How to Help Nausea?

Feeling nauseated is never fun. Whether you're pregnant and dealing with morning sickness, recovering from the stomach flu, or experiencing nausea as a side effect of medication, that queasy feeling can put a real damper on your day. Luckily, many simple home remedies can help soothe an upset stomach and reduce nausea.

Understanding Nausea

Nausea occurs when the part of the brain that controls vomiting is activated. This can happen for many reasons, including illness, motion sickness, migraines, food sensitivities, stress, and more. Pregnancy is one of the most common causes of nausea due to hormonal changes.

When you feel nauseated, you may experience that telltale queasy sensation, along with dizziness, excessive salivation, abdominal discomfort, and even vomiting. While nausea itself isn't dangerous, prolonged vomiting can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

Lifestyle Tips for Reducing Nausea

Making a few simple lifestyle adjustments can go a long way toward easing nausea:

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration exacerbates nausea, so be sure to drink plenty of fluids when feeling queasy. Water, diluted fruit juices, weak tea, and flat ginger ale are good choices. Avoid very cold beverages, which can be jarring on an upset stomach. Sip liquids slowly rather than guzzling.

Choose Soothing Foods

Bland, easy-to-digest foods are gentlest on a nauseated stomach. Stick to foods like bananas, applesauce, rice, toast, crackers, and clear broths. Avoid spicy, greasy, or overly-rich foods, which are harder to digest. Eat small, frequent meals rather than large portions.

Get Rest

Physical and mental exhaustion can intensify nausea. Try to get adequate rest when feeling unwell. If you are nauseated at night, elevate your head with extra pillows to aid digestion.

Reduce Stress

Anxiety and nausea often go hand-in-hand. Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga to calm your mind and body. This can reduce queasiness caused by stress.

Avoid Triggers

Pinpoint and avoid any triggers that seem to make your nausea worse. Common culprits include certain smells, cigarette smoke, motion sickness during travel, looking at screens, and eating large meals.

Helpful Remedies for Acute Nausea Relief

When nausea strikes, these home remedies can provide fast relief:

Ginger

Ginger is highly regarded for its ability to reduce nausea and vomiting. Enjoy ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger candies, or plain ginger slices. You can also take ginger supplements after speaking with your doctor.

Peppermint

The scent of peppermint has been shown to reduce nausea. Sip peppermint tea or inhale the aroma of peppermint essential oils. Place a drop of oil on your tongue or use peppermint candies.

Lemon

Like ginger and mint, citrus scents can ease queasiness. Suck on lemon slices, lemon drops, or lemon-flavored hard candies. Scratch and sniff lemon peel for a quick aromatherapy fix.

Chamomile Tea

With its mild, soothing flavor, chamomile makes an excellent nausea-taming tea. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can settle the stomach. Chamomile also promotes relaxation.

BRAT Diet

Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast make up the classic BRAT bland diet used to treat nausea and diarrhea. The binding nature of these foods helps solidify loose stools while providing nutrients and energy when unwell.

Acupressure

Acupuncture point P6, located two finger widths up from the wrist crease on the inner forearm, can relieve nausea when stimulated. Apply steady pressure for a few minutes or use acupressure wristbands.

Cold Compress

For sudden waves of queasiness, apply a cold, damp cloth to the forehead and back of the neck. The cooling sensation helps quell nausea. Cold also inhibits the gag reflex.

When to Seek Medical Care

While home remedies can tame temporary nausea, seek medical attention right away if you experience:

• Prolonged vomiting lasting over 24 hours
• Inability to keep down any fluids
• Signs of dehydration like excessive thirst, dry mouth, dark urine, or feeling lightheaded
• Fever over 101°F (38°C)
• Blood or "coffee grounds" in vomit, which may indicate a GI bleed
• Abdominal swelling or tenderness
• Neurological symptoms like severe headache, stiff neck, or confusion
• Nausea or vomiting alongside chest pain, shortness of breath, or severe stomach pain
• Nausea lasting over a month, especially with appetite changes or weight loss

Severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, infections, food poisoning, ulcers, bowel obstruction, and other dangerous conditions can cause nausea and require prompt medical treatment. Don't hesitate to call your doctor if home remedies don't improve your nausea or if symptoms worsen.

Preventing Nausea

You can take steps to avoid nausea in the first place:

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals
• Avoid greasy, spicy, or overly sugary foods
• Don't let yourself become overly hungry
• Stay hydrated and limit caffeine and alcohol
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques
• Take nausea-triggering medications (like antibiotics) with food
• Prevent motion sickness with medication or acupressure bands before travel
• Talk to your doctor about treating conditions like GERD or migraines that can cause chronic nausea

Conclusion

Nausea is an unpleasant but common symptom with many potential causes. Simple natural remedies like ginger, mint, lemon, chamomile tea, and acupressure can provide quick relief when you’re feeling queasy. Stay hydrated and stick to bland foods until the nausea passes. Seek medical attention promptly for severe, persistent nausea or if you are unable to keep down fluids. With proper care, you can get relief and feel better soon when nausea strikes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nausea

What foods help with nausea?

Bland, easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, dry toast, and crackers can help ease nausea. Drink plenty of clear fluids like water, herbal tea, and flat ginger ale. Avoid spicy, greasy, or sugary foods when nauseated.

What drink is good for nausea?

Ginger tea, peppermint tea, chamomile tea, and diluted fruit juices can help soothe nausea. The best drinks contain ginger or mint, which have anti-nausea properties. Avoid very cold or carbonated beverages.

What pressure point is good for nausea?

Pressing on the P6 acupressure point on the inner wrist can reduce nausea. To find it, place three fingers down from your inner wrist and crease between the two prominent tendons. Apply firm pressure for several minutes. Sea bands provide pressure on this point.

When should you go to the ER for nausea?

Seek emergency care for nausea and vomiting with a fever over 101°F, signs of dehydration, bloody vomit or stool, severe stomach pain, chest pain or breathing issues, neurological symptoms, or an inability to keep any fluids down after 24 hours.

How can I calm my nausea naturally?

Natural ways to calm nausea include sipping ginger or peppermint tea, inhaling lemon essential oils, taking deep breaths, meditating, placing a cold compress on your neck, limiting motion, and stimulating the P6 acupressure point. Getting adequate rest also helps reduce nausea.