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If you’re on a cruise ship, consider booking a stateroom with a balcony so you can step outside whenever you need to. When you get back on shore, you need time to get your land legs back. That usually happens within a few minutes or hours, but it can take up to 2 days. With mal de debarquement syndrome, though, you can’t shake the feeling that you’re still on the boat. That’s French for “sickness of disembarkment.” You feel like you’re rocking or swaying even though you’re not. One of Hain’s most significant contributions to the field of motion sickness research is his work on Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS).
Seasickness Remedies: Drug-Free Options
In most instances, the mild dizziness and feeling of movement disappears quickly once you get your "land legs" back -- often before you arrive back home. It is when it persists beyond your first or second day post cruise that it becomes a problem. The main symptom of MdDS is a continued feeling of motion, particularly rocking.
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Conditions
Some modes of transportation can trigger motion sickness more than others. If you know you’re prone to motion sickness, try to avoid cars, buses, and trains that have a lot of sudden stops and starts. Instead, opt for a cruise ship or plane, which tend to have smoother rides. If you’re traveling by car, try to sit in the front seat and focus on the road ahead. MDDS is a rare condition that affects a small percentage of people who have been on a cruise. The symptoms of MDDS can include a persistent feeling of rocking or swaying, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue.
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Management and Treatment
It’s important to find the option that works best for you and to talk to your doctor before taking any medication. Hormonal changes can impact the severity of motion sickness symptoms, especially in women. If you experience motion sickness during your menstrual cycle, consider talking to your doctor about hormonal birth control options. Dehydration can worsen motion sickness symptoms, so it is important to stay hydrated before, during, and after a cruise.
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While almost any kind of motion can cause it, doctors don’t know what’s really behind it. But there’s no tie between the length of your trip and how bad the symptoms are or how long they last. It happens most often after you’ve been out on the ocean, but riding in planes, trains, and cars can lead to it, too. It’s even been caused by water beds, elevators, walking on docks, and using virtual reality. It can happen to anyone, but it’s much more common in women ages 30 to 60.
How to Prevent Land Sickness After Your Cruise
The exact cause of MDDS is unknown, but it is believed to be caused by a mismatch between the signals that your brain receives from your inner ear and your eyes. This mismatch can cause your brain to continue to perceive motion even when you are stationary, leading to the symptoms of MDDS. For example, I met a woman who put on a patch during her first cruise. She discovered several hours later, as she was putting makeup on that the pupil in one of her eyes was fully dilated — the eye on the side where her patch was placed.
When you are on a cruise, the movement of the ship can cause the fluid in the inner ear to move in a way that is different from the movement of the body. This can cause a conflict in the signals being sent to the brain, leading to motion sickness. In some cases, the benefits of taking motion sickness medication may outweigh the potential side effects. However, it’s important to be aware of the possible side effects so you can make an informed decision about whether to take medication for your motion sickness symptoms. Alcohol can worsen motion sickness symptoms, so it is important to avoid drinking alcohol before and during a cruise.
Planning Your Cruise Perfectly Can Also Help Prevent Seasickness
Come prepared if you know you or a family member is prone to seasickness. There’s no guarantee that items or over-the-counter medication will be available onboard. If you or a family member experience extreme illness due to motion sickness, contact the medical staff onboard your ship to find a safe solution. There’s no proven effectiveness to these natural remedies, but some cruisers swear by eating ginger, green apples or crackers and tout them as the best seasickness remedies.
If you ever get motion sickness on a cruise, there are several things you should stop doing to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Scientific studies have shown that some folks become seasick by suggestion. They simply convince themselves that being on a ship will make them ill. On the other hand, for those who can forget about it, it's often smooth sailing. Overall, I would rate over-the-counter medication as the best method for seasickness. The only thing I didn’t like about this method was the fact that I had to consistently chew the gum to get the best effects.
Typically, this happens if you’ve had symptoms for at least one month. Anyone can get MdDS, though 85% of cases affect people assigned female at birth (AFAB) ages 30 to 60. “Sometimes the best advice is to avoid that activity,” Dr. Honaker says. “This is the best course of management — using a series of repetitive motions to recalibrate your body,” Dr. Honaker says.
Also, remember that children may have symptoms that need remediation. Some cruisers swear that applying a Sea-Band wristband the minute you embark can ward off unwelcome motion sickness. The easy-to-wear, acupressure-inspired product has a plastic bead that presses against the Nei-Kuan pressure point located on the palm side of the wrist. Medications have been developed over time to prevent feelings of nausea and sickness from the motion on the sea. I’ll never forget the moment I discovered I struggled from seasickness on a cruise ship.
Today’s large ocean cruise ships are equipped with advanced motion stabilizer technology. Depending on your itinerary, you may feel virtually no movement of the ship at all. That said, there are some people who are particularly susceptible to adverse effects at sea. Here’s everything you need to know about coping with the motion of the ocean.
Make an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing rocking vertigo, imbalance, or unsteadiness. The severity and duration of your MdDS symptoms may not be tied to the length of time you were initially exposed to motion. In fact, the trigger of your symptoms may not be a memorable initial event at all. People with MdDS may feel like they are in motion when they’re not. It usually occurs after a person has been on a boat, plane, or an environment where they were exposed to passive motion, for example, a water bed or exercise equipment. This newer therapy uses electrical signals to activate or inhibit (suppress) different parts of your brain.
If you’re prone to motion sickness, talk to your doctor about medications that can help prevent it. There are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can be effective. If you’re prone to motion sickness, try to avoid reading while on the ship. After a cruise, it’s common to feel like you’re still on the ship for a short period of time. This feeling is known as “sea legs” and is caused by your brain still adjusting to being back on land. Disorienting, nauseating and overall unpleasant, land sickness (Mal de Debarquement Syndrome) is the last thing you want after returning from a pleasant cruise.
Instead, klonopin, benzodiazepines and amitriptyline may be beneficial. Additionally, light physical activity such as walking and yoga, taking naps and alternative healing such as acupuncture may help strengthen the vestibular system. However, if you're worried motion-induced nausea may sideline you during your cruise, talk to your doctor about the best motion sickness medications before you sail. If you have successfully worn scopolamine patches in the past without side effects, consider only wearing one the first 24 hours of the cruise or when rough seas are expected. While home remedies are effective, medications are also a good way to prevent motion sickness and are best taken before travelling. An acupressure practitioner works with the same points used in acupuncture, but stimulates these healing sites with finger pressure, rather than inserting fine needles.
You might be surprised that a cruise ship's ride is much smoother than you thought. When it comes to packing for a cruise when you experience motion sickness, there are a few other items that you should always have in your bag (and a few to leave out). Dehydration will worsen motion sickness symptoms, so pack a water bottle that you can refill and have with you at all times while on the ship, WebMD advises. By the same token, avoid packing or consuming anything with caffeine or alcohol, as these have a dehydrating effect. Knowing what to do ahead of time can also help you to respond in a helpful way when motion sickness hits.
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