It is common to feel nauseous and sick especially on days when you have gastrointestinal problems. But nausea may also occur as a sign of disease. How do you address such a concern? What are ways of how to cure nausea? Find out here.
What Exactly Is Nausea?
Nausea and vomiting are two words that people use to describe a common symptom prevailing in different cases. There is a fine line that differentiates these two even though they are used interchangeably.
Nausea refers to the unpleasant feeling a person experiences at the back of their throat and in their stomach. This normally results in vomiting. Some people may consider nausea as a “queasy, sick, or upset stomach.”
Vomiting, on the other hand, is commonly referred to as “throwing up.” It happens when your stomach contents rise up the food pipe (gullet or esophagus) and spill out of openings such as the mouth or nose. Your brain and other parts within the gut work together to manage nausea and vomiting.
Beyond common gastrointestinal problems, nausea and vomiting are also side effects for those who are undergoing cancer treatments.
There are different medications and other ways of managing how to cure nausea. Something worth noting is that nausea is not a disease. It is a symptom that may occur with or without its vomiting counterpart.
Causes of Nausea and Vomiting
Before answering questions on how to cure nausea, it is necessary to know the causes behind it. As nausea and vomiting go hand in hand, their causes are more or less the same. This list provides some possible causes:
- Motion sickness
- Morning sickness (due to pregnancy)
- Anxiety (fear or emotional stress)
- Migraine
- Gallbladder disease
- Gastroenteritis
- Appendicitis
- Labyrinthitis and other inner ear problems
- Encephalitis
- Meningitis
- Indigestion
- Food poisoning
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Bowel obstruction
- Concussions
- Brain tumors
- Cancer treatments or intake of other medications
- Excessive alcohol drinking
- Exposure to chemicals or other toxic substances
- Other viruses and infections (such as COVID-19)
How to Cure Nausea
Nausea, as well as vomiting, may vary from person to person. It may be recurring for some, while others may experience it just once.
There are a variety of treatments, depending on the cause.
Medications
For those having a hard time dealing with the stomach pain and the sensation of throwing up, doctors may prescribe medications such as anti-nausea/vomiting drugs, or anti-emetics.
A commonly used drug here in the Philippines is your Metoclopramide (generic name) or Plasil (brand name). Combining two anti-nausea drugs may also be considered.
Apart from the medications, there are also many ways of how to cure nausea which include:
Eating Regularly
It’s not anything new to hear that eating plays a role in digestive problems. Aside from eating a balanced diet, you may also have small regular snacks throughout the day. There are some that might need to eat bland foods, like crackers, and avoid fried, spicy, sweet, or even sour foods to prevent reactions from gastric absorption. You may also want to accompany meals and snacks with some water for hydration.
Chemotherapy patients should also consider having snacks before receiving a treatment.
Relaxation Techniques
Breathing exercises, meditation, and other progressive muscle relaxation techniques can help reduce nausea and vomiting.
Acupressure or Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that involves the insertion of thin needles into the skin. Moreover, there are acupressure procedures that make use of pressure rather than needles.
Music Therapy
Music therapists may utilize a variety of strategies for each individual, based on their needs. There is some evidence that music therapy, when combined with medical treatment, can help alleviate nausea and vomiting problems due to chemotherapy.
Key Takeaways
Most people tend to ignore the queasy feeling of nausea and incidents of throwing up because they feel it is just because of the food they ate. However, at times, it may be more than that.
If nausea and vomiting symptoms persist, consult your doctor about it. There are several treatments and medications on how to cure nausea.
Learn more about Digestive Health here.
