Vomiting is the forced expulsion from the stomach through the mouth. The timing of vomiting and nausea can indicate a lot about the cause. If it happens just after eating a meal, then the possible reasons could be food poisoning, gastritis, stomach ulcers, etc. Mentioned below are the factors for how to stop vomiting.
- Motion sickness
- Overeating
- Emotional anxiety
- Food Poisoning
- Pregnancy
- Bowel syndrome
- Bulimia
- Brain injury
- Ulcer
- Excessive alcohol
Did you know?
| “Emetophilia” is a vomit fetish |
How to Prevent Vomiting?
CURE 1: Natural Remedies for Vomiting
1. Rest your stomach
Why does this work?
Do not eat anything for several hours after vomiting, in order to give your stomach time to recover.
How to do and for how long?
Drink a lot of fluids and try to eat light food. Do not eat anything spicy and fatty for 2-3 days after the vomiting episode
[Read: Essential Oils to Treat Vomiting]
2. Dehydration Prevention
Why does this work?
Fluids smoothen the digestion and relieve the aggravated lining of the stomach after repeated vomiting.
How to use?
Aside from water, you can also drink ginger ale, mint tea, lemonade, buttermilk, orange juice, etc.
How much to use?
Do not drink a lot of water at once, because you might then vomit it back. Instead, sip on it slowly throughout the day.
3. BRAT diet
Why does this work?
BRAT diet stands for Banana, Rice, Apple sauce and dry toast. This light and bland food provide relief from the vomiting episode.
How to use?
Consume for 24-48 hours after the episode try consuming this diet, and nothing else.
How much to use?
You can eat a banana directly or also whip a banana shake. You can eat rice with some curd. Apple sauce and dry toast can also be eaten together.
[Read: BRAT Diet for Diarrhea]
CURE 2: Herbal
1. Green Tea
Why does this work?
It aids digestion and decreases the muscle spasms caused due to vomiting and nausea(1).
How to use?
You can drink green tea directly or add 1 spoon of honey to it.
How much to use?
Drink three cups a day if you feel nausea.
2. Ginger
Why does this work?
Ginger blocks the receptors in the gut for 5-HT, which causes nausea and vomiting. It is really helpful for nausea caused during pregnancy, and due to motion sickness.
How to use?
You can add ginger in your tea and food. You can also take ginger capsules.
How much to use?
If taking capsules, then take a dosage of 500 milligrams. Try to consume one food item with ginger every day.
3. Cloves
Why does this work?
Cloves have great antiseptic properties that help heal the digestive system when upset.
How to use?
You can directly chew 2-3 cloves to get relief. You can also crush it and add it to your tea.
How much to use?
Consume 2-3 cloves every day.
CURE 3: Essential Oils
1. Lavender
Why does this work?
Lavender oil eases nausea and brings relief from anxiety caused by physical or emotional stress.
How to use?
You can use lavender in aromatherapy or drink lavender tea.
How much to use?
Drink tea as and when you feel nauseous.
2. Peppermint
Why does this work?
Peppermint oil has an antiemetic effect which reduces nausea significantly. It is known to be effective during pregnancy.
How to use?
You can take peppermint aromatherapy or sip a cup of peppermint tea which also has anti-nausea effects.
How much to use?
Drink tea as and when you feel nauseous.
[Read: Peppermint Oil for Nausea]
3. Chamomile
Why does this work?
It greatly reduces nausea during pregnancy. It also helps fight morning sickness(2).
How to use?
You can drink chamomile tea or add the oil to a room diffuser. You can also use it in aromatherapy.
How much to use?
Use it as and when you feel nauseous.
CURE 4: Foods
1. Fruits
Why does this work?
Fruits restore the minerals and nutrients lost due to vomiting.
How to use?
You can eat them directly or add them to a salad. You can also make fruit juice.
How much to use?
Try to drink 3 glasses of juice every day while sick. Also, try to eat at least two fruits each day.
2. Soup
Why does this work?
Vegetable soup has a lot of nutrients and helps the body gain back energy lost due to vomiting.
How to use?
You can make soup from fresh vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, pumpkin, peas, mushrooms, etc.
How much to use?
You should drink it twice a day during a vomiting episode.
[Read: Best Foods for Nausea]
3. Ice pops
Why does this work?
They allow you to slowly rehydrate and also relieve your gagging reflexes due to excessive vomiting.
How to use?
You can make easy ice pops at home by freezing juice with crushed ice. Or, you can get them from the market.
How much to use?
Suck on ice pops as and when you feel nauseous.
4. Yogurt
Why does this work?
Yogurt is a light food item that fills your stomach, while simultaneously allowing it to rest.
How to use?
You can directly eat yogurt, flavored or unflavored. You can also add some water to it in order to make buttermilk.
How much to use?
Eat as and when you feel nauseous.
[ Read: Home Remedies for Vomiting ]
CURE 5: Supplements
1. Electrolytes
Why does this work?
Electrolyte balance is disturbed due to excessive vomiting and dehydration. It is important to reduce the balance through electrolytes like sodium, calcium, magnesium and chloride ions.
How to use?
You can get electrolytes to drink from the pharmacy quite easily. They are also available in different flavors.
How much to use?
Drink at least 1 liter of the electrolyte solution in a day when sick.
2. Vitamin B6
Why does this work?
Also known as pyridoxine, Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that helps reduce nausea, especially during pregnancy.
How to use?
You can take it in the form of supplements that are easily available at a pharmacy.
How much to use?
Your dosage should be 200 mg per day.
| Researchers at North Carolina State University designed a machine to study about vomiting. |
Call for medical attention when you have been vomiting for more than three days and none of the remedies work. If you also have a high fever and evere abdominal pain along with the vomiting, then it is advisable to visit the doctor as soon as possible.
Tips on how to avoid vomiting
Mentioned here are some additional tips to eliminate the possibilities of vomiting.
- Avoid spicy food
- Do not indulge in overeating.
- Do not lie down immediately after a meal.
- Avoid strong smell during pregnancy
- Sit near a window while traveling if you have motion sickness.
- Do not eat for 1 hour before traveling.
[Read: Home Remedies for Food Poisoning]
FAQs
1. How to stop stress vomiting?
Try to calm yourself by taking deep breaths and get some fresh air. Try to talk to a friend or a family member to relieve anxiety.
2. How to control migraine vomiting?
There are several things you can do, like take slow deep breaths, get fresh air, avoid food with a strong odor, loosen your clothes, eat bland food, etc.
3. How to cure infant vomiting?
Avoid giving your infant solid and heavy food for 24 hours after vomiting and give him/her fluids every 5 minutes through a spoon.
