Visual Vestibular Habituation as an Effective Treatment for Motion Sickness

Background: Motion sickness is a common problem experienced by much the population. Clinical treatments at this time are primarily pharmacological. Currently it is known that multiple exposures to motion sickness triggers can, over time, result in habituation and the patient can become free of symptoms. This repeated recurrence of sickness is not desirable or practical to daily living. Limited evidence is available for visual-vestibular habituation training that does not provoke the undesirable symptoms and can last for upwards of a year. Method: An exhaustive search of available medical literature was conducted using Medline-OVID, CINAHL, VISIONCITE, EBMR Multifile and Web of Science using the keywords: motion sickness, visual vestibular and habituation. All articles published prior to 2000, non-English language and non-human trials were excluded by the search. Relevant articles were assessed for quality using GRADE. Results: Three studies met inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. A pilot study consisting of 29 subjects demonstrated visual-vestibular habituation and reduction of motion sickness symptom scores in susceptible individuals from 13.0 ± 4.4 to 1.5 ± 3.1 eighteen weeks after habituation. A randomized controlled, double blind, trial with 20 subjects demonstrated an overall reduction in the peak velocity and in time constant of 17.2% and 22.7% respectively (p<0.05) with vestibular training. A pilot study demonstrated figure skaters, due to their habituation, were less susceptible to motion sickness than were controls (2.8 ± 2.8 vs. 16.2 ± 13.7; <0.01). Conclusion: Since the overall GRADE of evidence is low, more research is needed before a strong recommendation for visual-vestibular habituation can be given. Current evidence, although limited, does show promising results for this non-pharmacological treatment for motion sickness. Degree Type Capstone Project Rights Terms of use for work posted in CommonKnowledge. This capstone project is available at CommonKnowledge: http://commons.pacificu.edu/pa/273 Copyright and terms of use If you have downloaded this document directly from the web or from CommonKnowledge, see the “Rights” section on the previous page for the terms of use. If you have received this document through an interlibrary loan/document delivery service, the following terms of use apply: Copyright in this work is held by the author(s). You may download or print any portion of this document for personal use only, or for any use that is allowed by fair use (Title 17, §107 U.S.C.). Except for personal or fair use, you or your borrowing library may not reproduce, remix, republish, post, transmit, or distribute this document, or any portion thereof, without the permission of the copyright owner. [Note: If this document is licensed under a Creative Commons license (see “Rights” on the previous page) which allows broader usage rights, your use is governed by the terms of that license. ] Inquiries regarding further use of these materials should be addressed to: CommonKnowledge Rights, Pacific University Library, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116, (503) 352-7209. Email inquiries may be directed to:. copyright@pacificu.edu This capstone project is available at CommonKnowledge: http://commons.pacificu.edu/pa/273 NOTICE TO READERS This work is not a peer-reviewed publication. The Master’s Candidate author of this work has made every effort to provide accurate information and to rely on authoritative sources in the completion of this work. However, neither the author nor the faculty advisor(s) warrants the completeness, accuracy or usefulness of the information provided in this work. This work should not be considered authoritative or comprehensive in and of itself and the author and advisor(s) disclaim all responsibility for the results obtained from use of the information contained in this work. Knowledge and practice change constantly, and readers are advised to confirm the information found in this work with other more current and/or comprehensive sources. The student author attests that this work is completely his/her original authorship and that no material in this work has been plagiarized, fabricated or incorrectly attributed.