Is Motion Sickness Dangerous?

Children experience a nauseous, dizzy feeling after stepping off a merry-go-round--a feeling called motion sickness. Some children and adults also experience this feeling when riding in a car or flying in an airplane.

Identification

• Motion sickness is a disturbance in the middle ear that develops from repeated motion. This feeling causes a loss of balance and equilibrium.

Causes

• Motion sickness results from unintentional movements of the body, mainly caused by flying, driving and sailing. Even watching a 3-D movie can cause motion sickness.

Complications

• Motion sickness is not dangerous and will pose not health complications, although some people are so incapacitated by it that they cannot travel or move around.

Symptoms

• Motion sickness symptoms are nausea, dizziness, vertigo, sweating and feeling unwell. These symptoms may be present while moving or staying still, after the stopping the motion.

Treatment

• Antihistamine medications can treat and prevent motion sickness. They work by calming the stimulation in the middle ear. Antihistamines prescribed for motion sickeness are Bonine, Antivert and Dramamine. These drugs are also available over the counter.