Motion sickness

I was in the Mere Monique Chapel in Iloilo City July 19 to attend the wedding of a lovely couple, Kenneth Woo, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joachim and Brenda Woo, and Patricia Servando, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio “Taboy” and Christine Servando.

I was planning to take the last trip back and was preparing for a “bumpy” ride. As a precaution, I prepared for the inevitable “seasickness”, hence, I am sharing these few nuggets of wisdom.

Sea sickness actually belongs to a syndrome known as motion sickness. Other conditions that are similar to this are travel sickness, space sickness and cyber sickness. Motion sickness happens when we are subjected to motion or the perception of motion. It is our brain that receives messages or inputs from vestibular (from our inner ear), visual (what we see), proprioceptive receptors (muscle and joint sensors), and skin receptors (what we feel) in our body.

Being tossed from side to side due to the air turbulence that you cannot see can send conflicting messages to your brain, resulting to motion sickness. Even virtual motions, such as watching a film in a large screen, can cause motion sickness. Anyone can have motion sickness but a few studies have reported that there is increased frequency and severity of symptoms in women, and pregnant women as well as persons with migraine are more susceptible. The highest incidence is reported at ages 3 to16 years old.

The earliest symptom of motion sickness is oftentimes described as a sense of fullness and discomfort in the epigastric area. Other symptoms may be vague, such as a feeling of tiredness, drowsiness and even irritability. The hallmark symptom, however, is nausea.

In treating motion sickness, we must understand that prevention is the way to do it. Hence, there are available over-the-counter medicines that can work. The two most commonly used drugs are anticholinergics and antihistamines. You can ask your doctor which drug is best suited for you, but, in the meantime, here are a few tips on how to avoid motion sickness.

When travelling on a ship, choose lower level cabins near the center of the ship since there is less motion there. In an airplane, the middle part over the wing is said to be the calmest part. When riding a car or train, do not sit facing backwards from your direction of travel. Ride on the front seat of a car. Choose a seat where you can focus on the horizon or the scenery.

Do not read in a moving vehicle. Be sure to get a good night's rest a day before your travel. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcoholic beverages. Avoid heavy and oily food hours before traveling. To minimize head movements, lean back on the headrest. Lastly, avoid people who have motion sickness. Sometimes, seeing others having motion sickness can also make you feel like having one.

God has blessed me with a safe and tranquil trip with no motion sickness whatsoever.

And to the newlyweds, Ken and Pat Woo, as you start a new journey together, may God be the center of your marriage and may His guidance be with you every step of the way. Congratulations and God bless you.*

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