This situation, which is felt more frequently when sitting in the back seat or on the seats facing the opposite direction, and which becomes more effective on winding and bumpy roads, is also frequently seen in those who travel on ships sailing in rough seas.
The reason for this disturbing situation is completely related to the balance system. Space researchers call this “spatial orientation.” Its medical name is “motion sickness”.
Brain; senses movement by means of stimuli from the inner ear, eyes and deep tissues of the body.
With these three neural pathways, conscious movements such as walking are sent to the brain. When conscious action is not taken (like driving in a car), the brain cannot coordinate messages coming from three different paths and a conflict arises. This causes the vehicle to stall.
It is not known exactly how motion sickness arises. The view that there is a conflict between the three different neural pathways is a conjecture. Since the structures in the inner ear detect movement, it is estimated that the cause of motion sickness may occur because of this.
In addition, it is thought that the messages from the eyes do not have much effect, because motion sickness can also occur in visually impaired people. Some neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that facilitate communication in the brain and nervous system, may also be the cause of this condition. For this reason, drugs that affect neurotransmitters can be used in the treatment of motion sickness. Antihistamines can also prevent nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
Some precautions against motion sickness are as follows:
- Sit in a position where you can look at the horizon while traveling.
- Sit in the front seat instead of the back seat in the car.
- If you’re on board, get on deck and look at the horizon.
- Prefer the windowsill on the plane.
- Sit in a seat close to the wing on an airplane because this part is less jarring.
- Do not stare at objects such as books, phones, tablets for a long time.
- Do not sit on seats opposite to the direction of travel.
- Avoid bad smells, spicy foods, stuffy environments.
- Use a medicine recommended by your doctor.
So why do we feel more nauseous in the car we get in on an empty stomach?
As the stomach breaks down food, it produces hydrochloric acid, uses it for energy and then empties the remainder. When food is not eaten for a long time, this acid accumulates in the stomach. As the vehicle we are in shakes, so does the acid in our stomach, which causes heartburn and nausea.
The reason why children get more vehicles is because they are short and cannot see the horizon line. If they sit in the middle of the back seat, they are less likely to experience this problem.