Motion sickness

The vestibular system tells the brain about movement while the eyes report a motionless cabin, and that mismatch brings nausea, pallor, cold sweat and vomiting. Children aged 2 to 12 and people with migraine get it worst. What helps is a window or front seat, looking at the horizon, fresh air, no reading or phone on the road, and if needed an antihistamine half an hour before departure.

ICD-10 T75.31 drug

Also known as: Kinetosis, Travel sickness, Seasickness

Drugs used for this condition

BDimenhydrinateFirst line · First-generation antihistamine, ethanolamine derivative, antiemeticDimenhydrinate is the best known remedy for motion sickness: in Spain that means Biodramina and Cinfamar. The AEMPS ficha técnica frames the indication as prevention and treatment of motion sickness symptoms at sea, on land and in the air – nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Children aged 2 to 6 get 12.5 to 25 mg per dose, those aged 7 to 12 get 25 to 50 mg repeated after 6 to 8 hours with a ceiling of 150 mg a day. It must be taken in advance, half an hour before departure: on the road, once nausea has already started, the effect is markedly worse. The 2022 Cochrane review of antihistamines for motion sickness found low-certainty evidence: first-generation antihistamines probably reduce the risk of motion sickness compared with placebo, and no difference between drugs of the class has been shown. Drowsiness is an expected part of the effect, so driving after a dose is unwise.

How to read tiers A–F

Evidence tiers belong to the drug-indication pair, not to the drug as a whole: the same substance can be A for one condition and F for another.

AStrong evidence – first or second line in international guidelines
BRecommended in selected cases
CStudy data contradict each other
DBenefit not proven, no documented harm
FDocumented harm, or risk without benefit