Sound Spice Therapy May Ease Motion Sickness in Just One Minute: Researchers Find - Video

A research group has discovered that using "a unique sound stimulation technology" -- a device that stimulates the inner ear with a specific wavelength of sound -- reduces motion sickness. Even a single minute of stimulation with a unique sound, called 'sound spice' reduced the staggering and discomfort felt by people that read in a moving vehicle. The results, published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, suggest a simple and effective way to treat this common disorder.

The discovery is an important expansion of recent findings about sound and its effect on the inner ear. Increasing evidence has suggested that stimulating the part of the inner ear associated with balance using a unique sound can potentially improve balance.

Using a mouse model and humans, the researchers identified a unique sound at 100 Hz as being the optimal frequency. To test the effectiveness of the devices, they recruited voluntary participants who were exposed to the unique sound.

Following the stimulation, motion sickness was induced by a swing, a driving simulator, or riding in a car. The researchers used postural control, ECG readings, and Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire results to assess the effectiveness of the stimulation.

Exposure to the unique sound before being exposed to the driving simulator enhanced sympathetic nerve activation. The researchers found symptoms such as "lightheadedness" and "nausea," which are often seen with motion sickness, were alleviated.

"These results suggest that activation of sympathetic nerves, which are often dysregulated in motion sickness, was objectively improved by the unique sound exposure," Masashi Kato at Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine said.

Reference: https://www.nagoya-u.ac.jp/researchinfo/result-en/2025/04/20250408-01.html