The world of medical science is an interesting one because in many cases a drug that was found to be effective for treating one type of condition may also have positive benefits for treating another condition that has seemingly little relation.
That is certainly the case with gravol, a medicine that has been around for a period of time which is now being used to treat patients for anxiety. There were arguably few who thought gravol would be used in such a manner when it was first created, but today there are more people who believe that gravol makes for a very effective treatment of those who suffer from increased stress and anxiety levels.
What is Gravol?
Gravol is actually an antihistamine that is primarily used to treat motion sickness. Gravol offers relief from dizziness, nausea and vomiting which are caused when the body and the senses are out of sync because of being in motion. In addition, gravol has also been found effective for relieving congestion of the ears.
The overall purpose of gravol was to help the body cope with the effects of motion sickness by calming the reaction of the nerves. In essence, motion sickness is caused by the confrontation of the different senses in the body. Basically, if you are below decks on a ship, your body will feel the motion of the boat while the eyes only see a steady, non-moving compartment. This confrontation leads to motion sickness which gravol treats.
How Gravol Fights Anxiety
However, it was discovered by those who suffered from anxiety who took gravol to relieve their motion sickness that they felt calmer and slept better. The ingredients used in gravol have a mild sedating effect on the body which calms the nerves and thus reduces the feelings of anxiety. Interestingly enough, gravol contains theophylline which is actually a stimulant used to counteract the effects of drowsiness, but it is only present in mild amounts which means that the calming effect remain mild and does not interfere with normal, daily activity.
Because gravol has a mild, overall effect, it can be taken regularly to help people cope with their anxiety until other methods help it to pass from the body. In addition, the medication in gravol helps treat some of the symptoms of anxiety such as nausea. This helps to calm the mind and the body so that it can focus away from the effects which otherwise might build if left unchecked.
Gravol can also help people relax and go to sleep faster than without using medication. Again, this is part of its calming effect for use with motion sickness that translates to treating anxiety. For many, gravol offers answers that other anxiety medications do not fully address.
However, gravol also has side effects as well, most notably a mild form of drowsiness that may impair your concentration during the day. Such mild side effects aside, gravol does an excellent job of treating anxiety in certain people to help them live more normal lives.