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adviceneededman adviceneededman
wrote...
Posts: 5
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2 years ago
Recently I have been worried about motion sickness and I have a few questions about it:

1) I have been reading about people feeling more motion sick after not using transport for a while during lockdown. Will this just go away naturally over time as we start using cars and sh@# again or would you have to do some kindof "exposure treatment" to get yourself back to normal.

2) If you don't feel motion sick in cars or buses could you feel sick in trains (like subway trains) as you weren't used to them, or is it unlikely if you are fine in cars and buses?

3) This one is specific to the UK, but does anybody know why you can't buy Dramamine in the UK? Or Bonine or whatever it's called? Is it banned maybe idk?

4) Can not stopping when you get motion sickness cause it to become associated with that thing and make it harder to get rid of? This is something I see talked about a lot in the context of people feeling sick from vr headsets, however it seems to run counter to the idea of "getting your sea legs"?
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wrote...
Staff Member
2 years ago
1) I have been reading about people feeling more motion sick after not using transport for a while during lockdown. Will this just go away naturally over time as we start using cars and sh@# again or would you have to do some kindof "exposure treatment" to get yourself back to normal.

Try riding a bike or taking a jog, you're free to exercise even with the lockdowns. Ease your self back to normal, there's no need to wait. Aside from that, you should get back to normal once you're exposed to it naturally.

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2) If you don't feel motion sick in cars or buses could you feel sick in trains (like subway trains) as you weren't used to them, or is it unlikely if you are fine in cars and buses?

If you don't experience motion sickness on a car or bus, then it's unlikely you'll feel it in a train. The movement is the same, if not less bumpy.

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3) This one is specific to the UK, but does anybody know why you can't buy Dramamine in the UK? Or Bonine or whatever it's called? Is it banned maybe idk?

Dramamine is used for upset stomach. How's that related to your motion sickness inquiry? Given that it's relatively harmless, I'm sure it's sold over-the-counter.

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4) Can not stopping when you get motion sickness cause it to become associated with that thing and make it harder to get rid of? This is something I see talked about a lot in the context of people feeling sick from vr headsets, however it seems to run counter to the idea of "getting your sea legs"?

Motion sickness is normally just a temporary sensation. The symptoms are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, and a sense of feeling unwell. These symptoms can even be triggered if you had food poisoning. Once the stimuli causing the motion sickness subsides, so do symptoms. If the stimuli persists, you body may also just adapt to it; this is why frequent car rides aren't as special to adults than they are to kids experiencing this sensation for the first time.

adviceneededman, let me know if you have further questions
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
2 years ago


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2) If you don't feel motion sick in cars or buses could you feel sick in trains (like subway trains) as you weren't used to them, or is it unlikely if you are fine in cars and buses?
If you don't experience motion sickness on a car or bus, then it's unlikely you'll feel it in a train. The movement is the same, if not less bumpy.

Hopefully I should be okay, I can read in the back of a bus actually more so than in a car, and I imagine buses are more similar to trains than cars, if only based on the size.

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3) This one is specific to the UK, but does anybody know why you can't buy Dramamine in the UK? Or Bonine or whatever it's called? Is it banned maybe idk?
Dramamine is used for upset stomach. How's that related to your motion sickness inquiry? Given that it's relatively harmless, I'm sure it's sold over-the-counter.

I can't seem to find it anywhere in the UK except 1 random cosmetics site online, which is weird, we do have "Cyclizine" here though, which I think is very similar to the less-drowsy dramamine (or bonine).

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4) Can not stopping when you get motion sickness cause it to become associated with that thing and make it harder to get rid of? This is something I see talked about a lot in the context of people feeling sick from vr headsets, however it seems to run counter to the idea of "getting your sea legs"?
Motion sickness is normally just a temporary sensation. The symptoms are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, and a sense of feeling unwell. These symptoms can even be triggered if you had food poisoning. Once the stimuli causing the motion sickness subsides, so do symptoms. If the stimuli persists, you body may also just adapt to it; this is why frequent car rides aren't as special to adults than they are to kids experiencing this sensation for the first time. adviceneededman, let me know if you have further questions

I have read that the decay period of motion sickness can vary greatly from person to person. Would this mean that some people could only say be in a car for 2 hours in a day, and it wouldn't matter if that as all at once, or spread out with breaks? Or do you think the decay period only really applies if you already feel sick, and if you take regular breaks long before you feel sick, you would probably be alright all day?
wrote...
Staff Member
2 years ago Edited: 2 years ago, duddy
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I have read that the decay period of motion sickness can vary greatly from person to person. Would this mean that some people could only say be in a car for 2 hours in a day, and it wouldn't matter if that as all at once, or spread out with breaks? Or do you think the decay period only really applies if you already feel sick, and if you take regular breaks long before you feel sick, you would probably be alright all day?

According to this scientific journal article, you're right about that; in fact, the three factors that affect sickness development are:

... Three key factors affect sickness development: sensitivity to stimulation, the rate of adaptation to stimulation (adaptation constant), and the time constant of decay of elicited symptoms.

A person with high sensitivity to provocative motion but with a short decay constant and high rate of adaptation can experience less sickness and performance decrement than an individual with moderate sensitivity, but a long decay time constant, and a low rate of adaptability. The first individual will not show an integration or progression of symptoms with continued exposure, but will achieve adaptation quickly. The second will become progressively more motion sick because of the additive effects of continued exposure and failure to adapt.

I think what they're trying to tell us here is that everyone has some degree of motion sickness, whether we can feel it or not. The decay of symptoms depends on these three factors, which to me sound very subjective (yet quantifiable). For example, I may be more sensitive to sudden jerky or shock like movements than you, yet I might adapt to it quicker, hence leading to fewer symptoms.

Perhaps delving deeper into the article may give you better insight. My most prominent experience dealing motion sickness came when I was around 10 years old, after spending a whole day at the theme. On our way home while riding in the car, I was extremely sensitive to the music being played on the radio - it had to be turned off, otherwise I'd throw up. The article interestingly correlates sound loudness with the sensation:

Enhanced perception of sound loudness and persistence of visual spiral aftereffects were thought to reflect heightened sensitivity and persistence to sensory stimulation that might correlate with increased sensitivity to vestibular stimulation and hence susceptibility to motion sickness.
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
2 years ago
Quote
I have read that the decay period of motion sickness can vary greatly from person to person. Would this mean that some people could only say be in a car for 2 hours in a day, and it wouldn't matter if that as all at once, or spread out with breaks? Or do you think the decay period only really applies if you already feel sick, and if you take regular breaks long before you feel sick, you would probably be alright all day?
According to this scientific journal article, you're right about that; in fact, the three factors that affect sickness development are: ... Three key factors affect sickness development: sensitivity to stimulation, the rate of adaptation to stimulation (adaptation constant), and the time constant of decay of elicited symptoms.
A person with high sensitivity to provocative motion but with a short decay constant and high rate of adaptation can experience less sickness and performance decrement than an individual with moderate sensitivity, but a long decay time constant, and a low rate of adaptability. The first individual will not show an integration or progression of symptoms with continued exposure, but will achieve adaptation quickly. The second will become progressively more motion sick because of the additive effects of continued exposure and failure to adapt.
I think what they're trying to tell us here is that everyone has some degree of motion sickness, whether we can feel it or not. The decay of symptoms depends on these three factors, which to me sound very subjective (yet quantifiable). For example, I may be more sensitive to sudden jerky or shock like movements than you, yet I might adapt to it quicker, hence leading to fewer symptoms. Perhaps delving deeper into the article may give you better insight. My most prominent experience dealing motion sickness came when I was around 10 years old, after spending a whole day at the theme. On our way home while riding in the car, I was extremely sensitive to the music being played on the radio - it had to be turned off, otherwise I'd throw up. The article interestingly correlates sound loudness with the sensation:
Enhanced perception of sound loudness and persistence of visual spiral aftereffects were thought to reflect heightened sensitivity and persistence to sensory stimulation that might correlate with increased sensitivity to vestibular stimulation and hence susceptibility to motion sickness.

Thanks, I'll have to have a look at that article.

I managed to get something resembling dramamine and took it before I went in the car for a while yesterday. However after a while I still felt sick. I thought the was Dramamine worked was that it basically inhibited whatever receptors or hormone causes you to feel sick? How come I still felt a little sick after a while, do you think it's probably just because I was worried about it so it's kindof psychosomatic.
wrote...
Staff Member
2 years ago
I think that's probably what it is, you're probably just anticipating motion sickness. If you can just manage to keep your mind off of it, that'd be your best solution. It sort of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you take medication, then wait for a sensation a stimuli might bring.

That said, it may not be psychosomatic either. There's only one way to find out. Perhaps you could try falling asleep in a car before it operates, and then have a buddy drive you around while sleeping. If you don't feel motion sickness while asleep, then it's probably indicative of just being psychological in nature.
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
2 years ago
I think that's probably what it is, you're probably just anticipating motion sickness. If you can just manage to keep your mind off of it, that'd be your best solution. It sort of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you take medication, then wait for a sensation a stimuli might bring. That said, it may not be psychosomatic either. There's only one way to find out. Perhaps you could try falling asleep in a car before it operates, and then have a buddy drive you around while sleeping. If you don't feel motion sickness while asleep, then it's probably indicative of just being psychological in nature.

Do the drugs not necessarily completely stop it?

On the way back I fell "asleep" (not fully) about half way (which was before the point where I started to feel sick on the way there, if that makes sense, journey was the same just backwards), and woke up about  5 minutes out from where we were headed, I didn't feel sick then. Does that mean it was definitely psychosomatic though? As I've heard some people say that sleeping makes their motion sickness a lot less severe?
wrote...
Staff Member
2 years ago
Do the drugs not necessarily completely stop it?

These drugs only mask the symptoms temporarily. They don't arrest the root cause.

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Does that mean it was definitely psychosomatic though? As I've heard some people say that sleeping makes their motion sickness a lot less severe?

I'd assume so. Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. You know what to expect when riding in a car, so I find it baffling that you experienced any symptoms to begin with.

You might find the conclusion of this study interesting:

Verbal suggestions combined with a conditioning procedure are effective in reducing symptoms of motion sickness.

Verbal suggestions combined with a conditioning procedure are effective in reducing symptoms of motion sickness.
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
2 years ago
Do the drugs not necessarily completely stop it?
These drugs only mask the symptoms temporarily. They don't arrest the root cause.
Quote
Does that mean it was definitely psychosomatic though? As I've heard some people say that sleeping makes their motion sickness a lot less severe?
I'd assume so. Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. You know what to expect when riding in a car, so I find it baffling that you experienced any symptoms to begin with. You might find the conclusion of this study interesting: Verbal suggestions combined with a conditioning procedure are effective in reducing symptoms of motion sickness.
Verbal suggestions combined with a conditioning procedure are effective in reducing symptoms of motion sickness.

In terms of feeling sick due to not being used to going in a car over lockdown, do you think that would be fairly "linear"? I know I was in a car about 6 months ago (so about half way between start of lockdown stuff and now) and I felt pretty much normal. I assume it wouldn't suddenly get worse in the last 6 if the first 6 had barely any difference?
wrote...
Staff Member
2 years ago
It shouldn't get worse, unless there's an underlying issue that isn't being addressed, such vertigo or something. The mind can play tricks on us, mind you. It's very powerful tool that can trick you into thinking you've got something worse than what you're actually experiencing. This is probably why the whole world has gone psycho over COVID-19, in the sense that people will "feel" sicker if they know they have the virus. Without the test, people would just brush it off as the cold or flu - no biggie, right? Don't let your brain take control!

Good luck

- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
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