Motion sickness: Taking the misery out of getting there

My very first 'overseas' trip was aboard an elegant old P and O ship cruising the Pacific islands. I was 15 and I'd never had so much fun in my life as during those 10 days. My younger brothers loved it too, as did my father (once we cleared Sydney Heads, the grog was at duty-free prices, much to dad's delight). In fact, everyone loved the shipboard life – except mum.
She spent all but the last two days of the trip flat on her back suffering from severe motion sickness, sick as a proverbial (sea) dog. Finally, it took a needle from the ship's doctor to get her on her feet and never has anyone been happier to see those Heads and dry land.
These days, people who experience motion sickness needn't suffer like mum.
Modern vessels are fitted with very sophisticated stabilisers to complement their design and there are much more effective medications for motion sickness, too. (Not that motion sickness is restricted to ships: you can experience it on planes, trains and in cars, too.)
Still, motion sickness would be one of the most common issues raised by callers planning a cruising holiday. Our travel health advisory service (1300 360 164*) gets numerous calls on cruising and motion sickness every day.
Despite the occasional headline-grabbing outbreak of norovirus and the black eye the industry suffered last week after the Carnival Triumph debacle in the Gulf of Mexico, cruising remains enormously popular.
And, why not? It's a fun, relaxing, good-value holiday – and you only have to unpack once.
That said, on average 3-in-10 travellers can expect to experience some degree of motion sickness during their journey.
So, we've put together some advice and preventative tips to smooth out your next trip.

WHO SUFFERS MOST: Women - especially when pregnant, menstruating, or on hormones – and kids aged 3-12 are most likely to be affected by motion sickness. Migraine sufferers are prone to motion sickness during a migraine attack (and more likely to get a migraine when suffering from motion sickness) as are those people who suffer from anxiety or are in poor health generally. The good news is that the incidence of motion sickness decreases with age: It's uncommon among elderly travellers.

THE SYMPTOMS: Among a range of symptoms, nausea, sweating, increasing salivation, lethargy, apathy, and eventually, vomiting are most common. And, believe it or not, experts say people who expect to be sick are more likely to experience symptoms.

PREVENTION: Try... sitting in the middle of the boat/car/plane, using a pillow to keep your head still, and fixing your eyes on the horizon. Avoid looking at moving objects and don't read – both are likely to make symptoms worse. A small meal followed by light snacks during the trip are better than one large meal before you begin your journey – especially one accompanied by alcohol. There is some evidence that ginger reduces vomiting and perhaps nausea in adults, however there's no evidence for claims that acupressure, magnets or other devices prevent motion sickness.

AVAILABLE MEDICATIONS: There are very effective medications to prevent motion sickness – but none to cure it. These include Dimenhydrinate, Promethazine, Hyoscine hydrobromide (Kwells), and Benzodiazepines – all of which are available in Australia. Speak to your doctor about the most appropriate medication for you. These are suitable for kids aged 2 or older and if your child is prone to motion sickness your doctor can advise the correct dose for their age and/or weight. Other medications not available in Australia, but commonly used, are Scopolamine patches and Cinnarizine.

MEDICATION SIDE-EFFECTS: Drowsiness is a common side effect of motion sickness drugs, so it's definitely not advisable to be driving, steering or flying to your destination after taking a dose. In fact, these drugs can have other undesirable side-effects – it's a good idea to discuss the pros and cons with your doctor. We also recommend that you try out the medication before travelling to gauge any ill effects – especially in children.

Bon voyage!

-Laurie Sullivan

Read more on motion sickness in the CDC's Yellow Book on travel, or speak with a travel health expert about staying healthy on your next journey on Travelvax Australia's obligation-free advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free for landlines).