Motion sickness symptoms may be reduced by the Valsalva maneuver: a pilot study

Motion sickness (MS) is a common complaint during most modes of travel. Several medications can be used to treat MS but are often accompanied by side-effects.

To assess whether performing the Valsalva manoeuvre can influence the subjective feeling of MS in healthy individuals.

We included 16 healthy participants (4 female) that underwent two sessions of MS induction through off-vertical axis rotation (OVAR) using the Epley Omniax Chair. Participants were randomized to do the Valsalva manoeuvre during either their first or second rotation. We assessed MS symptoms using the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) at baseline (pre-rotation) and at 0-, 10- and 30-minutes post-rotation.

MS symptoms at 0-minutes post-rotation were significantly lower in participants who did the Valsalva manoeuvre during their first rotation when measured on the MSAQ (p = 0.016). This effect was not present if the Valsalva manoeuvre was done on the second rotation.

The Valsalva manoeuvre demonstrates potential in mitigating the development of MS symptoms evoked by OVAR.