Motion sickness is characterized by loss of equilibrium associated with nausea and vomiting that results from irregular or rhythmic movements or from the sensation of motion. Removal of the stimulus restores normal equilibrium. Motion sickness also can be induced when patterns of motion differ from what the patient has previously experienced.
Motion sickness may result from excessive stimulation of the labyrinthine receptors of the inner ear by certain motions, such as those experienced in a car, boat, plane, or swing. The disorder may also be caused by confusion in the cerebellum from conflicting sensory input — the visual stimulus (a moving horizon) conflicts with labyrinthine perception. Predisposing factors include tension or fear, offensive odors, or sights and sounds associated with a previous attack. Motion sickness from cars, elevators, trains, and swings is most common in children; from boats and airplanes in adults. People who suffer from one kind of motion sickness aren’t necessarily susceptible to other types.
Typically, motion sickness induces nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, fatigue, diaphoresis and, occasionally, difficulty in breathing, leading to a sensation of suffocation. These symptoms usually subside when the precipitating stimulus is removed, but they may persist for several hours or days.
The best way to treat the disorder is to stop the motion that’s causing it. If this isn’t possible, the patient will benefit from lying down, closing his eyes, and trying to sleep. Antiemetics, such as dimenhydrinate, cyclizine, meclizine, and scopolamine (transdermal patch), may prevent or relieve motion sickness.
❑ Tell the patient to avoid exposure to precipitating motion whenever possible. The traveler can minimize motion sickness by sitting where motion is least apparent (near the wing section in an aircraft, in the center of a boat, or in the front seat of an automobile). Instruct him to keep his head still and his eyes closed or focused on a distant and stationary object. An elevated car seat may help prevent motion sickness in a child by allowing him to see out the front window.
❑ Instruct the patient to avoid eating or drinking for at least 4 hours before traveling and to take an antiemetic 30 to 60 minutes before traveling, or to apply a transdermal scopolamine patch at least 4 hours before traveling. Tell the patient with prostate enlargement or glaucoma to consult a physician or pharmacist before taking antiemetics.
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Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
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More About This Book:
Title: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition) Authors: Springhouse Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright: 2005 ISBN: 1-58255-370-X 
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