How to Stop Vomiting Immediately: 10 Home Remedies

Key takeaways:

• Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms with a variety of causes.
• Various home remedies can be helpful to stop mild nausea and vomiting quickly.
• Some causes of nausea and vomiting are serious, so it is essential to know when you should seek medical care.

Nausea precedes vomiting in most cases. Nausea is a queasy feeling or sick stomach. Other symptoms associated with nausea and vomiting can include headache, dizziness, or lightheadedness.

There are many different conditions associated with nausea and vomiting. A few common causes include:

• Early pregnancy (morning sickness)
• Migraine headaches
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
• Infection (viral or bacterial gastroenteritis)
• Motion sickness
• Sea sickness
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Vertigo
• Food poisoning
• Medication side effect
• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Indigestion

Serious causes of nausea and vomiting include:

• Bowel obstruction
• Ileus (paralysis of the bowel)
• Head injury
• Brain tumor
• Meningitis
• Encephalitis
• Appendicitis
• Pancreatitis

It is essential to recognize the symptoms associated with vomiting and know when to seek medical care.

Can you make yourself stop vomiting quickly at home?

Various home remedies and over-the-counter or prescription medicines can resolve an episode of vomiting.

Although these remedies frequently help, they are not foolproof. Sometimes, nausea and vomiting result from serious conditions that your doctor should treat. We’ll explore home remedies and discuss when to see your doctor.

When home remedies might work

Home remedies are most likely to work when the cause of nausea or vomiting is a short-lived condition that usually resolves independently. Nausea and vomiting are symptoms. Home remedies only treat the symptoms and do not treat the underlying condition.

There are several situations where a home remedy for nausea and vomiting should relieve your symptoms effectively.

• Anxiety vomiting can be relieved by several measures intended to reduce your stress. Deep breathing, meditation, and distracting yourself can help ease anxiety.
• Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can be reduced by inhaling essential oils like lemon or lavender. Ginger and peppermint are also helpful.…
• Vomiting and nausea caused by chemotherapy can be relieved using acupressure. Put three fingers across the top of your wrist and place your thumb beneath it. Using your thumb, apply circular pressure to the wrist.
• Nausea and vomiting associated with migraine headaches can be relieved by resting quietly in a dark room.
• Food poisoning generally has to run its course. Vomiting is the body’s way of expelling toxins or other harmful substances. You can get some relief by staying hydrated and avoiding fried or greasy food. Generally, it is better to drink clear liquids and gradually introduce bland foods back into your diet as the food poisoning resolves.
• Gastroenteritis is a bacterial or viral infection of the digestive tract. In most cases, antibiotics are unnecessary. Nausea and vomiting may be accompanied by diarrhea. You should see your doctor if your symptoms worsen or persist for longer than 24 hours.
• Vomiting associated with GERD can be reduced by simple measures, such as eating small meals frequently throughout the day rather than three large meals. You should also avoid eating at least two hours before bedtime. Don’t lie down, as this will increase the reflux of stomach acids into the esophagus and can result in vomiting.
• Motion sickness can be reduced by placing a cool compress on your neck to lower your body temperature. Acupressure can also be helpful.℉℉

When to go to the emergency room

Mild to moderate nausea and vomiting often respond to home remedies. The underlying cause is sometimes more significant and requires professional intervention. You should know the signs that can be associated with severe causes of nausea and vomiting and when to go to the Emergency Department.

If you experience any of the following with your vomiting and nausea, you should seek medical care:

• Persistent nausea and vomiting for more than 24 hours in adults and 4 hours in children.
• Severe abdominal pain can indicate a peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, bowel obstruction, or appendicitis.
• A fever higher than 101.3℉ suggests an infectious cause of gastroenteritis that may require antibiotics.
• Blood in your vomit can be associated with a bleeding ulcer or esophageal varices.
• If you become dehydrated because you cannot keep liquids down, you should go to the ED to receive intravenous fluids. This will prevent further complications.
• A comorbid condition like diabetes can result in complications if you become dehydrated or cannot eat.

Home remedies to stop vomiting immediately

Over the years, people have devised several effective home remedies for nausea and vomiting. Some remedies were initially used in traditional folk medicine practices. You can often stop episodes of nausea and vomiting using these simple interventions.

Acupressure

Acupressure can be performed by putting pressure on specific points in the body using a hand or a pressure band.

Acupressure points are based on the meridian theory and represent energy flow through the body. Multiple studies have shown that acupressure on the wrist is effective in relieving nausea and vomiting, particularly in patients undergoing chemotherapy and pregnant patients.

Cold compresses

A symptom often associated with nausea and vomiting is sweating.

People may feel warm. This phenomenon has been documented in people with motion sickness. Placing a cold compress on the back of the neck for several minutes can be helpful to reduce nausea and vomiting.

Deep breathing

A type of deep breathing known as diaphragmatic breathing has helped relieve nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.

Here are the steps you should take to breathe effectively through your diaphragm:

• Find a flat, comfortable spot to either sit or lie down.
• Allow your shoulders to relax and drop away from your ears.
• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
• Breathe gently through your nose, without forcing it, until your lungs are full.
• Notice the air flowing through your nostrils and filling your belly, causing it to expand along the sides of your waist while your chest stays still.
• Pucker your lips as if drinking through a straw, and slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, feeling your belly contract slightly.
• Repeat several times.

Hydration

It is essential to remain hydrated if you are vomiting. Drink clear liquids, like water, tea, and electrolyte solutions.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and drinks with a lot of sugar, as these can increase your nausea and vomiting.

Bland diet

Start with clear liquids and gradually advance your diet. If you are vomiting, stick to clear liquids and avoid food.

Sometimes, however, eating a cracker or toast can settle our stomach. Foods recommended when you have an upset stomach are bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This is known as the BRAT diet.

Ginger

Ginger is a perennial herb used in Chinese medicine to treat nausea and vomiting for hundreds of years. You can benefit from ginger by brewing ginger tea or drinking ginger ale.

Peppermint

Peppermint relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, which can relieve nausea and vomiting. You can purchase peppermint tea or make your own using peppermint leaves.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea has a sedative effect. It can help relieve anxiety-associated nausea and vomiting. Chamomile can also help you fall asleep when you feel nauseous.

Lemon

Lemon has a variety of effects that can help relieve nausea and vomiting. Inhaling essential lemon oil using a diffuser or oil burner has significantly reduced nausea and vomiting in pregnant women.

Lemon contains citric acid, which has a soothing effect on the gastrointestinal tract—sucking on a lemon or lemon candy or slicing lemons into a glass of water can reduce nausea and vomiting. Lemon juice in warm water stimulates the intestines and can be helpful if your nausea is associated with constipation.

Rest

It’s essential to rest and allow your body to repair itself. Rest can be especially important when you have an infection or food poisoning. Resting in a dark room can help relieve migraine headaches, which often are associated with nausea and vomiting.

What to do if at-home remedies don’t make you stop vomiting

If home remedies are ineffective, you can try over-the-counter medications like Pepto Bismol, which coats the stomach and reduces irritation, nausea, and vomiting.

You can ask your doctor to prescribe an antiemetic drug like prochlorperazine, ondansetron, or metoclopramide.

A few closing thoughts on home remedies for vomiting and nausea

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of many different conditions. Often, the cause can be addressed immediately, or the symptoms can be reduced using home remedies. Other times, vomiting and nausea can indicate an underlying condition requiring healthcare interventions. It is critical to recognize symptoms that your doctor should evaluate.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Lane Thaut, DO.

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