One of the conditions that take the fun out of trips and journeys is motion sickness. Whether the journey is by sea, land, or air, motion sickness makes it unbearable for some people. And it can affect persons of any age, as both old and young suffer from it.
Medications exist for motion sickness, but it does not work effectively for everyone. An effective alternative to these medications that a lot of people are unaware of is cannabis.
What is Motion Sickness?
Motion sickness occurs when conflicting messages are sent to your central nervous system, resulting in a confused brain. These conflicting messages could come from any of the senses (eyes, ears, nerves) in your body, as a result of the inability to properly detect movement.
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For example, if your eyes cannot see the movement, it might send a signal that there is movement to your brain. If your other senses can feel the movement and send the information to your brain, it leaves the brain confused. Motion sickness can occur on a plane, car, train, as well as boat or ship, and it can turn what promised to be a fun trip into an absolute nightmare.
Types of Motion Sickness
There are three major types of motion sickness:
- Air Sickness: This usually occurs when traveling in an aircraft, including airplanes, helicopters, gliders, parameters, and jets.
- Car Sickness: This typically happens when you are moving in a vehicle on land, most likely a car.
- Sea Sickness: Seasickness occurs on water, usually in boats or ships.
Categories of Motion Sickness
Motion sickness can be classified into three categories based on the source of the trigger:
- Motion sickness that is triggered by motion that you cannot see but you can feel. In this case, while your nerves send the correct message to your brain, your eyes cannot do the same resulting in motion sickness.
- Motion sickness that is triggered by motion that you can see but cannot feel. In this case, while your eyes send the correct message to your brain, your eyes cannot do the same resulting in motion sickness.
- Motion sickness that is triggered when your auditory and visual systems detect different types of motion. In this case, they send different signals to the brain resulting in motion sickness.
Symptoms of Motion Sickness
The symptoms of motion sickness are usually not too serious, but can cause great uneasiness. The common symptoms of motion sickness include sweating, shortness of breath, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, pale skin, and yawning. While the symptoms of motion sickness are not serious, regular occurrence of this condition results in more serious issues like a fear of travel.
Who Is At Risk of Having Motion Sickness?
There are two classes of people that have the highest risk of suffering from motion sickness: pregnant women and children. Others can also stand a high risk of motion sickness if they are dealing with the following.
- Anxiety and fear about traveling
- Using an unfamiliar mode of traveling
- Poor ventilation in the vehicle
- Having no access to a window and being unable to see the motion.
How Cannabis Helps With Motion Sickness
In recent years, medical cannabis has been suggested by advocates as a possible remedy for motion sickness. Medical marijuana is used to ease chemotherapy-induced nausea, and research has shown that it can help with motion-induced nausea as well.
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Two cannabinoids contained in cannabis, CBD and THC, are known to be active receptors in the human body. These cannabinoids reduce counter the release of the body chemicals that cause nausea, thereby easing the discomfort that comes with motion sickness.
Symptoms of Motion Sickness That Cannabis Tackles
Cannabis helps with motion sickness by treating the symptoms. Some of these symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness
Best Cannabis Strains For Motion Sickness
Both Sativa and Indica strains work for motion sickness, albeit having different functionality. Indica strains helps you to relax while Sativa strains energize you. Below are some of the best cannabis strains for motion sickness.
Grand Master Kush: This is an Indica dominant strain that helps with anxiety, nausea, pain, stress as well as lack of appetite.
Blue Dream: This is another Indica dominant strain. Blue dream helps with uneasiness, stress, pain as well as nausea.
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Sour Diesel: This is a Sativa dominant strain that eases migraine and stops nausea.
Super Haze Lemon: Super haze lemon is another Sativa dominant strain. It helps to ease anxiety and settle a troubled stomach.
Durban Poison: This is a Sativa dominant strain that helps with loss of appetite and nausea.
Best Means of Consuming Cannabis For Motion Sickness
Popular ways of consuming cannabis like smoking and vaping are not ideal for traveling. Apart from having high mechanical risk, smoking in public is bad etiquette. This is why it is important to explore other means of consuming cannabis when treating motion sickness. The best means of consuming cannabis for motion sickness include:
Tinctures: This form of cannabis is taken sublingually. Simply place a few drops of the cannabis under your tongue before the trip.
Topicals: This includes oils, balms, and lotions that can be rubbed on the body before the trip.
Edibles: This type of cannabis is consumed in oral form, such as gummies and cookies. Edibles can be eaten anywhere.
Transdermal Patch: This method involves the infusion of cannabis into the bloodstream.
Conclusion
Before you buy cannabis for your motion sickness, be sure to confirm that it’s legal in your state. Visit a cannabis-friendly doctor to provide you with a strain that is suitable for you.
This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission.
