The technical term of the “seasickness” is kinetosisa common syndrome characterized by nausea, dizziness and vomitwhich was born in response to the movement physicist or apparent: this means that it can arise both when we find ourselves on something that moves – be it a ship, a plane or a car – but also when we are facing screen of a movie or video game particularly lively. The disorder is known in common language as “seasickness” for historical reasons: centuries ago we could obviously not be able to talk about “plane sore” or “car sickness”, let alone do not know what a TV or video game were. In fact, this disorder was already mentioned by Hippocrates in his writings, where the term nausea derives from nausGreek word that indicates the ship, proof that the relationship between kinetosis and maritime travel was already clear at the time. The “seasickness” manifests itself when the information from the vestibular system of the internal ear, fundamental for balance and spatial orientation, do not coincide with visual and proprioceptive ones, generating a sensory conflict, A sort of short circuit. This can induce the brain to interpret the situation as a danger signal. To cope with the kinetosis, among the most common drugs we find antihistamine such as the forgottenwhich reduce vestibular activity but can cause sedation: for this reason it is always advisable to contact your trusted attending physician or pharmacist.
From what the kinetosis or seasickness is born
The symptoms of the kinetosis range from simple nausea up to dizziness and vomiting. But why does it happen? The answer could surprise, but everything originates within our ear, where we can distinguish the external ear, deputy to the perception of the sounds, andinner eara complex system responsible for thebalance and of the perception of movement. Here we find the vestibular systemwho works in close collaboration with the eyes and the proprioception (the perception of our body in space) to provide the brain a coherent picture of our position and our movement.
Cinetosis was born when these signals come into conflict. For example, when we are on the bridge of a ship, our vestibular system perceives the oscillations and movements that we are making floating on the water, but the eyes do not see anything to move, since we are still standing. This sensory misalignment induces confusion in the brain, which can interpret it as a alarm signal.
One of the most accredited theories on the evolutionary origin of the kinetosis is the so -called “poison theory“: According to this hypothesis, the brain interprets the sensory conflict as if it were caused by one neurotoxin Ingested, or in any case by a psychoactive substance as can be a hallucinogen for example. Consequently, the body triggers nausea and vomiting as defensive mechanism To eliminate the toxic substance, even if in reality there is nothing to expel.
How to treat seasickness?
Historically, the best known active ingredient to treat the kinetosis was the broom. It is an alkaloid ad anticholinergic activitywhich means, said in a simpler way, which acts by blocking the action of theacetylcholinea neurotransmitter involved in intestinal motility. Once it was used especially in transdermal patches: applied a few hours before the trip, they released the active ingredient in circulation gradually. However, the broom it is no longer marketed For this purpose in Italy.
Today, in our country, among the most used over -the -counter drugs against kinetosis there are the antihistamine. Many people associate the word “antihistamine” exclusively with allergies, but in reality they can also be used in other problems. Effective antihistamines against kinetosis block the receptors H1 of Istamine at the level of central nervous systemthus reducing the impulses coming from the vestibular apparatus. This effect is often accompanied by a slight sedationso it is prudent to avoid driving or carrying out activities that require immediate attention after taking. Among the active ingredients of this type we find the forgottenperhaps the most famous, marketed in capsules or tablets and generally taken 30-60 minutes before the start of the trip. For any doubt, your doctor or trusted pharmacist will be able to indicate the most suitable solutions to you.
