Air sickness or motion sickness

Motion Sickness, disorder that afflicts many people in varying degrees when they are subject to swaying motions, yawing, and pitching. The disorder can be experienced on ships (seasickness), in airplanes (airsickness), or even when traveling by automobile (car sickness). It is most likely to occur when motion is induced by rough sea, turbulent air, or curving, up-and-down roads. In mild cases it may produce only minimal nausea, and in severe cases it causes vomiting, dizziness, unsteady gait, loss of balance, loss of coordination, and even severe prostration. motion sickness or air sickness

The disorder occurs because of excessive stimulation of the semicircular canals, a pair of minute organs located within the inner ears. Changes in position are normally recorded in the semicircular canals and transmitted to the brain. Symptoms can be minimized by riding in the center of a moving vehicle or over the wings of an airplane. A number of drugs, including meclizine (Antivert or Bonine), cyclizine (Marezine), and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), when taken before exposure, are often effective in preventing motion sickness, although drowsiness may be a side effect. motion sickness or air sickness