What are common seasickness treatments?

• A. Ginger, wristbands, medications
• B. Acetaminophen only
• C. Alcohol before sailing
• D. Caffeine and sugar

Answer: (A)

Seasickness happens when signals about motion from the eyes, inner ear, and body don’t line up, so the body feels nauseated and off balance. Treatments that are commonly used address nausea in different ways: ginger, wristbands, and medications.

Ginger has long been used to settle the stomach and can help reduce nausea for many people with few side effects. Wristbands apply gentle pressure to a specific point on the wrist (acupressure), and some paddlers find that this helps lessen symptoms without drugs. Medications such as meclizine or scopolamine work more directly by dampening the body's nausea signals, and can be very effective, especially for stronger or more persistent seasickness. Use them as directed and be mindful of side effects like drowsiness.

Options that don’t fit as well include acetaminophen, which relieves pain but doesn’t address nausea; alcohol, which tends to dehydrate and worsen seasickness; and caffeine with sugar, which don’t reliably relieve nausea and can even aggravate symptoms for some people.