Be Our Partner! Book a Free Consultation Now! Become a Member > Get Involved >
Health Articles > Find a Practitioner > Events >

Home  /  Health Conditions  /  Air Sickness & Motion Sickness

Air Sickness & Motion Sickness

Queasiness, sweating and nausea that come on when your eyes, inner ear and body disagree about movement — on a plane, in a car, on a boat or in virtual reality.

What is air sickness?

Air sickness is motion sickness that happens while flying. Motion sickness starts when the signals reaching your brain from your eyes, your inner ear and the nerves in your muscles and joints don’t agree (Cleveland Clinic). In a plane, for example, your inner ear feels the aircraft moving while your eyes, looking at the cabin, report that everything is still. The most widely accepted explanation is that the brain is reacting to this mismatch (CDC Yellow Book).

It usually builds gradually. Nausea and vomiting are the main symptoms, often with drowsiness, sweating, dizziness and looking pale (CDC Yellow Book); some people also notice headache, a cold sweat, extra saliva or irritability (Cleveland Clinic).

Who is more likely to get it?

Pilots in training get air sickness often, and most get used to flying over time (review, Military Medicine).

When to see a doctor: if nausea or vomiting keeps going, if you get symptoms when you aren’t moving, or if you show signs of dehydration (Cleveland Clinic). A wobbly, still-moving feeling for a few hours after a trip is normal; one that lasts for weeks deserves a check with a balance (vestibular) specialist (CDC Yellow Book).

Side by side

Six approaches compared

For every condition we look at the same six approaches: what each involves, what it typically costs, and what a patient can realistically expect.

ApproachWhat it involves Estimated costWhat to expect
Conventional medicine (AMA) Behavioral steps first (seat choice, looking at the horizon, less head movement), then older “drowsy” antihistamines such as dimenhydrinate or meclizine, or a prescription scopolamine skin patch. Over-the-counter tablets about $6 for a 12-count box; a 4-patch box of generic scopolamine averages about $134 at retail, or roughly $17–$45 with a discount card. Medicines work best taken before the trip and reduce, rather than abolish, symptoms. Drowsiness is common; children, older adults and people with glaucoma need a doctor’s advice first.
Chiropractic Being researched — coming soon.
Acupuncture Acupressure wristbands that press on the P6 (Neiguan) point on the inner wrist; occasionally acupuncture needling. Wristbands are inexpensive (the maker lists value packs at about $25). Acupuncture sessions run about $125–$230 for a first visit and $90–$185 for follow-ups; community clinics about $50–$90. Mixed evidence. One small study found the bands helped; better-controlled laboratory studies found them no better than placebo. Safe to try alongside other steps.
Herbal medicine Ginger — as tea, candy, ginger ale or supplements — the herb most often tried for motion sickness. Cost estimate being researched. Most studies haven’t shown ginger prevents motion sickness, though some people find it soothing. Supplements can interact with blood thinners and other medicines.
Massage therapy Being researched — coming soon.
MBHA Wellness Coach Practical travel habits: a seat over the wing, eyes on the horizon, a light meal, fresh air, slow steady breathing and gradual, repeated exposure to motion. Cost estimate being researched. Gradual getting-used-to motion is the most effective non-drug approach. Breathing techniques help modestly — about half as much as medicine in lab tests.

Approach 1 of 6

Conventional medicine (AMA)

Doctors treat motion sickness by preventing it where possible: changing how you travel, then adding medicine taken before the trip if needed (American Family Physician).

1. Behavioral steps

Sit where there is least motion — on a plane, near the wings — look at the real horizon rather than reading or screens, keep head movements to a minimum, and recline or lie back with your eyes closed if you can (CDC Yellow Book, American Family Physician). These are covered in more detail under MBHA Wellness Coach below.

2. Over-the-counter antihistamines

Older, sedating antihistamines such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) and meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy) are common first choices (CDC Yellow Book, MedlinePlus). A 2022 Cochrane review found they probably help prevent symptoms during real travel: in three trials, 40% of people taking them stayed symptom-free, compared with 25% on placebo. They also made drowsiness more likely (Cochrane review). Non-drowsy allergy antihistamines such as cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine don’t work for motion sickness (CDC Yellow Book, AAFP).

3. Prescription scopolamine patch

Scopolamine is a prescription skin patch worn behind the ear (FDA) and is considered a first-line medicine for preventing motion sickness (American Family Physician). A 2024 analysis of 20 trials found it reduced nausea compared with placebo (meta-analysis, Acta Oto-Laryngologica). It takes several hours to start working, so it goes on well before the flight; dry mouth and dry eyes are common side effects (CDC Yellow Book).

Timing matters

Take tablets before you travel. Once nausea starts, the stomach slows down and may not absorb them (CDC Yellow Book, AAFP).

Who should be careful

What it costs

  • Dimenhydrinate tablets: about $6 for a 12-count box at one pharmacy (retail listing: Pasteur Pharmacy).
  • Scopolamine patches (prescription): an average retail price of about $134 for a box of four, or roughly $17–$45 with a discount card, depending on the pharmacy (price listing: SingleCare).
  • Doctor visit costs vary; MBHA cost estimate being researched.

How well it works — what to expect

Medicines lower the odds of getting sick but don’t guarantee it, and drowsiness is the most common trade-off (Cochrane review, CDC Yellow Book). Over time, gradually getting used to motion is the most effective approach of all — more than any medicine (CDC Yellow Book).

Find a medical doctor in our directory

Approach 3 of 6

Acupuncture

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the P6 (Neiguan) point on the inner wrist is linked with nausea. Elastic wristbands such as Sea-Band press on this point, and some acupuncturists treat it with needles.

What the research says

Some travelers still find the bands comforting, and they have no drug side effects. If you try them, keep using the proven steps — seat choice, horizon, and medicine if needed — as well.

What it costs

  • Wristbands: the maker’s site lists adult value packs at about $25 (retail listing: Sea-Band); prices change.
  • Acupuncture: private sessions about $125–$230 for a first visit and $90–$185 for follow-ups; community clinics about $50–$90 a visit (The Pricer).

Find an acupuncturist in our directory

Approach 4 of 6

Herbal medicine

Ginger is the remedy most people reach for. Sipping ginger tea or ginger ale, or sucking a ginger candy, may help settle a queasy stomach (Cleveland Clinic).

What the research says

In short: ginger as a food or drink is a gentle, low-risk comfort, but don’t rely on it in place of the steps that are proven to work.

Safety. Ginger supplements may raise the risk of bleeding with blood thinners such as warfarin and with NSAID pain relievers, and may lower blood sugar further in people on diabetes medicines (Memorial Sloan Kettering). Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking ginger supplements if you take any medicine, are pregnant or are breastfeeding (NCCIH). We don’t list doses here.

Approach 6 of 6

MBHA Wellness Coach

An MBHA Wellness Coach can help you plan ahead — which the American Academy of Family Physicians calls the best advice for motion sickness (AAFP).

Choosing your seat

Where to look

Food and drink

Breathing

Slow, steady breathing gives modest protection. In lab studies, focusing on calm, regular breathing let people tolerate motion longer before feeling sick (study, Journal of Travel Medicine), and slow belly breathing reduced motion sickness in a virtual-reality boat ride (study, PubMed). It is roughly half as effective as medicine, but free and without side effects (CDC Yellow Book). Listening to music helped about as much in one study (study).

Getting used to motion (habituation)

Repeated, gradual exposure to motion is the most effective non-drug method there is (review, Current Opinion in Neurology), and the CDC calls it more effective than any medication — though it is slow, and may need topping up (CDC Yellow Book). Most trainee pilots get used to flying this way (review, Military Medicine). A coach can help you build up short, regular trips at a pace you can manage.

Other everyday tips

Still being researched: Chiropractic, Massage therapy. We add each approach once its costs and results are sourced. Are you a practitioner with experience treating Air Sickness & Motion Sickness? Tell us.

Member stories

Living with Air Sickness & Motion Sickness? Share your experience

Real experiences help others choose. Tell us what you tried — conventional medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs, massage or coaching — what it cost and what changed.

No stories have been published for this condition yet. Yours could be the first.

Which approaches have you tried?

What did you try, what did it cost, and what changed for you? Please leave out anything you’d rather keep private.

We read every story before it’s published and may shorten it. Stories describe one person’s experience; results vary. See our Privacy Policy.

Sources

This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Costs are typical U.S. ranges and estimates; yours will depend on your provider, location and insurance. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping or combining any treatment. In an emergency, call 911. See our disclaimer.

Find the right practitioner

Search MBHA’s Health Directory for doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists across the Monterey Bay.

Search the Directory All Health Conditions

The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. We strongly recommend that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition. MBHA provides administrative support, education and navigation — not medical, legal or tax advice — and cannot guarantee claim, billing or fundraising outcomes. MBHA is not an emergency service: in an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.