Travel sickness

Travel sickness!! Aagh! Some curves are coming up! I think I’m going to be sick! Has anyone got a bag?

	Are you OK?
	I think I feel travel sick…
	The kid is getting travel sick!
	I can’t stop here,there are a lot of curves…
	Look straight..
	I told him not to read the comic.
	I feel like throwing up
	Hold it on a little. Your father can’t stop right now.
	A bag! Have you got some bag?
	Yes, in the trunk!
	Why is it in the trunk? It should be in the globe compartment.
	I can’t… I think I…

Sometimes when you travel by car, coach or train, you get sick. Rapid acceleration, a sudden stop, bends or a bumpy road can shake your body up and you end up horribly sick and vomiting.

There are people who get sick all the time and others who never do. It depends on each person’s sensitivity.

When you lose your balance, you get sick. Everything starts spinning and… Ssh! Don’t distract the tightrope walker!

What happens when you get travel sick?

Have you ever got travel sick? When you get sick:

	Your face turns pale
	You go into a cold sweat
	You have the feeling that things are moving around you
	It seems like your body won’t obey you
	Excessive saliva
	Tiredness
	Nausea

Often, when you get travel sick, you need to vomit. Sometimes, after having brought everything up, you feel much better. But how awful it felt up until then!

How to avoid travel

It is difficult to get rid of the need to be sick once it has set in. The most important thing is to avoid becoming travel sick. So the following tips may help you enjoy your trip more:

	Sit in places where there is less movement: in a car, sit in the passenger seat; on a coach, sit near the front; on a boat, in the middle; on an airplane, between the wings.
	If possible, lie face up and raise your legs. Using a head-rest to keep your head still also helps.
	Don’t read, or play console games.
	Keep your eyes set above the horizon. Look at distant points and not at nearby objects.
	Avoid heat. Ventilation helps. Open car, train or coach windows slightly. On a boat, go out onto the deck.
	Don’t eat or drink too much in the hours before travelling. But don’t go completely without food or drink, either.  If on a long car or coach journey, use breaks to walk, get some fresh air and eat and drink in small amounts.
	Noise, cold and tiredness are enemies that can help to make you feel sick: avoid them at all costs!
	Sitting on the booster seat raises you up a little, which is good.
	Playing is also a good diversion, but try to avoid games that involve looking at small objects. Word games are a useful form of entertainment.
	As well as following all these tips to avoid travel sickness, some people also take medicine or alternative remedies to prevent it. Your chemist can advise you.

 

Author: Centro de Salud de la Columna Vertebral