Motion Sickness (e.g., Seasickness, Carsickness) -- Who's at Risk?
Motion sickness is especially common in children, and it is more common in women than in men. However, anyone can get motion sickness and most people have experienced it at one time or another.
Evidence suggests that motion sickness affects as many as:
- 33%-50% of passengers on a plane flight with heavy turbulence
- 100% of cruise ship passengers in rough seas
- Approximately 28% of passengers traveling by bus
There are several factors that may affect your likelihood of experiencing motion sickness.
There may be a genetic component, so if you have relatives who experience motion sickness, you are more likely to struggle with it as well. Also, if you've experienced motion sickness in the past, you are more likely to experience it during future travels or trigger exposures.
Long, rough travel by boat, plane, car, bus, or train, as well as travel that includes lots of directional changes or variations in speed, will increase the chance of symptoms. Exposure to unpleasant odors or fumes and/or poor ventilation also bring about the likelihood of motion sickness symptoms.
Although they do not trigger motion sickness, feelings of fear or anxiety are known to lower the threshold for motion sickness symptoms.
Get a handle on anxiety. Take the RealAge Anxiety Health Assessment.
Certain conditions that may increase a person's risk of experiencing motion sickness include:
- pregnancy and menstruation
- illness or poor health
- a hangover
- being overly tired
Finally, any medications that list nausea or vomiting as potential side effects, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), estrogens, or antiobiotics, may make motion sickness symptoms more likely.
For people who experience motion sickness, there are a number of self-care strategies, behavioral interventions, medications, and alternative treatments that may reduce symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of motion sickness may mimic those of pregnancy-related morning sickness, viral illnesses, cardiovascular conditions, inner ear disorders, neurological problems, or other conditions.
For example, although dizziness is a common feature of motion sickness, it also can occur when the brain does not receive enough blood or when a person is dehydrated. Dizziness also could be a feature of a cold, the flu, or allergies. Extreme stress or anxiety may produce feelings of lightheadedness in some people, as well.
Learn about common symptoms of allergies by taking the RealAge Allergies Health Assessment.
Likewise, a variety of conditions may contribute to nausea and/or vomiting, including viral illnesses, food poisoning, side effects from chemotherapy, migraine headaches, morning sickness, excess alcohol intake, and certain medications.
However, if your symptoms are limited to times of travel, it's less likely that they are caused by these other conditions.
