Car sickness or motion sickness develops when your inner ear senses motion that your eyes do not see. For example, you may be sitting still in the car, but the car is moving or in motion. Your body becomes conflicted and sends a signal to the brain. When your brain receives the signal, there is a release of a neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitter released is mistaken by your body as hallucinogenic poisoning. To counteract the hallucinogenic poisoning, your body will produce symptoms such as sweatiness, drowsiness, dizziness or nausea. These symptoms develop as a way for your body to rid itself of the poisoning. If you are one of many people who experience the symptoms of car sickness, there are some things that you can do to help alleviate the symptoms.
Watch Outside Scenery
While traveling in a car and experiencing motion sickness, try to watch the passing scenery. Look at the horizon in the distance to resolve your body’s imbalance. Avoid focusing on fixed spots or objects within your car, such as reading.
Sit in the Front Seat
Sitting in the front passenger seat of a car can help alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness. People that sit in the back seat of a car will experience a rougher rider because of bumps in the road than if they were riding in the front seat. While in the front seat of a car, you can pretend you are actually driving and focus on the road. People who drive a vehicle rarely develop any motion sickness symptoms.
Close your eyes
If you start to experience motion sickness, try closing your eyes for a little while. When you close your eyes your body tries to restore its natural balance. If possible, try to go to sleep so you are not aware of the vehicle in motion. During sleep is when your body tries to repair itself.
Cool Air
Sometimes lowering a car window and letting fresh, cool air circulate into the interior of the car can help prevent motion sickness. If the temperature is hot outside of the car, turn on the air conditioner. Cooler air can produce a calming effect on your body and make you feel better.
Avoid Scents
Sometimes certain scents can trigger dizziness or nausea in people that experience motion sickness. If scents such smoke, food or air fresheners bother you, then try to keep those scents out of your car. If the scent is contained in the fabric of your car, then try leaving your car windows open over night to rid your car of the scent. If needed, you can try to spray a soothing mint or lavender air to cover up the smell. However, if you do use an air freshener, make sure to avoid bold, overpowering scents.
Natural Remedies
1.Ginger root has anti-nausea prevention properties. Go to a health or grocery store to purchase ginger cookies, ginger candies, ginger tea or ginger root caplets. You can eat the ginger cookies before and during your car trip. If you prefer ginger tea, then place the tea in a thermos and drink as needed during the trip. It is a good idea to keep ginger candies readily available in your car in case you do not have cookies or tea. Ginger candies come in chewables and are covered in a sugar coating and may produce a little heat. If you do not like the taste of ginger, you can purchase over-the-counter ginger root caplets that supply a concentrated dose. The recommended dose for adults is to take 1 or 2 caplets before traveling.
2.An alternative to ginger is peppermint. Keep hard peppermint candy in your car and use as symptoms occur. Make sure that you do not chew the candy or else your motion sickness can occur again after the candy is gone. Lemon drop candy is also good to alleviate symptoms if you don’t like peppermint.
Over the Counter Medicine
If you prefer to use over the counter medicines, you can purchase medicine that is made specifically for motion sickness. Most of these medicines contain dimenhydrinate, meclizine or scopolamine. Antihistamines are also another over the counter medicine that can prevent motion sickness. Make sure the note the side effects of any medicine that you take because some medicines can cause drowsiness.
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Andrew Handley writes about healthy and safe driving at http://www.proctorhonda.com/. Some other topics he likes are recent technological advances and travel, especially when combined with camping.