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How to stop Seasickness from ruining
your next Fishing trip
Seasickness
seems almost comical when it happens to someone else. Your fishing
buddy or boating companion, at first eager and enthusiastic, is
suddenly reduced to a helpless, withering victim doubled over at the
rail. You chuckle to yourself quietly, or among the other non-seasick
passengers onboard. For some reason, you feel more “macho” than
this other guy, who obviously isn’t tough enough to handle “a few
little swells.” Then all of a sudden, you start feeling a little
nauseous yourself. As you step out of the galley to get a little fresh
air, the exhaust and fumes of the boat’s engine hit you, causing
your stomach to turn even more. Your skin gets a little pale and
clammy, as you start to think about becoming seasick. And then, before
you know it, you find yourself literally in the same boat as your poor
friend leaning over the gunwale, “feeding the fish.” The fact is,
anyone – even the most seasoned mariner – can get seasick at one
time or another. Knowing what causes this condition and how to prevent
it, or cope with it once you have it, can mean the difference between
enjoying your day on the water, or being miserable the entire time
that you’re out there. BoatersWorld.com, the Web’s leading source
for marine products and related information, offers the following
useful information and tips:
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What
Causes 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 to 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.
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By taking
certain precautions prior to your trip, you can prevent
"Mal de Mer" from ruining your day on the water. |
I Need a
New Drug
The best means
of preventing seasickness is to take steps prior to even setting foot
on a boat. Some well known over the counter medications for preventing
seasickness include brand name drugs such as Dramamine, Bonine,
Meclizine and Benadryl. Several stronger, more effective seasickness
medications, including Promethazine and Ephedrine are also available
by prescription only. Both the over-the-counter and prescription drugs
generally work well for preventing seasickness, or for helping you
recover more quickly once seasickness has begun. Many people are
fearful of taking these medications, however, because of the possible
negative side effects. In most cases, however, the side effects (which
typically include drowsiness and blurred vision) are nowhere near as
unpleasant as seasickness itself. Medications such as those mentioned
above also need to be taken at least a half hour ahead of time in
order to do the job. Some users simply fail to allow enough time for
these drugs to take effect, and consequently write them off as
“ineffective.”
A Natural Alternative
There are also
natural alternatives to seasickness drugs. One of the best-known
remedies is ginger. According to MotherNature.com, a natural
products/health advice Web site, several studies conducted have shown
that taking two 500 milligram ginger capsules to be more effective in
combating seasickness than the recommended dosage of Dramamine. The
German researchers that conducted these studies believe that ginger
works via the digestive tract, instead of shutting down messages
traveling to the brain (as most anti-nausea drugs function). Taking
ginger capsules just prior to your planned boating or fishing trip, or
at the first signs of nausea, should help prevent or lessen the
severity of seasickness. If you don’t have access to ginger
capsules, try eating some ginger snap cookies or drinking ginger ale.
These sources of ginger are not as strong or pure, but they should
help a little.
Patch
Things Up
Another popular
option for preventing seasickness is what has become known as “the
patch.” Worn behind the ear, such patches gradually release the drug
Scopolamine into the body (over the course of three days). These
patches are available only by prescription, and must be applied at
least eight hours before exposure to work as intended. Like
seasickness pills, Scopolamine patches can produce various side
effects, including dry mouth, blurry vision, drowsiness and dizziness.
Despite these possible drawbacks, the patch remains an effective
option for seasick-proned boaters and anglers.
Band Aid
A drug-free
option for preventing seasickness is available in the form of
“wristbands” offered by various manufacturers. This concept was
invented by physician and surgeon Dr. Daniel Choy in 1980 during the
Newport-Bermuda yacht race, when the seasickness pills he was carrying
got wet and melted in his pocket. It was then that Dr. Choy found
considerable relief from seasickness by pressing the Nei-kuan pressure
point, located just above the crease of the wrist, towards the elbow,
midway between the flexor tendons. Medical researchers hypothesize
that there are precise neuroanatomical relationships between the
Nei-kuan point and the hypothalamus, cerebellum and brain stem.
Wristband type solutions for seasickness are available
over-the-counter through most drug stores. You can also purchase them
online at BoatersWorld.com (www.BoatersWorld.com). According to the
manufacturers, these bands are incredibly safe and effective, and can
be used by both children and adults, even expectant mothers, without
any problems.
It’s
Too Late – Now What Do I Do?
Of course, the
best way to prevent seasickness is to take preventative action, but
what happens if you find yourself becoming seasick anyway. The best
course to take is to recognize and react to any symptoms as early as
possible. What are the early warning signs? Yawning, drowsiness,
fatigue and lethargy are the pre-cursors to seasickness. Problem is,
these signs can be hard to recognize, especially if you are already
tired. Most people don’t detect oncoming seasickness until there are
more obvious signs, such as stomach discomfort (nausea) and slight
sweating, excessive salivating or belching. As you start to become
seasick, you’ll find that performing various tasks requiring mental
concentration becomes more difficult. Even simple assignments, such as
threading line through the guides of a rod or tying on a hook become
seemingly impossible.
Seasickness is
obvious in its more advanced stages, when vomiting usually begins.
As mentioned, in order to avoid getting to this point, do something
before these serious symptoms occur. Take anti-motion sickness
medication. Avoid small, cramped spaces, get out in the fresh air, and
take slow, deep breaths. Try going up on deck and looking at the
horizon to eliminate visual conflict. Stay around midship or aft,
where the pitching and rolling of the ship is less intense. Also be
sure to avoid alcohol and smoking – this will only make your
condition worse. The worst thing you can do is to stay in a confined
area (such as the galley) where there is typically smoke and various
odors, and be sure not to eat any greasy or spicy food being served
up. You can try downing some soda crackers, but that’s about it.
Don’t sit inside and try to read either, thinking the distraction
will help. Trying to focus on the print while the boat moves is a sure
way to bring on seasickness. While the tendency is to go off by
yourself when seasick, don’t let your embarrassment discourage you
from seeking aid from others onboard, such as the skipper or crew
members, that may be able to offer helpful suggestions and/or
time-tested remedies. The skipper may also be able to make a course
adjustment that will make the ride a little less rough.
Damage
Control
If you do become
seasick, remember to replace the nutrients lost from your system due
to repeated vomiting. Even if you don’t feel like eating, force
yourself to consume small amounts of saltines, broth and fluids that
include glucose and electrolytes. Doing so will help alleviate
continued bouts of nausea, strengthen your system, and move you along
on the road to recovery.
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