Understanding Motion Sickness: Causes, Symptoms & Relief

Motion sickness occurs when repeated motion disturbs the inner ear affecting a person's sense of equilibrium and balance. People often experience seasickness while on a moving boat or car sickness while traveling for long periods in a vehicle.

Movement

• Movement causes motion sickness. The sensation of changes in direction and speed or any changes in velocity at all will cause motion sickness to occur.

Visual Disorientation

• Visual disorientation occurs when a person's body is moving, but their eyes do not sense the movement, or when the eyes sense movement but the body is actually still, such as a watching a movie in the theater. This will cause motion sickness.

Eye Strain

• Eye strain -- the continual refocusing of the eyes -- also causes motion sickness. If a person were reading a book while traveling in a vehicle, it would be necessary to refocus the eyes causing the eyes to strain and motion sickness to occur.