Here we will go over ten ways to ease symptoms of severe nausea.
Nausea is a common symptom that many suffer from daily. When nausea becomes severe, you can feel debilitated by the pain, discomfort, and constant urge to vomit.
If you are dealing with severe nausea, keep reading because there are many ways to ease those symptoms and finally get some peace.
1) Sit Up Straight
For many, severe nausea comes from a gastrointestinal condition like gastroenteritis, GERD, stomach ulcers, or food poisoning.
If this is the case for you, it is essential to know that lying down can quickly worsen your symptoms. When laying flat, stomach acids flow into your esophagus, making nausea worse.
Try laying at an incline with pillows propped behind you when going to bed.
2) Get Fresh Air
Although the reason is unclear, getting fresh air can help with nausea.
When your stomach is upset, and you feel like you are about to get sick, head over to an open window or take a walk outside.
However, if you live in an area that is humid or has poor air quality, your nausea may worsen. If this is the case, try sitting in front of a fan.
3) Try Cannabis
Cannabis is known for being one of the most effective anti-nausea treatments. In fact, cannabis is often prescribed to cancer patients struggling with chemotherapy’s debilitating nausea side effects.
In our digestive tract, we have CB1 receptors that send signals to the brain when we are ill: these signals cue nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. When using cannabis, CB1 signals are reduced, and in turn, nausea decreases.
4) Anti-Nausea Medication
Depending on the reason you have nausea, you may be able to ask your primary caregiver for medication.
One of the most effective anti-nausea prescriptions ( aside from cannabis) is Dramamine which can be prescribed or purchased over the counter. Dramamine is technically a motion sickness medication but works well for most causes of nausea, such as pregnancy and the flu.
5) Control Your Breathing
Many studies have been conducted on the relationship between controlled breathing and nausea. The findings always show evidence that performing deep breathing exercises can help alleviate nausea.
The reason that controlled breathing helps is not certain; however, one researcher, Lynn Anderson, has a theory.
Anderson’s theory is that because our “vomiting center” is close to the respiratory center in the brain, deep breathing serves as a distraction for the vomiting center, making it less able to process thoughts of nausea.
To practice deep breathing techniques, inhale slowly through your nose, hold for three seconds and exhale from your mouth. You can repeat this breathing pattern until your nausea subsides.
6) Eat Sour Candy
Eating sour candy for nausea might sound counterproductive, but it is actually a great way to soothe an upset stomach quickly.
Sour candy, lemons, or any other food or beverage that contains citric acid will help with nausea. Citric acid aids in digestion and cures gastric acidity.
Additionally, simply smelling citric acid is thought to curb nausea symptoms.
7) Have Some Ginger
Since ancient times, fresh ginger has been used to treat nausea and other gastrointestinal complaints.
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that helps digestion, regulates blood pressure, and treat infections, all of which can soothe an upset stomach.
You can add ginger to a meal, drink it in tea or chew on it raw.
8) Use Peppermint
Peppermint offers a wide variety of physical and mental benefits.
Peppermint is a calming herb that relaxes your muscles, stomach muscles included. Bile can break down fats more effectively when our stomach muscles relax and food moves through the system faster.
Try a peppermint tea, candy, or capsule, or apply peppermint essential oil directly to your stomach or under the tongue for quick relief. Essential oils can also be used in a diffuser as a highly effective aromatherapy.
9) Try Acupressure
Acupressure is a traditional Chinese therapeutic method of healing that involves applying pressure to certain parts of the body.
Applying pressure to these “pressure points” can stimulate blood flow and relax muscles.
You can relieve nausea through seven different pressure points, the most common point being between the index finger and thumb. You can learn about these seven pressure points by reading this Healthline.com article.
10 )Eat Something Bland
Nausea is generally caused by gastric acids that wreak havoc on our digestive tract and stomach lining. You can solve your high acid levels problem by eating something because the food will help soak up the acid.
Bland foods like crackers, rice, and bread are suggested because they won’t be harsh on the stomach and are generally filled with carbohydrates that make it easier to soak up the acid.