One concern that many new SCUBA divers and people considering diving often express is motion sickness. Some people are more prone to it than others, but most everyone deals with motion sickness at least once in their lives, and the memories are never very fond. Symptoms of motion sickness include nausea, vomiting, sweating, fatigue, and headaches, or just a general feeling of malaise, and can be serious enough for some to call the dive. While it is important to call the dive if you don’t feel comfortable for any reason, it would be a shame to continue calling dives on account of seasickness, or worse yet, quit diving altogether. Once you understand what causes motion sickness, you can choose from a variety of solutions for treatment and prevention in the future.
Cause
Motion sickness is caused by conflicting messages sent to the brain from the eyes, inner ear, and sensory nerves in regard to motion, which are all responsible for maintaining balance. When the brain receives these conflicting messages, the result is the unpleasant symptoms described above. There are three main causes of motion sickness:
- Motion that is seen but not felt
- Motion that is felt but not seen
- Motion that is seen and felt but the two do not correspond
In summary, your brain is very, very confused. As with most things in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so let’s discuss preventative techniques.
Prevention
If you are prone to any kind of motion sickness, the best thing you can do for yourself is be prepared. Trying to deal with motion sickness after it sets in will always be more difficult than preventing it altogether.
- If you know they work for you, take your motion sickness medications well before you get on the dive boat. Most medications take about 30 minutes to absorb into your bloodstream.
- Even if you don’t like to eat a big meal before diving, putting something in your stomach will help combat any nausea. Foods like banana, cooked oats, granola, or bread are light and full of nutrients. It may be best to avoid caffeine.
- Avoid standing. Rather, sit toward the middle of the boat, where movement will be the most subtle. Try to keep from making jerky movements with your head, which can aggravate your symptoms.
- Keep your eyes trained on a spot on the horizon. This will help your eyes align with the motion detected by the inner ear so the brain gets the same message.
- Drink plenty of water before you get on the boat, and keep rehydrating if you start vomiting.
Treatment
There may be a time when motion sickness arises unexpectedly, but fortunately there are simple tried and true methods to deal with it.
-
Drink a carbonated beverage. Ginger ale is ideal for the calming properties of ginger on the stomach, but any carbonated beverage will do. It may seem uncouth, but belching really does help quell a nauseated tummy! - Nibble on saltine crackers or pretzels.
- Suck on a peppermint or ginger lozenge. Sucking on ice cubes is a favorite solution for many divers, if available.
- Get some air. You can stand on the deck of a boat, in the middle of course, and keep concentrating on the horizon while breathing in deep lungfuls of fresh ocean air!
Motion sickness is a common problem for many divers, but it isn’t insurmountable. Follow these suggestions and keep a “seasickness kit” with you to make sure your dive isn’t done in by a little motion sickness!
Images via MadeByMark, Google Images, brownpau
Motion sickness is such a sketchy thing for me. I don’t have it all the time or on every trip. But one thing that doesn’t work for me? Getting IN the water. And sometimes if it’s surgy, it gets worse.
LOL just to puke it out or jump in the water.
Eat peanut butter and crackers!
Ginger snaps!
Patch for 12 hours then Bonine once in the morning for the rest of trip
Put the patch on the night before the dive and then bonine in the AM. After 3 days (on a dive trip) change the patch and keep up the bonine.
And I get extremely motion sick but didn’t have a bit of trouble this trip.
learn how to deal with it
Ginger chews. And stare at the horizon!
Ginger candy, Bonine or I try not to think about it. Too busy making sure gear is ready for dive.
I dive in the morning on an empty stomach. After the first dive, I’m usually able to have a snack afterwards. Sit in the middle with my eyes on the horizon!
Patch is the ONLY thing that works for me.
Patch is the ONLY thing that works for me.
Pick a stable point on the horizon, & then imagine I’m 4-wheeling cross country on very rugged terrain. Can’t take Dramamine if I’m going to want to dive safely so…
Pick a stable point on the horizon, & then imagine I’m 4-wheeling cross country on very rugged terrain. Can’t take Dramamine if I’m going to want to dive safely so…
Bill some people are just prone to seasickness so it is not just deal with it issue. I would like to see you deal with six foot seas.
Bill some people are just prone to seasickness so it is not just deal with it issue. I would like to see you deal with six foot seas.
I agree getting in the water normally stops it.
I agree getting in the water normally stops it.
Pressure point wrist bands…Sea Bands do it for me and I am VERY sensitive!
Pressure point wrist bands…Sea Bands do it for me and I am VERY sensitive!
I’ve tried everything, the only thing that works is a 72 hour patch.
I’ve tried everything, the only thing that works is a 72 hour patch.
Ginger snaps – Ginger Ale – have worked perfect every time!
Ginger snaps – Ginger Ale – have worked perfect every time!
Get a perscription for zofran
Get a perscription for zofran
Get a perscription for zofran
Bonine and ginger snaps to snack on
Bonine and ginger snaps to snack on
Bonine and ginger snaps to snack on
Vomiting, lol.
Sea bands. Got them at walgreens
Not moving: sorry flippant I know but I’m officially on my hols
#1; don’t travel by boat.
i can make myself car sick!!! BTW Zofran just went generic!!!! Ginger helps. Just stay hydrated. Start taking Bonine the night before to get it in your system. Motion sickness sucks.
I don’t get sea sick… but if I did and I were say on a cruise ship, just go lay down and fall asleep.. If I were on a small boat fishing.. just jump in the water!!
more beer?
Or move to the center rear part boat for less movement