Motion sickness can inhibit even the most avid motoring fan. Susan Jones looks at some ways for sufferers to get back on the road.
Travel sickness or motion sickness afflicts many, both young and old. It is caused by repetitive movements which affect the vestibular (or balance) mechanism of the inner ear. People with mild cases will be aware of only a slight uneasiness accompanied perhaps by a headache. But a severe case can give very uncomfortable symptoms such as excessive sweating and salivation, pallor, nausea and vomiting.
A journey along a straight road or motorway with minimal starts, stops and turns is less likely to cause car sickness. However, a journey through winding twisting lanes and roads can be sheer misery for the sufferer. It's the repetitive pitching and rolling that is a key factor.
Visual stimuli can also have an effect - it has even been reported that some people will experience a similar form of motion sickness while watching a film or TV programme with lots of action and motion.
A side effect of travelling with someone afflicted with car sickness is that it may trigger similar symptoms in fellow passengers. This may be do to the unwelcome anticipation of seeing another throw up.
Some medications have been known to help - antihistamines, pills such as Kwells or Sea Legs - or pills with names that sound like planets such as Valoid and Phenergran. There is also some interest in the idea of using acupressure - Sea Bands are elasticated wristbands fitted with a strategically placed plastic nodule that fits over the Nei-Kuan point of the wrist.
If you want an alternative, try pressing your thumb to the inside of your forearm about two inches up from the wrist crease and between two tendons.
Anecdotal evidence on the efficacy of the wrist bands abounds. In an Italian study a Milan doctor distributed wristbands to the parents of children aged 2-15 who were prone to travel sickness. In Over 88 per cent (55 cases) results were excellent - and the rest reported moderate improvements. At around €12 a pair they may be worth a try.
Car sickness can be cured, or eased, by dangling a strap from the back of the car so that it brushes along the road. This is said to help discharge static electricity in the car which may contribute to nausea in passengers.
A mis-match of signals between the eyes and the inner ear causes carsickness. It can help to reduce these by focusing on a distant object such as the horizon or the middle distance. Avoid reading or focusing on close objects and try to recline as far as possible. Hold your head firmly against the headrest or a pillow, and increase ventilation with cool fresh air. Sucking a mint or barley sugar has alleviated symptoms.
Ginger is also considered useful for curbing the worst effects of raging carsickness. The recommended potion is made by peeling and grating an inch of fresh ginger root, adding a cup of boiling water and leaving it to stand for 10 minutes.
Then add a teaspoon of honey and, if you can face it, knock back the whole thing half an hour before travelling.
Finally, check out something called TravelWell. It's a cassette which claims to work against car-sickness by desensitise the vestibular system in the inner ear. Special pulses are apparently concealed within the music. This method has as yet not received any firm scientific backing, but if you want further information go to www.travelwell.co.uk