How to stop motion sickness and enjoy a cruise to Alaska

I read all comments on my posts, like this one in response to

Rhonda Gales (@RhondaGales) blogger

Your photos are great! I want to do a cruise to Alaska next year, but I’m a little leery. The last cruise that I took, I was sea sick the entire cruise. Any advice on how to avoid it this time, and thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.

Dr. Aletha

Thanks Rhonda we’ve also cruised to Alaska, it was beautiful. You might look for a facility offering desensitization training for motion sickness. Otherwise drugs work but can cause unpleasant side effects. Talk to your doctor.

Rhonda

 

What is motion sickness?

Motion sickness is the unpleasant sensation of motion, either with or without motion actually occurring. Those of us prone to it wonder why some people seek out experiences  like roller coasters.  Symptoms include

• sweating
• nausea with or without vomiting
• dizziness
• imbalance
• general unwell feeling

Fear of motion sickness causes people to forgo activities like airplane travel, boating, amusement park rides, and car trips. But sometimes these activities are unavoidable or people just want to enjoy them.

 

 

Preventing motion sickness

If you don’t want to completely forgo activities that might cause motion sickness, manipulating the situation to minimize or change the motion can help.

Sitting toward the front of a vehicle and facing forward will help.

• Airplanes- sit over the wings
• Boat- sit level with the water facing the waves
• Bus/Van/Car- nearest the front
• Train- lowest level

Use your eyes

• Don’t read
• Focus on the horizon if possible.
• Keep eyes closed (especially if not able to see the horizon) and/or wear sunglasses.

Maintain general wellness

• Be rested, sleep if possible
• Stay hydrated, eat lightly
• Avoid alcohol
• Keep the environment  well ventilated, avoid strong smells
• Listen to soothing music

 

Using medications for motion sickness

One option is to use medication, either for prevention or to treat the symptoms once they occur (not as effective.)

Prevention- using the patch

There are herbal patches  but this one is  prescription only, and most likely to be effective.

Transdermal Scopolamine patch (Transderm-Scop)

1. Apply behind one ear at least 4 hours before travel
2. Replace patch every 72 hours

Other prescription medication

Promethazine (Phenergan) for nausea and vomiting

 

Available OTC- over the counter(NON-PRESCRIPTION)

(These affiliate links are for information only and are not a recommendation to use unless advised by your personal physician.)

• Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
• Diphenhydramine
• Meclizine (Antivert)

 

 

 

 

 

Habituation and Desensitization

The more I travel , the less likely I am to suffer motion sickness without using drugs.  I use the tips above- I don’t read in the car, I sit in the front of a bus. If an airplane encounters turbulence, I lean back, close my eyes, and direct the cool air toward me. I have gradually become habituated to motion, although I still do not ride roller coasters.

There are programs available to desensitize people to motion; the military uses these since pilots and sailors will constantly be exposed to motion and must be able to function.

A former NASA flight surgeon  and fighter pilot developed such a method, naming  it after himself. Dr. Sam Puma developed the Puma Method. 

“The PUMA METHOD consists of a series of simple yet very effective warm-up and conditioning exercises.

These exercises raise your tolerance level to a variety of motion sickness producing activities such as reading in a moving vehicle, riding in a small boat or cruise ship, or flying in an airplane. This process is called habituation.

The exercises use your body’s own habituation mechanism to prevent motion sickness. You don’t need any drugs, so there are no negative side effects.”

(quote from the website)

 

 

Motion Sickness Treatment Makes Waves

This article from Scientific American explains how NASA and the U.S. Navy are finding new ways to help everyone overcome motion sickness.

“Researchers  and those who work with pilots and the military’s most frequent flyers, are especially keen to find better ways to treat motion sickness. And the many civilians who face nausea in cars, planes, boats or even the tamest amusement park rides would welcome a cure without the common side effects of current medications, such as sleepiness, or the questionable efficacy of alternative treatments, such as pressure bracelets.

The path to those ends remains bumpy and filled with more than a few green faces, but new research is closer to finding the best treatments to keep both side effects and lunch down.”

exploring the HEART of healthy travelling

On the way back to Seattle, the ship stopped on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and we toured Bouchart Gardens, a must see on an Alaskan cruise.

Here’s what you should know about what to wear on Alaskan Cruises

Blogger Cathy Lawdanski offers these tips on what to pack for an Alaskan cruise, which is not as easy as packing for a warm weather cruise. Read her helpful tips based on her experience at this link.