Milk electric shocks delivered to the scalp could be the new treatment that millions of people suffering from motion sickness and seasickness and waiting for globally.
With an estimated thirty per cent of the entire global population suffering from hard-to-bear motion sickness symptoms, such as dizziness, severe nausea, cold sweats, and more, researchers have long been looking for reasons behind it and possible treatment options.
According to one popular theory, motion sickness is caused by confusing messages that our brain receives from both our eyes and ears while we are moving. There are tablets that people can take to alleviate motion sickness, but they generally make people feel drowsy. Taking tablets and feeling drowsy in the short-term may be alright, but what about people who have to go through this every single day?
This is where a new research from Imperial College London, shows a promising sign. Researchers showed that by applying a mild electrical current to the scalp can dampen responses in an area of the brain that is responsible for processing motion signals. Doing this helps the brain reduce the impact of the confusing inputs it is receiving and so prevents the problem that causes the symptoms of motion sickness.
This technique offers a safe and effective intervention that is likely to be available for anyone to buy, in the future, and doesn’t make a person feel drowsy.
Dr Qadeer Arshad from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London who led the research is optimistic about the technology and believes that it will be available to patients within five to ten years. He says that in less than a decade, people will be able to walk into the chemist and buy an anti-seasickness device.
Researchers expect it to be like a tens machine that is used for back pain and they are even hopeful that they may be able to integrate the technology with a mobile phone, which would be able to deliver the small amount of electricity required via the headphone jack.
For the research, scientists made participants wear electrodes on their heads for about 10 minutes. They were then asked to sit in a motorised rotating chair that also tilts to simulate the motions that tend to make people sick on boats or rollercoasters. Following the treatment, they were less likely to feel nauseous and they recovered more quickly.
Professor Michael Gresty from Imperial College who collaborated in this study and is a world expert on motion sickness said: “We are really excited about the potential of this new treatment to provide an effective measure to prevent motion sickness with no apparent side effects. The benefits that we saw are very close to the effects we see with the best travel sickness medications available.”
The research team are already beginning to talk to partners in industry about developing the device. In particular, there is interest from the military for various aspects of their work. This might include helping people who are remotely controlling drones using a visual interface that can lead to nausea.
Dr Arshad said: “From other studies we also have evidence that stimulating the brain in this way can enhance attention and concentration. This aspect is of great interest to the military and we imagine that other groups such as students and people who spend long periods playing computer games will also want to try it out.
“The currents involved are very small and there is no reason to expect any adverse effects from short term use.”
