Motion Sickness Pills vs. Motion Sickness Patches: Which Works the Best?
Key takeaways:
Several medications can help with nausea from motion sickness. They work best when taken ahead of time to prevent symptoms from happening in the first place.
Options include prescription scopolamine patches (Transderm Scop) and over-the-counter antihistamine pills, like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) and meclizine (Bonine).
Studies suggest that scopolamine patches work just as well as dimenhydrinate, but better than meclizine. They may be less sedating than antihistamines, too.
Access savings on related medications
Not everyone gets motion sickness. But if you do, it can ruin a cruise or sailing trip — or even a road trip. Luckily, there are options available to help nip motion sickness symptoms in the bud.
Should you go with over-the-counter (OTC) motion sickness pills? Or prescription motion sickness patches? There are a few key details to consider before you make your choice.
What are motion sickness pills?
If you’re looking for the most convenient option, you may decide to give OTC motion sickness pills a try. These medications typically fall into the category of first-generation antihistamines. They were originally approved for allergy symptoms but can help with motion sickness, too.
Examples of OTC motion sickness pills include:
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
Meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Bonine Faster Acting)
Newer antihistamines, like cetirizine (Zyrtec), are primarily used for allergies. They won’t help with motion sickness. We’ll review them later.
How do motion sickness pills work?
Antihistamine motion sickness pills are thought to work by blocking two chemicals in the brain — histamine and acetylcholine. These chemicals are involved in activating the vomiting center in your brain. Blocking them can help prevent nausea from motion sickness.
To prevent motion sickness symptoms, you’ll usually take a dose 30 to 60 minutes before the triggering activity. Dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine only last a few hours. So, you’ll need to take several doses for all-day coverage. Meclizine lasts longer, so one dose should last most of the day.
What are motion sickness patches?
Scopolamine (Transderm Scop) is a motion sickness patch that’s applied behind your ear. Once you’ve applied a patch, it lasts for up to 3 days. This makes the patch a helpful option for long-term relief, such as sea sickness on a cruise. But unlike motion sickness pills, the patches are only available with a prescription.
How do motion sickness (anti-nausea) patches work?
Scopolamine patches are thought to work by blocking acetylcholine. Blocking this chemical helps prevent the vomiting center in your brain from being activated — which in turn helps prevent nausea.
To use a scopolamine patch, place it on an area of hairless skin behind one of your ears. You’ll need to apply it at least 4 hours before you expect to get motion sickness. As mentioned above, one patch lasts for up to 3 days. After that, you can remove the old patch and apply a new one, if needed.
Motion sickness medication side effects
Both motion sickness pills and patches block acetylcholine, which can cause a few shared side effects:
Drowsiness
Dry mouth
Blurred vision
Constipation
Urination problems
Headache
You may be more likely to feel drowsy with motion sickness pills than with the patch. In fact, several of these medications are also found in OTC sleep aids. Dimenhydrinate may cause less drowsiness compared to diphenhydramine. And meclizine may cause the least amount of drowsiness of the three. Scopolamine patches may be more likely to cause dry mouth.
It’s a good idea to avoid activities that require you to be alert while taking motion sickness medication until you know how it affects you. Even “less-drowsy” options can affect some people more than others. And side effects like drowsiness and blurred vision may make it dangerous to drive if you’re on a road trip.
How quickly do motion sickness medications work?
Motion sickness pills take about 30 to 60 minutes to start working. Motion sickness patches take longer to work — about 4 hours.
Keep in mind: Motion sickness medications work best when preventing symptoms. So, they may not work as well if your symptoms have already started.
What’s the best medication to prevent motion sickness?
The best motion sickness medication for you likely depends on a few factors, such as convenience (OTC vs. prescription), dosing frequency, and side effects. Drug interactions and your medical history should also be considered.
Effectiveness: Studies suggest that scopolamine patches work just as well as dimenhydrinate. And they may work better than meclizine.
Dosing frequency: Meclizine is taken once a day, while dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine are taken more frequently. Motion sickness patches only need to be replaced after 3 days.
Onset and duration of action: Scopolamine patches provide relief for a longer period of time than other options. But if you need an option that kicks in faster, motion sickness pills may be a better bet.
Side effects: Scopolamine patches may be less sedating than motion sickness pills. If drowsiness is an issue for you, the patches might be a better option.
Convenience: Motion sickness pills don’t require a prescription, making them a more convenient option than motion sickness patches.
Current medications: You shouldn’t take motion sickness pills if you’re taking another antihistamine for another reason, such as allergies. Your pharmacist can review your current medication list to recommend a motion sickness option that’s safe for you.
Health history: Certain motion sickness medications may worsen health conditions such as glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Talk to your healthcare provider about options that are safest for you.
What doesn’t work for motion sickness?
Ondansetron (Zofran) is approved for preventing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy or surgery. But it's not effective for preventing nausea related to motion sickness.
As mentioned above, not all antihistamines are effective for motion sickness symptoms. This includes newer antihistamine pills, referred to as second- and third-generation antihistamines. They’re typically used to treat allergy symptoms. Examples of these include:
Cetirizine
Desloratadine (Clarinex)
Fexofenadine (Allegra)
Levocetirizine (Xyzal)
Loratadine (Claritin)
These antihistamines are less sedating than first-generation options. That’s because they have less of an effect on your brain, which may be a reason they don’t prevent nausea.
How to save on motion sickness medications
Motion sickness pills are available OTC. GoodRx can help you save with free discounts. However, you’ll need a prescription from your healthcare provider to use these discounts.
GoodRx can also help you save on scopolamine patches, which are available as brand-name and generic products. You can save over 50% off the average retail price of the generic version. Generic scopolamine’s price at certain pharmacies is as low as $30.38 with a free GoodRx discount.
The bottom line
Motion sickness can be a bummer when traveling or trying to enjoy your vacation. There are steps you can take to prevent symptoms from happening. But if you wait until you feel sick, it may be too late for medications to help.
To prevent nausea from motion sickness, you can apply a scopolamine patch behind your ear 4 hours before you anticipate getting sick. Or, you can take an over-the-counter (OTC) nausea medication about an hour before.
The patches are less sedating and work for up to 3 days. But they’re only available with a prescription. OTC motion sickness pills can be a more convenient option. Dimenhydrinate may work just as well as the patches, but it can make you sleepy.
Keep in mind that your other medications and health conditions may affect which nausea medication is best for you. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can help you navigate your options.
Why trust our experts?
References
Brainard, A., et al. (2014). Prevention and treatment of motion sickness. American Family Physician.
Bryant Ranch Prepack. (2023). Scolopamine transdermal system patch, extended release [package insert].
Cheung, B. S., et al. (2003). Failure of cetirizine and fexofenadine to prevent motion sickness. Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
Leung, A. K. C., et al. (2019). Motion sickness: An overview. Drugs in Context.
Patel, P. N., et al. (2011). Meclizine: Safety and efficacy in the treatment and prevention of motion sickness. Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics.
Sutton, M., et al. (2012). Treatment of motion sickness. American Family Physician.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Over-the-counter (OTC) monograph M009: Antiemetic drug products for over-the-counter human use.
WellSpring Pharmaceutical Corporation. (2022). Bonine faster-acting - diphenhydramine hcl tablet [package insert]. DailyMed.
