What should you know about increased motion sickness?

Motion sickness develops when the brain receives mismatched information from vision, the inner ear, and body movement sensors. It may cause nausea, cold sweating, dizziness, headache, excess saliva, or vomiting. Reading, looking down at a screen, or travelling in a vehicle with frequent turns can intensify the mismatch.

Travel sickness can affect people who are otherwise well. It may become more troublesome with poor sleep, anxiety about travel, strong smells, or a recent stomach illness. The pattern, setting, and associated symptoms help a clinician decide whether another problem needs consideration.

Choose a seat with the least movement: near the front of a car, over the wings of an aircraft, or in the middle of a boat. Face forward, look at a stable point on the horizon, keep fresh air moving, and avoid reading or prolonged screen use. Small, light meals and regular sips of water may be easier than a heavy meal.

Ask a pharmacist or clinician about travel-sickness medicine before departure. Some options cause drowsiness, so check whether driving, alcohol, or other medicines could make that effect stronger. A Travel Health Consultation can help if journeys are frequent or symptoms are difficult to control.

Get urgent help for severe headache, fainting, chest pain, weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, or vomiting that prevents you keeping fluids down. Arrange medical review if dizziness continues after travel, episodes occur without movement, or symptoms are becoming more frequent.

Which travel position is likely to help me? Is medicine suitable with my health conditions and current treatments? Could persistent dizziness or vomiting point to a cause other than motion sickness?