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Seasickness, and travel sickness in general is quite a common problem. It can be quite an irritant when it arises, and so it is best to be aware of what it is, and how to prevent it, before entering any potential seasickness inducing situations.
What is sea sickness?
Also known as motion sickness, this ailment is caused by the disruption of the senses when your body experiences some form of imbalance as occurs on board a sea vessel, or indeed on any form of transportation. This is because you receiving conflicting signals from the senses such as your ears and eyes that do not match up, as your body tries to work out where the centre of gravity may be. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sometimes sweating. It can appear in ranging levels of severity and is different for every individual.
Unlike a number of illnesses, seasickness is not well treated after it begins. Instead it is best to be prepared, and take preventative measures to stop it from taking hold. There are a number of things you can do, some of them more effective than others, and each remedy effects each person in a different way. Therefore it is a good idea to take these preventative steps at least 24 hours
Prevent seasickness tips:
This sounds like common sense, but you would be surprised how many people think having a stiff drink will help numb their senses. Instead alcohol scrambles the senses further, adding to the feelings of nausea and disorientation. Just take sips of water, not too cold, to help quench your thirst and calm the symptoms.
Many say that it is a good idea to have a light meal before boarding the boat if you are a known sufferer of motion sickness. However, it is crucial that you avoid heavy, greasy, strong foods that could sit heavy in your stomach or cause a little sickness of their own. Try to stick to plain food stuffs until you know how badly you are going to be affected on board. There are things you can eat that will help mitigate the effects of seasickness, such as candied ginger.
Focussing on something stable like the horizon can often help greatly. Do not look at the waves, or at items on the boat that may be moving as this will cause the imbalance resulting in seasickness. It is also sound advice to avoid going below deck if you are a known sufferer of seasickness, or if you begin to feel queasy for the first time when setting sail. Confined areas are not conducive to feeling well on board, as the motion and the angle of the boat can confuse the senses further thus accelerating symptoms.
Fresh air is King. It is also advised (where appropriate) to take a turn at the wheel, as having control over the direction of the boat can also make sure your senses know what are going on. Sitting at the centre of the boat, even if you cannot have a turn driving, also helps. As the motion here is slightly less than at the edges.
For similar reasons to focussing on the horizon. It is not going to help re-establish your sense of balance if you are focussing on something so close to you which takes concentration such as a book, you are going to be even less aware of your surroundings and symptoms will be exacerbated. Also using instruments that magnify things in the distance can cause confusion of the senses, and so it is best to leave the binocular duties, and camera duties to someone who is not affected.
You can however, use earphones to listen to music. The sound can rebalance the inner ear, and is another good one to consider if the sufferers on board the vessel are minors, or those who cannot take medicine such as pregnant women.
There are a number of pharmaceutical remedies that can be purchased to help prevent the symptoms of seasickness. Some of them however, come with their own symptoms such as drowsiness, and so the other preventative measures mentioned in this article are more popular. Medicines can come in the form of tablets, or patches. Another form of medicinal prevention is acupressure wrist bands. This is more of an alternative therapy than medicine but it is proved to be very effective, and especially popular for parents concerned with a child’s seasickness.
Pressure applied to certain points on the wrist are said to ease symptoms of seasickness when put on prior to boarding.
