The Root of the Issue: A Natural Approach to Motion Sickness

Whether it’s a long car ride, a boat trip, or a flight across the country, motion sickness can quickly turn an exciting adventure into an uncomfortable experience. While it’s most commonly associated with travel, motion sickness can also be triggered by activities such as video gaming and virtual reality.

What is Motion Sickness

Motion sickness happens when your brain receives conflicting messages about movement. Your eyes, inner ear, and muscles are constantly working together to tell your brain where your body is in space. When these signals don’t match, your brain becomes confused. Imagine you’re reading a book in the backseat of a moving car. Your inner ear senses the car is in motion, but your eyes are fixed on a stationary page. This sensory mismatch of information can then trigger motion sickness.

Common symptoms of motion sickness include:

• Nausea 
• Dizziness 
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Cold sweats 
• Loss of appetite 
• Increased salivation 

Although motion sickness can affect anyone, research suggests certain groups are more susceptible. These include children, individuals with a history of migraines, anxiety, or vestibular (inner ear) disorders, those with a family history of motion sickness, and women during pregnancy or even during their menstrual cycle. 

Here are several ways to help reduce symptoms of motion sickness and make traveling more comfortable:

Optimize Your Environment:

When traveling, it is important to choose a seat where movement may be felt the least. For example, when traveling by car, sit in the front passenger seat. Fresh, cool air can also help ease nausea and improve overall comfort during travel. If possible, open a window in a car or turn on the overhead air vent when flying. Also, avoiding activities such as reading, looking down at a phone, or working on a laptop while traveling can help reduce sensory mismatches that may cause motion sickness. 

Support Your Body:

Staying well hydrated before and during your trip is important, as dehydration may worsen symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. It is also a good idea to eat a light meal before traveling to avoid any digestive discomfort. Including a source of protein, such as a nut butter or Greek yogurt, may help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Changes in blood sugar may also contribute to motion sickness. 

Keep Ginger on Hand:

Ginger is one of the most well-researched herbs for nausea, including motion sickness. Studies show ginger may help to reduce the severity of nausea by supporting normal stomach emptying and influencing serotonin receptors involved in the nausea response. Ginger is available in a variety of forms, including teas, capsules, chews, and lozenges. 

Give Acupressure a Try:

Acupressure is a helpful technique that can easily be implemented for nausea-related motion sickness. A common acupressure point is Pericardium 6 or P6. To find this point, turn your palm upward and place three fingers below your wrist crease. The P6 point is located just below your third finger, between the two prominent tendons in the center of your inner wrist. Apply firm, gentle pressure for about 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you may also try acupressure wristbands, which are designed to apply pressure to P6. This can be worn during travel to help reduce nausea. 

Consider Homeopathic Support:

Homeopathy is another supportive option for motion sickness. Homeopathic remedies are selected based on a person’s unique symptom picture, including the type of nausea, what makes it better or worse, and any accompanying symptoms. Some remedies commonly considered for motion sickness include:

• Cocculus: Consider when nausea is accompanied by dizziness or lightheadedness or symptoms that worsen with car rides or other forms of travel. Individuals are often better with lying still 
• Tabacum: Consider when nausea is severe and is accompanied by pallor, cold sweat, and dizziness. Individuals are often better with exposure to the open air 
• Ipecac: Consider when there is persistent nausea often accompanied by excessive salivation. Nothing seems to relieve the nausea. 

Motion sickness can be an uncomfortable part of travel, but there are many supportive strategies that may help reduce symptoms and make your journey more enjoyable. By combining simple lifestyle adjustments along with herbal medicine and homeopathy, you can create a personalized approach that works best for you. 

Interested in learning more about homeopathy? Join us for our upcoming class, First Aid with Homeopathy, where we’ll discuss how to build a homeopathic first aid kit, explore commonly used remedies for everyday situations, including motion sickness, and learn how to confidently use them at home.

References:

Ernst E & Pittler MH (2000). Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anaesthesia.

Golding J.F. (2016). Motion Sickness. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol 137. 371-390. 

Murdin L. et al (2014). Motion sickness in migraine and vestibular disorders. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. Vol 86, (5).