What causes sea sickness?

[Esilef]

Just wondering what the cause if sea sickness is?

 

Yes I know it is caused by going on a boat....

[Esilef]

The reason I'm asking is that I have just had major sinus surgery. Still waiting to get my full sense of balance back ( as well as taste, hearing ect) cruising in 54 days.

[Bella cruiser]

Hi I believe it's caused by the balance mechanisms in your inner ear getting confused signals due to the 'motion of the ocean' your inner ear detects movement which is abnormal and this causes headache, vertigo and vomiting. In time most people's body will adjust and compensate, allowing people to get their 'Sea legs' in a couple of days on board.

 

In your case maybe wise to take Avomine each night,starting two nights before you board. You can probably stop taking them after a couple of days anyway.

 

Luckily I am not a sufferer. :)

Edited February 23, 2015 by Bella cruiser

[Esilef]

Just as I was worried about. Never gotten sea sick before but have never cruised after sinus surgery. Will be visiting the ENT surgeon prior to the cruise.

[Aus Traveller]

Bella Cruiser's advice was spot on. If you are concerned, I suggest you buy a pack of Avomine. Last time I bought some it cost $9.60 for 30 tablets at Chemist Warehouse. :)

[goodycruising]

I have been told it is that the body takes the feeling of movement and imbalance as an indicator that you have ingested poison, and that is why it tries to make you vomit to get rid of the poison. The inner ear, dizziness etc is all part of that.

 

I have been told that it is best if you can get fresh air and focus on the horizon, so that your eyes can get a steady image. All the senses are involved. Also many people report that if they smell diesel engine fumes then that makes it worse. So if you see with the weather conditions that the smoke from the ship is coming down on one side of the ship, try to get to the other side, or inside.

 

I don't know if what I have been told is right, but another thing that we hear is that the body gets used to things after 3 days. That is all sorts of things in life. That is why when some people get off a ship they then feel nauseous, as the body has become used to that motion, and now finds it self in a different pattern. We had friends that could not drive home after getting off the ship, but they were not ill on the ship. The sense of dizziness they experienced while driving made the husband have a panic attack. The doctor told them to stay overnight at a motel.

 

Some say it is in your mind. Nearly right, your mind is getting the unbalanced message from the ears and eyes, and it knows that is a sign of things not being right.

 

We have been lucky so far not to be sea sick. We have on a couple of occasions just felt a little queasy and not hungry. I hope you are ok on your trip, and I think the suggestion to take something a couple of days before is a good idea, as being nervous about it will not help. Better to feel like you are in control and have something in place. Some people use the bracelets, some the ginger. If it works for you then that is the right thing, as some things work for some people and some don't.

[Brisbane41]

Its a psychological/conflict of signals between the body's sensors as in the balance receptors in the ear and what the eyes are seeing.

 

Most pills just treat the symptoms and not the cause.

 

It is possible to learn how to overcome it mentally instead of popping pills. When I first entered the Navy I used to get violently ill and would throw up often. It was first treated by pills, but there was a culture and reasoning to train your body to get used to it. The pills only treat the symptoms as in they only prevent the vomiting. If you were to train yourself mentally to be prepared for it then it does work.

 

I am living proof that you can overcome it with "mind over matter".

 

When the ship moves you will feel it and in most cases your eyes will not see the movement. Your eyes have inbuilt stabilisers and the brain is programmed to ignore useless information. What your eyes are essentially doing is stabilising your vision in a sense that everything appears normal. Your brain is getting conflicting signals from the ears regarding balance and movement and your eyes are registering something different. The brain then suspects illness and induces nausea and vomiting in the body as a response.

[MicCanberra]

I agree that it is a psychological issue resulting in a physical response.

I.e. If you think you will be sick, the thought is there and therefore you will be.

 

I recommend sea bands to help conquer the minds attitude, as when wearing these devices, you will counter any thoughts of illness due to wearing the bands.:D

[VK3DQ]

Hello Folks

 

A very famous sailor was frequently seasick , I refer to Admiral the Lord Nelson

 

His definitive cure was to "Go sit under a tree"

 

I wonder what he would of thought of "Central Park" on some of the RCL ships or even the potted tree on board Solstice ?

 

Most sailors who get seasick do so when they have been ashore for a while and come back on board ship when they are tired.

 

So before you cruise rest and make sure you are not stressed and be moderate on eating and drinking until you get your sea legs

 

Do that and you will be fine

 

Regards

John

[cassamanda]

Above comments are all valid.

 

Caused by a combination of what both the eyes and ears are telling the brain. One of the reasons we stay overnight after a long flight.

 

Get plenty of fresh air, find a deck chair with a view of the horizon and dont lock yourself in your inside cabin:eek:

 

Green apples (granny smiths) will settle the stomach.

You can get non drowsy sea sick tablets real cheap on board at the drug store.

[MMDown Under]

I agree that it is a psychological issue resulting in a physical response.

I.e. If you think you will be sick, the thought is there and therefore you will be.

 

I recommend sea bands to help conquer the minds attitude, as when wearing these devices, you will counter any thoughts of illness due to wearing the bands.:D

 

From personal experience, I know sea sickness is not psychological.

 

I had been in extremely rough seas, yet never been sea sick, until I hit the infamous Bay of Biscay. Most passengers were sea sick, because of the converging currents I was told.

 

I have just been to Antarctica and did not take any preventive medication. Seas were moderate. However, many passengers wore patches, so believed they didn't get sick because of the patches.

[MicCanberra]

From personal experience, I know sea sickness is not psychological.

 

I had been in extremely rough seas, yet never been sea sick, until I hit the infamous Bay of Biscay. Most passengers were sea sick, because of the converging currents I was told.

 

I have just been to Antarctica and did not take any preventive medication. Seas were moderate. However, many passengers wore patches, so believed they didn't get sick because of the patches.

 

The placebo effect works though, if people believe, the mind can be very powerful.

 

There are two parts to sea sickness being the psychological, one is if you think it, then it will happen, the other is as others have posted in that the brain is reacting to mixed messages from the eyes and ears. Either way, mind over matter will work. BTW, I am not saying that anyone is weak of mind if they get sick, it is more about controlling how to respond to the mixed messages.

Edited February 24, 2015 by MicCanberra

[Aus Traveller]

Some people are more susceptible to seasickness than others, and I am adamant that it is not a psychological difference. Seabands wouldn't help me because it is physical.

 

Motion affects some people more than others and I believe the difference is in the inner ear. I get carsick if I sit in the back on a winding road and it is not that I am expecting to get sick. Similarly, on a ship I am not expecting to be sick and in my early cruising days, it used to catch me by surprise - an unpleasant surprise. :)

[MMDown Under]

For those prone to sea sickness, the best cabins on the ship are in the middle on a lower deck.

 

I agree sea sickness is a motion sickness to which some are more susceptible.

 

Good advice to sit on a deck chair in the fresh air, whilst looking at the horizon.

[Brisbane41]

The placebo effect works though, if people believe, the mind can be very powerful.

 

There are two parts to sea sickness being the psychological, one is if you think it, then it will happen, the other is as others have posted in that the brain is reacting to mixed messages from the eyes and ears. Either way, mind over matter will work. BTW, I am not saying that anyone is weak of mind if they get sick, it is more about controlling how to respond to the mixed messages.

 

You only need to watch Derren Brown to realise how strong the mind is and how easily people are fooled by placebo. I find those kind of psychological illusionists interesting and just love it when cruise ships put on shows with talent in that area.

 

As I said I am living proof that you can overcome and form of motion sickness by the power of the mind and positive thinking. I have done it myself.

[Brisbane41]

Some people are more susceptible to seasickness than others, and I am adamant that it is not a psychological difference. Seabands wouldn't help me because it is physical.

 

Motion affects some people more than others and I believe the difference is in the inner ear. I get carsick if I sit in the back on a winding road and it is not that I am expecting to get sick. Similarly, on a ship I am not expecting to be sick and in my early cruising days, it used to catch me by surprise - an unpleasant surprise. :)

 

seabands and medication treat the symptoms and not the cause. For some people who suffer chronic motion sickness it is most likely caused by pre-existing disorders of the ears and balance receptors. The majority of cases are psychological.

[Aus Traveller]

seabands and medication treat the symptoms and not the cause. For some people who suffer chronic motion sickness it is most likely caused by pre-existing disorders of the ears and balance receptors. The majority of cases are psychological.

I don't know whether psychological is the cause in most cases of seasickness or just a fair number. All I know is that mine is a pre-existing disorder of the inner ear. I even feel woozy if I shake my head violently from side to side, so obviously I don't. :D

 

Before our first cruise 32 years ago I sought medical advice - just in case. My doctor prescribed stemetil. When we had rough weather I took one. It was the worst thing I could have done. I desperately wanted to throw up because I know I would feel better if only for a short while, but I couldn't because of the stemetil. I often speak to people whose doctors are prescribing this medication. All I can think is that the doctor hasn't ever been on a ship. It is no good treating the symptom in this way. The medication I have found the most effective for me is Avomine and this is the one usually recommended by cruise companies. I have read that it tricks the part of the brain that is registering the movement and so it stops the seasickness before it starts.

[cheznandy]

I know it is not psychological.

 

I have never suffered any kind of motion sickness.

Last year I lost 80% of hearing in one of my ears, I now wear a hearing aid in that ear, I have 24/7 tinnitus, the other ear is near perfect hearing.

 

I was quite a bit nauseous on our 11 night cruise which had calm seas.

Our flight home from Singapore, a night flight, I was dizzy, nauseous and felt like I wanted to be sick or faint.....causing a panic type attack that I just had to get off that plane!! The flight over, a day flight, I didn't suffer anything. I can only put it down to the darkness as they had turned down the lighting and I had nothing to focus on.

I believe it is the inbalance in my ears causing this effect and vertigo.

I will now take Avomine, which I have always carried but never needed and not book night flights:rolleyes:

 

Chez

xx

Edited February 24, 2015 by cheznandy

[Aus Traveller]

I know it is not psychological.

 

I have never suffered any kind of motion sickness.

Last year I lost 80% of hearing in one of my ears, I now wear a hearing aid in that ear, I have 24/7 tinnitus, the other ear is near perfect hearing.

 

I was quite a bit nauseous on our 11 night cruise which had calm seas.

Our flight home from Singapore, a night flight, I was dizzy, nauseous and felt like I wanted to be sick or faint.....causing a panic type attack that I just had to get off that plane!! The flight over, a day flight, I didn't suffer anything. I can only put it down to the darkness as they had turned down the lighting and I had nothing to focus on.

I believe it is the inbalance in my ears causing this effect and vertigo.

I will now take Avomine, which I have always carried but never needed and not book night flights:rolleyes:

 

Chez

xx

I can't imagine how scarey that was. :):) I have suffered from vertigo for decades and a medical specialist told me it was connected to my motion sickness. My vertigo has been diagnosed as BPPV - Benign Paroxysimal Positional Vertigo. If this is the vertigo you have, it can be controlled very quickly and easily by doing exercises. These can be found on the internet. I just wish I knew about these decades ago.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Aus Traveller

[Esilef]

I think I will take travel calm for a couple of days prior & into the cruise.

 

Just walking at the moment can make me dizzy. Driving can also make me dizzy.

 

It's all to do with having my nose broken & sinuses realigned ect. All affecting the middle ear. 8 weeks recovery.

[cheznandy]

I can't imagine how scarey that was. :):) I have suffered from vertigo for decades and a medical specialist told me it was connected to my motion sickness. My vertigo has been diagnosed as BPPV - Benign Paroxysimal Positional Vertigo. If this is the vertigo you have, it can be controlled very quickly and easily by doing exercises. These can be found on the internet. I just wish I knew about these decades ago.

 

Thankyou I will investigate that:)

 

I think I will take travel calm for a couple of days prior & into the cruise.

 

Just walking at the moment can make me dizzy. Driving can also make me dizzy.

 

It's all to do with having my nose broken & sinuses realigned ect. All affecting the middle ear. 8 weeks recovery.

 

Try a few motion sickness tablets before you go to see the side effects, some can make you lightheaded, dry mouthed, sleepy etc, they all effect people differently. Good luck:)

Edited February 24, 2015 by cheznandy

[GUT2407]

Basically the causes have been covered, my wife swears by Travelcalm, Ginger and green apples, however if you have just had surgery I'd suggest talking to your doctor s/he will have a much better idea of likely side effects.

[Aus Traveller]

Basically the causes have been covered, my wife swears by Travelcalm, Ginger and green apples, however if you have just had surgery I'd suggest talking to your doctor s/he will have a much better idea of likely side effects.

I used to swear by Travelcalm (not the herbal one) until I was very seasick in 10m seas. The medical centre on the ship wouldn't give me an injection until I had taken Avomine. I bought some and took one. Within half an hour I was a lot better.:)

[Esilef]

Basically the causes have been covered, my wife swears by Travelcalm, Ginger and green apples, however if you have just had surgery I'd suggest talking to your doctor s/he will have a much better idea of likely side effects.

 

 

My doctor said that cruising will be good for my sinuses all that salt water in the air will help them recover.

 

See cruising is good for your health. Wondering if as the cruise is for medical purposes if I can claim it under Medicare & private health insurance? Lol.

[MicCanberra]

My doctor said that cruising will be good for my sinuses all that salt water in the air will help them recover.

 

See cruising is good for your health. Wondering if as the cruise is for medical purposes if I can claim it under Medicare & private health insurance? Lol.

 

Was there any doubt.;)