How To Avoid Getting Car Sick

How To Avoid Motion Sickness When Travelling By Car Bus Or Train

Do car, bus or train trips make you or your child feel queasy? Youre not alone! Motion sickness is common, but unfortunately not very fun! Nothing will ruin a scenic road trip or train commute faster than having your head in a motion sickness bag.

Knowing the steps you can take to avoid nausea, vomiting or dizziness due motion sickness can help ensure your next trip stays on course.

What Is Sopite Syndrome

The sopite syndrome is a poorly understood response to motion. Drowsiness and mood changes are the primary characteristics of the syndrome. The sopite syndrome can exist in isolation from more apparent symptoms such as nausea, can last long after nausea has subsided, and can debilitate some individuals.

Why Do Dogs Get Carsick

Nobody knows for sure why dogs get carsick, but the theories are similar to those for why people get carsick. The primary theory is that the sensory signals reaching the brain from the eyes dont match the signals reaching the brain from the vestibular movement-sensing areas of the inner ear and those mixed signals trigger nausea and vomiting response.

However, we do know that puppies and young dogs tend to experience motion sickness and get carsick more often than adult dogs. Some dogs grow out of their car sickness, but others do not. And if feeling and being carsick has given them bad associations with the car and brought on some travel anxiety, you might still see signs even if your dog has technically grown out of their motion sickness.

PRO TIP: While the exact reasons for why puppies and young dogs tend to experience motion sickness more than adult dogs are still unknown, part of it might be that puppies and small dogs are less likely to be able to see out the window during travel. For young and small dogs suffering from car sickness, you could try restraining them in a travel booster seat, which can help keep them stable and safe while also being able to see out the window. See more about pet travel restraint, including our top picks for pet travel booster seats, in our “Buckle Up Your Pup” article.

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How To Prevent And Get Rid Of Car Sickness

Do you regularly suffer from car sickness? Victims of being car sick typically experience a combination of the following symptoms while driving or riding in a car:

• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Getting car sick can be such a frustrating condition, but there are ways to cope. Here are some things you can try the next time you feel car sickness coming on!

Maintain Fresh Air Circulation

Oftentimes the smell of fast food or gasoline fumes can trigger a sick feeling in individuals prone to getting car sick. To prevent this, keep the windows down while passengers or you are eating so that air can circulate and get rid of the smell. Whenever traffic is heavy, the smell of gasoline tends to be stronger. So if there are a lot of vehicles on the road around you, keep the windows up and use the air conditioning to circulate air.

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How Do You Clean Throw Up Out Of A Car

Unfortunately, some kids still get carsick, and dont rush out of the car fast enough to barf. So, before you know it, you have a backseat full of puke. But no worries, getting vomit out of a car is easier than you think. Mix a solution of vinegar and water and wipe down the seats. This will cut the smell and serve as a disinfectant. But feel free to use store-bought cleaners too just make sure to check the warning label and instructions on the bottle to ensure its suitable for the fabric in your car. While cleaning out the vomit, make sure the windows and doors are open to prevent yourself from feeling queazy. In this situation, youre going to want to clean soon rather than later. Fresh vomit is easier to get rid of than hardened bile. Its acidic, and the longer its left on your car seats, the more damage and discoloration it may cause.

Here are a few things youll need to rid your car of vomit quickly and thoroughly.

• Rubber gloves
• Something to scoop out the bile like a large spoon, magazine or large piece of cardboard
• Garbage bags
• Baking soda or coffee grounds to absorb the vomit
• Soft-bristle brush or soft rag
• Vacuum

Preventing Motion Sickness Without Medicine

Avoiding situations that cause motion sickness is the best way to prevent it, but that is not always possible when you are traveling. The following strategies can help you avoid or lessen motion sickness.

• Sit in the front of a car or bus.
• Choose a window seat on flights and trains.
• If possible, try lying down, shutting your eyes, sleeping, or looking at the horizon.
• Stay hydrated by drinking water. Limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.
• Eat small amounts of food frequently.
• Avoid smoking. Even stopping for a short period of time helps.
• Try and distract yourself with activities, such as listening to music.
• Use flavored lozenges, such as ginger candy.

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So Thats Why Some People Legitimately Cant Read In The Car Without Feeling Dizzy And Sick

People often get it from reading in the car because their eyes are focusing on a steady thing, the book, but the inner ear senses motion, so your brain gets confused and you feel sick, Rosenman says. Some people can read on car or plane rides and theyre fine, others cant, and that just means theyre more prone to motion sickness than other people. It totally depends on the person.

Unfortunately, this also means you can get motion sickness from staring at your phone or iPad or any other screen during a bumpy ride, even if you arent reading anything. Your eyes are still focused on a fixed object, so its the same as reading a book and can also make you sick, Rosenman says. So even though your phone is a great way to pass the time on car and bus rides, it could also be a problem.

What Medicine Helps With Car Sickness

In addition to the prevention strategies we just discussed, theres also medication although thats something you should discuss with your pediatrician before giving to your child. Chances are, theyll tell you to try some/all of the methods above first and only turn to medication if nothing else works.

If youre going that route, the two over-the-counter medications used most frequently to prevent motion sickness are dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine . Both should be taken an hour before the car trip, and according to instructions on the label regarding dosage, the Mayo Clinics Hoecker explains. And yes, theres a decent chance that both types of medication may make your child sleepy . Unfortunately, Hoecker says that non-drowsy antihistamines tend to be less effective at treating motion sickness.

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How To Get Rid Of Car Sickness

While going on a long drive or taking a road trip could be a joyous experience for many people out there, it could turn into a nightmare for those who suffer from car sickness. Also known as motion sickness as it can occur on a ship or airplane, too the condition can cause a person to feel nauseous, dizzy, and can even make them throw up. According to Cleveland Clinic, while car sickness can affect people regardless of age or gender, women and children are more vulnerable to it. People who often get migraines are also prone to experiencing car sickness.

As explained by Family Doctor, car sickness is triggered by movement. It can also be set off by seeing other people or things move. The condition is not life-threatening and it generally subsides when the car stops. Sometimes, an infection in your ear or Parkinson’s disease can cause motion sickness to occur.

When All Else Fails Medicate

If you experience severe motion sickness, go ahead and take over-the-counter medications such as Dramamine or Meclizine for it. These are most effective 30 to 60 minutes prior to when you think youll be sick, and can be sedating. If youre a healthy adult with severe symptoms, you can talk to your health care provider about a scopolamine patch to cope with prolonged episodes of motion sickness, such as during the first few days of a cruise. Be forewarned that it can cause drowsiness, dry mouth, and other side effects.

If motion sickness continues to be a problem, make an appointment with your provider to talk about your options.

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What Else Can I Do To Avoid Car Sickness

Other steps could also help minimize the chances of experiencing car sickness. For instance, if you feel very sick in the car, you can lie down and focus on something else. Similarly, as Cleveland Clinic suggests, breathing in some soothing herbs, such as ginger, lavender, or mint, can prevent nausea. In addition to that, you can put ginger or peppermint flavored candy in your mouth to avoid feeling sick.

Drinking plenty of water before starting your journey could also be very helpful, as hydration will always make you feel fresh. You may want to avoid smoking or drinking alcohol before travelling if you’re prone to motion sickness. Cleveland Clinic also recommends people wear acupressure wristbands, as certain pressure points in the body can also help manage this condition. By following these simple steps, you can make your car-travelling experience much more pleasant.

How You Can Minimize Motion Sickness

None of these factors, alas, are things you can change. But experts say there are a few things you can do to reduce your odds of getting motion sick.

1) Be the driver: In a car, drivers tend to get motion sick far less often than passengers, perhaps because theyre able to anticipate movement. If youre not driving, Hain recommends acting as much like the driver as possible sitting in front and looking in the direction of travel.

2) Minimize movement: Stoffregen recommends consciously using the head rest, in order to anchor your head in place and minimize the amount of left-and-right swaying. Whatever vehicle youre in, try to sit in a stable position. For example, the middle of a plane generally experiences the least severe turbulence.

3) Dont drink alcohol, read, or sit backward: Doing any of these makes it harder to sync up the stimuli from your eyes and vestibular system and makes it more difficult to remain stable.

4) Take medication but itll make you drowsy: Dimenhydrinate and meclizine can both be effective in reducing motion sickness, but they both mainly work by making you drowsy, dulling your overall sensitivity to movement. Take with caution.

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What To Do If Your Child Gets Sick In The Car

Even when taking preventive steps, your child could still get sick. So, yes, , make sure you have a bucket or durable, easy-to-open bag for throwing up in. Having disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer on your trip is a good idea too.

If your child gets sick during the trip, stop the car as soon as possible at a rest stop, park or other safe area, get out and walk around with your child. If she is feeling too sick to walk right away, have her lie down on her back and relax with eyes shutmake sure that if shes lying in the car that ample fresh air is coming in.If youre near a store or restaurant, see if you can get some ginger ale or another drink that will help settle her stomach. If its time for another dose of Dramamine, give her that as well. Its important to try and take your childs mind off of being sick, while someone else cleans out the car and tries to get rid of any vomit smell.

Follow all the tips above and, hopefully, youll have a fun and carsick-free trip. Happy travels!

How To Avoid Car Sickness:

• 19 percent focus on something stationary

• 11 percent use a pillow

• 11 percent suck on lemons and limes

• 9 percent have a family sing-along

• 7 percent move to the middle seat

• 6 percent eat potato chips and drink something fizzy

• 5 percent pretend to be driving and anticipate the twists and turns as they watch the road

• 4 percent blow their tongue out and pull their ears

• 1 percent sit on newspaper

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Choose Bland Foods Over Spicy Food

If you need to eat before you hit the road or will be eating along the way, have your kids eat bland, easy-to-digest foods that wont upset their stomach. Non-spicy crackers, dry cereal and plain snack bars tend to be safer choices. Stay away from heavily sugared snacks and drinks, as they can be harder on the stomach.

Press On This Pressure Point

According to traditional Chinese medicine, pressing on an acupressure point called “pericardium 6,” “P6,” or “Nei-guan” may relieve nausea. The point is located on the inner side of the forearm, about two inches above the crease of the wrist in between the two tendons.

There has been very little research on the effectiveness of acupressure for motion sickness but early research, which has focused on postoperative nausea and vomiting, suggests that acupressure may ease nausea.

You can press on the point using the index finger of your opposite hand. Alternatively, acupressure wristbands, often marketed as “sea bands”, are said to stimulate the point. The bands are worn on the forearm and typically have a plastic button or bead that places pressure on the P6 point. The person wearing the band can also press the bead for additional stimulation. Acupressure bands typically cost less than $10 for a pair and can be found online or in some health food stores.

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Close Your Eyes And Take Deep Breaths

Sometimes, its easier to just pretend youre not travelling. Closing your eyes can shut off the visual cues of motion that can freak your brain out while focusing on your breathing will distract your mind from everything else.

This tip tends to get mixed results and may not be that useful once youre already starting to feel nauseous. Its definitely best to try in the early stages, when youre not feeling quite right but your stomach is still relatively calm.

Obviously, this tip is only aimed at passengers. We dont generally recommend that drivers closer their eyes while behind the wheel

What Causes Car Sickness In Kids

Though people frequently use the two terms interchangeably, car sickness is technically a type of motion sickness. Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting information from the inner ears, eyes, and nerves in the joints and muscles, Dr. Jay L. Hoecker of the Mayo Clinic explains. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately one-third of people experience car sickness or motion sickness at some point in their lives. However, it tends to impact kids between the ages of 2 and 12 and women of any age the most. It remains unclear as to why car sickness affects some children but not others.

So, what does that actually look like in the car? Well start with the littles and go from there.

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How Long Does Car Sickness Last

Again, this depends on the person, but usually, someone will stop feeling the effects of car sickness within four hours of no longer being in motion. And if youre wondering if your car-sick child will grow up to be a car-sick adult, sadly, that is likely the case. Most people dont outgrow motion sickness although it may improve over time as you age. Bon voyage!

What Is Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is a sick feeling triggered by movement. It occurs in cars, buses, trains, planes, or boats. It can occur on amusement rides or virtual reality experiences. Seeing the movement of others or things can trigger it. Motion sickness is not life-threatening. However, it can make traveling unpleasant. Planning ahead helps prevent, avoid, or reduce the effects. Other motion sickness triggers include:

• Being in the back seat of a car unable to see the horizon
• Reading in the car
• Not getting enough air in the car

Motion sickness is common in older people, pregnant women, and children between the ages of 5 and 12. Also, its common in people who have migraine headaches. It may be genetic. Once the motion stops, the motion sickness stops. Youll gradually feel better. In rare cases, motion sickness is triggered by a problem with your inner ear. This could be due to fluid buildup or an ear infection. Parkinsons disease can also cause motion sickness.

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Help Your Brain Shift Focus

If you keep thinking about how sick you feel, you will probably continue feeling sick! Our brains can either help us feel worse or better, so steering your thoughts towards other things besides your car sickness can lessen your symptoms. You could also try listening to music or audiobooks. Talking on the phone or with whoever you are traveling with is another good way to distract yourself.

How To Avoid Getting Car Sick

There’s nothing that will put a damper on your summer road trip more than carsickness.

It happens to more people than you’d think: According to pharmaceutical company Montavit, nearly everyone has been motion sick at some point in their lives, and between 5 and 10 percent of people are particularly susceptible to motion sickness.

You can read more about what causes motion sickness on our story covering how to avoid nauseous flights, but here’s a refresher: When your inner ear senses motion and your eyes don’t , your body gets confused, and that results in some uncomfortable side effects. There are a lucky few who aren’t very affected by this bodily discrepancy, but it’s a common ailment.

When it comes to avoiding carsickness, there are a few things you can do. Ford Motor Company shared a study investigating how people deal with carsickness and just how long it takes to feel sick .

Ford polled 100 people on their preferred ways to treat carsickness and then they asked medical professionals for their tips on combating nausea. Here’s what they had to say.

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