Nausea hits like a wave and ruins the rest of your day. The good news: small, simple steps often stop it fast. Below are clear, practical things you can try right now — plus when you should call a doctor.
If you feel queasy, try these first: sit upright and breathe slowly through your nose; fresh air often helps. Sip clear fluids — water, weak ginger tea, or an electrolyte drink — in small, steady sips. Eating dry, plain foods like crackers, toast, or plain rice can settle your stomach while you wait for it to pass. Cold cloth on the back of the neck and avoiding strong smells or hot rooms also calm the feeling quicker than you’d expect.
Ginger and peppermint are two reliable helpers. A slice of fresh ginger, ginger tea, or a ginger candy can reduce nausea for many people. Peppermint tea or smelling a peppermint oil dabbed on a tissue works well for some types of nausea, like after a meal or during travel.
Over-the-counter choices include meclizine and dimenhydrinate for motion sickness, and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) for mild stomach upsets. These help in many situations, but follow the label and avoid mixing with alcohol. For severe or persistent nausea, prescription options exist — ondansetron and promethazine are commonly used — but you’ll need a doctor to prescribe them.
If you get nausea when traveling, take medication about 30–60 minutes before leaving, sit where motion is least felt (front of a car, over the wing in a plane), and keep eyes on the horizon. For food-related nausea, eat bland, small meals and avoid greasy or spicy foods until you feel better.
Pregnancy nausea often responds to lifestyle changes and simple supplements. Low-dose vitamin B6 and doxylamine help many pregnant people, but always check with a healthcare provider first. Morning sickness that keeps you from drinking or eating needs medical attention.
Try acupressure if you prefer non-drug options: press the P6 point three finger-widths from the wrist crease toward the elbow on the inner arm. Wrist bands for motion sickness use this same point and can reduce nausea for some people.
Know the red flags: seek care if you can’t keep fluids down for 24 hours, you’re dizzy or fainting, you have severe abdominal pain, a high fever, blood in vomit, or signs of dehydration (very little urine, dry mouth, lightheadedness). These need a doctor right away.
Pick a few of these tips and try them in combination: sip fluids, nibble crackers, use ginger, and get fresh air. If nausea keeps coming back or gets worse, talk to a healthcare provider — especially if you're pregnant, on other medications, or have chronic health issues. Feeling better is usually simple; when it's not, help is available.
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