Seasickness

 

Did you know that seasickness is just another form of motion sickness? Rides on roller coasters, airplanes, cars, and pretty much anything that moves your body can cause motion sickness. I’m sure many of you know this from first-hand experience, but what you might not know is what in the body causes this unpleasant phenomenon.

Some have described it as a sensory overload. Basically, as the object (boat, car, plane, Etc.…) moves, the liquid that is in your inner ear shifts in order to help you maintain your balance. At the same time, your eyes see that you are moving at the same pace as the vehicle you are in and registers to your brain that you’re staying still (or only moving slightly.) It’s almost like your brain is getting mixed signals from your eyes, which are saying you’re already balanced, and your ears, which are saying fluid needs to move to gain balance. This inconsistency can actually stress your brain so that it starts releasing excessive amounts of hormones causing nausea and vomiting. Seasickness specifically can also be made worse by unpleasant odors often found at sea, like fish. I love to eat fish and to catch fish, but fish can smell pretty bad.

So what to do about getting seasick? Well, usually people know if they have motion sickness. So prevention is key. Once you start vomiting, it’s gonna be a bad day. On another post, I’ll talk about medications you can use to prevent motion sickness and what to do about it once you start to feel sick.

Thankfully, seasickness and other types of motion sickness tend to be short lived once you have exited whatever was causing the movement. If you notice your vertigo and nausea continue even after you are back to your normal routine (called Mal de Debarquement…use that term in a conversation if you want to sound smart!), you can schedule an appointment to see me at (817) 261-3000.

 

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Teach & Learn, EarErin Shellenbergerseasickness, ear, eyes, nausea