Dorothy FarrarSeasickness
Seasickness is a subtype of motion sickness. Although it occurs more frequently on holiday, it can also be felt in numerous everyday situations. Natural therapeutic approaches to alleviate the symptoms already help.
What is seasickness?
The basis of seasickness is an ongoing movement. Contrary to the usual prejudices, seasickness occurs not only during boat trips, but also, for example, in the bus. The form of expression is individual and depends on the one hand on the affected person himself, on the other hand on the type of movement. Seasickness is caused by the different sensory organs of humans, which are deceived during certain movements and react with nausea and its symptoms.
Causes
The cause of seasickness can be found in a conflict between different sensory impressions. The balance disorders in the ear are responsible for signaling vertical and horizontal accelerations and rotational movements to the body. Decisive for the fact that people perceive the movements are certain hair cells, serve the different suborgans of the vestibular organ can be localized.
The proprioreceptors, on the other hand, provide the brain with information about the movement of the muscles. They are responsible for enabling people to assess the position of arms or legs. Visual perception, which is necessary for orientation, also has a supportive effect. However, during a boat trip, the brain is provided with conflicting information. While the eyes perceive a stable environment and signal a firm fit or stand, the brain perceives the fluctuations of the waves.
The body can not classify the different impressions, which causes the complaints. Apart from real situations, the occurrence of seasickness cannot be ruled out even in certain computer games. While children and adults alike may be affected by seasickness, the symptoms usually do not occur in infants. The basis for such a phenomenon is the fact that the organ of equilibrium in infants is not yet fully developed.
Symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of seasickness:
Seasickness manifests itself mainly by nausea, vomiting and dizziness. The symptoms usually subside as soon as the affected person has left the ship or bus for some time. At the same time, the likelihood of recurrence of seasickness during further shipping decreases. The course of seasickness is thus a harmless one. No long-term consequences are to be expected.
In most cases, however, preventive therapy achieves better results than adherence to measures once the symptoms have already occurred. Nevertheless, medical treatment is not absolutely necessary. Symptoms usually disappear on their own. In most cases, the therapy is increasingly based on home remedies, while chemical substances are used less frequently.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is made in particular on the basis of the existing symptoms. Often the diagnosis by a doctor is not necessary. Instead, those affected can usually classify their complaints independently. Medical tests to verify the suspicion are usually not carried out. Only if the symptoms do not disappear even after a few days after leaving the ship, a doctor should be contacted to rule out that other causes are responsible for the symptoms.
Treatment and therapy
The therapy can therefore consist of different elements. These include, first of all, the adaptation of one’s own behavior to alleviate the symptoms. For example, those affected are advised not to stay in the interior of the ship during the sea voyage. Instead, the deck should be visited during the duration of the trip. To alleviate the symptoms, it is advisable to respond to the movements of the boat.
For example, any point in the sky can be fixed. Another option is to use relaxation techniques. However, these must often already have been practiced for optimal success. Once one of the various techniques is mastered, it can lessen the symptoms of seasickness. If these have already increased in intensity, it is advisable to lie flat on the bottom of the ship.
In relation to other points of view, there is often the slightest fluctuation here. Visual contact with mobile phones and books should be avoided. If it can be arranged, sleeping a large part of the journey can be helpful. If natural remedies don’t help, chemical medications can also be used. These include, for example, scopolamine, meclozine or dimenhydrinate.
The various medications are available in the form of suppositories, patches, tablets or chewing gum. Studies have also shown that placebos already help because they have the potential to take away the fear of seasickness. Some medications should already be taken as a precaution. Often only suppositories are suitable for the acute treatment of the symptoms if no preventive measures have been taken.
Prevention
When it comes to seasickness, prevention is often more effective than treatment. People who are aware that their body reacts with the corresponding symptoms can resort to preventive medication before they start their journey. A disadvantage of the medication is the side effects. In addition, Coffee , nicotine and alcohol should be avoided.
A light diet divided into smaller meals is recommended, especially the day before. The last night should be perceived as restful. The use of ginger and vitamin C has not been confirmed by medical studies. However, reports from seafarers suggest that the ingredients are particularly useful for mild ailments.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.