Page 13 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Summer 2015

of mission effectiveness were subjective and made by the Survey
team leader, an experienced PJ. The term sea sickness To investigate an approximate incidence of motion sick-
refers to at least nausea, vomiting, imbalance, apathy, ness within the career field, a short follow-up survey of
and inability to concentrate.)
Air National Guard PJs and Combat Rescue Officers
(CROs) was conducted for process improvement in re-
Team Member 1: He started having nausea during the sponse to the case report. The Air National Guard has
C-130 flight due to poor ventilation in a dry suit, but approximately 150 PJs and CROs who conduct a variety
“fought it off.” This symptom was not reported un- of missions out of bases located in New York, Califor-
til completion of the mission and debriefing regarding nia, and Alaska. The survey was designed and conducted
motion sickness symptoms. Seasickness started almost via e-mail. A total of 102 participants responded in the
immediately upon hitting the water after the jump. His study. Seventy-five participants (73.5%) reported mo-
symptoms reduced his mission effectiveness by about tion sickness in flight, and 80 (78.4%) reported motion
70% for over 24 hours. He took the cinnarizine, expe- sickness during maritime operations (Table 1). Of the
rienced partial relief, and was able to sleep. When he 102 responders, 75 (73.5%) reported taking medication
awoke, he was able to work with moderate symptoms. to combat motion sickness, but only 16 (21.3%) found
He continued on the medication for the duration of the relief from pharmaceuticals.
mission, noting minor symptoms, but he was able to
perform his duties.
Table 1 Motion Sickness Survey of Air National Guard
Team Member 2: Seasickness was momentary, lasting Pararescuemen and Combat Rescue Officers
about 10 minutes while below deck treating the patient. Total responders (N = 102) Yes* No*
He stated that a combination of the motion and strong Experienced motion sickness
smell of vomit below deck contributed to his sickness. in airframe 75 (73.5) 27 (26.5)
Once the member vomited, he had no persisting symp-
toms for the duration of the mission. He took one dose Experienced motion sickness on 80 (78.4) 22 (21.6)
the ocean surface
of cinnarizine.
Have you taken medication for 75 (73.5) 27 (26.5)
motion sickness?
Team Member 3: Seasickness started when the member
boarded the sailing vessel and went below deck, and re- Did the medication work? (n = 75) 16 (21.3) 59 (78.7)
duced his mission effectiveness about 40%. His symp- Note: *Data given as No. (%).
toms lasted 24 hours. The majority of symptoms were
relieved at about 20 minutes after taking the cinnari-
zine. This PJ was treated with cinnarizine for the rest Discussion
of mission with good results, minimal nausea, and no It is estimated that 0.6% of civilian airline passengers
imbalance or lightheadedness. experience airsickness compared with more than 75%
of troops on military air transports under extreme con-
Team Member 4: Seasickness started when the member ditions. The Navy has reported that only 15% to 30%
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boarded the sailing vessel and went below deck. His of student pilots were completely unaffected by motion
mission effectiveness was reduced by about 25%. Symp- sickness during training. Studies by the Royal Navy
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toms lasted 24 hours; the majority of symptoms were demonstrate 75% of naval personnel in severe sea con-
relieved by cinnarizine. He remained on the medication ditions are affected by motion sickness. When those af-
for the duration of the time on the sailboat at full mis- fected by moderate conditions are included, those whose
sion capability, with minimal nausea and no other mani- work is affected by motion sickness reaches 80%. In
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festations of motion sickness. addition, up to 56% of naval crew members who have
spent 1 year on continuous sea operations have failed
The affected child improved while on the sailboat, and, to become desensitized to motion sickness. It is appar-
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therefore, the decision was made to wait for a Navy ent that a significant percentage of people are affected
frigate rather than send in an HH-60 to hoist the fam- by motion sickness, including those in the military per-
ily and PJs. Use of the helicopter would have required forming their daily duty requirements.
multiple aerial refuelings. After 2 days on the sailboat,
the isolated personnel and PJs were picked up by Navy Our brief survey suggests that motion sickness is an
Zodiac rafts and taken aboard the frigate for a 2-day important limiting factor in maritime operations. This
trip back to San Diego, California. It should be noted survey revealed 78.4% of responders have experienced
that the medication was taken at some point after the symptoms of motion sickness. The debilitating symp-
team leader planned a maritime exfiltration. toms of motion sickness adversely affect performance

Cinnarizine for Sea Sickness 3