Does CBD Work for Motion Sickness?

One thing that can totally take away the fun of traveling is motion sickness. Even if it is someone with you who suffers from motion sickness, consider your journey ruined as well. I have been in such situations so many times that I am actually scared of traveling with people who may have even mild symptoms. I cannot, at any cost, let someone affect my travel plans.

If you too have the symptoms or friends who feel nauseous in the car, I hope and believe this article will help you manage the condition.

Disclaimer- Be sure to see your doctor before you start any supplemental CBD regiment. Consult your heath professional first to make sure it is safe for you. We are not health professionals and do not claim to be.

Motion Sickness

Motion sickness, also known as kinetosis, is basically the uncomfortable, uneasy feeling one gets while traveling. It can be any vehicle that you may feel nauseous in, people get motion sickness in cars, boats, and planes. All of these types of motion sicknesses are pretty common and almost similar in terms of symptoms.

A lot of people believe they start feeling nauseous and dizzy because of the closed doors of the vehicles causing claustrophobia, height, lack or reduction in the levels of oxygen, warm and overly crowded places. These are some of the commonly stated factors that cause motion sickness or nausea while traveling.

While some people feel sick, others may feel absolutely fine and normal in the very same situation and circumstances. This suggests that while the outer environment can contribute to the sickness, it is not solely responsible for the sickness. There is the body and its internal system that plays a significant role.

man feeling sick holding hand up cbd and motion sickness

Symptoms of Motion Sickness

The common symptoms of motion sickness include but are not limited to:

  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Blurred Vision
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Stomach ache
  • Feeling Uneasy
  • Drowsiness
  • Blocked ear
  • Breathing issues

How Can You Avoid Motion Sickness?

There are a few preventive measures that can help you avoid motion sickness or reduce the severity of the symptoms.

Avoid eating fatty, oily food before or during your journey. Greasy food, especially before the journey, can make you feel nauseous and upset your stomach.

Avoid reading or concentrating on a book, tablet, or phone while traveling. A lot of times concentrating while in motion leads to a spinning head which can cause headache and again nausea. You can choose to look outside the window or straight. Either way you will save yourself from a headache and motion sickness.

Chewing gum helps during the journey. Prefer a minty, refreshing chewing gum over fruity one and consider chewing gum whenever you feel like vomiting due to the motion. Not only will it tame down the nausea, it will even divert your mind from the uncomfortable feeling.

Taking a nap helps some people but it worsens the symptoms for others. So, depending on how your body would react, choose to either take a nap or completely avoid dozing off.

Other than these natural remedies, there are medications that are known to help with motion sickness. Sure, they may offer some side effects at times but they are popular among people and have worked well for a lot of them. Some of the commonly consumed medications for motion sickness include Gravol, Dramamine, Benadryl, and Scopolamine. While Gravol is an over the counter medication, that is, you can easily get it from the pharmacy, scopolamine is a prescription drug.

Can CBD Treat Motion Sickness?

The short answer is yes. CBD can treat motion sickness or help in managing the symptoms. Studies have found that the endocannabinoid system is responsible for the nauseous feeling and thus it has a role to play in reducing that feeling which is one of the most common and influential symptoms of motion sickness. CBD is known for its medicinal properties. One of these properties and beneficial effects of CBD is that it can reduce nausea. There is sufficient evidence both anecdotal as well as research that supports the use of CBD to manage nausea and other symptoms of motion sickness such as headache, anxiety, uneasiness, and upset stomach. Since the endocannabinoid system is somehow responsible for the motion sickness and since CBD can directly influence the said endocannabinoid system, it is believed and found that CBD can help balance the system and reduce unwanted symptoms of motion sickness.

All of these studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD can be an effective, natural alternative to various treatments and medications that are being used to reduce motion sickness. And the most attractive part is that CBD would not offer unwanted effects like a lot of prescribed pharmaceuticals would, unless of course it is being abused or consumed in a wrong manner. 

dropper with CBD oil in it.

Can You Drive After Consuming CBD?

Since CBD is a cannabinoid derived from marijuana or hemp plant, which is again marijuana with a high concentration of CBD and low concentration THC, there are certain acceptable doubts regarding its usage.

Marijuana can impair driving, but can similar effects be expected from CBD?

It is important to note that CBD is the non intoxicating cannabinoid of the cannabis plant. It is THC that is responsible for psychoactive effects or the commonly known ‘high’ that is often considered one of the most common effects of marijuana. CBD does not offer this high. So, it won’t impair driving. Neither will it make you feel high or drowsy.

Side Effects of CBD

Well, it’s weird that I just said CBD does not offer side effects and here I am, about to list them for you.

It is true, CBD does not generally have any side effects but every body is different and no one can simply pass a statement without considering the exceptions. While it is not common to experience side effects after consuming CBD, your body may react differently and some of you may experience mild side effects or unwanted effects of CBD. so, it is better if you just keep that in mind and analyze how your body generally reacts to the supplement before directly taking it before or while driving.

How much you consume CBD matters. Even though CBD is not sedative, consuming high doses of CBD can actually cause drowsiness. This can influence driving and can be extremely dangerous so watch your CBD dosage.

How to Consume CBD for Motion Sickness

While there are several ways in which one can choose to consume CBD, not every method shall be favorable for motion sickness. CBD can be inhaled, ingested, consumed sublingually, or applied.

But when you are using it for motion sickness, inhaling shall not be the most efficient or effective consumption method. When I say that, I am considering both smoking CBD before as well as during the journey. If you choose to smoke CBD before starting your journey, the effects may not last long and strong as you continue to travel. And smoking during the journey may not be possible in all the cases. You cannot smoke on a plane or boat. And even if you get to smoke, it may offer you immediate relief but you will have to consume it every few hours which can cause overdose.

Consuming CBD sublingually can be safe and beneficial in such situations. The effects are immediate and last longer than smoking. Moreover, you can easily consume CBD sublingually anywhere. CBD oils and tinctures are the products that you can use for this method of consumption. 

Man taking CBD oil under his toungr

If consuming sublingually is not your thing, feel free to eat your CBD. the effects shall be slow but last longer than any other consumption method. I highly recommend taking CBD before starting your journey so that it gets sufficient time to kick in.

You can even choose to apply CBD if you are struggling with a headache. That way you can bypass the digestive tract and get local benefits and treat the issue directly.

PS: If you are already consuming a medication to manage the symptoms of motion sickness, refrain from combining the medication with CBD as that may interact with each other and offer unwanted effects. It is better to talk to your medical marijuana doctor or physician before self medicating.

Summary

To summarize the use and effects of CBD for motion sickness, here are a few tips that will come handy.

Yes, CBD works well as a treatment for motion sickness no matter which type of motion sickness you have.

If you decide to use it, consider consuming it before the journey begins so that it gets the time to kick in.

Starting slow with CBD dosage will help you tolerate the supplement better and save you from the possible side effects of overdose.

Do not combine over the counter pharmaceuticals with CBD. If you are already using some medication to treat or manage the symptoms of motion sickness, it is better to either avoid CBD or talk to a doctor before taking both the medications altogether as they may interact and alter the desired effects.

You can choose to drive after consuming CBD as it won’t impair driving but it is still suggested to not do it as even the slightest probability of it working as a sedative can attract trouble.

Last but not the least, always purchase products from a reliable CBD store so that you don’t fall for low quality CBD.