I’m going to start yet another one of our blogs referencing downhill skiing road trips with my family. But this one is not nearly the fun topic that tire traction in certain weather conditions was. This one is much less pleasant.
We did a lot of traveling when I was a kid, the majority of which were populated by the twisty-turney hairpin roads of the Carolina mountains (yes, they exist). Sadly, I had to begin each ski trip trying desperately to part the fog of 90’s Dramamine and focus all of my energy on keeping my eyes open long enough to get to the bottom of the slope before dozing off on the chair lift. Thanks to car sickness, the mornings of most family ski trips are an extremely vague, dreamy memory.
And now, with the school year closing down and the summer road trip plans opening up, I’m going to share what I’ve learned from copious amounts of research and experience, if only to save a few from the foggy memories of childhood vacations.
The most popular theory as to the cause of motion sickness is a disagreement between the senses that track motion – the inner ear, and the eye. So in the case of motion sickness caused by air travel, boat travel, or car travel, you are inside of a vehicle that leads your eye to believe you are not moving, but the fluid in your inner ear that determines balance can sense that you are moving. On the converse, some people will experience motion sickness while watching movies or playing video games, when your eyes are perceiving motion, and your ears can’t feel a thing.
The concept follows that motion sickness is a defense mechanism, nausea being triggered by your brain interpreting the clash of sensory information as hallucinations, assuming that you have been poisoned by some variety of neurotoxin. The brain releases transmitters to cause nausea in an effort to void the body of toxins. (The human body is an amazing thing, isn’t it?)
Well, sort of. Because motion sickness is incredibly unpleasant. So here’s how you can attempt to avoid it.
PREVENT MOTION SICKNESS:
– Keep your head very still. Some believe sleeping is the best way to do this.
– Avoid alcohol and heavy or fatty meals. Food or drink with high acidity content are more likely to upset your stomach when your brain starts sending signals to it. Sticking to light, low-fat snacks before a long trip is best.
– Eat and hydrate. Believe it or not, you’re more likely to become nauseated on an empty stomach, because there’s nothing there to combat the stomach acid. Keep it light, but make sure it’s not empty.
– Avoid anything over-stimulating to the senses. Strong odors, spicy foods, even bright light can irritate your senses, and further irritate the movement sensation, thus the nauseated feeling being caused by it. Pretty weird, right?
– Take Dramamine, or some other variety of over-the-counter antihistamine created to treat this variety of nausea. Dramamine now makes a supposedly less-drowsy version, but it still knocks me out. Which could very easily be a good thing in the case of kids, couldn’t it? (PS: Children’s Dramamine also works on pups who get carsick, but make sure you talk to your vet before you decide on dosage.)
– Transdermal Patches. Also known as Scopolamine, this patch is placed directly behind your ear and releases medicine through your skin to prevent nausea.
– Buy the Wristband. There are a variety of these on the market now, with a small round object that presses directly on a specific vein in your wrist. The idea is a concept of acupuncture to relieve nausea. And it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than buying your own Google Glass to alter perspective.
– Alter Your Perspective or Block the Perception of Motion. This is basically tricking your brain. Supposedly, if you focus your view on the distant horizon through the front windshield of a vehicle, your eyes will then see that you are moving, now in sync with the motion detected in your inner ear, thus preventing the detection of hallucination.
Or, if you’ve already fallen victim to the unpleasant wooziness:
HOW TO TREAT MOTION SICKNESS
– Meds. Of course, it would be most effective if you took it beforehand, but the transdermal patches, dramamine, and other medicines are still effective if the nausea has already hit.
– Chew Gum. Preferably the minty variety. Your guess is as good as ours as to why it works – perhaps the combination of mint to settle your stomach, jaw action to disrupt your inner ear, and simply distracting you from being aware of the nausea?
– Hot Tea. Preferably decaffeinated. Warm liquids are easier on the stomach than ice water is, and staying hydrated is vital. Bonus points if you add one of the next two remedies to the tea.
– Peppermints. The menthol in mints relaxes stomach muscles, making it less likely for your nausea to actually result in anything even more unpleasant.
– Lemon, Green Apple, or Apple Cider Vinegar. The basic properties in all of these ingredients help fight the acidity that causes nausea.
– Ginger or Ginger Ale. Raw and crystallized ginger has been long known to solve any malady in multiple cultures. A little goes a long way, so be careful with it. It has also been disputed among researchers whether traditional, Americanized ginger ale would have the same affect. Personally, I find it does. Particularly the Michigander Vernor’s, though I’m sure Carolina Ginger Ale would also be effective.
– Olives contain tannins, which dry out your mouth, fighting another symptom of motion sickness, excessive saliva. Additionally, the saltiness can feel comforting to your upset tummy.
Do you have any preventative measures or remedies to motion sickness?
To get the most out of your family road trip, make sure you have the perfect family car.
If you enjoy Road Trip tips and tricks, check out our blogposts on Preparing Your Car For a Long Trip, Travel Tips with Kids, or Vehicle Pet Safety Tips.
You can also learn how to keep the ride a bit smoother on your next car trip by buying the right tires.
This post was written by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.
Connect with us
