Motion sickness can be treated by the use of following medicines.
Medications:
Motion sickness slows down digestion, which can prevent the body from absorbing medications effectively. For this reason, medications for motion sickness are usually taken before travel to prevent symptoms, rather than as a treatment. The options include:
Hyoscine:
Hyoscine is thought to prevent motion sickness by blocking some of the confusing signals sent from the inner ear to the brain. It is available in oral tablet form without a prescription.
Transdermal: one patch applied to mastoid at least four hours before travel, then every 72 hours as needed
First-line medication for prevention; transdermal formulation available by prescription; ; causes more dry eyes and dry mouth than antihistamines, but less sedation; may double dose or combine with antihistamines, or combine oral and transdermal formulations (increased risk of side effects); use with caution in older patients; not recommended for children younger than 10 years.
Side effects of taking hyoscine may include a
- dry mouth,
- dizziness,
- drowsiness
- and blurred vision.
For these reasons, hyoscine is not a suitable treatment if you are planning to drive for part of a journey.
Antihistamines:
Although antihistamines are perhaps most widely known as a treatment for allergies, these medications may also help to prevent nausea and vomiting. Common antihistamines prescribed for motion sickness include promethazine and dimenhydrinate.
As these antihistamines cause drowsiness as a side effect, they are also sometimes referred to as ‘sedating’ antihistamines. In general, they tend to be less effective than hyoscine, but with fewer side effects.
