This was the best day of Paul's life. He married Maria in a
wonderful ceremony at the Catholic church in Coconut Grove,
Florida. They had been in love for a year and he had proposed
two months ago. A white Rolls Royce took them from the church to
the family gathering. Two hundred family and friends assembled
under a tent on Paul's parents' property. They were all very
nice people who smiled, danced and laughed all evening. The food
and champagne were plentiful.
The married couple escaped to board a cruise ship in Miami
Beach. They had the best cabin and the newly wed Maria lay on
the bed surrounded by flowers and presents. Maria's shoes and
stockings were removed by Paul and he started to undress her as
the ship left the shores to the sea.
A few minutes later, Paul was no longer with Maria. He was on
the lower deck, his bow tie hanging on the side, his white shirt
half-undone. Paul's suntanned face had turned to green. He was
hanging on the riggings having the worst case of sea-sickness
you can imagine. He was dizzy, his mind was foggy and he was
vomiting the three course meal from the reputed French chef his
parents had hired for the wedding.
It was Paul and Maria's worst night.
Many people experience sea-sickness or motion sickness and it is
a normal response to conditions similar to those found on high
seas during stormy weather. Individuals can get nausea, malaise
and other unpleasant symptoms while on a boat, in a car, on a
plane, in space or even in an elevator. Space motion sickness is
a well-recognized problem for space flight and affects 73% of
crew members within the first 2 or 3 days of their initial
flight. Illness severity is variable, but over half of the cases
are categorized as moderate to severe.
Some people actually get "seasick" after returning to land after
being out on a boat for an extended period of time. To
experience motion sickness, one must have a normally functioning
vestibular, or balance, system. Most people adapt fairly rapidly
to motion, and after a few days at sea, for example, no longer
experience the symptoms.
Most medications used for prevention and treatment (e.g.,
anticholinergics and antihistamines) induce unwanted sedation.
Furthermore, no one drug is completely effective or preventive.
Some of the medications used for sea and motion sickness are:
Antihistamines
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®) or diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) 25 -
50 mg. every 4-6 hrs. According to a comparative study with
transdermal scopolamine at the Israeli Naval Institute,
dimenhydrinate adversely affects psychomotor function
Meclizine 12.5 to 25 mg. every 24 hrs. Up to 25 mg. every 6 hrs.
This is available over the counter (OTC) as Bonine® and
Dramamine II®. The prescriptive form is called Antivert®.
Antihistamines may be contra-indicated. Contraindications and
cautions are: High blood pressure, glaucoma, prostatic
enlargement. Side-effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, goose
bumps, blurred vision, chills, urinary retention and
hallucinations.
Scopolamine
Transdermal Scopolamine consists of patches that are placed on a
clean, dry, hairless area behind the ear. Transdermal
Scopolamine should be applied 4 hours prior to when its effects
will be needed. The patches usually last for 3 days. Drinking
alcohol should be avoided when using these patches as increased
drowsiness and dizziness may result. Scopolamine may in fact
cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision and has been
involved in cases of toxic psychosis. According to a 1996
article published in Ear Nose Throat Journal, long-term use of
transdermal Scopolamine patches carries a risk of chemical
dependency.
Acupressure
The Pc-6 point on the wrist is well known to all Oriental
medicine practitioners. The PC-6 point is located on the palm
side of the wrist. To find the PC-6 point, place your middle 3
fingers on the inside of each wrist, with the edge of the ring
finger on the wrist crease. The PC-6 point is just under the
edge of your index finger (i.e. 1.5" to 2" from the wrist
crease) between the two central tendons.
An Acuband worn on the wrist or forearm decreases the symptoms
of motion sickness and the gastric activity that usually
accompanies motion sickness
The Relief Band® Device is a watch-like apparatus worn on the
underside of the wrist. When turned on, the device emits a
low-level electrical pulse across two small electrodes.
Ginger
Ginger is well known in the form of ginger sticks or ginger ale.
The efficacy of ginger rhizome for the prevention of nausea,
dizziness, and vomiting as symptoms of motion sickness, as well
as for postoperative vomiting and vomiting of pregnancy, has
been well documented. It is more likely that any reduction of
motion sickness symptoms results from the influence of the
ginger root agents on the gastric system.
Homeopathy
While the homeopathic literature describes several homeopathic
remedies for sea-sickness and/or the symptoms associated with
motion sickness, very few well designed studies are available.
One German medication, Vertigoheel® was compared to SERC
betahistine hydrochloride, a vertigo medication used in Canada
and Europe. Both remedies reduced the frequency, duration and
intensity of vertigo attacks during a 6-week treatment period.
In a previous study with the same homeopathic medication
vertigo-specific complaints were significantly reduced in both
treatment groups. Statistical evaluations showed that the
different vertigo and nausea symptoms as well as the trigger
mechanisms of vertigo and nausea (i.e. getting up, turning the
head or gazing aside), highly significantly improved due to the
therapy.
One homeopathic medication suggested for sea-sickness is Nux
vomica (poison nut), a well known remedy in the homeopathic
literature. It is indicated for irritability, nervousness and
digestive conditions, nausea and vomiting, vertigo, with an
intoxicated feeling and headaches. It seems to trigger an
adverse attraction to alcohol and to be safe in homeopathic
dilutions even in children.
Another homeopathic remedy, Bryonia (wild hops), is indicated
for all symptoms that are worse from motion and specifically for
symptoms of vertigo and nausea.
Tabacum (tobacco) is indicated for incessant nausea which is
worse from the smell of tobacco smoke, also for seasickness and
when the skin may be cold and sweaty.
Cocculus (Indian cockle), Conium (Poison hemlock), Petroleum
(Crude rock oil) and Theridion (Orange-spider) are indicated for
vertigo with nausea and vomiting on the least motion.
Besides the conventional and non-conventional methods of
treatment for sea-sickness, common sense measures are suggested
such as staying on deck and fixing a point at the horizon (or a
star in the sky at night) which is not moving.
As far as Maria and Paul are concerned their marriage did not
last. They divorced the following year. Paul re-married with
Shirley and took his new wife on a boat ride on the Gondolas at
the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
About the author:
Richard Clement is a French Medical Doctor with more than 20
years of practice worldwide he teaches Homeopathy and
Pharmacology at the ATOM school of Acupuncture in Fort
Lauderdale Florida and has developed his own line of
homeopathics and nutritional products
http://www.web-outpatients.com
