Car sickness medicine
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Car Sickness Medicine: Efficacy and Contributing Factors
Efficacy of Cinnarizine in Preventing Car Sickness
Cinnarizine for Children
Cinnarizine has been studied for its effectiveness in preventing car sickness in children. In a study involving 79 children known to be susceptible to car sickness, each child received a 15 mg cinnarizine tablet two hours before a long car journey, with an additional half-tablet every eight hours if needed. The results were promising, with 81% of the children rating the medication as either 'good' or 'excellent'1. Furthermore, 69% of the children who had previously used other travel sickness medications found cinnarizine to be 'better' or 'much better'1. Side effects were minimal, with only 4% of the children experiencing vomiting and 14% feeling sleepy or drowsy1. The majority of participating doctors were willing to prescribe cinnarizine again based on these positive outcomes1.
Factors Affecting Car Sickness
Sociocultural and Behavioral Factors
Car sickness is influenced by a variety of factors beyond just biological responses to motion. A study conducted in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, identified several sociocultural and individual behavioral factors that contribute to car sickness among passengers traveling by minibus or bus2.
Age and Gender
The study found that older passengers and male passengers were less likely to experience car sickness. Specifically, older age was associated with a decreased likelihood of car sickness (aOR = 0.972), and male passengers were significantly less likely to suffer from it compared to female passengers (aOR = 0.357)2.
Sleep and Meal Patterns
Sleep deprivation significantly increased the risk of car sickness (aOR = 8.540), as did eating heavy meals before traveling (aOR = 4.147)2. Therefore, ensuring adequate rest and avoiding heavy meals before a journey can help mitigate the risk of car sickness.
Driving Conditions and Vehicle Crowding
The aggressiveness of drivers and overcrowded vehicles were also significant contributors to car sickness. Passengers traveling with aggressive drivers had a higher likelihood of experiencing car sickness (aOR = 5.467), and those in overcrowded vehicles were at an even greater risk (aOR = 9.5212)2. Passengers are advised to request drivers to maintain a steady speed and to avoid overcrowded vehicles whenever possible.
Conclusion
Cinnarizine has proven to be an effective prophylactic treatment for car sickness in children, with minimal side effects and high satisfaction rates among users. Additionally, various factors such as age, gender, sleep patterns, meal consumption, driving conditions, and vehicle crowding significantly influence the likelihood of experiencing car sickness. By addressing these factors, passengers can better manage and prevent car sickness during their travels.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Cinnarizine in the prophylaxis of car sickness in children.
Cinnarizine effectively prevents car sickness in children, with 81% rating it "good" or "excellent," and most doctors were prepared to give it again.
Non-RCTFactors Affecting Car Sickness of Passengers Traveled by Vehicles in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Older passengers, males, and avoiding sleep deprivation, heavy meals before traveling, aggressive driving, and overcrowded vehicles can reduce car sickness.
Observational Study
Rigorous JournalFrom car sickness to autonomous car sickness: A review
Autonomous car sickness is a growing issue, and understanding its causes and adapting motion sickness predictors can help mitigate it.
Highly CitedA Fundamental Study on Car Sickness Using Data Science
Car sickness is caused by quick rotational motion of the head in the car, and a new measure aiming at developing motion sickness countermeasures without relying on car performance can be developed.
Assessment of car sickness in passengers using physiological indices
Car sickness can be assessed using respiratory instability and mean heart rate changes, which show complex changes depending on the degree of sickness and drowsiness in passengers.
Non-RCTPrevention and Treatment of Motion Sickness in Children
Antihistamines effectively prevent and treat motion sickness in children, with susceptibility peaking at 10-12 years of age.
RideVR: Reducing Sickness for In-Car Virtual Reality by Mixed-in Presentation of Motion Flow Information
Our approach significantly reduces motion sickness in in-car virtual reality by mixing in estimated car motion information, allowing users to enjoy the experience without feeling sick.
[Visual prevention from motion sickness in cars].
Ample peripheral vision of the moving surroundings is the best strategy to alleviate car sickness, as it reduces the severity of vestibular nausea induced by car accelerations.
Non-RCTA novel method for reducing motion sickness susceptibility through training visuospatial ability - A two-part study.
Visuospatial training can effectively reduce motion sickness susceptibility by 51% in simulators and 58% in on-road trials, with potential implications for self-driving vehicles.
Non-RCTChanges in Electroencephalography Activity of Sensory Areas Linked to Car Sickness in Real Driving Conditions
Car-sickness symptoms in real driving conditions are linked to changes in theta and alpha brain activity in occipital and parietal areas, potentially reflecting altered sensory integration and sleepiness.
Non-RCT