How to deal with Seasickness or avoid it!

We recently put up a page all about seasickenss. It is much easier to avoid and to deal with than many people expect. It can be a major factor in choosing a dive trip and is something we are often asked about. We thought we’d give a bit more information!

How to Deal With (Avoid) Seasickness

Nothing can spoil a day of diving like a case of motion sickness. When it happens at sea, we refer to it as mal de mer or sea sickness. Whatever you call it, it makes you feel awful and miserable. This article will explain what it it, the symptoms and how to deal with it and how to prevent it altogether, so that you can concentrate on enjoying your diving adventures!

What is Seasickness?
In simple terms, seasickness occurs when the body, the inner ear and the eyes all send different signals to the brain. The constantly changing movement stimulates receptors in the brain, leading to confusion, queasiness, headaches, dizziness, nausea, dry-heaving and vomiting. The brain begins to malfunction as the normal, land-based environment it is accustomed to suddenly begins to act differently. Your visual system recognizes things like furniture and cabin walls as stable, while your inner ear is sending strong messages to the brain that they are not.
Our body metabolisms are nearly as unique as our personalities. Some preventatives will work for some people and not others. Others will work, though with varying degrees of effectiveness. You may have to do some trials and experimenting to find what works best for you. Not everything works the same for everybody.

Medications and Natural Preventatives
Ginger is a natural preventative. It soothes a queasy stomach and has no side effects. You can get it in pill form, tablets or powder, or as ginger root in many supermarkets or grocery stores.
Some doctors recommend that you can take it 12-24 hours before, as preventing sea sickness is easier than curing it. Somewhere from 1 gram up to 4 grams per day of powdered ginger is recommended. Some studies seem to indicate that ginger is more effective in the reduction of vomiting and sweating than nausea and vertigo, although they reduce those symptoms as well. You can try ginger biscuits and ginger ale, although their lower ginger content may not be as effective. They do work for some people though.

-Similan Diving