Overview
Motion sickness is characterised by nausea and vomiting, along with autonomic features such as pallor and sweating triggered by externally imposed motion (such as riding in a car) or perceiving motion in a moving visual field (e.g. cinemas).
Epidemiology
- More common in children
- More common in women
Risk Factors
- Younger age
- Female sex
- Family history
- Migraines
- Vestibular pathology
Presentation
The main presenting complaint is nausea triggered by anything that can cause sensory conflict. Features are:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Autonomic features:
- Sweating
- Pallor
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Symptoms may be provoked by:
- External factors such as being a passenger in a car
- Perceiving motion e.g. in a cinema
Management
- 1st-line: hyoscine butylbromide
- Other options are antihistamines:
- Cinnarizine, cyclizine, and promethazine
- Other antiemetics are not effective
Patient Advice
- Patients can try some of the following to help with motion sickness:
- Reducing motion by sitting in the front of the car
- Breathing fresh air if possible, e.g. opening a car window
- Closing eyes and breathing slowly
- Distractions such as listening to music or talking
