怎样克服旅行期间晕动病的折磨(2)

'There may be sort of a general classification that people who are susceptible to motion sickness have,' Dr. Stoffregen said. 'Maybe they just move differently in general.'

施托夫雷根指出：“易患晕动病的人或许可被大致归为某种类型，那就是他们身体的移动可能通常都和别人不一样。”

Max Levine, an associate professor of psychology at Siena College, studies behavioral and alternative motion-sickness treatments. In a recent experiment on about 50 individuals, half received capsules with ginger root and the remainder got a placebo. Then the individuals were seated in a chamber and exposed to a rotating device called an optokinetic drum that induces motion sickness.

锡耶纳学院心理学助理教授麦克斯•莱文(Max Levine)研究了针对晕动病的行为疗法和替代疗法。在最近一个大约包含50名受试者的实验中，他安排了一半的人服用生姜胶囊，其余的人则服用安慰剂。这些人随后被安排坐在一个房间内，接触一种名为视动性眼震仪的旋转装置，此装置可引发晕动病。

'The folks who got ginger beforehand ended up doing much better both in terms of the symptoms they developed and in terms of the physiological reaction that they had in the stomach,' he said.

莱文称：“就他们出现的症状及胃部产生的生理反应来说，事先服过生姜胶囊的人的表现要好得多。”

Recent behavioral experiments have found that cool compresses or gel packs placed on the forehead are somewhat effective at controlling physiological changes, such as abnormal rhythmic stomach activity that generally accompanies nausea, but didn't significantly reduce nausea. Listening to one's favorite music as a distraction showed improvements in symptoms including nausea, as well as in physiological changes, Dr. Levine said. Now, Dr. Levine is studying how deep breathing and relaxation may aid in motion sickness.

近期的行为实验发现，敷在前额上的冷敷膜和冷敷凝胶袋对控制某些生理反应有一些效果，比如通常还伴有恶心症状的胃部间歇性异常反应，但它们并不能大幅减轻恶心症状。莱文说，听自己最喜欢的音乐来分散注意力可改善恶心症状以及引发其他生理变化。目前他正在研究深呼吸和放松对治疗晕动病有何帮助。

Doctors say a common misperception is that traveling on an empty stomach helps. Wrong. It's better to eat a light meal beforehand, especially one high in protein.

医生指出，一个常见的误解是空腹旅行有助于缓解晕动病。这其实是错误的。最好是事先吃些清淡的食品，尤其是蛋白质含量高的食品。

In a 2004 study in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 18 individuals completed three trials. In one, they had a protein drink before exposure to a device that induces motion sickness. In a second trial, they had a carbohydrate drink, and the third time they had nothing. They fared best after the protein drink. Protein 'really tends to get the stomach into that slow normal rhythmic activity more so than fats and carbohydrates,' Dr. Levine said.

在一项发表于《食物药理学与治疗学》(Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics)杂志的2004年的研究中，18名受试者完成了三个实验。在第一个实验中，他们在接触可引发晕动病的装置之前先饮用了蛋白质饮料；在第二个实验中他们饮用的是碳水化合物饮料；而在第三个实验中则什么都没喝。实验表明，他们在喝过蛋白质饮料后的感觉最好。莱文说，蛋白质确实会比脂肪和碳水化合物更能让胃部产生缓慢的间歇性正常活动。

Children over age 2 seem more prone to motion sickness than adults. Some experts think children's extra-sharp senses may make them aware of even a slight mismatch. Adults in their golden years seem to experience motion sickness less often─perhaps because of habituation.

两岁以上的儿童似乎比成年人更易患晕动病。有些专家认为，这或许是因为儿童的感觉格外敏锐，能感觉到哪怕是不起眼的不一致现象。处于黄金年龄段的成年人发生晕动病的情况则更少见一些，这大概是因为他们已经习惯了。

Women have a greater tendency than men to get motion sickness. Some experts believe this is because women also are more prone to getting migraines, and migraine sufferers have a higher rate of motion sickness. Or women may simply report motion sickness symptoms more often.

女性比男性更容易患晕动病。有些专家认为这是因为女性也更容易得偏头痛，而偏头痛患者患晕动病的几率也更高；但或者这也只是因为女性比男性更经常报告自己的晕动病症状。

Doctors say prescription drugs and over-the-counter options like Dramamine are the best treatment option, though some can cause side effects. Such drugs work by suppressing the central nervous system's response to nausea-producing stimuli. They reduce symptoms for many people but aren't universally effective.

医生认为，处方药和茶苯海明等非处方药是治疗晕动病的最佳药物，尽管有些药品会引发一些副作用。此类药品通过抑制中枢神经系统对造成恶心的刺激物的反应而发挥作用。它们可以减轻许多人的症状，但并不是对所有人都有效果。

Some travelers rely on homeopathic remedies such as ginger or acupressure wrist bands. Sujana Chandrasekhar, director of New York Otology in New York City, said they aren't universally effective, but are 'worth trying.'

有些旅行者则借助生姜和指压防晕腕带等顺势疗法来治疗晕动病。纽约市纽约耳科医院(New York Otology)的主任苏查娜•钱德拉塞克哈(Sujana Chandrasekhar)说，这些疗法并非普遍适用，但是“值得一试”。

There are behavioral tips for preventing or minimizing symptoms. Cynthia Ryan knows them all. The 45-year-old Portland, Ore., resident has suffered from motion sickness since she was a child commuting to school along winding roads, her barf bag in hand. Now the executive director of the Vestibular Disorders Association, Ms. Ryan says individuals with vestibular disorders are prone to motion sickness.

有些行为方面的小技巧也可预防晕动病的症状或将症状减到最轻。现年45岁、家住俄勒冈波特兰的辛西娅•瑞安(Cynthia Ryan)就了解这些技巧。瑞安从孩童时期起就深受晕动病之苦，那时她每天要坐车沿着弯弯曲曲的道路往返学校，手里总是拿着呕吐袋。她现在是前庭系统疾病协会(Vestibular Disorders Association)的常务理事，她说患有前庭系统疾病的人也更容易患晕动病。

Her rule of thumb is to always be the driver. 'I almost never let somebody else drive,' she said. 'And if I do, I sit in the passenger seat.' Even when sitting as the front passenger, Ms. Ryan says she does deep-breathing exercises and tries to focus on a fixed point on the road in front of her. 'I can't participate in conversations,' she said. 'I can't read. Sometimes someone will pass me a smartphone and say, 'Can you read me the directions?' And I'll say, 'Not unless you want me to throw up in your car.' '

她的经验就是总是包揽司机工作。她说：“我几乎从不让别人开车，就算别人开，我也要坐在副驾驶座位。”她还说，即便是坐在副驾驶座位上，她也要做些深呼吸运动，尽量把注意力放在前方路面一个固定的点上。她说：“我不能和别人说话，也不能看书。有时候有人会把智能手机递给我说，‘你能给我念念路线吗？’我会回答，‘不能，除非你想让我吐在你的车里。’”

Watching television TV or reading in a car is a no-no. 'Face forward in the vehicle to be as alert to what's happening outside the vehicle as the driver would be,' Dr. Chandrasekhar said. 'You want to try to match your eyes to what's going on and to what your inner ear is feeling.' experts say: Just close your eyes and sleep.

在车内看电视或看书也绝不可行。钱德拉塞克哈说：“坐在车内面朝前方，像驾驶员一样警惕车外的状况。你要做的是，尽量让你眼睛所看到的与所发生的、以及你内耳所感受到的情形相符。”而专家的建议是：只要闭上眼睛睡觉即可。