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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes. Advice on the right medicine and timing, and a prescription when a pharmacy remedy is not enough.
- Why it happens: your inner ear senses movement that your eyes do not see, and the mixed signals cause nausea.
- Timing matters: travel sickness medicines work best taken 30 minutes to 2 hours before the journey; once you are vomiting they are absorbed poorly.
- What does not work: non-drowsy antihistamines; wristbands and ginger have little or no proven effect.
- Emergency: call 112 for vomiting with a severe headache, confusion, weakness on one side, chest pain or vomiting blood.
Do not book a video appointment for vomiting with a sudden severe headache, confusion, weakness or numbness on one side, slurred speech, chest pain, vomit that contains blood, or signs of severe dehydration such as very little urine and feeling faint. These need emergency care: call 112.
Can an online doctor treat travel sickness?
Yes. Travel sickness is diagnosed from the story, and the decisions that matter are which medicine to take, when to take it and whether it is safe with your health and your other medicines. All of that works by video. The doctor can recommend a pharmacy medicine or prescribe one, and checks that nothing else, such as an inner ear problem or a migraine, is behind your symptoms.
How an online consultation helps with travel sickness
- The right medicine for the journey: A short car trip, a day ferry and a week at sea need different medicines. The doctor matches the medicine and its timing to the trip.
- Your safety checked: Some travel sickness medicines do not suit people with glaucoma, prostate problems or epilepsy, or people over 60. The doctor checks before recommending one.
- A plan for driving: Most travel sickness medicines cause drowsiness. The doctor tells you who can drive and when.
- Something else ruled out: Dizziness that continues on solid ground, hearing changes or a severe headache point to another cause, and the doctor looks for them.
What the doctor checks in an online travel sickness consultation
The consultation follows a fixed order, and the emergency signs come first. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: a severe headache, weakness, confusion, chest pain, blood in vomit or signs of dehydration.
- The pattern: whether symptoms happen only when you are moving, and whether they stop once the journey ends.
- The journey: car, coach, plane, ferry or cruise, how long it lasts, and whether you will need to drive.
- Your health: glaucoma, prostate or bladder problems, epilepsy, heart conditions, pregnancy and your age.
- Your medicines: especially other drowsy medicines, antidepressants and anti-sickness medicines.
Before the call, write down the travel plan and how long each leg lasts, the medicines you have tried and how they worked, and the medicines you take regularly.
What causes travel sickness?
Travel sickness, also called motion sickness, happens when your inner ear senses movement that your eyes do not see, or the other way round. Reading in a moving car is the classic example: the inner ear feels every bend, while the eyes see a still page. The brain receives conflicting signals and responds with nausea.
Almost anyone can get travel sickness with enough movement, but some people are much more prone to it:
- children aged about 7 to 12, the peak age; it often eases with age
- women, especially around periods, in pregnancy or when taking hormonal contraception
- people who have migraines, vertigo or other balance problems
- people who are short of sleep
Susceptibility runs strongly in families: genes account for 55 to 70% of the differences between people. Repeated exposure, such as working on boats, slowly reduces it for many people.
Travel sickness symptoms
Symptoms build as the journey goes on, and the first ones are easy to miss. Typical symptoms are:
- feeling sick, and then vomiting
- turning pale and feeling cold
- sweating
- dizziness
- a headache and tiredness
Severe travel sickness means repeated vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and low blood pressure, and sometimes a heavy drowsiness and lack of energy, known as sopite syndrome.
How long does travel sickness last?
Symptoms usually end soon after you leave the car, plane or boat. A rocking feeling after a boat trip is normal and usually settles within hours. Dizziness or nausea that continues for days on solid ground, or that comes with hearing loss, ringing in the ears or a severe headache, is not simple travel sickness and needs a doctor’s review.
Why do I get motion sickness when I am not moving?
Because the eyes alone can trigger it. The same mismatch between what you see and what your inner ear feels happens in reverse when the screen moves and you do not:
- Virtual reality, video games and simulators: cybersickness causes nausea, eyestrain and headaches, and it is more common in virtual reality and simulators than in real journeys. Take breaks, and stop at the first sign of nausea.
- After a cruise or a ferry: a feeling of rocking or imbalance on land, called mal de débarquement, is normal and usually settles within hours. A rare persistent form lasts weeks or longer and needs a balance specialist.
How to prevent travel sickness
Reducing the mismatch between what you feel and what you see helps most. These measures work for many people:
- Sit where the movement is least: the front seat of a car, over the wings on a plane, or the middle of a ship, low down.
- Look at a fixed point on the horizon, and avoid reading or screens while moving.
- Get fresh air, close your eyes and breathe slowly and steadily.
- Avoid heavy, fatty or spicy meals and alcohol before and during the journey.
- Break up long car journeys to walk, drink water and get some air.
- Lean into bends as a passenger, and move with the ship’s motion rather than against it.
Controlled, slow breathing also helps, with no side effects, and it costs nothing to try.
Travel sickness tablets and patches: what works
Travel sickness medicines prevent symptoms better than they treat them, so the timing matters as much as the choice. Hyoscine, for example, works on the parts of the inner ear, nerves and brain that control balance and nausea, and once symptoms start the stomach empties slowly and tablets are poorly absorbed. Two groups of medicines work:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Medicine | Take it | Main side effects | Not suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyoscine tablets | At least 30 minutes before travel | Drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision | Glaucoma, prostate problems, epilepsy; may not suit people aged 60 or over |
| Hyoscine patch (behind the ear) | Several hours before travel, as the leaflet says; it works for up to 3 days; never cut it | Dry mouth, dry eyes, drowsiness | Glaucoma, difficulty passing urine |
| Cinnarizine | About 2 hours before travel, after food | Drowsiness | Liver or kidney problems, glaucoma, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease |
| Promethazine | Before travel, as the pack or the doctor directs | The most drowsiness of the group | Anyone who needs to drive; the doctor checks other medicines |
Non-drowsy antihistamines, such as cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine, do not prevent travel sickness. Acupressure wristbands performed no better than placebo in trials, and the evidence for ginger is weak, although both are harmless to try.
Can travel sickness be cured for good?
Often it fades, and the body can be trained. Susceptibility peaks between the ages of 7 and 12 and declines through adulthood. The most effective long-term fix is habituation: repeated exposure to the same kind of motion. Once fully acquired, habituation works better than any travel sickness medicine and has no side effects, but it takes time to build.
- Start with short trips in calm conditions, and make them gradually longer.
- Practise controlled, slow breathing, which is about half as effective as the medicines, with no side effects.
- Keep using the seating and horizon measures while you adapt.
Dizziness that keeps returning without any motion is not travel sickness: it can come from the inner ear or from migraine, and needs a doctor’s assessment.
Which travel sickness treatment might the doctor recommend?
The choice depends on the journey, whether you need to stay alert, and your health. This is the framework the doctors use, in line with NHS and CDC guidance.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild nausea on short journeys | Seating, horizon and breathing measures; a pharmacy tablet if needed | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Regular travel sickness on car or coach trips | A hyoscine or antihistamine tablet taken before the journey | Yes | Not usually needed |
| A long ferry crossing or a cruise | A hyoscine patch or a longer-acting antihistamine | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Glaucoma, prostate problems, pregnancy or age over 60 | A medicine chosen around your condition, or measures without medicine | Yes | If the doctor needs an examination first |
| Dizziness that continues on solid ground, or hearing changes | Assessment for an inner ear or balance problem | Initial assessment | Ear or balance examination in person |
| Vomiting with a severe headache, weakness or chest pain | Emergency assessment | No | Call 112 now |
Not sure which travel sickness medicine is safe for you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for travel sickness
What you can do yourself
- Use the seating, horizon and fresh-air measures above every time you travel.
- Ask a pharmacist for a hyoscine or cinnarizine tablet, and take it at the time on the pack, before you set off.
- Sip water or a sugary drink if you vomit, and eat small, plain snacks once the nausea settles.
- Do not drive, cycle or use machinery if a medicine makes you drowsy, and avoid alcohol with it.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. For long sea journeys, the doctor may prescribe a hyoscine patch, which is applied behind the ear several hours before travel. Where tablets have not worked, the doctor can suggest a different medicine or a different timing, and checks it against your other medicines. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Taking a tablet after vomiting has started rarely works well, because the stomach empties slowly. Non-drowsy hay fever tablets do not prevent travel sickness, and doubling a dose adds side effects, not protection.
Special situations
Travel sickness in pregnancy
Pregnancy can make travel sickness worse, and most travel sickness medicines are not usually recommended unless the benefit outweighs the risk. Start with the measures without medicine, and talk to the doctor before taking anything.
Aged 60 or over
Hyoscine may not suit people aged 60 or over, and drowsy medicines raise the risk of falls. The doctor chooses a medicine that suits you, or a plan without one.
If you need to drive
The driver rarely gets travel sick, because controlling the vehicle matches what the eyes see to what the body feels. If you share the driving, take a medicine only on the legs when you are a passenger, and only if it will have worn off before your turn.
Cruises, ferries and flights
On a ship, choose a cabin low down in the middle, spend time on deck looking at the horizon, and start medicine before the first rough stretch. On a plane, a seat over the wings moves the least. For a sudden spell of dizziness that continues after you land, see the dizziness page. Before a trip abroad, run the medicines you are packing through the medication checker.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When travel sickness is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: choosing a travel sickness medicine and its timing, a prescription for a long journey, and advice when a medicine has not worked or does not suit you.
In-person care: dizziness that persists after travel, hearing loss or ringing in the ears, a severe headache, weakness, chest pain, and dehydration from vomiting.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- vomiting with a sudden severe headache, confusion, slurred speech or weakness on one side
- chest pain, or vomit that contains blood
- signs of severe dehydration: very little urine, fainting or confusion
Get medical advice the same day for:
- vomiting that has stopped you keeping fluids down for most of a day
- dizziness or nausea that continues after the journey has ended
- new hearing loss or ringing in the ears
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your journey: describe the trip, what you have tried before, whether you need to drive, and the medicines you take.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s travel sickness? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Dizziness can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about travel sickness
What helps travel sickness, and how do you stop it?
Sit where the movement is least, look at the horizon, avoid reading and screens, get fresh air and breathe slowly. If that is not enough, take a travel sickness medicine before the journey, because medicines prevent symptoms much better than they treat them.
What is the best travel sickness tablet?
For travel sickness, hyoscine and drowsy antihistamines such as cinnarizine and promethazine all work, and the best choice depends on the length of the journey, whether you need to stay alert, and your health. Hyoscine is not suitable for people with glaucoma and may not suit people aged 60 or over.
How long before travelling should I take travel sickness tablets?
Hyoscine tablets work best taken at least 30 minutes before travel, and cinnarizine about 2 hours before. A hyoscine patch needs several hours to start working. Always follow the instructions that come with the medicine.
Do travel sickness patches work?
Yes. Hyoscine travel sickness patches are worn behind the ear and are useful for long sea journeys and cruises. They take several hours to start working, so they are applied well before departure, each works for up to 3 days, and they should never be cut.
Can an online doctor prescribe travel sickness medicine?
Yes. After a video consultation the doctor can recommend a pharmacy travel sickness medicine or prescribe one, such as a hyoscine patch for a long crossing, and you can use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
Do travel sickness bands or ginger work?
In controlled trials of travel sickness, acupressure wristbands worked no better than placebo, and the evidence for ginger is weak and contradictory. Both are harmless to try, but neither is a substitute for a medicine on a rough crossing.
Can you take travel sickness tablets when pregnant?
Most travel sickness medicines are not usually recommended in pregnancy unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk. Start with measures without medicine, and speak to a doctor before taking anything.
Can motion sickness be cured permanently?
There is no one-off cure for motion sickness, but it often fades with age, and repeated, gradually longer trips train the body to adapt. Fully acquired, this habituation works better than any medicine. Controlled breathing and the right seat help while you adapt.
How long does motion sickness last?
Motion sickness symptoms usually end soon after the journey. A rocking feeling after a boat trip is normal and settles within hours. Dizziness that lasts for days on solid ground, or a rocking feeling that lasts weeks, needs a doctor.
Is it travel sickness or something else?
Travel sickness starts with motion and ends soon after it stops, with nausea, pallor, sweating and yawning but no fever or headache. A rocking feeling that goes on for days after a cruise is mal de débarquement; spinning dizziness that comes in attacks, with or without travel, is vertigo from the inner ear; nausea with a one-sided throbbing headache is migraine, which also makes people more motion-sensitive; and vomiting with fever or diarrhoea is an infection. Dizziness that persists on land needs a doctor.
Why do I get motion sickness when I am not moving?
Because what you see can trigger motion sickness on its own. Virtual reality, video games and simulators cause cybersickness, with nausea, eyestrain and headaches. Take breaks and stop at the first sign of nausea.
Why have I started getting travel sickness as an adult?
Travel sickness often eases after childhood but can return, especially around periods, in pregnancy, with migraines or after a spell without travelling. Dizziness that continues on solid ground is different and needs a doctor’s review.
- Motion sickness, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 19 June 2023.
- Motion sickness, CDC Yellow Book 2026, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 April 2025.
- Hyoscine hydrobromide, NHS medicines information, reviewed 26 August 2026.
- Cinnarizine, NHS medicines information, reviewed 6 August 2026.
- Motion sickness, Cleveland Clinic, updated 8 April 2024.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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