You’re about to go on a trip with your family, it’s a long 3 hour car ride and you’re already suffering from travel sickness before you leave. You usually get car sick while traveling and you start to feel a strange sensation as soon as the journey begins: you are nauseous, a cold sweat drenches you, you turn pale and your vision becomes cloudy… You’ve tried it all: chewing gum, eating sweets, sucking a lemon, listening to music, but nothing solves it. The truth is that the same thing always happens to you and you do not know how to solve it.
Do not give up hope; you are not alone. A lot of people are in the same position, and there are some techniques that will help you overcome it.
What exactly is dizziness?
It is the term used to describe several sensations that occur at the same time, such as fainting, weakness and instability. Dizziness can occur for many different reasons. It is frequently necessary to have a medical consultation, as it can affect daily life and be a symptom of other diseases, although it is only in rare cases that it endangers your life.
Do not confuse it with vertigo, which is a dizziness that generates a false sense that you or the environment is moving.
In the case of dizziness in the car, boat, etc. it is a motion sickness, which is a disorder generated in the body due to movement. The body experiences a difference between what it sees and what it feels. Technically, there is an excessive simulation in internal structures of the ear. These are the ones that regulate balance, which is why dizziness occurs.
Usually, children, pregnant women, the elderly and pets are the most affected by this condition. Their symptoms may be:
- Nausea
- Feeling faint
- Loss of balance
- False sensation of movement (vertigo)
- Blurry vision
What do I do to avoid this travel sickness?
Although the symptoms are annoying and very unpleasant, you can fight them (even avoid them) by following these tips:
- Keep the windows of the car open a bit. The closed environment of the car does not help, so letting the air circulate inside the vehicle is a good idea. You will be able to breathe better and relax.
- Sit in the front. There is more movement in the back of the car.
- Just relax. Close your eyes and try to sleep; it will help you.
- Look at a distant point. Do not look at a point inside the vehicle, read a book or look at your phone. It is best to fix your view on a distant point in the landscape.
- Hydrate your body. Take a bottle of water and drink small sips. Try to make regular stops to stretch your legs and get some fresh air.
- Do not eat a lot, but do not fast either since you can lower your glucose level, which will not help you to avoid dizziness.
- Wear light clothes. Even if it is cold, you do not want to be too warm inside the vehicle.
Some doctors recommend taking medication to prevent the travel sickness. If you do take some, it should be prescribed by a professional. It should also be noted that some home remedies that can help relieve some symptoms. Chamomile infusions one hour before leaving on a trip can relieve dizziness, a teaspoon of ginger will help with nausea and even chewing on mint leaves can help you calm the digestive system.
*Content validated by the mediQuo medical team.
