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Saliva, toothpaste or plasters: what really works on itchy mosquito bites?
by Anna Sandner
Suffer from travel sickness? These remedies might help
24-7-2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Does travel sickness kill the mood when you’re heading off on holiday? Then it’s time to find a remedy. From Vomex to ginger, there’s a wide range of treatments available – and new research has come up with a novel one.
Science calls this a «sensory conflict». It happens on car and coach journeys, ships, planes and even during VR gaming sessions. In a particularly nasty twist of events, you can even suffer a bout of travel sickness in a reversing electric car. The acceleration on modern EVs is so smooth that it can make you dizzy.
Who’s most affected?
Travel sickness is most likely to affect children between the ages of two and 12. However, adults with a tendency to suffer migraines or dizzy spells, or who were simply unlucky in the genetic lottery are susceptible too. Fun fact: car drivers themselves tend not to get travel sick, as the motion of the vehicle matches up to what they’re seeing.
Dimenhydrinate (e.g. Vomex): This classic anti-sickness drug blocks histamine receptors in the vomiting centre of the brain, putting the brakes on that feeling of rising nausea. Dimenhydrinate is available over the counter and is effective, but it often makes you feel tired. As a result, it can slow down your reaction time.
Meclizine (e.g. Bonine): Meclizine works in a similar way to dimenhydrinate, in the sense that it inhibits histamine receptors. However, it’s also less likely to cause lightheadedness. Not only is it suitable for longer distances, it’s also available without a prescription.
Scopolamine patches: These patches inhibit nerve signals in the vomiting centre of your brain, protecting against severe nausea for up to 72 hours. They’re only available on prescription.
Cinnarizine: This drug stabilises the vestibular system by blocking histamine and calcium channels. Taken in combination with dimenhydrinate, it’s very effective for treating dizziness. On the flipside, it does make you feel a little tired.
The way travel sickness feels and what helps combat it will be personal to you. Figure out which remedy works for you, but keep an eye on possible side effects. If in doubt or if you have a pre-existing medical condition, it’s worth arranging a quick check-up with your doctor.
Other non-pharmaceutical solutions
- If you’re on a bus or in a car, sit at the front. This is where the vehicle’s least wobbly.
- Look at the horizon, not your phone.
- Open the windows or turn on the air conditioning. Fresh air works wonders.
- Eat small snacks. Travelling on an empty stomach is a bad idea, but gorging yourself at a service station buffet before hitting the motorway is even worse.
- For many people, peppermint oil has a calming effect.
- Although acupressure bracelets are scientifically disputed, some people report that they’re effective (this might be partly down to the placebo effect).
Until then, if you take some sensible precautions (put your phone away, open the window, keep your eyes on the horizon), you’ll hopefully make things a little easier for yourself.
Header image: Velimir Zeland/Shutterstock
Anna Sandner
Senior Editor
Anna.Sandner@galaxus.deScience editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always the outdoors - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
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