If you suffer from motion sickness, you know how the simplest trip can turn into a nightmare. It doesn't matter if you suffer from motion sickness while in a car, a boat, or an amusement park ride, the symptoms are all the same: nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, headaches, and vomiting. Fortunately, home remedies for motion sickness abound, and most of them are as close as your kitchen cabinet.
The first step in controlling motion sickness is to take the idea out of your head. By keeping your mind off the feelings of sickness, you can actually improve how you feel. As cruel as it may sound, stay away from other people who are getting motion sickness, especially if you already have a queasy stomach. Seeing others get sick will only accelerate the process for you.
Motion sickness happens when you become aware of the movement around you. Contrary to what you may believe, closing your eyes won't help, as the inner ear, which controls balance, will more than likely be already destabilized. Instead, find a focal point as far as possible on the horizon and keep your eyes on it. This alone works on many people suffering from motion sickness. If you are in a car, choose the front seat, or, better yet, volunteer to drive. Back-seat passengers get the worst cases of motion sickness.
Taking ginger capsules about an hour before the actual trip usually works, as it does drinking chamomile or peppermint tea. An empty stomach is more likely to suffer from motion sickness, so try nibbling on something light like soda crackers. Don't overdo it, though. A full stomach is as likely as an empty one to make you sick.
In severe cases of motion sickness, you may need additional help. Try motion sickness wrist bands, which use acupressure to control nausea. They are effective for many people, and are sold over-the-counter at most pharmacies and health food stores. As a last result, talk to your doctor. He can prescribe a skin patch or recommend an OTC drug such as Dramamine®. Motion sickness medication has side effects, however, so avoid it if you can solve the problem some other way.