Dealing with air sickness

Barf BagIt can grab you by surprise at the wrost times even if you’re not prone to motion sickness in general.  Sometimes the stress of the environment can make one feel very uneasy and nauseous.  It’s best always to plan ahead and bring along a remedy that you know will work for you, the most common being DramamineTM or some type of over-the-counter anti-nausea product.


If you didn’t plan ahead (or just forgot), chances are someone around you probably did plan ahead, so it never hurts to be friendly and talk with people around you to try to get some help.  You can also ask your stewardess or stewart for some motion sickness suggestions.  They probably won’t be able to give you any drugs due to liability issues, but I’m sure they can suggest what works for others.  Sometimes a warm drink, a pillow, a blanket and a little rest can do wonders.

Don’t forget that the “barf-bags” are there for a reason!

“But Gary”, you ask, “what if nothing works, no one on the plane was any medicine and I really don’t want to go through the embarrassment of using the barf bag!”.  I feel your pain.  Here are some suggestions to help smooth over those rough moments.

  1. As soon as you get a chance, quickly and politely get up and go to the restroom.  Once inside, sit down, turn on the air, wash your hands and splash some cool water on your face.  Sometimes just the time alone in your own little comfort zone can calm down your nausea.  Don’t worry too much about being in the restroom a little longer than other people.  It’s better you stay in there and vomit in the toilet than vomit in front of your fellow passengers.   Plus you won’t be sharing the smell with others.
  2. Take deep controlled breaths and try to relax.
  3. Don’t eat or drink ANYTHING untill your nausea has passed.  Food and even water can irritate an already upset stomache and send you “over the edge”.
  4. If your traveling with a signficant other, ask them to give you a neck massage.  Just feeling someone’s caring hands rubbing your neck can smooth over the most stressful situations.
  5. When all else fails.  Go into the bathroom and try to vomit.  We usually feel a lot better once we’ve already vomited.  Last resort of course, but it’s usually the most effective.

I hope these suggestions help you out, but remember the best prevention is forethought.  Always keep some motion sickness medicine on you and plan ahead.  Even if you don’t need it, it’s not that much of a hassle to stop by an airport market and pick up some medicine.  Just be sure to consult a doctor before taking a drug you’ve never taken before.

Posted by Gary on Nov 7, 2007 | Comments | Share This

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