Inner Ear

Picture of the inner ear

Motion sickness occurs when one part of the balance-sensing system (inner ear, joints and muscles, or vision) may indicate that the body is moving, while the other parts do not sense motion. For example, when a person is in the cabin of a moving ship, the inner ear may sense the motion of big waves, but the eyes don't see any movement. This leads to a conflict between the senses and results in motion sickness.

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine

Current as ofMay 4, 2017

Current as of: May 4, 2017

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine