Do cruises and car trips make your stomach churn? Pharmacist Doug White reviews the best strategies for smooth sailing from pills to patches to wristbands.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Do planes, trains and automobiles make you queasy? Do you turn green the moment your ship leaves port?
Welcome to motion sickness, a miserably common ailment that can often be prevented.
One way is with over-the-counter antihistamines. Swallow a dose 30 to 60 minutes before you travel and prepare to be drowsy, a fairly common side effect.
Still haven’t found your “sea legs?”
You doctor can prescribe scopolamine in a pill or a patch. The pill works for six to eight hours. The tiny patch, which is tucked behind your ear, works for three days.
But be sure to apply it four to eight hours before you hit the road or set sail. As for side effects scopolamine can cause a dry mouth, dizziness, and may make you want to snooze.
Beyond medicine, there are a few promising but not fully proven remedies. Some people swear by ginger supplements.
You also can slide on a wristband with a button or magnet that presses the “p6” acupressure point. Side effects are few, but it’ll never match your gown for formal night on the ship!
The best strategy is to plan ahead:
– Eat a light snack before your trip.
– Position yourself in the front seat of a car, over the front edge of an airplane wing or toward the front of a boat.
– And get plenty of fresh air.
That should help make your travels a breeze.