Editing Motion sickness (section)

== Treatment ==

Treatment may include behavioral measures or medications.<ref name=Gold2016/>

=== Behavioral measures ===
Behavioral measures to decrease motion sickness include holding the head still and lying on the back.<ref name=Gold2016/> Focusing on the horizon may also be useful.<ref name=Stat2019/> Listening to music, mindful breathing, being the driver, and not reading while moving are other techniques.<ref name=Stat2019/>

[[Habituation]] is the most effective technique but requires significant time.<ref name=Stat2019/> It is often used by the military for pilots.<ref name=Stat2019/> These techniques must be carried out at least every week to retain effectiveness.<ref name=Stat2019/>

A head-worn, computer device with a transparent display can be used to mitigate the effects of motion sickness (and [[spatial disorientation]]) if visual indicators of the wearer's head position are shown.<ref name="pmid21181963"/> Such a device functions by providing the wearer with digital reference lines in their field of vision that indicate the horizon's position relative to the user's head. This is accomplished by combining readings from [[accelerometers]] and [[gyroscopes]] mounted in the device. This technology has been implemented in both standalone devices<ref name="biz"/> and [[Google Glass]].<ref name="BCM"/><ref name="glass"/> One promising looking treatment is to wear LCD shutter glasses that create a [[Stroboscopic effect|stroboscopic]] vision of 4&nbsp;Hz with a dwell of 10 milliseconds.<ref name="ntrs" >{{cite journal |last1=Reschke |first1=MF |last2=Somers |first2=JT |last3=Ford |first3=G |title=Stroboscopic vision as a treatment for motion sickness: strobe lighting vs. shutter glasses. |journal=Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine |date=January 2006 |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=2–7 |pmid=16422446}}</ref>

=== Medication ===
Three types of medications are sometimes prescribed to improve symptoms of motion sickness: [[antimuscarinics]] such as [[Hyoscine|scopolamine]], [[H1 antihistamine|H<sub>1</sub> antihistamines]] such as [[dimenhydrinate]], and [[amphetamines]] such as [[dexamphetamine]].<ref name=Gold2016/> Benefits are greater if used before the onset of symptoms or shortly after symptoms begin.<ref name=Stat2019/> Side effects, however, may limit the use of medications.<ref name=Gold2016/> A number of medications used for nausea such as [[ondansetron]] and [[metoclopramide]] are not effective in motion sickness.<ref name=Gold2016/><ref name=Stat2019/>

==== Scopolamine (antimuscarinic) ====
Scopolamine is the most effective medication.<ref name="Stat2019" /> Evidence is best for when it is used preventatively.<ref name="Spinks2011">{{cite journal |vauthors=Spinks A, Wasiak J |title=Scopolamine (hyoscine) for preventing and treating motion sickness |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |issue=6 |pages=1–21 |year=2011 |volume=2007 |pmid=21678338 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD002851.pub4 |pmc=7138049 |hdl=10072/19480 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> It is available as a [[transdermal patch|skin patch]].<ref name="Stat2019" /> Side effects may include blurry vision.<ref name="Stat2019" />

==== Antihistamines ====
First generation [[H1 antagonist|H1 antihistamine]] medications are sometimes given to prevent or treat motion sickness. This class of medication is often effective at reducing the risk of getting motion sickness while in motion, however, the effectiveness of antihistamines at treating or stopping motion sickness once a person is already experiencing it has not been well studied.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Karrim |first1=Nadine |last2=Byrne |first2=Ryan |last3=Magula |first3=Nombulelo |last4=Saman |first4=Yougan |date=2022-10-17 |title=Antihistamines for motion sickness |url= |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=2022 |issue=10 |pages=CD012715 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD012715.pub2 |issn=1469-493X |pmc=9575651 |pmid=36250781 }}</ref> Effective first generation antihistamines include [[doxylamine]], [[diphenhydramine]], [[promethazine]], [[meclizine]], [[cyclizine]], and [[cinnarizine]].<ref name="Stat2019" /> In pregnancy meclizine, dimenhydrinate and doxylamine are generally felt to be safe.<ref name="Stat2019" /> Side effects include sleepiness.<ref name="Stat2019" /><ref name=":0" /> [[Second generation antihistamines]] have not been found to be useful.<ref name="Stat2019" />

Some, but not all, antihistamines used for motion sickness are also antimuscarinics.<ref name="Stat2019" />

==== Amphetamines ====
Dextroamphetamine may be used together with an antihistamine or an antimuscarinic with synergistic effects.<ref name=Stat2019/> Concerns include their addictive potential.<ref name=Stat2019/>

Those involved in high-risk activities, such as SCUBA diving, should evaluate the risks versus the benefits of medications.<ref name="Schwartz and Curley1986" /><ref name="Lawson et al 2009" /><ref name="Bitterman et al 1991" /><ref name="Williams et al 1988" /><ref name="Arieli et al 1999" /> Promethazine combined with [[ephedrine]] to counteract the sedation is known as "the Coast Guard cocktail".<ref name="ECU" />

===Alternative medicine===
Alternative treatments include [[acupuncture]] and [[ginger]], although their effectiveness against motion sickness is variable.<ref name=Gold2016/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stern |first1=RM |last2=Jokerst |first2=MD |last3=Muth |first3=ER |last4=Hollis |first4=C |title=Acupressure relieves the symptoms of motion sickness and reduces abnormal gastric activity |journal=Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine |date=Jul–Aug 2001 |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=91–94 |pmid=11452572 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11452572/}}</ref><ref name="Brainard et al 2014" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Han-Chung |first1=Lien |last2=Wei Ming |first2=Sun |last3=Yen-Hsueh |first3=Chen |last4=Hyerang |first4=Kim |last5=William |first5=Hasler |last6=Chung |first6=Owyang |title=Effects of ginger on motion sickness and gastric slow-wave dysrhythmias induced by circular vection |journal=American Journal of Physiology. Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology |date=11 March 2003 |volume=284 |issue=3 |pages=481–489 |doi=10.1152/ajpgi.00164.2002 |pmid=12576305 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12576305/}}</ref> Providing smells does not appear to have a significant effect on the rate of motion sickness.<ref name=Gold2016/>