Feeling queasy on boats, planes, cars or theme park rides is very common. Motion sickness (including seasickness) has been recognised for centuries and affects people of all ages.
For some, it’s a mild inconvenience. For others, it can spoil holidays, cruises or fishing trips altogether. The good news is there are ways to help manage symptoms so you can feel more comfortable when travelling.
Motion sickness happens when the signals from your eyes, inner ears and muscles don’t match. For example:
When your brain receives these mixed messages, it can trigger symptoms of motion sickness.
Your inner ear (vestibular system) plays a big role in balance, but your brain also takes information from your eyes, skin and muscles. When these messages conflict for long enough, motion sickness can result.
Anyone can experience motion sickness, but it tends to be more common in:
It’s not contagious and often improves once the motion stops.
Motion or seasickness can come on quickly and may include:
Symptoms usually settle once the movement stops, but for some people they can linger for a short time afterwards.
For many people, symptoms improve as their body adapts to the movement. Some strategies that may help include:
Always stop what you’re doing and sit or lie down if you feel very unwell.
Some people report benefit from non-medicine options such as:
Evidence for these options is mixed and they don’t work for everyone, but they may be worth discussing with your doctor or pharmacist as part of a wider plan.
If motion sickness is frequent or severe, your doctor or pharmacist may recommend medicines that are specifically used for motion-related nausea and dizziness.
These medicines are usually taken before travel (for example, a couple of hours before a boat, plane or car trip) and may help reduce the likelihood or severity of symptoms in some people. Like all medicines, they can cause side effects such as drowsiness or dry mouth, and they are not suitable for everyone.
Always:
National Custom Compounding supplies a pharmacist-only sea travel capsule formulated for motion-related nausea and seasickness, which can be used under the guidance of a pharmacist or doctor as part of your travel plan.
These capsules are designed to:
Because they are pharmacist-only, our team will ask you a few questions to make sure they are appropriate, especially if you:
You can read more about our sea travel capsules, including pack options and pricing, on our product page: Sea Sickness Travel Capsules
Always follow the directions for use and seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor if symptoms persist, worsen or recur.
Most motion sickness settles once the journey is over. You should seek medical advice promptly if you:
Your GP can help rule out other causes of dizziness or nausea and advise whether further tests or treatments are needed.