My experience with sea-sickness

Q. What is it?
A. Illness caused by motion during travel especially at sea due to rolling and pitching
of the ship as well as on winding roads in cars and buses while traveling to
mountains.
Q. Is it common?
A. Yes, More than 1 million cases per year (India)
Usually self-treatable
Usually self-diagnosable
Lab tests or imaging not required
Short-term: resolves within days to weeks
Travel by car, air or boat can all cause motion sickness. Motion sickness usually
goes away when the motion stops.

Q. What are its symptoms?

A. These include fatigue, uneasiness, dizziness and vomiting and loss of appetite.

Q. What can be done for it?

1. Focusing the eyes on objects straight ahead may help. Avoid overeating, alcohol and
smoking before travel. Be well rested before setting sail. ...
2. Take antiemetic drugs. ...
3. Get fresh air. ...
4. Request a cabin mid ship and near the water line. ...
5. Have a bite, chew lemon or ginger..
6. Wear an acupressure wristband. Or, Place three of your fingers against your
opposite wrist, and apply light pressure to the spot just below them on your forearm.
Called the " Inner Gate," this point works to soothe nausea and stomach sickness.
7. Avoid stimuli that can trigger nausea. ...
8. Choose your itinerary carefully. The more central you are in a ship, the less roll and
sway you will feel.
Oral or patch medications as advised by medical personnel can prevent or treat
symptoms. If required ORS or drips are given to maintain body-fluid balance.

Q. What are the age groups affected?

0-2 Rare
3-5 Common
6-13 Common
14-18 Common
19-40 Common
41-60 Common
60+ Rare
Consult a doctor for medical advice.

Q. What is the science behind it?

A. A condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the
vestibular system's sense of movement, caused by conflicting signals in the inner ear, eyes,
and sensory receptors.

Q. What is your personal experience thereof?

A. I personally am not affected by it but have treated persons suffering from it.
Medicines cure within hours and the rest of journey is comfortable with prevention
doses.
There is more ‘hype’ associated with it, especially for first-time travellers. Seasoned
staff take their own medicines before boarding the ship or bus. The first
is antihistamines, both prescription and over-the-counter. These are the most
commonly used medications for motion sickness, and they're available in any drug
store and in many supermarkets. Cyclizine, Stemetil, Vomistop, Ondansetron
and Dimenhydrinate(Dramamine) are major ones. Once the experience is over people
laugh about it.
During crisis as was seen in the typhoon Verdah that affected the Andaman and
Nicobar regions, many ships from private companies had to be hired and the navy’s
help had to be called in for evacuating stranded passengers. Here, in contrast to a
normal cruise ship, the space was limited, there was insufficient ventilation and as
many people as could be crammed in within safety limits were put inside the room.
This led many people to suffer the symptoms of sea-sickness in that cramped
condition, which at other times, in their own rooms and more space to walk about
would not have occurred.

Sources: Apollo Hospitals and others.