Motion Sickness: Symptoms, Who's at Risk, and How to Prevent It

Motion sickness (kinetosis) causes symptoms that include dizziness, nausea, and headache. It occurs when you're moving (in a car, for example) and your brain receives mixed signals from your body, inner ear, and eyes about its surroundings. For instance, if you're below deck on a boat, your inner ear may sense rolling waves but your eyes don't see them. It is also called vertigo or seasickness, and is common in both children and adults, though some risk factors make it more likely.

Motion sickness also can occur due to flight simulators, gaming, amusement park rides, and other "virtual reality" experiences. Self-driving (automated) vehicles also lead to episodes of motion sickness, as people read or work on other tasks rather than driving themselves.

This article explains the symptoms of motion sickness, their causes, and who's at risk. It presents tips on managing your symptoms and ways to prevent motion sickness before it happens.

Who Is at Higher Risk for Motion Sickness?

Studies have shown that essentially everyone has the potential to get motion sickness because it's related to the vestibular system (and its ear-related role in motion, balance, and coordination). It's common, with one study finding up to 25% of large ship passengers (even more on smaller boats) will develop motion sickness within two to three days of the start of an ocean voyage.

For some people, it starts right away, while others only feel sick after they’ve been moving for a long time. Some people are more likely to get motion sickness, including:

• Children aged 2 to 12 years (it can occur in younger children)
• Females
• Younger adults (compared with those over age 60)
• People who are pregnant
• People who get migraine headaches

Other factors that contribute to risk include:

• Alcohol and drug use
• Being sleep deprived
• Poor airflow in a vehicle
• Certain odors, including diesel fuel or cigarette smoke

A small study has shown that people who don't know when or how motion will occur may have more difficulty. Facing forward and watching the horizon may help deal with unpredictable motion and motion sickness.

Symptoms of Motion Sickness

Symptoms of motion sickness can vary significantly from person to person, and the degree to which you feel ill can be less severe or more severe than other people who suffer from vertigo.

Nausea and vomiting are common, but they are not the only symptoms of motion sickness. Other symptoms may include:

• Cold sweats and clammy hands
• Headache
• Hyperventilation (rapid breathing)
• Sensitivity to smells
• Loss of appetite (clinically called anorexia)
• Excessive salivation
• Warm, flushed sensation

Sopite Syndrome

Some people have a subcategory of motion sickness called sopite syndrome. The main symptoms of sopite syndrome include:

• Yawning
• Drowsiness and lethargy
• Mild depression
• Reduced ability to focus on an assigned task

Nausea and vomiting are not symptoms of sopite syndrome, which is one way it’s different from more common types of motion sickness. Sopite symptoms also may occur alone, or they may last longer than other motion sickness symptoms. The precise cause remains unclear, but it's possible another mechanism (including ear-related) is at work.

Medications Can Cause Motion Sickness

Motion sickness symptoms (or their increased severity) can be caused by certain medications. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can cause side effects that result in motion sickness symptoms even when you’re not actually moving.

Nausea, dizziness, and feeling off balance are the vertigo-like side effects that can occur with a wide range of medications. Some of the common medications that may cause these symptoms include:

• Antibiotics such as penicillin, Suprax (cefixime), and Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
  
• Estrogen-containing medications such as birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy
• Bisphosphonates, such as Binosto (alendronate)
  
• Lanoxin (digoxin)
• Inbrija (levodopa)
  
• Narcotic pain medications like Kadian (morphine), OxyContin (oxycodone), or Hysingla ER (hydrocodone)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline)
• Statins such as Crestor (rosuvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin)

Even if you do feel discomfort, do not skip or stop taking your medications without talking to your provider.

Motion Sickness Symptoms and Health Conditions

Motion sickness usually stops within eight hours of ending the activity or movement. If your symptoms do not get better when you stop moving, it could be another condition that causes the same symptoms as motion sickness and you should talk to your provider.

Conditions that can cause similar symptoms to motion sickness include:

• Fluid in the ear
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Meniere’s disease
• Infections
• Injuries
  

Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms to ensure an accurate diagnosis.

Treatment for Motion Sickness

There are a few treatment options for motion sickness. If you're taking medication before traveling, your healthcare provider may suggest a small dose before your trip to see how well it works.

Common medications for treating motion sickness include:

• Bonine (meclizine)
• Dramamine (dimenhydrinate)
• Phenergan (promethazine)

Other options include:

• Anticholinergic drugs, including scopolamine (like the Transderm Scop patch)
• Benzodiazepines like Valium (diazepam)
• Dopamine receptor antagonists like Reglan (metoclopramide)

Acupuncture and other complementary medicine options, such as using the P6 pressure point to control nausea, exist for treating motion sickness. Some experts recommend ginger. However, there is limited research support for their benefits, and motion sickness remains easier to prevent than treat.

Preventing Motion Sickness

Changing your activities or position can help with motion sickness, though reading often leads to motion sickness. Lying down can help, as does limiting your visual input (for example, trees that seem to move as you pass them).

You can also try:

• Sitting in the front seat, if in a vehicle
• Turning air vents toward your face
• Keeping your head still
• Avoiding heavy meals or alcohol use

Natural remedies may help with motion sickness symptoms and their prevention. Try deep breathing exercises, which have been shown to help with seasickness in simulated exercises.

Physical therapy to help you adapt to motion may help, as can transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) using a small device that generates impulses. Cognitive behavioral therapy also may help to treat anxiety related to motion sickness.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Most people see a healthcare provider for motion sickness ahead of planned travel, in order to seek preventive treatment, but other situations do arise. The most common complications of motion sickness include vomiting that leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which can be treated easily. These conditions can, however, cause serious illness in some people.

Other conditions with symptoms similar to motion sickness include:

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which requires immediate care in people diagnosed with diabetes
• Stroke, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention
• Traumatic head injury and concussion, commonly caused by sports injuries or accidents
  

If you feel sick after you hit your head or were in an accident, go to the emergency room or call 911.

Summary

While nausea and vomiting are common, they are not the only symptoms of motion sickness. Some people have other symptoms like fatigue and mood changes. Medications, hormones, and certain activities can make you more likely to get motion sickness.

It's easier to prevent motion sickness than treat it, so talk to your healthcare provider about medication and other treatment options.

If feelings of illness do not go away after the motion stops, your symptoms could be due to another condition. See your healthcare provider if you have motion sickness symptoms that last longer than eight hours.