I've been more than my fair share of sick in my life, and so it is with great authority that I say nausea is the worst of the sickly experiences -- worse than stomach cramps, worse than migraines, worse than an ulcer, worse than sneezing, sniffling, itching, shivering, coughing, sweating . . . you get the idea (blegh).
Nausea can be so overpowering that it's hard to feel up to even treating your nauseous self, but by taking a few simple steps (as outlined below and to the right) you can get some relief from your nausea and prevent your symptoms from worsening. And the sooner you can stop feeling like the green gurgly monster of death the better, right?
Nausea Remedies
Try an OTC motion sickness medication to get rid of your nautiousness. Anti-nausea drugs like Dramamine and Bonine are available in tablet form at most drugstores. Dramamine uses dimenhydrinate, a relative of the antihistamine dipenhydramine, to fight nausea and emesis (vomiting). Bonine prevents nausea and vomiting with meclizine, an antihistamine and antiemetic with fewer side effects than dimenhydrinate. These medications are designed to get rid of nausea brought on by motion sickness (from flying, driving, etc.); drowsiness is the most common side effect of these drugs.
Drink lots of fluids to soothe your queasy stomach. Sip fluids slowly to calm your stomach without irritating it further. Drink clear liquids like water, weak tea, noncaffeinated sports drinks and soft drinks, and ginger ale. Suck on popsicles or ice chips. Sugary drinks may calm your stomach more, and avoid acidic drinks like orange juice, tomato juice, and coffee.
Eat bland food to calm a nauseous stomach. Foods like crackers, toast, and gelatin are good to nibble on while you're nauseous, building up your tolerance slowly. As your stomach begins to settle try foods like cereal, fruit, and rice. While you're nauseous, stay away from spicy and fatty foods, and avoid strong food odors from cooking or restaurants. If you're vomiting, stay away from solid foods until at least six hours after last throwing up.
Rest as much as you can while you're feeling nauseous. Whether your nausea is brought on by motion sickness, food poisoning, or something else, you can diminish and prevent further queasy feelings by keeping still and letting your body rest. Laying down may soothe nausea more than sitting up; find the most comfortable (least nauseating) position for you and stay there as long as you can, or until your nausea goes away.
See a doctor if your symptoms of nausea worsen. Occasional bouts of nausea and/or vomiting are normal and nothing to worry about, especially if you can pinpoint the cause. You should see a doctor immediately, however, if: your nausea and vomiting lasts for more than a day or two, you're experiencing severe headaches and bodily pain, your vomit looks dark or bloody, you're becoming dehydrated and keep liquids down after 8-12 hours.
Medical Nausea Treament
As talked about in the paragraph above, you should see a doctor if you experience severe and painful symptoms of nausea and vomiting. These can be an indicator of a more serious illness (such as gastroenterities, an ulcer, gallstones, pancreatitis, liver disease, or kidney failure), and waiting too long to get medical treatment for severe nausea and vomiting can leave you dehydrated and dangerously ill.
Medical treatment for nausea will depend on your symptoms and causes, but can include intravenous fluids (to combat dehydration), blood tests, urinal analysis, and x-rays. Treatment may require hospitalization, again depending on the severity of your symptoms.
