Nausea is a nauseous feeling in the stomach that signals that you want to vomit. This can cause a gag reflex in the mouth because stomach contents can reach the back of the throat, which stimulates the nerves involved to induce vomiting. Many health conditions and medications can cause nausea, such as the stomach flu, chemotherapy, cancer, motion sickness, drugs, dizziness, pregnancy, and feelings of anxiety or emotion. Nausea is a very common condition and can be treated in several ways.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Food and Drink
Step 1. Follow the BRAT diet
The BRAT diet was developed to help people who cannot eat a normal diet due to vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea. This diet contains only bland foods that do not irritate the stomach. BRAT stands for banana (banana), rice (rice), applesauce (apple sauce), and toast (toast).
Only stick to the BRAT diet for a short period of time, about 24 to 36 hours. This diet is only meant to help you temporarily overcome stomach problems. This diet does not provide enough nutrients for you
Step 2. Eat certain foods
In addition to the BRAT diet, or after you've been on the BRAT diet for a day or two, you can eat other foods that can relieve your nausea. Certain foods have been shown to help with nausea and are more acceptable to the stomach, especially when you experience morning sickness or nausea caused by pregnancy. Try eating stronger bland foods, such as crackers, English muffins, grilled fish, grilled chicken, noodles, and potatoes.
You can also eat peppermint, clear soup, flavored gelatin, angel food cake, ice cream sticks, sherbet, and ice made from grape or apple juice
Step 3. Avoid other foods
Certain foods can make nausea worse. These foods irritate the stomach and can cause nausea, vomiting, and acid reflux. Do not eat the following foods if you feel nauseous:
- Fatty foods, such as fried foods
- Spicy or spiced food
- Processed foods such as donuts, chips, canned food, and fast food
- Drinks containing caffeine and alcohol, especially coffee
- Foods that have a strong smell
Step 4. Eat small portions of food
Don't eat three large meals a day when you're not feeling well. You should eat several small meals throughout the day. This makes the work of the stomach less heavy because only a small amount of food must be digested.
The food you eat should contain light foods as described above
Step 5. Consume ginger
Ginger is often used to help relieve nausea. Ginger can help soothe the stomach and treat indigestion. Ginger can be used in various ways, for example by adding ground ginger or fresh ginger to food, sucking on fresh ginger or ginger candy, and drinking ginger tea. Many herbal shops also sell ginger in capsule form. The usual dose is 1000 mg taken with water.
Ginger has long been used to treat health conditions that can cause nausea. These health conditions include: motion sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum or vomiting that occurs during pregnancy, seasickness, nausea caused by chemotherapy, and nausea after surgery
Step 6. Sip the drink little by little
Since nausea has been linked to stomach upset, be careful what you eat. When feeling nauseous, consume non-alcoholic beverages such as water, flat soda (soda that does not contain carbonation bubbles), sports drinks, and tea. Consuming too much fluid can make you vomit, so drink a little at a time. Try taking 1 to 2 sips of the drink every five to 10 minutes. This can help calm the stomach and if you have vomited, it can help replace electrolytes or fluids lost during vomiting.
Some drinks such as lemon soda and ginger are very useful for dealing with nausea. You don't have to drink it without the carbonation bubbles
Method 2 of 3: Using Alternative Methods
Step 1. Sit quietly
When you feel nauseous, sit quietly on a sofa or chair and don't move around. Movement will be detected by various parts of the body, including the eyes, inner ear, joints, and muscles. If these different parts of your body don't transmit the same movement to your brain, or when they don't sync up, you could start to feel nauseous.
Hanging your head between your knees can also be helpful for some people
Step 2. Don't lie down after eating
After eating, the food you just ate is still not digested. If you lie down before the food is digested, the food in the stomach can enter the esophagus and make you feel nauseous. This can eventually lead to vomiting and acid reflux.
After eating food, you should walk for 30 minutes to help the stomach digest food
Step 3. Get some fresh air
Nausea can be caused by air quality factors, such as a stuffy atmosphere or irritation in the air. Stuffy can be caused by poor ventilation of the room with dust that accumulates, resulting in blockage in the respiratory system through the lungs, nose, and throat. In addition, you can also experience irritation from the smell of cooking, which makes you feel nauseous if the room is not well ventilated.
- Cool, fresh air can provide useful assistance in this situation. Immediately go outdoors to get some fresh air. If this is not possible, you can use air conditioning or a fan for the same effect.
- Try opening windows or using air vents in the kitchen when cooking to get the smell out.
Step 4. Try peppermint aromatherapy
Doing breathing exercises supplemented with peppermint aromatherapy can be useful for relieving nausea and vomiting. Several studies have shown that in addition to reducing the occurrence and severity of nausea and vomiting, inhaling peppermint oil can also reduce the use of anti-nausea medications. Peppermint oil can be purchased at pharmacies and drug stores. Some of the uses of this drug include:
- Inhale directly from a bottle of peppermint oil or apply a few drops of the oil on a cotton swab, then place it in a cup, and inhale the aroma.
- Massage this oil around the chest or stomach area so you can inhale the aroma.
- Mix this oil with water and put it in a spray bottle for home and car use.
- Add 5 to 10 drops of peppermint oil to the bath before you use it.
Step 5. Use breathing techniques
For patients recovering from nausea caused by surgery, several studies have shown that controlled deep breathing can reduce the appearance of nausea. To perform this technique, sit in a comfortable and quiet place. Take a normal breath and follow it with a deep breath. Inhale slowly through your nose, so that your chest and lower abdomen rise as your lungs fill with air. Let the stomach expand until it is full. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. You can also exhale through your nose, if this feels more comfortable.
Try using imaginary images to accompany deep breathing. While sitting comfortably with your eyes closed, combine deep breathing with the help of a useful imaginary image or use a focused word or phrase to help you relax. The imaginary image could be a vacation spot, a room at home, or some other place that is fun and safe. This can be useful for some people to prevent nausea and the urge to vomit
Step 6. Get into music therapy
Several studies have shown that music therapy can improve conditions in patients who experience nausea caused by chemotherapy. Music therapy is run by specially trained health professionals, called music therapists. Music therapists use music to help relieve symptoms of nausea. These professionals use different methods for each person, depending on the patient's needs and abilities.
This method can also lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress, and provide a sense of well-being
Method 3 of 3: Taking Medication
Step 1. Go to the doctor
Many anti-nausea medications require a prescription, so go to the doctor for one. Describe your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may prescribe strong medications or advise you to take over-the-counter medications, depending on your circumstances.
Take the medicine according to the directions on the package or as directed by your doctor
Step 2. Treat the usual nausea
Some people experience nausea caused by migraines. If you have this condition, ask your doctor about metoclopramide (eg Reglan brand) or prochlorperazine (Compazine brand) to help relieve symptoms. If you have vertigo and motion sickness, you can treat it with antihistamine drugs such as meclizine and dimenhydrinate.
- To help treat the nausea associated with this situation, you can also use an anticholinergic medication such as scopolamine in the form of a patch.
- Note that these medications have significant side effects and should only be used under strict instructions from a healthcare professional.
Step 3. Treat nausea caused by pregnancy, after surgery, and from stomach flu
Nausea is a common condition during pregnancy and after surgery. Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 at a dose of 50 to 200 mg a day has been shown to be safe and effective for treating nausea due to pregnancy. This product is also available in the form of lozenges or lollipops. Ginger powder taken at a dose of one gram a day can be effective in treating nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Nausea that occurs after surgery can be treated with dopamine antagonists (droperidol and promethazine), serotonin antagonists (ondansetron), and dexamethasone (steroids).
- Always follow the dosage instructions given by your doctor. The amount of medication you take depends on your current condition.
- Stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis, can be treated by taking bismuth subsalicylate (pepto bismol) or a serotonin antagonist (ondansetron).
