Not everyone gets motion sickness. But in case you do, it has the potential to ruin a cruise, sailing, or even a road trip. Fortunately, there are options available to help nip motion sickness symptoms in the bud.
Should you take the over-the-counter (OTC) motion sickness pills? Or prescription anti motion sickness patches can do the trick? There are a few key details to factor in before you make your choice. Let’s get started!
What are Motion Sickness Pills?
If searching for the most convenient option, you may choose to settle for OTC motion sickness pills. These pills typically fall into the category of first-generation antihistamines. They were originally approved for allergy symptoms but can surely help with motion sickness, also.
These pills are believed to work by blocking two chemicals in the brain- histamine and acetylcholine. These chemicals are involved in activating the vomiting center in your brain. Blocking them can help prevent nausea from motion sickness.
What are Motion Sickness Patches?
Scopolamine is one of the best anti-motion sickness patches that’s applied behind your ear. Once you’ve applied a patch, it lasts for up to 3 days. This makes the patch a helpful solution for long-term relief, such as sea sickness on a cruise. But unlike motion sickness pills, the patches are only available with a prescription.
Anti-motion sickness patches are believed to work by blocking acetylcholine. Blocking this chemical helps prevent the vomiting center in your brain from being activated, which in turn, prevents nausea.
To use a patch, place it on an area of hairless skin behind one of your ears. You’ll need to apply it at least 4 hours before you expect to get motion sickness. As you might already know, one patch last for up to 3 days. After that, you can remove the old patch and apply a new one, if need be.
Both motion sickness pills and anti-motion sickness patches block acetylcholine, which can cause a few shared side effects. Among the most common ones include drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, urination problems, and headache.
You may be more likely to feel drowsy with motion sickness pills than with anti-motion sickness patches. Actually, several of these medications are also found in OTC sleep aids. Dimenhydrinate may cause less drowsiness compared to diphenhydramine.
It’s always a good idea to avoid activities that require you to be alert while taking motion sickness medication until you know how it affects you