type A1 conflict. An example would be watching the waves from the deck of a lurching ship. With a type A2 conflict, the visual system is reporting motion but the vestibular system is not. Because in this case the body is actually not in motion, this form is also referred to as “pseudo motion sickness” ( 13 ). An example is the already mentioned “simulator sickness” experienced by an observer in a stationary travel simulator watching scenes of traveling around a curve ( e4 ). In type A3 conflict, the vestibular system reports motion but the visual system does not. Examples are reading below deck in a swaying ship, or being a back-seat passenger during a bumpy car ride.

Explanatory model

The sensory conflict model is widely accepted as explaining the pathogenesis of motion sickness. Incongruent sensory information results in conflict between the vestibular, optic, and proprioceptive systems.

Category B sensory conflicts ( eFigure , Table 1 ) are those caused by incongruent afferent information of the vestibular apparatus. These, then, are sensory conflicts between the five sensors (three semicircular canals, two otolith organs) that are active in the two labyrinths and show some frequency specificity. Slow passive motion, with a period between 0.1 and 0.5 Hz, is more likely to lead to nausea and vomiting than oscillating motion at a higher frequency ( 11 ). Studies of probands have shown that linear accelerations in vertical and horizontal directions (raising and lowering or laterally translating a closed cabin) with a varying cycle around 0.2 Hz had a particularly kinetogenic effect ( 17 , e5 , e6 ). The signals from the vestibular apparatus during motion of this periodicity are ambiguous (conflict type B), so that translation is sometimes incorrectly interpreted as tipping over ( 18 , 19 , e7 ). It is possible that visceral receptors registering the movements of the viscera are also involved ( 20 , e8 ). The frequency specificity explains why the slower motion of ships and car journeys often triggers motion sickness where horse riding and riding a mountain bike, as a general rule, do not ( 11 , 13 , 21 , e7 ). Optic flow patterns mimicking cyclical to-and-fro motion at a frequency of 0.2 to 0.4 Hz also triggered pseudo motion sickness ( 22 ).

* From ( 13 , 16 )

Type A conflict

Type A sensory conflicts are caused by incongruent afferent information from the vestibular and visual sensory organs.

A clear type B1 conflict ( table 1 ) with motion sickness in the form of a vestibular Coriolis reaction also occurs ( 11 – 13 , 16 , 23 , 24 , e9 ) when people tilt their head forward and backward while spinning about their own long axis (Lansberg test). With type B2 conflict, the semicircular canals are stimulated but the otolith organs are not. Examples are caloric nystagmus and head movements under conditions of weightlessness—a rare trigger ( 12 , 13 ). The rare type B3 conflict, in which the otolith organs alone are stimulated under laboratory conditions, e.g., during constant rotation (no stimulation of the semicircular canals) about the long axis of the body when horizontal (so-called “barbecue rotation”) ( e10 ). Sensory conflicts with proprioception are less important ( 11 – 16 ).

Apart from the sensory conflict (or mismatch) theory, there is also the concept of postural instability ( 25 , e11 ). This emphasizes the role of the motor system and postulates that the main element leading to motion sickness is inefficient postural control that has not yet adapted to the situation. According to another hypothesis, asymmetry between the bilateral otolith organs favors the occurrence of “space sickness” in astronauts ( e12 ).

Explanatory hypotheses like these add to the sensory conflict theory without invalidating it. The latter has become widely accepted, with a PubMed literature search identifying a correspondingly large number of reviews and clinical trials devoted to it as the main factor ( ebox ).

Habituation is an important element in motion sickness ( 11 – 16 ). Just as sea sickness often moderates after a few days as the sufferer becomes accustomed to the swaying of the ship, so the converse can happen, although quite rarely: that going ashore after a long voyage can lead to an impaired ability to “switch back” again or “reset,” also known as “mal de débarquement syndrome” or “unsteadiness syndrome.”

Neurophysiologic aspects of nausea and vomiting in motion sickness

Afferents from the vestibular apparatus are involved in all relevant/significant sensory conflicts ( table 1 ), even those in which it is absence of these signals that leads to the mismatch (type A2 conflict, pseudo motion sickness). Patients with bilateral vestibular failure do not get seasick, neither do they develop pseudo motion sickness ( 26 ). The afferents from the labyrinth arrive at the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem, which also receive visual and proprioceptive input and are connected with the vestibulocerebellum ( 27 ).

Type B conflict

Incongruence between information from the semicircular canals and the otolith organs produces type B conflict.

The activity of the vestibular nuclei is influenced by numerous transmitters including acetylcholine, dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, glycine, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin ( 24 ). Efferent projections of these nuclei to the reticular formation, the spinal cord, and the oculomotor nuclei serve the postural motor and the oculomotor systems. Ascending projections from the nuclei reach the temporoparietal cortex areas and insular cortex via the posterolateral thalamus ( 28 ). Autonomic reactions can be triggered via connections to the hypothalamus, the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), the locus ceruleus, and other nuclei of the reticular formation (including the nucleus parabrachialis).

Recent studies have described brain activity in pseudo motion sickness ( 29 , e13 ). Probands lying in an MRI scanner were shown a moving pattern of stripes that resulted in the sensation of apparent motion (vection) and in about half the probands led to nausea. The onset of nausea coincided with activity in the amygdala, putamen, and dorsal pons; stronger persistent nausea was accompanied by activity in a variety of cortical areas (insular cortex, cingulate and prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex). Brain areas that react selectively to sensory conflicts alone have not yet been identified, however.

Vomiting due to motion sickness can also take place without involving the higher brain areas, however, as animal studies have shown ( 15 , 30 ). The core area of interest is a network of brainstem regions often referred to for simplicity as the vomiting center. Various inputs from the vestibular nuclei, the area postrema, the gastrointestinal tract, and other nuclei of the reticular formation all converge at a central “switchboard,” the nucleus tractus solitarii. This means that the NTS can be excited by different stimuli such as toxins in the blood, sensory conflicts, or gastrointestinal symptoms, and this results in activation of adjacent areas of the brainstem and thus finally to vomiting.

The biogenic amine histamine is believed to contribute to the triggering of vomiting in sea sickness ( 31 , e14 ). Animal studies have shown a direct correlation between sea sickness and histamine metabolism ( 32 , e15 ). After excessive motion, increased histamine concentrations were shown in the inner ear and brain of the animals studied. This is underscored by experiences with sea sickness, where food with a strong histamine content appears to aggravate symptoms ( 33 ).

Diagnosis and treatment strategies in motion sickness

Neurophysiologic aspects.

Development of symptoms involves complex central brain structures and nuclear regions with many neurotransmitters participating, including histamine.

Motion sickness can usually be diagnosed on the basis of the characteristic history of a triggering situation and appropriate differential diagnosis (in accordance with guidelines) to rule out other diseases most of which are otorhinolaryngological or neurological, such as Menière’s disease, certain forms of migraine, or psychological causes ( 34 , e16 ). In addition to these, however, because of the complex pathophysiology of motion sickness, gastroenterological and infectious diseases and any possible orthopedic causes should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Besides these, visual or cardiovascular disorders such as hypotension or hypoglycemia can also trigger symptoms similar to those of motion sickness ( e17 ). Singh et al. provide an up-to-date overview of the causes of nausea and vomiting ( 35 ).

The sensory conflict theory is regarded as the best candidate construct of the pathophysiology of motion sickness, and involves complex neurophysiologic signaling with numerous brain nuclear regions and neurotransmitters participating in the production of the symptoms before the “homestretch” of vomiting is reached. Understandably, therefore, approaches to palliating or treating this “disorder” are similarly varied ( table 2 ).

* 1 Adapted from Brainard and Gresham ( 36 ) and Zhang et al. ( 38 )

* 2 Evidence level (SORT rating)

A: Consistent. high-quality patient-oriented evidence

B: Inconsistent or limited-quality patient-oriented evidence

C: Consensus. disease-oriented evidence. usual practice. expert opinion, or case series

Looking in a vehicle’s direction of travel or focusing on the horizon are simple measures that are well known to avoid or at least palliate the symptoms of motion sickness, most likely by reducing intersensory conflict ( 36 ). Lying down and reducing visual influences can also have a positive effect. One approach to treatment along similar lines which may perhaps also prove useful against sea sickness is the head-mounted display providing an artificial horizon or horizon information ( 2 , e18 – e20 ).

Another approach is to try appropriate measures to improve habituation to motion stimuli. Such measures include desensitizing physiotherapy (reactive motion and body positioning exercises [e21, e22]) and practicing actively synchronizing body movements with the motion, including tilting the head into turns ( 36 ).

Some centers offer specialized habituation training before the start of a sea voyage for patients who suffer from sea sickness ( 37 ). This can include optokinetic desensitization over a period of weeks, plus simulated sea motion (swell) and balance training. As a general principle, habituation training attempts to reproduce the disturbing motion pattern as accurately as possible. Repeated exposure training can induce adequate habituation lasting for months, as described in detail by Zhang et al. ( 38 ).

Motion sickness is diagnosed on the basis of a history of a triggering situation and exclusion of neurologic, otorhinolaryngologic, gastroenterologic, and infectious diseases and orthopedic causes.

Positive effects seem also to have been achieved by the application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and by general stress-reduction measures such as pleasant music or odors ( e23 – e26 ).

However, it must be pointed out at this stage that for many of the non-drug interventions in particular, too few prospective controlled clinical studies have yet been carried out for a judgment on their true efficacy to be made; one study dating from 1990 on acupressure bands (“SeaBand”) to prevent sea sickness did not show a positive effect, although P6 point stimulation has been shown to be effective against postoperative vomiting ( e27 , e28 ).

It is also important to mention that several recent clinical studies have shown considerable positive placebo effects of drug and non-drug interventions on symptoms of motion sickness ( e29 – e31 ). On the one hand this makes it harder to assess the true efficacy of individual treatments, but on the other hand it can also be employed to beneficial effect.

Finally, especially at sea, avoiding foods with a high histamine content, such as tuna, some kinds of cheese, salami, sauerkraut, and red wine (foods/drinks altered by microorganisms) is one of the non-drug interventions or preventive measures ( 33 ).

The various forms of drug therapy ( table 3 ) are based primarily on the role of histamine, referred to above, in the pathophysiology of sea sickness, and on the importance of muscarinic receptors in the vestibular apparatus and vomiting center. Preparations containing antihistamines and anticholinergic drugs are both important here. An example of a monodrug is dimenhydrinate, which dissociates in the blood to diphenhydramine and 8-chlorotheophylline. Dimenhydrinate is often prescribed in combination with cinnarizine for short-term acute therapy. This H 1 -antagonist acts additionally as a dopamine, serotonin, and bradykinin receptor antagonist and as a calcium inhibitor. This is believed to result in synergistic effects in the vestibular apparatus. Typical adverse effects of the antihistaminergic properties of dimenhydrinate alone or in combination with cinnarizine are fatigue, slowed reactions, and impaired coordination and concentration. The incidence of adverse effects varies greatly in prospective studies and has been estimated at about 5% ( e32 – e35 ); the duration of action when taken orally is 4–8 hours.

Evidence level for anticholinergics (SORT rating): A ( 14 , 36 , 39 , e46 – e50 ); evidence level for antihistamines (SORT rating): B ( 14 , 36 , e46 , e48 , e51 – e55 )

Non-drug treatment

Various non-drug interventions relieve the symptoms of motion sickness, by, for instance, reducing sensory conflict.

In a prospective study of patients with vestibular disorders, the response rate to a combination of dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine was 78%, whereas when these drugs taken separately the rates were only 45% and 55% respectively ( e33 ). Anticholinergics in the form of transdermal scopolamine patches (TTS-S, transdermal therapeutic system—scopolamine) are also often used ( 38 ). The patches have a duration of action of up to 3 days and are used both preventively and for long-term therapy.

Preventive medication

Anticholinergics are used for prevention, e.g., transdermal scopolamine. Administration should be 6 to 8 h before travel starts or before the expected onset of motion sickness.

Drug treatment

Apart from a number of non-drug interventions, H 1 -antihistamines with the lowest possible potential for sedation are the main treatment of choice for vertigo, nausea, and vomiting due to motion sickness.

There are no prospective randomized studies on the effect of this treatment on motion sickness, nor any valid comparative studies with other drugs. However, the authors of a Cochrane review conclude that the effect of scopolamine is not superior to that of antihistamines or combination drugs, but it does have fewer adverse effects ( 39 ). The adverse effects derive from its anticholinergic properties and include, especially, mucosal dryness and mydriasis, palpitations, urinary retention, and, very rarely, hallucinogenic effects ( e36 ). All of these substances have in common that they do not totally prevent or suppress sea sickness, for example, but they can greatly ameliorate symptoms. This comes at a cost, however, of adverse effects that can impair alertness and thus represent a safety risk for many tasks, e.g., on board a ship ( 19 , 23 ).

Apart from these drug therapies, natural remedies are also used to suppress sea sickness. There are indications, even including a prospective, placebo-controlled study of sea cadets, showing that ginger can be used as an antiemetic with few adverse effects ( 40 , e37 , e38 ). The substances it contains are believed to act as antagonists at the 5-HT 3 receptor, which has an important role in the vomiting center.

High-dose vitamin C, another remedy which has been credited with some antihistaminergic effect, was shown in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to reduce the symptoms of sea sickness without identifiable adverse effects ( 31 ).

The dopamine antagonist metoclopramide is not indicated for the treatment of motion sickness. Metoclopramide can cause extrapyramidal symptoms in children and adolescents and/or when given at high doses, and if given over long periods, especially in older patients, can trigger tardive dyskinesia that can sometimes be irreversible. For this reason, metoclopramide may be used only for the prevention of delayed nausea and vomiting after chemo- and radiotherapy or for symptomatic treatment of nausea and vomiting due to acute migraine (and not in children or adolescents). Particularly effective antiemetics such as the 5-HT 3 antagonist ondansetron or the neurokinin-1 antagonist aprepitant are also contraindicated for the treatment of motion sickness. Ondansetron can very often cause headache and sometimes seizures, extrapyramidal symptoms, and constipation, among other effects. Aprepitant often causes headache, constipation, and other adverse effects which may appear acceptable in the context of weighing risks against benefits during a highly emetogenic form of chemotherapy, but are unacceptable in the context of preventing motion sickness.

The explanatory model of sensory conflicts involving primarily the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems describes how motion sickness arises in a range of forms, from classic sea sickness to “simulator sickness” in modern virtual reality systems. The symptoms can vary greatly, ranging from reduced alertness (sopite syndrome) to full-blown severe vomiting. The importance of sopite syndrome and how to measure it objectively is the subject of ongoing research.

Contraindicated drugs

Because of severe adverse effects, the use of metoclopramide, ondansetron, or aprepitant to prevent or treat motion sickness is contraindicated.

The development of vehicles without constant outside view, and of virtual reality environments, requires drug options with fewer adverse effects.

Reflecting the complexity of the central nucleus areas and neurotransmitters involved in the development of the symptoms of motion sickness, options for treatment include a number of approaches that differ greatly from each other but may nevertheless achieve success. They range from drug treatment, tried and tested and based mainly on H 1 -antihistamines and anticholinergics, to symptom relief with vitamin C and ginger, to a multiplicity of behavioral measures aimed at desensitizing or improving habituation by means of physiotherapeutic exercises or habituation to stimuli that trigger motion sickness.

Given the increasing relevance of sensory conflicts, not just in faster moving vehicles, but in digitally processed environments, in some of which full alertness is still absolutely essential, it would seem that continued development of drug options with fewer adverse effects is required.

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CME credit for this unit can be obtained via cme.aerzteblatt.de until 6 January 2019. Only one answer is possible per question. Please select the answer that is most appropriate.

Which of the following best describes motion sickness?

  • A predominantly neurological pattern of symptoms triggered by motion of a person’s own body
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms occurring due to motion of the environment, e.g., on a ship at sea
  • A pattern of autonomic symptoms occurring as a stress reaction to motion of a person’s own body or its environment
  • Predominantly orthopedic symptoms related to the cervical spine occurring as a result of motion of the person’s own body, typically in the form of vertigo
  • An adjustment disorder, typically occurring during adolescence, of the immature semicircular canals in response to over-rapid changes in head motion

What percentage of healthy volunteers developed symptoms of “simulator sickness” when wearing virtual reality (VR) glasses?

One of the following natural substances has been documented as having some antiemetic effect. Which one?

What is meant by “sopite syndrome”?

  • A condition of apathy and withdrawal or lethargy, representing early symptoms of motion sickness
  • A form of motion sickness involving increased gastrointestinal activity in response to exposure to strong environmental motion
  • A form of motion sickness seen in older people with chronic neurologic disorders such as dementia
  • An apparent adjustment reaction after prolonged exposure to environmental motion, leading to improved alertness in the person affected
  • Acute onset of motion sickness with nausea and vomiting within the first 30 min of exposure, in response to even low-level environmental motion, e.g., when traveling as a passenger in a local bus

Which risk group is especially likely to suffer from motion sickness?

  • Children between 1 and 5 years of age
  • Children between 6 and 12 years of age
  • Adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age
  • Adults between 18 and 50 years of age
  • Older persons (>76 years of age)

What is meant by sensory conflict in the pathogenesis of motion sickness?

  • Visual sensory input leading to incorrect return movements of the eyes
  • Contradictory or incongruent motion-related information from sensory organs
  • Afferent input especially from dermal sense organs about apparent temperature changes
  • Misrouted efferent potentials with hyperexcitability of alpha motoneurons
  • Hyperactivity of the parasympathetic nervous system during changes to the body during rotational movement at increasing speed

Which differential diagnosis is most likely to induce symptoms resembling those of motion sickness?

  • Parkinson’s disease;
  • hypertension;
  • hyperthyroidism;
  • otitis externa;
  • hypoglycemia

Which drug class is the treatment of choice for motion sickness?

  • 5-HT 3 antagonists;
  • metoclopramide;
  • antihistamines;
  • dopamine antagonists

A 34-year-old woman with a history of sea sickness is planning a 3-day cruise trip. What should be the primary advice regarding medication to take if she develops acute symptoms?

  • 50–100 mg dimenhydrinate several times a day, up to a maximum of 300 mg/day.
  • Ondansetron 8 mg several times a day.
  • From the start of the cruise trip until the ship enters harbor: 1 × daily 125 mg aprepitant.
  • From 24 h before the start of the cruise trip until the ship enters harbor: 1 × daily 10 mg metoclopramide; more if required, up to 3 × daily 10 mg.
  • From the start of the cruise trip until the ship enters harbor: 1 × daily 30 mg promethazine, up to 100 mg/day.

Question 10

A 21-year-old man training to be a marine engineer, who had a tendency to travel sickness as a child, asks for advice before a planned sea voyage of several weeks. What treatment strategy should you recommend?

  • Given his tendency to travel sickness as a child, he should avoid sea voyages lasting longer than 3 days.
  • Neither preventive nor as-required medication is indicated, as adults on board a ship habituate adequately after about a week.
  • If and when symptoms start, he should use antihistamine-based medication or scopolamine patches as required and watch the horizon. He should be aware of the possible adverse effects of the medication.
  • Specific long-term medication with a dopamine antagonist, e.g., metoclopramide 10 mg 1 × daily, is indicated, and he should stay at the bow or stern of the ship as much as possible.
  • As-required medication with a 5-HT 3 antagonist, such as ondansetron, is indicated.

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Acknowledgments

Translated from the original German by Kersti Wagstaff, MA

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that no conflict of interest exists.

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ANDREW BRAINARD, MD, MPH, AND CHIP GRESHAM, MD

Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(1):41-46

Patient information : See related handout on motion sickness , written by the authors of this article.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial affiliations.

Motion sickness is a common syndrome that occurs upon exposure to certain types of motion. It is thought to be caused by conflict between the vestibular, visual, and other proprioceptive systems. Although nausea is the hallmark symptom, it is often preceded by stomach awareness, malaise, drowsiness, and irritability. Early self-diagnosis should be emphasized, and patients should be counseled about behavioral and pharmacologic strategies to prevent motion sickness before traveling. Patients should learn to identify situations that will lead to motion sickness and minimize the amount of unpleasant motion they are exposed to by avoiding difficult conditions while traveling or by positioning themselves in the most stable part of the vehicle. Slow, intermittent exposure to the motion can reduce symptoms. Other behavioral strategies include watching the true visual horizon, steering the vehicle, tilting their head into turns, or lying down with their eyes closed. Patients should also attempt to reduce other sources of physical, mental, and emotional discomfort. Scopolamine is a first-line medication for prevention of motion sickness and should be administered transdermally several hours before the anticipated motion exposure. First-generation antihistamines, although sedating, are also effective. Nonsedating antihistamines, ondansetron, and ginger root are not effective in the prevention and treatment of motion sickness.

Motion sickness is a syndrome that occurs when a patient is exposed to certain types of motion and usually resolves soon after its cessation. It is a common response to motion stimuli during travel. Although nausea is a hallmark symptom, the syndrome includes symptoms ranging from vague malaise to completely incapacitating illness. These symptoms, which can affect the patient's recreation, employment, and personal safety, can occur within minutes of experiencing motion and can last for several hours after its cessation.

Nearly all persons will have symptoms in response to severe motion stimuli, and a history of motion sickness best predicts future symptoms. 1 Females, children two to 15 years of age, and persons with conditions associated with nausea (e.g., early pregnancy, migraines, vestibular syndromes) report increased susceptibility.

The pathogenesis of motion sickness is not clearly understood, but it is thought to be related to conflict between the vestibular, visual, and other proprioceptive systems. 2 Rotary, vertical, and low-frequency motions produce more symptoms than linear, horizontal, and high-frequency motions. 1

Clinical Presentation

Although nausea may be the first recognized symptom of motion sickness, it is almost always preceded by other subtle symptoms such as stomach awareness (i.e., a sensation of fullness in the epigastrium), malaise, drowsiness, and irritability. Failure to attribute early symptoms to motion sickness may lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Although mild symptoms are common, severely debilitating symptoms are rare 2 ( Table 1 1 , 2 ) .

Behavioral Interventions

Prevention of motion sickness is more effective than treating symptoms after they have occurred. Therefore, patients should learn to identify situations that may lead to motion sickness and be able to initiate behavioral strategies to prevent or minimize symptoms 1 , 2 ( Table 2 1 – 13 ) .

MINIMIZE VESTIBULAR MOTION

Patients should be advised to avoid traveling in difficult weather conditions. If they must travel, they should sit in the part of the vehicle with the least amount of rotational and vertical motion. 2 This is usually the lowest level in trains and buses, close to water level and in the center of boats, and over the wing on airplanes.

HABITUATE TO MOTION

With continuous exposure to motion, symptoms of motion sickness will usually subside in one to two days. Alternatively, slow, intermittent habituation to motion is an effective strategy to reduce symptoms. 1 For example, spending the first night aboard a boat in the marina, followed by a day acclimating in the harbor, is preferable to going straight into the open ocean.

SYNCHRONIZE THE VISUAL SYSTEM WITH THE MOTION

A small study found that focusing on the true horizon (skyline) minimized symptoms of motion sickness. 5 A survey of 3,256 bus passengers suggested that forward vision was helpful in reducing symptoms. 3 Another study indicated that forward vision in a car can reduce symptoms. 4

ACTIVELY SYNCHRONIZE THE BODY WITH THE MOTION

Actively steering the vehicle is an accepted strategy for reducing symptoms of motion sickness, although evidence is limited. 7 Additionally, a small study of automobile passengers found that actively tilting the head into turns was effective in preventing symptoms. 6 A survey of 260 cruise ship passengers supported the common advice to recline and passively stabilize themselves if they are unable to initiate active movements. 8

REDUCE OTHER SOURCES OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DISCOMFORT

Frequent consumption of light, soft, bland, low-fat, and low-acid food can minimize symptoms of motion sickness. 2 Treating gastritis is useful, 2 as is avoiding nausea-inducing stimuli (e.g., alcohol, noxious odors). Discussing symptoms with others can exacerbate the condition. Passengers should be well rested, well hydrated, well fed, and comfortable before beginning travel. Small studies have shown that cognitive behavior therapy, mindful breathing, and listening to music may also reduce symptoms of motion sickness. 9 , 10 , 13

Medications

Medications are most effective when taken prophylactically before traveling, or as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms 2 ( Table 3 1 , 2 , 14 – 23 ) . Medications are most effective when combined with behavioral strategies. To familiarize themselves with common side effects, patients should first take medications in a comfortable environment before using them for motion sickness during travel.

SCOPOLAMINE

Scopolamine, an anticholinergic, is a first-line option for preventing motion sickness in persons who wish to maintain wakefulness during travel. 2 , 20 , 24 A Cochrane review of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed that scopolamine is effective for the prevention of motion sickness. 14 A more recent RCT of 76 naval crew members showed that transdermal scopolamine is more effective and has fewer side effects than the antihistamine cinnarizine (not available in the United States). 15 If the recommended dose of scopolamine does not adequately relieve symptoms, the dose may be doubled. Adding a second patch of transdermal scopolamine was well tolerated in a small RCT of 20 sailors. 25

ANTIHISTAMINES

First-generation antihistamines have been used to treat motion sickness since the 1940s. 1 They are generally recommended for patients who can tolerate their sedative effects. 2 , 20 Cyclizine (Marezine), dimenhydrinate, promethazine, and meclizine (Antivert) demonstrated effectiveness in small RCTs of varying quality. 16 – 19 Nonsedating antihistamines are not effective in preventing or treating motion sickness. 26

OTHER MEDICATIONS

Benzodiazepines are occasionally administered for severe symptoms of motion sickness and have been proven effective in a single small study. 27 The serotonin agonist rizatriptan (Maxalt) reduced motion sickness symptoms in a single RCT of 25 patients with recurrent migraines. 28 The serotonin antagonist ondansetron (Zofran) is ineffective for the prevention and treatment of motion sickness. 29 , 30

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

Although ginger root is often reported to prevent motion sickness, it had no statistically significant effects in an RCT of 80 naval cadets. 31 A single RCT of pregnant women showed that stimulation of the P6 acupressure point on the anterior wrist increased their tolerance of motion stimuli. 32 Controlled trials of behavioral, pharmacologic, or alternative therapies for motion sickness have demonstrated strong placebo effects. Therefore, treatments are likely to be most effective if the patient believes that they will work. 11 , 12

Data Sources : PubMed was searched using the MeSH headings motion sickness, ships, movement, space motion sickness, and travel. Additional searches were performed in Essential Evidence Plus, UpToDate, Medscape, and BMJ Clinical Evidence. Search dates: March 2012 through March 2014.

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Nachum Z, Shupak A, Gordon CR. Transdermal scopolamine for prevention of motion sickness: clinical pharmacokinetics and therapeutic applications. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2006;45(6):543-566.

Bar R, Gil A, Tal D. Safety of double-dose transdermal scopolamine. Pharmacotherapy. 2009;29(9):1082-1088.

Cheung BS, Heskin R, Hofer KD. Failure of cetirizine and fexofenadine to prevent motion sickness. Ann Pharmacother. 2003;37(2):173-177.

McClure JA, Lycett P, Baskerville JC. Diazepam as an anti-motion sickness drug. J Otolaryngol. 1982;11(4):253-259.

Furman JM, Marcus DA, Balaban CD. Rizatriptan reduces vestibular-induced motion sickness in migraineurs. J Headache Pain. 2011;12(1):81-88.

Muth ER, Elkins AN. High dose ondansetron for reducing motion sickness in highly susceptible subjects. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2007;78(7):686-692.

Hershkovitz D, Asna N, Shupak A, Kaminski G, Bar R, Tal D. Ondansetron for the prevention of seasickness in susceptible sailors: an evaluation at sea. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2009;80(7):643-646.

Grøntved A, Brask T, Kambskard J, Hentzer E. Ginger root against seasickness. A controlled trial on the open sea. Acta Otolaryngol. 1988;105(1–2):45-49.

Alkaissi A, Ledin T, Odkvist LM, Kalman S. P6 acupressure increases tolerance to nauseogenic motion stimulation in women at high risk for PONV. Can J Anaesth. 2005;52(7):703-709.

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Motion Sickness Travel Sickness

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Motion sickness (travel sickness) is common, especially in children. It is caused by repeated unusual movements during travelling, which send strong (sometimes confusing) signals to the balance and position sensors in the brain.

Motion Sickness

Travel sickness, in this article, what causes motion sickness, how long does motion sickness last, motion sickness symptoms, how to stop motion sickness, natural treatments for motion sickness, motion sickness medicines, what can a doctor prescribe for motion sickness.

  • What should I do if I'm actually sick?

What is mal de debarquement syndrome?

Motion sickness is a normal response to repeated movements, such as going over bumps or around in a circle, send lots of messages to your brain. If you are inside a vehicle, particularly if you are focused on things that are inside the vehicle with you then the signals that your eyes send to the brain may tell it that your position is not changing, whilst your balance mechanisms say otherwise.

Your balance mechanisms in your inner ears sense different signals to those that your eyes are seeing which then sends your brain mixed, confusing messages. This confusion between messages then causes people to experience motion sickness.

Is motion sickness normal?

Motion sickness is a normal response that anyone can have when experiencing real or perceived motion. Although all people can develop motion sickness if exposed to sufficiently intense motion, some people are rarely affected while other people are more susceptible and have to deal with motion sickness very often.

Triggers for motion sickness

Motion sickness can also be triggered by anxiety or strong smells, such as food or petrol. Sometimes trying to read a book or a map can trigger motion sickness. Both in children and adults, playing computer games can sometimes cause motion sickness to occur.

Motion sickness is more common in children and also in women. Fortunately, many children grow out of having motion sickness. It is not known why some people develop motion sickness more than others. Symptoms can develop in cars, trains, planes and boats and on amusement park rides, etc.

Symptoms typically go when the journey is over; however, not always. In some people they last a few hours, or even days, after the journey ends.

There are various symptoms of motion sickness including::

  • Feeling sick (nausea and vomiting).
  • Sweating and cold sweats.
  • Increase in saliva.
  • Headaches .
  • Feeling cold and going pale.
  • Feeling weak.

Some general tips to avoid motion sickness include the following.

Prepare for your journey

  • Don't eat a heavy meal before travelling. Light, carbohydrate-based food like cereals an hour or two before you travel is best.
  • On long journeys, try breaking the journey to have some fresh air, drink some cold water and, if possible, take a short walk.

For more in-depth advice on travelling generally, see the separate leaflets called Health Advice for Travel Abroad , Travelling to Remote Locations , Ears and Flying (Aeroplane Ear) , Jet Lag and Altitude Sickness .

Plan where you sit

  • Keep motion to a minimum. For example, sit in the front seat of a car, over the wing of a plane, or on deck in the middle of a boat.
  • On a boat, stay on deck and avoid the cafeteria or sitting where your can smell the engines.

Breathe fresh air

  • Breathe fresh air if possible. For example, open a car window.
  • Avoid strong smells, particularly petrol and diesel fumes. This may mean closing the window and turning on the air conditioning, or avoiding the engine area in a boat.

Use your eyes and ears differently

  • Close your eyes (and keep them closed for the whole journey). This reduces 'positional' signals from your eyes to your brain and reduces the confusion.
  • Don't try to read.
  • Try listening to an audio book with your eyes closed. There is some evidence that distracting your brain with audio signals can reduce your sensitivity to the motion signals.
  • Try to sleep - this works mainly because your eyes are closed, but it is possible that your brain is able to ignore some motion signals when you are asleep.
  • Do not read or watch a film.
  • It is advisable not to watch moving objects such as waves or other cars. Don't look at things your brain expects to stay still, like a book inside the car. Instead, look ahead, a little above the horizon, at a fixed place.
  • If you are the driver you are less likely to feel motion sickness. This is probably because you are constantly focused on the road ahead and attuned to the movements that you expect the vehicle to make. If you are not, or can't be, the driver, sitting in the front and watching what the driver is watching can be helpful.

Treat your tummy gently

  • Avoid heavy meals and do not drink alcohol before and during travelling. It may also be worth avoiding spicy or fatty food.
  • Try to 'tame your tummy' with sips of a cold water or a sweet, fizzy drink. Cola or ginger ale are recommended.

Try alternative treatments

  • Sea-Bands® are acupressure bands that you wear on your wrists to put pressure on acupressure points that Chinese medicine suggests affects motion sickness. Some people find that they are effective.
  • Homeopathic medicines seem to help some people, and will not make you drowsy. The usual homeopathic remedy is called 'nux vom'. Follow the instructions on the packet.

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All the techniques above which aim to prevent motion sickness will also help reduce it once it has begun. Other techniques, which are useful on their own to treat motion sickness but can also be used with medicines if required, are:

  • Breathe deeply and slowly and, while focusing on your breathing, listening to music. This has been proved to be effective in clinical trials.
  • Ginger - can improve motion sickness in some people (as a biscuit or sweet, or in a drink).

There are several motion sickness medicines available which can reduce, or prevent, symptoms of motion sickness. You can buy them from pharmacies or, in some cases, get them on prescription. They work by interfering with the nerve signals described above.

Medicines are best taken before the journey. They may still help even if you take them after symptoms have begun, although once you feel sick you won't absorb medicines from the stomach very well. So, at this point, tablets that you put against your gums, or skin patches, are more likely to be effective.

Hyoscine is usually the most effective medicine for motion sickness . It is also known as scopolamine. It works by preventing the confusing nerve messages going to your brain.

There are several brands of medicines which contain hyoscine - they also come in a soluble form for children. You should take a dose 30-60 minutes before a journey; the effect can last up to 72 hours. Hyoscine comes as a patch for people aged 10 years or over. (This is only available on prescription - see below.) Side-effects of hyoscine include dry mouth , drowsiness and blurred vision.

Side-effects of motion sickness medicines

Some medicines used for motion sickness may cause drowsiness. Some people are extremely sensitive to this and may find that they are so drowsy that they can't function properly at all. For others the effects may be milder but can still impair your reactions and alertness. It is therefore advisable not to drive and not to operate heavy machinery if you have taken them. In addition, some medicines may interfere with alcohol or other medication; your doctor or the pharmacist can advise you about this.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines can also be useful , although they are not quite as effective as hyoscine. However, they usually cause fewer side-effects. Several types of antihistamine are sold for motion sickness. All can cause drowsiness, although some are more prone to cause it than others; for example, promethazine , which may be of use for young children on long journeys, particularly tends to cause drowsiness. Older children or adults may prefer one that is less likely to cause drowsiness - for example, cinnarizine or cyclizine.

Remember, if you give children medicines which cause drowsiness they can sometimes be irritable when the medicines wear off.

See the separate article called How to manage motion sickness .

There are a number of anti-sickness medicines which can only be prescribed by your doctor. Not all of them always work well for motion sickness, and finding something that works may be a case of trial and error. All of them work best taken up to an hour before your journey, and work less well if used when you already feel sick. See also the separate leaflet called Nausea (Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment) for more detailed information about these medicines .

Hyoscine patch

Hyoscine, or scopolamine, patches are suitable for adults and for children over 10 years old. The medicine is absorbed through your skin, although this method of medicine delivery is slow so the patch works best if applied well before your journey.

You should stick the patch on to the skin behind the ear 5-6 hours before travelling (often this will mean late on the previous night) and remove it at the end of the journey.

Prochlorperazine

Prochlorperazine is a prescription-only medicine which works by changing the actions of the chemicals that control the tendency to be sick (vomit), in your brain. One form of prochlorperazine is Buccastem®, which is absorbed through your gums and does not need to be swallowed. Buccastem® tastes rather bitter but it can be effective for sickness when you are already feeling sick, as it doesn't have to be absorbed by the stomach.

Metoclopramide

Metoclopramide is a tablet used to speed up the emptying of your tummy. Slow emptying of the tummy is something that happens when you develop nausea and vomiting, so metoclopramide can help prevent this. It prevents nausea and vomiting quite effectively in some people. It can occasionally have unpleasant side-effects, particularly in children (in whom it is not recommended). Metoclopramide is often helpful for those who tend to have gastric reflux, those who have slow tummy emptying because of previous surgery, and those who have type 1 diabetes. Your GP will advise whether metoclopramide is suitable for you.

Domperidone

Domperidone , like metoclopramide, is sometimes used for sickness caused by slow tummy emptying. It is not usually recommended for motion sickness but is occasionally used if other treatments don't help. Domperidone is not a legal medicine in some countries, including the USA.

Ondansetron

Ondansetron is a powerful antisickness medicine which is most commonly used for sickness caused by chemotherapy, and occasionally used for morning sickness in pregnancy. It is not usually effective for motion sickness. This, and its relatively high cost means that it is not prescribed for motion sickness alone. However, for those undergoing chemotherapy, and for those who have morning sickness aggravated by travel, ondansetron may be helpful.

What should I do if I'm actually sick?

If you're actually sick you may find that this relieves your symptoms a little, although not always for very long. If you've been sick:

  • Try a cool flannel on your forehead, try to get fresh air on your face and do your best to find a way to rinse your mouth to get rid of the taste.
  • Don't drink anything for ten to twenty minutes (or it may come straight back), although (very) tiny sips of very cold water, coke or ginger ale may help.
  • After this, go back to taking all the prevention measures above.
  • Once you reach your destination you may continue to feel unwell. Sleep if you can, sip cold iced water, and - when you feel ready - try some small carbohydrate snacks. Avoid watching TV (more moving objects to watch!) until you feel a little better.

The sensation called 'mal de debarquement' (French for sickness on disembarking) refers to the sensation you sometimes get after travel on a boat, train or plane, when you feel for a while as though the ground is rocking beneath your feet. It is probably caused by the overstimulation of the balance organs during your journey. It usually lasts only an hour or two, but in some people it can last for several days, particularly after a long sea journey. It does not usually require any treatment.

Persistent mal de debarquement syndrome is an uncommon condition in which these symptoms may persist for months or years.

Dr Mary Lowth is an author or the original author of this leaflet.

Altitude Sickness

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Further reading and references

Leung AK, Hon KL ; Motion sickness: an overview. Drugs Context. 2019 Dec 138:2019-9-4. doi: 10.7573/dic.2019-9-4. eCollection 2019.

Spinks A, Wasiak J ; Scopolamine (hyoscine) for preventing and treating motion sickness. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Jun 15(6):CD002851.

Zhang LL, Wang JQ, Qi RR, et al ; Motion Sickness: Current Knowledge and Recent Advance. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2016 Jan22(1):15-24. doi: 10.1111/cns.12468. Epub 2015 Oct 9.

Lackner JR ; Motion sickness: more than nausea and vomiting. Exp Brain Res. 2014 Aug232(8):2493-510. doi: 10.1007/s00221-014-4008-8. Epub 2014 Jun 25.

Van Ombergen A, Van Rompaey V, Maes LK, et al ; Mal de debarquement syndrome: a systematic review. J Neurol. 2016 May263(5):843-854. doi: 10.1007/s00415-015-7962-6. Epub 2015 Nov 11.

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  • Scopolamine skin patch for nausea (Transderm Scop)
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  • Promethazine (Avomine, Phenergan, Sominex)

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Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions .

travel sickness and vertigo

Are Vertigo and Motion Sickness Related?

motion sickness, upper cervical chiropractic

Are you one of those who experience uncomfortable dizzy spells? If you deal with loss of balance, nausea, or dizziness, even if you are just standing up, you are probably experiencing vertigo. But if you feel the said symptoms while traveling or in a moving vehicle, that is likely to be motion sickness. You can seek an upper cervical chiropractic doctor to help relieve these conditions and get rid of the symptoms accompanying them.

So how will you know what you are experiencing? And how can you stop them? Apart from identifying symptoms yourself and trying out quick-relief remedies, seeking upper cervical chiropractic care can help you pinpoint the bottom of the problem and plan the right approach for you.

Table of Contents

What is vertigo, and why do you get it?

Vertigo makes a patient feel as if the room is spinning; this happens even without an occurrence of actual movement. Consulting with your healthcare provider can help identify the type of vertigo you are experiencing. The most common type is called Peripheral Vertigo , a problem commonly starting from an inner ear disorder, and the other type is called Central Vertigo which stems from a problem in the brain or central nervous system.

Normally, people who get vertigo are those with underlying problems from an infection affecting the balance and stability in the inner ear or those with brain problems. Genes, age, and environment are also some factors to consider. 

Your vertigo attacks can last from a few seconds to a few minutes, but in severe cases, your symptoms can last for several days. If you are looking for a more natural way that does not require medication for vertigo relief, you might want to consider upper cervical chiropractic care.

Symptoms of vertigo

  • Feeling like you’re spinning or moving
  • Problems focusing the eyes
  • Hearing loss in one ear
  • Balance problems
  • Ringing in the ears

What is motion sickness, and why do you get it?

Motion sickness is caused by conflicting information sent to the brain. This normally happens when there is a disconnect between what you’re feeling, what you’re seeing, and what your muscles are experiencing. 

This condition is usually triggered by movement, like when you’re in a moving car, boat, plane, or even rides in the amusement park. For example, when you are in a boat, your brain receives information that you are standing up, but it also gets a signal saying that you are moving. This conflicting information leads to motion sickness.

Anyone can get motion sickness, but pregnant women and children experience it more often. Consult an upper cervical chiropractic care provider if you are repeatedly experiencing motion sickness.

Symptoms of Motion Sickness

  • Increase in saliva production
  • Cold sweats
  • Irritability
  • Shallow Breathing

motion sickness, upper cervical chiropractic

How vertigo and motion sickness are related

According to the National Library of Medicine , vertigo, like motion sickness, may be caused by vestibular stimulation that does not agree or match expected environmental stimuli. Indeed, a functioning vestibular system is necessary to perceive motion sickness. Both conditions are related. They share some common symptoms, and both are related to movements, whether actual or just false sensations.

Natural relief for motion sickness

  • Try to relax, and if you’re starting to feel uncomfortable and dizzy, breathing slowly can mitigate the severity of the symptoms. You can also look for a spot to focus on or close your eyes.
  • Eat light and avoid alcohol before your travel.
  • Don’t smoke or stay away from smokers; breathing fresh air will ease the symptoms you are experiencing.
  • If possible, do not read or use your mobile phones during travel to avoid sending mixed signals to your brain.

Natural relief for vertigo

Albeit temporary, there can be natural ways to relieve vertigo or lessen the symptoms you are experiencing.

  • Slowly and carefully move your head when doing your daily activities.
  • Avoid looking down or bending, especially when picking up items.
  • When reaching for something at a higher spot, avoid extending your neck.
  • Look for simple exercises that will help ease up your symptoms.

Try upper cervical chiropractic for vertigo and motion sickness relief

Vertigo and motion sickness have symptoms that can affect your daily routine and be debilitating. If the temporary methods to provide relief do not work anymore, seeking upper cervical chiropractic care is your next best option for a natural and highly effective regimen. A misalignment in your neck can contribute to the cause of both conditions. 

If your C1 or C2 vertebra is not aligned with the rest, it puts pressure on the brainstem, which sends proper signals to the brain. The brain then gets the message of motion when it is not actually moving, leading to the symptoms of vertigo.

You can put a stop to the inconvenience you experience from vertigo and motion sickness by finding the best upper cervical chiropractic doctor near you. An upper cervical doctor will use safe and gentle methods to make adjustments on your vertebrae, providing complete vertigo relief and less chance of recurrence. Doctors of chiropractic who practice upper cervical care have already helped thousands of patients from different areas and are determined to help more.

Click this link to find a doctor in your area.

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Dizziness and Motion Sickness

Insight into causes and prevention, what is dizziness, what causes dizziness, how will my dizziness be treated.

Feeling unsteady or dizzy can be caused by many factors such as poor circulation, inner ear disease, medication usage, injury, infection, allergies, and/or neurological disease. Dizziness is treatable, but it is important for your doctor to help you determine the cause so that the correct treatment is implemented. While each person will be affected differently, symptoms that warrant a visit to the doctor include a high fever, severe headache, convulsions, ongoing vomiting, chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, inability to move an arm or leg, a change in vision or speech, or hearing loss.

Dizziness can be described in many ways, such as feeling lightheaded, unsteady, giddy, or feeling a floating sensation. Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness experienced as an illusion of movement of one’s self or the environment. Some experience dizziness in the form of motion sickness, a nauseating feeling brought on by the motion of riding in an airplane, a roller coaster, or a boat. Dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. Your sense of balance is maintained by a complex interaction of the following parts of the nervous system:

  • The inner ear (also called the labyrinth), which monitors the directions of motion, such as turning, rolling, forward-backward, side-to-side, and up-and-down motions.
  • The eyes, which monitor where the body is in space (i.e., upside down, right side up, etc.) and also directions of motion.
  • The pressure receptors in the joints of the lower extremities and the spine, which tell what part of the body is down and touching the ground.
  • The muscle and joint sensory receptors (also called proprioception) tell what parts of the body are moving.
  • The central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which processes all the information from the four other systems to maintain balance and equilibrium.

The symptoms of motion sickness and dizziness appear when the central nervous system receives conflicting messages from the other four systems.

Circulation: If your brain does not get enough blood flow, you feel lightheaded. Almost everyone has experienced this on occasion when standing up quickly from a lying-down position. But some people have light-headedness from poor circulation on a frequent or chronic basis. This could be caused by arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, and it is commonly seen in patients who have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high levels of blood fats (cholesterol). It is sometimes seen in patients with inadequate cardiac (heart) function, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), or anemia (low iron).

Certain drugs also decrease the blood flow to the brain, especially stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine. Excess salt in the diet also leads to poor circulation. Sometimes circulation is impaired by spasms in the arteries caused by emotional stress, anxiety, and tension.

If the inner ear fails to receive enough blood flow, the more specific type of dizziness—vertigo—occurs. The inner ear is very sensitive to minor alterations of blood flow and all of the causes mentioned for poor circulation to the brain also apply specifically to the inner ear.

Neurological diseases: A number of diseases of the nerves can affect balance, such as multiple sclerosis, syphilis, tumors, etc. These are uncommon causes, but your doctor may perform certain tests to evaluate these.

Anxiety: Anxiety can be a cause of dizziness and lightheadedness. Unconscious overbreathing (hyperventilation) can be experienced as overt panic, or just mild dizziness with tingling in the hands, feet, or face. Instruction on correct breathing technique may be required.

Vertigo: An unpleasant sensation of the world rotating, usually associated with nausea and vomiting. Vertigo usually is due to an issue with the inner ear. The common causes of vertigo are (in order):

  • Benign Positional Vertigo: Vertigo is experienced after a change in head position such as lying down, turning in bed, looking up, or stooping. It lasts about 30 seconds and ceases when the head is still. It is due to a dislodged otololith crystal entering one of the semicircular balance canals. It can last for days, weeks, or months. The Epley “repositioning” treatment by an otolaryngologist is usually curative. BPV is the commonest cause of dizziness after (even a mild) head injury.
  • Meniere’s disease: An inner ear disorder with attacks of vertigo (lasting hours), nausea, or vomiting, and tinnitus (loud noise) in the ear, which often feels blocked or full. There is usually a decrease in hearing as well.
  • Migraine: Some individuals with a prior classical migraine headache history can experience vertigo attacks similar to Meniere’s disease. Usually there is an accompanying headache, but can also occur without the headache.
  • Infection: Viruses can attack the inner ear, but usually its nerve connections to the brain, causing acute vertigo (lasting days) without hearing loss (termed vestibular neuronitis). However, a bacterial infection such as mastoiditis that extends into the inner ear can completely destroy both the hearing and equilibrium function of that ear, called labyrinthitis.
  • Injury: A skull fracture that damages the inner ear produces a profound and incapacitating vertigo with nausea and hearing loss. The dizziness will last for several weeks and slowly improve as the other (normal) side takes over. BPV commonly occurs after head injury.
  • Allergy: Some people experience dizziness and/or vertigo attacks when they are exposed to foods or airborne particles (such as dust, molds, pollens, dander, etc.) to which they are allergic.

When should I seek medical attention?

Call 911 or go to an emergency room if you experience:

  • Dizziness after a head injury,
  • fever over 101°F, headache, or very stiff neck,
  • convulsions or ongoing vomiting,
  • chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, weakness, a severe headache, inability to move an arm or leg, change in vision or speech, or
  • fainting and/or loss of consciousness

Consult your doctor if you:

  • have never experienced dizziness before,
  • experience a difference in symptoms you have had in the past,
  • suspect that medication is causing your symptoms, or
  • experience hearing loss.

The doctor will ask you to describe your dizziness and answer questions about your general health. Along with these questions, your doctor will examine your ears, nose, and throat. Some routine tests will be performed to check your blood pressure, nerve and balance function, and hearing. Possible additional tests may include a CT or MRI scan of your head, special tests of eye motion after warm or cold water or air is used to stimulate the inner ear (ENG—electronystagmography or VNG—videonystagmography), and in some cases, blood tests or a cardiology (heart) evaluation. Balance testing may also include rotational chair testing and posturography. Your doctor will determine the best treatment based on your symptoms and the cause of them. Treatments may include medications and balance exercises.

Prevention tips

  • Avoid rapid changes in position
  • Avoid rapid head motion (especially turning or twisting)
  • Eliminate or decrease use of products that impair circulation, e.g., tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, and salt
  • Minimize stress and avoid substances to which you are allergic
  • Get enough fluids
  • Treat infections, including ear infections, colds, flu, sinus congestion, and other respiratory infections

If you are subject to motion sickness:

  • Do not read while traveling
  • Avoid sitting in the rear seat
  • Do not sit in a seat facing backward
  • Do not watch or talk to another traveler who is having motion sickness
  • Avoid strong odors and spicy or greasy foods immediately before and during your travel
  • Talk to your doctor about medications

Remember: Most cases of dizziness and motion sickness are mild and self-treatable. But severe cases and those that become progressively worse deserve the attention of a doctor with specialized skills in diseases of the ear, nose, throat, equilibrium, and neurological systems.

IMAGES

  1. Vertigo: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and Diagnosis

    travel sickness and vertigo

  2. Traveling with Vertigo and Dizziness: Helpful Strategies

    travel sickness and vertigo

  3. Getting Vertigo After A Cruise

    travel sickness and vertigo

  4. How to Travel When You Have a Vertigo-Causing Condition

    travel sickness and vertigo

  5. How to Travel When You Have a Vertigo-Causing Condition

    travel sickness and vertigo

  6. Infographic: 21 Ways To Beat Travel Sickness

    travel sickness and vertigo

COMMENTS

  1. Travel Strategies

    Motion sickness is the most common medical problem associated with travel. Dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. You might also suffer from dizziness, vertigo and/or nausea due to an inner ear dysfunction. Suppose you suffer inner ear damage on only one side from a head injury or an infection.

  2. Motion Sickness

    Dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. Researchers in space and aeronautical medicine call this sense spatial orientation, because it tells the brain where the body is "in space" — what direction it is pointing, what direction it is moving, and if it is turning or standing still.

  3. 7 Cures for Vertigo and Motion Sickness

    The goal is to give your eyes a chance to relay the message of motion to your brain, so that the "signals" between your muscles, eyes and inner ear balance without conflict. Keep your focus, too. Try to look at the horizon and keep your head still. If at all possible, avoid sitting around smokers. 4.

  4. Motion Sickness: Best Fixes If Traveling Makes You Ill

    Motion sickness can occur with any mode of travel: on a boat, plane, train, bus or car. ... Both migraine and motion sickness sufferers tend to share the same symptoms of nausea, dizziness and ...

  5. PDF Travel and Vertigo

    Motion sickness during travel occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals about movement. Motion sickness is often triggered by turbulence and vibration and made worse by warmth, anxiety and hunger or overeating. The main symptoms are stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and dizziness.

  6. Motion Sickness

    Motion Sickness. Motion sickness happens when the movement you see is different from what your inner ear senses. This can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. You can get motion sick in a car, or on a train, airplane, boat, or amusement park ride. Motion sickness can make traveling unpleasant, but there are strategies to prevent and treat it.

  7. Motion sickness (travel sickness): Causes, remedies, and symptoms

    Scopolamine - the most commonly prescribed medication for motion sickness. It must be taken before symptoms start. It is available as a patch that is placed behind the ear 6-8 hours before ...

  8. Flying with Vertigo: Tips for Plane Travel with Vertigo

    For some people with dizziness, vertigo, or sensory overload, the overhead announcements may exacerbate their discomfort. These loud overhead announcements continue, although to a lesser extent, on the plane. Some strategies that might help when flying with vertigo include wearing ear plugs or ear muffs to muffle the intensity of the sound.

  9. Motion sickness: First aid

    Motion sickness: First aid. Any type of transportation can cause motion sickness. It can strike suddenly, progressing from a feeling of uneasiness to a cold sweat, dizziness and vomiting. It usually quiets down as soon as the motion stops. The more you travel, the more easily you'll adjust to being in motion.

  10. The Neurophysiology and Treatment of Motion Sickness

    Motion or travel sickness is as old as the various types of motion that cause it, whether on land, in ... Gresty MA. Vertigo and dizziness from environmental motion: visual vertigo, motion sickness, and drivers' disorientation. Semin Neurol. 2013; 33:219-230. [Google Scholar] 19. Golding JF, Gresty MA. Pathophysiology and treatment of ...

  11. Prevention and Treatment of Motion Sickness

    To prevent and reduce symptoms of motion sickness, passengers should look forward at a fixed point on the horizon and avoid close visual tasks. C. 2 - 5. To prevent and reduce symptoms of motion ...

  12. Motion sickness

    Motion sickness is feeling dizzy, or feeling or being sick when travelling by car, boat, plane or train. You can do things to prevent it or relieve the symptoms. Check if you have motion sickness. Symptoms of motion sickness may include: dizziness; feeling sick (nausea) being sick; headache; feeling cold and going pale; sweating

  13. Why Can Motion Sickness Persist, Even After Your Cruise?

    Advertisement. After a few months of therapy, most people feel better and the persistent motion sensation no longer bothers them. However, another cruise — or whatever activity triggered mal de ...

  14. Vertigo: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

    Pulled to one direction. Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include: Feeling nauseated. Vomiting. Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus) Headache. Sweating. Ringing in the ears or ...

  15. Motion Sickness (Travel Sickness): Prevention and Treatment

    Hyoscine is usually the most effective medicine for motion sickness. It is also known as scopolamine. It works by preventing the confusing nerve messages going to your brain. There are several brands of medicines which contain hyoscine - they also come in a soluble form for children.

  16. Are Vertigo and Motion Sickness Related?

    According to the National Library of Medicine, vertigo, like motion sickness, may be caused by vestibular stimulation that does not agree or match expected environmental stimuli. Indeed, a functioning vestibular system is necessary to perceive motion sickness. Both conditions are related. They share some common symptoms, and both are related to ...

  17. Cinnarizine: antihistamine used for travel sickness and vertigo

    Find out how cinnarizine treats travel sickness, vertigo, tinnitus and Ménière's disease, and how to take it. ... Motion sickness Tinnitus Vertigo Useful resources. HealthUnlocked: cinnarizine forum healthunlocked.com. British Tinnitus Association: charity ...

  18. Vertigo

    Causes of vertigo may include: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) - where certain head movements trigger vertigo. migraines - severe headaches. labyrinthitis - an inner ear infection. vestibular neuronitis - inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which runs into the inner ear and sends messages to the brain that help to control ...

  19. Dizziness and Motion Sickness

    Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness experienced as an illusion of movement of one's self or the environment. Some experience dizziness in the form of motion sickness, a nauseating feeling brought on by the motion of riding in an airplane, a roller coaster, or a boat. Dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of ...

  20. Travel Sickness (Meclizine) 25 Mg Chewable Tablet

    Meclizine is an antihistamine that is used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness caused by motion sickness. It may also be used to reduce dizziness and loss of balance ( vertigo ...

  21. Travel Sickness Tablet

    Dimenhydrinate is an antihistamine used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness caused by motion sickness.Do not use this medication in children younger than two years unless directed ...