Ways to stop motion sickness

Motion sickness develops when signals from the eyes and the balance organs do not agree, such as when the body moves but the eyes are reading nearby text. Nausea, dizziness, sweating, pallor, headache, and vomiting can follow. Symptoms often ease when the movement stops, although tiredness or queasiness may linger. Other illnesses can also cause nausea, so symptoms outside travel need a different assessment.

Choose a seat with the least movement: near the front of a car, over the wings of a plane, or toward the centre of a boat. Face forwards, look at a distant fixed point or the horizon, and avoid reading or using a screen. Keep your head still, seek cool fresh air, and take small sips of water. Eat a light meal rather than travelling on a very full stomach, and avoid alcohol. If you have had motion sickness before, ask a pharmacist about a suitable medicine before departure; some options cause drowsiness and can affect driving.

Seek medical advice if vomiting continues after travel, you cannot keep fluids down, you have signs of dehydration, or dizziness is severe or unusual. Urgent help is needed for fainting, confusion, severe headache, chest pain, weakness, or new trouble speaking or walking. Recurrent symptoms on ordinary days may need assessment rather than travel remedies alone.

Which seat and medicine suit my journey? Could my current medicines or health conditions affect treatment? How can I avoid drowsiness if I need to drive, work, or care for someone?