Diagnostic Considerations

In an environment with a motion stimulus the diagniosis comes easily. In unusual cases, central causes of vertigo may need to be excluded. Patients can have cerebral vascular accidents and head trauma while traveling, and these diagnoses may need to be considered. Nausea in pregnancy may be falsely attributed to motion sickness. Atypical or vertiginous migraines can present in much the same way as some cases of motion sickness and other peripheral causes of dizziness may also need to be considered.

Other causes of discomfort should be assessed and should be empirically treated. Concurrent sources of discomfort, such as dehydration, sleep deprivation, hunger, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, intoxication, hangover, anxiety, depression, and heat and cold stressors, should be addressed.

CVA
Head Trauma
Pregnancy
Migraine
BPV
Dehydration
Sleep deprivation
Hypoglycemia
Intoxication
Anxiety
Depression

Workup

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Lawson BD, Mead AM. The sopite syndrome revisited: drowsiness and mood changes during real or apparent motion. Acta Astronaut. 1998 Aug-Sep. 43(3-6):181-92. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cha YH. Mal de debarquement. Semin Neurol. 2009 Nov. 29(5):520-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
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Author

Andrew Brainard, MD, MPH Consultant Emergency Medical Physician, Director of Emergency Medical Education, Middlemore Hospital, New Zealand

Andrew Brainard, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Chip Gresham, MD, FACEM † Emergency Medicine Physician, Medical Toxicologist, and Intensive Care Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Director of Medication Safety, Middlemore Hospital; Consultant Toxicologist, National Poisons Centre; Director, Auckland Regional Toxicology Service; Senior Lecturer, Auckland University Medical School, New Zealand

Chip Gresham, MD, FACEM is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Chief Editor

Selim R Benbadis, MD Professor, Director of Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Tampa General Hospital, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine

Selim R Benbadis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, American Epilepsy Society, American Medical Association

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: Bioserenity, Ceribell, Eisai, Jazz, LivaNova, Neurelis, Neuropace, SK life science, Sunovion, Takeda, UCB<br/>Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: Aquestive, Bioserenity, Eisai, Jazz, LivaNova, Neurelis, SK life science, Stratus, Sunovion, UCB<br/>Received research grant from: Cerevel Therapeutics, Ovid Therapeutics, Neuropace, Greenwich Jazz, SK Life Science, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, UCB, Marinus, Neuroelectrics Corporation, Longboard, Janssen, Equilibre Biopharmaceuticals.

Sections Motion Sickness
Overview
- Background
- Pathophysiology
- Prevalence
- Mortality/Morbidity
- Race
- Sex
- Age
- Show All
Presentation
DDx
Workup
Treatment
Medication
Questions & Answers
References

Motion Sickness Differential Diagnoses

Diagnostic Considerations

References

Tables

Contributor Information and Disclosures

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