Coping with motion sickness

With around one third of us experiencing travel sickness at some point, clever preventive tricks can stop your journey ruining a summer staycation

- DR PHILIPPA KAYE

Raise your hand if you spent your childhood feeling sick in the back of a car? Or as a parent continually dealing with a nauseous or vomiting child? Or if you get motion sickness yourself? Lots and lots of us, I bet!

Motion sickness is extremely common and, with many people packing into cars, trains and coaches for the great UK summer staycation of 2021, it’s likely that there will be a lot of people feeling slightly or severely sick on the way. Add into the mix a ferry or hovercraft journey to an island, or even a sightseeing boat along a river, and many more people will be affected – and don’t forget getting on a plane! In fact, some people will even get motion sickness on a fairground ride or playing video games. Motion sickness, travel sickness, sea or air sickness all refer to the same condition.

Motion sickness can affect anyone of any age, but it is more common in children, many of whom seem to grow out of it, and in women. It also seems to be more common if other family members are affected, or if you are pregnant, or due or are on your period. It is also more likely if you have another condition which affects balance, such as inner ear problems like labyrinthitis or neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease.

It can be triggered by reading a book or a map while driving, or induced or worsened by strong smells, such as at the petrol station when filling up. We don’t know why it seems to happen in some people and not others, nor why for most people the symptoms resolve after the journey is over and they stop moving, but for others the symptoms can last longer.

‘It is more common in children and women’