|  | Conditions Treatments | Illness

Tips and Cures for Seasickness

Seasickness, a form of motion sickness that can occur during sea travel, happens when your inner ear, eyes, skin receptors and other sensory nerves that affect your sense of balance send conflicting signals to your brain about motion. Symptoms may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, cold sweating and a general feeling of discomfort. You can prevent and treat seasickness with medicine, natural remedies and by planning ahead.

  1. Prevent or Treat Seasickness with Medicine

    • A variety of medicines can prevent seasickness or reduce symptoms if seasickness occurs. Prescription scopolamine, available in oral pills or a coin-sized patch called Transderm Scop, helps prevent nausea and vomiting. Take scopolamine pills or place the patch behind your ear four to eight hours before sea travel for 72-hour protection. Promethazine tablets or syrup, which should be taken before or during travel, may also prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting. You can also prevent and treat seasickness by taking an over-the-counter antihistamine, such as Dramamine or Benadryl, 30 to 60 minutes before travel or during travel. Antihistamines will cause drowsiness, but they can prevent or reduce the effect of motion that causes seasickness.

    Prevent Seasickness by Planning Ahead

    • You can further prevent seasickness with the choices you make at home before traveling. When you make reservations for a cruise ship, request a cabin in the front or middle of the ship and near the waterline, where there's the least amount of motion. Make sure you eat the day before and the day of travel, but don't overeat, and avoid greasy, spicy and acidic foods, which are slow to digest and may cause dehydration. You should also avoid alcohol the night before travel. Fatigue can make you more susceptible to seasickness, so make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before travel.

    Prevent Seasickness While on Board

    • Even if you feel fine after the ship sails out, symptoms of seasickness can occur suddenly, so continue to take preventative measures once you're on board. Eat small meals containing foods that are easy to digest to avoid upsetting your stomach. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during sea travel. Avoid reading and make sure you get enough fresh air. While you're on deck, focus on a fixed point on the horizon. Don't smoke and avoid smokers and smoking areas, especially if the odor makes you feel sick. You should also avoid people who weren't so lucky in preventing seasickness, as being around someone who is seasick may cause you to feel sick.

    Treat Seasickness and Symptoms with Natural Remedies

    • If you find yourself seasick despite all of your preventative efforts, you can treat seasickness and ease symptoms with natural remedies. Stay on deck, get fresh air and focus on the horizon to reduce the effects of motion. You can also sit or lie down, keeping your head still and resting on a headrest, because head movement can worsen seasickness. To settle an upset stomach, eat dry crackers and sip on clear, carbonated drinks, such as ginger ale. Although not proven as effective treatments for seasickness, many people find that ginger, in pill, tablet or powder form, and peppermint soothe symptoms of seasickness, especially an upset stomach.

Illness - Related Articles