Meclizine is an antihistamine medication used to prevent and alleviate nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Available over-the-counter and by prescription, it comes in tablet and chewable forms. It acts on specific body pathways to manage discomfort.
Primary Medical Applications
Meclizine addresses motion sickness, common during travel. It reduces associated nausea, vomiting, and dizziness by influencing the inner ear’s balance. Take it an hour before travel to prevent symptoms.
It also manages vertigo, a sensation of spinning often linked to inner ear issues. Meclizine controls symptoms like lightheadedness and imbalance. It stabilizes conflicting signals from the inner ear to the brain.
Conditions like Meniere’s disease or labyrinthitis affect the inner ear’s vestibular system and cause significant vertigo. Meclizine alleviates these symptoms by dampening intense signals causing spinning and nausea. It provides symptomatic relief but does not address the underlying cause.
How Meclizine Works
Meclizine functions as an H1 receptor antagonist, blocking histamine activity at H1 receptors. Histamine transmits nausea, vomiting, and dizziness signals. Blocking these receptors, meclizine suppresses signals from the inner ear and other areas to the brain’s vomiting center.
It also has anticholinergic properties, blocking acetylcholine, another neurotransmitter. This effect reduces symptoms by influencing the central nervous system and balance control. These combined actions stabilize the vestibular system, responsible for balance and spatial orientation.
Meclizine’s effects begin within 30 to 60 minutes after administration and can last for 12 to 24 hours. This prolonged duration makes it suitable for sustained relief from motion sickness and vertigo symptoms.
Important Usage Information
Meclizine is taken orally, as tablets or chewable tablets. For motion sickness prevention, a common adult dosage is 25-50 mg taken one hour before travel. For vertigo, adult dosages range from 25-100 mg daily, often divided. Always follow healthcare provider or package label instructions, as dosages vary.
Side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, and blurred vision. Other effects may include fatigue, headache, or vomiting. These effects are usually mild, but be aware of them.
Important precautions apply. Due to drowsiness, avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until effects are known. Avoid combining meclizine with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants (e.g., sedatives, tranquilizers), as this can increase drowsiness.
Consult a healthcare provider before using meclizine if you have glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, or breathing problems (e.g., asthma, COPD), as it can worsen these conditions. It is not recommended for children under 12 unless advised by a doctor. Older adults may be more sensitive to its effects, including increased drowsiness or confusion; discuss dosages with a healthcare provider.