Everyone experiences nausea at one point or another. Whether yours is related to pregnancy, acid reflux or cancer treatment, there are ways you can effectively treat it and get your stomach feeling better at home!
Our AFC Urgent Care Knoxville team highlights some effective treatment techniques that you can try in the comfort of your own home below.
- Here’s what to do: Try ginger. Ginger has a long history of being used to treat nausea, stomachaches and diarrhea. In China, for instance, it’s been used to treat a variety of digestive and pain issues for more than 2,000 years. It’s unclear exactly how ginger works to ease nausea, but it’s thought that active components such as gingerol directly affect the digestive and central nervous systems.
- What to do next: Try peppermint. Peppermint is another traditional remedy that’s been around for many years. Both its leaves and its oil are helpful in dealing with indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and nausea. Its calming and numbing effect relaxes your stomach muscles so that bile can break down fats and food can move through the stomach quickly.
- What to do after: Avoid lying down. When you lie flat on your back, gastric juices can rise and increase feelings of nausea and overall discomfort. Instead, when you’re nauseous, try reclining with your upper body elevated and moving around as little as possible.
- Another natural remedy that can help:Acupressure. In acupressure, which can be performed at home or by a massage therapist, physical pressure is applied to certain points of the body. Research has found that acupressure to the wrist can significantly reduce nausea and vomiting among some people.
- Something else to try: Chamomile tea. A nice cup of chamomile tea can help ease the pain of an upset stomach by acting as an anti-inflammatory. These anti-inflammatory properties help your stomach muscles relax, which can reduce the pain of cramping and spasms.
- And don’t forget: OTC medications. Antiemetic medications, like Dramamine and Pepto-Bismol, are anti-nausea drugs that can help to reduce feelings of nausea or vomiting.
- Action steps to take: Monitor how long your feelings of nausea last. If nausea has left you unable to eat or drink for more than 12 hours, visit our AFC center.
- Doctor recommendations: Nausea and vomiting are both preventable! Avoid foods that are hard to digest, eat more smaller meals throughout the day instead of large ones, and drink plenty of water each day.
Do you have further questions about nausea? If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Knoxville team today!
