• Clean Water
• Food and drink on holiday
• Immunisation
• Insect Bites on Holiday
• Jet Lag
• Motion sickness
• Pregnant travellers
• Safe Sex
• Sun exposure
• Taking medicine overseas
• Travel Medical Kits
• Volunteers and expeditions

Motion sickness

Motion sickness causes misery for many people. Although its roots are psychological, the problem is very real for thousands of sufferers.

Scientists believe that motion sickness is caused by the human brain tricking the body into believing there is a conflict between vision and balance. This causes nausea and vomiting - unpleasant at the best of times and often unbearable when travelling.

Some people are unable to travel in a car, others feel sick on a coach and many more suffer from sea sickness even on calm waters. Although fewer people report suffering motion sickness on trains, many say they feel ill when facing away from the direction of travel.

Motion sickness can even be a problem for some people when watching television or computer screens. Watching dramatic scenes such as riding a rollercoaster can cause some people to experience a physical reaction, despite the fact that they are not actually participating. The only way in which to alleviate the symptoms is by looking away or to stop watching altogether.

Preparing for a holiday can be fun as there is so much to do. Even administrative activities such as searching out the cheapest travel insurance can be exciting. Knowing that you are likely to be unwell on the journey can, however, take the shine off holiday preparations, leaving a feeling of trepidation instead of excitement.

Fortunately, there are a number of remedies known to help alleviate travel sickness. Natural remedies such as ginger can bring relief to an upset stomach. Ginger can be taken in the form of sweets such as crystallised ginger, in plain ginger biscuits or infused as a tea. Chewing on a piece of ginger root will also have a beneficial effect, although the flavour may be too strong for many tastes.

Looking out of a vehicle window towards the direction of travel is often cited as a good way to help reorient a person's balance, which may bring some relief. Chewing is another way in which to help relieve the symptoms of motion sickness when travelling in a car. Cool fresh air can also be helpful: whenever possible, stop the vehicle and get outside for a short while before resuming the journey.

If all else fails, an old wives tale dictates that sitting on a sheet of brown wrapping paper can cure travel sickness. Other traditional remedies include sucking boiled sweets such as barley sugar. For perhaps a better chance of success, a pharmacist will be able to dispense tablets or stick-on patches. Many travel sickness remedies are designed to be taken a few hours before travelling, so be sure to read the label and follow the instructions with care.

Before any trip, a little preparation goes a long way. Think about what food and drink to take for the journey and arrange details such as car hire and travel insurance before you leave. 24DrTravel.com provides medical cover as standard, meaning peace of mind if anything more serious than motion sickness develops during your stay.