How to Stop Vomiting: The Best Home Remedies (Backed by Science)

Vomiting is a very unpleasant experience, but fortunately, there are many home remedies that can help you stop vomiting and alleviate feelings of nausea. Vomiting occurs when the muscles in your stomach suddenly contract, forcing whatever is in your stomach out through your mouth. Usually along with vomiting a person has a feeling of nausea.

While vomiting can help the body to get rid of nasty toxins, frequent vomiting can make your body dehydrated and remove important nutrients. Therefore, it is always good to look for ways to stop vomiting naturally.

In this article I will discuss the common reasons for vomiting, as well as the best home remedies for vomiting and nausea.

Common Causes for Vomiting

Although no one likes to vomit, vomiting can play an important role in keeping us healthy. For example, the body uses vomiting to get rid of poisons and toxins that have been ingested. This could be food that has gone bad, drinking too much alcohol, an allergic reaction to food, or ingesting poison. However, there are many times when you need to prevent vomiting so it is important to know how to stop vomiting naturally.

Many women who are pregnant often experience nausea and vomiting which is also known as morning sickness. Dr. Jennifer Niebyl, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, says that as many as 90% of pregnant women experience some form of vomiting and nausea.¹ The feeling of nausea usually lasts for about 3 months, although some women have the symptoms longer. Some women don’t just experience morning sickness but have nausea throughout the whole day. So, for many pregnant women, finding a way to stop feeling nauseous and prevent vomiting is essential.

Some cancer treatments can cause frequent vomiting and nausea. Sometimes even certain smells or sights can cause a person to feel nauseous.

Very often the stomach flu can bring on bouts of forceful vomiting and can be difficult to stop.

Other reasons for vomiting are:

• Stress and anxiety
• Head injury
• Inner ear disorders
• Side effect of some medicines

How to Stop Vomiting Naturally

Here are some of the best home remedies to alleviate vomiting and relieve nausea. You will see that most of these are backed up by scientific research.

Ginger

Ginger has many uses and is one of the best all-around ingredients to help you stop vomiting naturally. Ginger contains many properties which can help an upset stomach. One of these is that ginger is antispasmodic which can help to relieve stomach spasms which result in vomiting.² Ginger also contains many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.³ Ginger is also one of the best home remedies for dry heaving.

Many studies have confirmed that ginger can indeed help to stop vomiting and nausea. The British Journal of Anaesthesia reviewed many studies into the use of ginger for nausea and vomiting and found that ginger was just as effective as metoclopramide. Metoclopramide is often prescribed to patients to help treat nausea and vomiting.⁴

In helping to treat cases of motion sickness, The Lancet published a report saying that ginger was superior to dimenhydrinate in reducing motion sickness. Dimenhydrinate is a popular drug which is prescribed for vomiting and motion sickness.

A study was published in the journal Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology on how to treat vomiting during pregnancy. It reported that after 4 days of treatment, the patients who received ginger experienced a significant decrease in vomiting. It concluded by saying that ginger was found to significantly improve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.⁵

So how can you use ginger to prevent vomiting?

You can use either fresh ginger root or powdered ginger to make a delicious and soothing ginger tea. If you use powdered ginger which is more concentrated, reduce the amount by fourth in comparison to the fresh root.

To make ginger tea, chop or grate about 1-2 inches of ginger root. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes in a large cup of boiling water with the cup covered. This keeps all the goodness inside. Start by taking small sips so that your stomach can get used to the liquid.

Alternatively, you can cut a piece of raw ginger and chew on it (you can add a little bit of honey). This will let the juices go down to your stomach and help to relieve vomiting. You can discard the fibrous piece of ginger that is left in your mouth.

Further reading: Ginger can be incorporated in many drinks: try this healing spicy drink for many ailments, this ginger ale recipe to reduce pain and inflammation, or this super anti inflammatory beet and ginger juice.

One final point that should be mentioned is that certain people shouldn’t consume ginger.

Mint

Mint can also help to soothe your stomach, relieve the feeling of nausea and help to prevent vomiting.

Various studies have shown that peppermint essential oil and extracts can help reduce vomiting in patients who have undergone surgery or receiving chemotherapy. The journal Ecancermedicalscience reported that there was a significant reduction in the intensity and number of vomiting episodes when patients took peppermint oil capsules.⁶

Inhaling peppermint oil can also help to reduce feelings of nausea. For example, in one study pregnant women inhaled a combination of peppermint essential oil and lavender essential oil twice a day before napping. By the third day nausea and vomiting episodes were reduced and in general, the women felt more energetic.⁷

To use mint to alleviate the feeling of nausea, you can make a refreshing mint tea. To do this, tear up some fresh mint leaves and put them in a teapot. Pour in boiling water, put the lid on and let it sit for 5-7 minutes. Then take small sips. Alternatively, you can add a drop of peppermint oil to any herbal tea.

To use it in aromatherapy, you can add a few drops of peppermint oil and lavender oil and put them in your aromatherapy diffuser and inhale twice a day, or whenever you feel nauseous. The lavender also has a calming effect on your nerves.

If you are interested to learn more about essential oils you can find useful information in the e-book Magical Aromatherapy which will help you to discover the power of essential oils and the most effective ways to use them.

Cinnamon

Similar to ginger, cinnamon has proven to have antispasmodic effects and can help treat vomiting and nausea.⁸ Studies have also shown that cinnamon can help to stop vomiting in women who experience this during their menstrual cycle.⁹

To use cinnamon to help reduce bouts of vomiting and nausea you can add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder or place a cinnamon stick in a cup of boiling water. Cover and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Then strain the water and sip slowly.

Further reading: The best type of cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon, and you can find more information on how to tell the difference between the cinnamon types in my article on how to use cinnamon as a medicine. You can also combine honey and cinnamon to get many other health benefits.

Rice Water

I’ve already shared with you how to use rice water for gorgeous hair and skin. However many people say that rice water can help to reduce the frequency of vomiting, especially if it is caused by gastritis. Some rehydration solutions include rice water in them because rice contains complex carbohydrates.¹⁰

To make rice water, you should boil one part white rice (which is easier to digest) to 3 parts water for 20 minutes. Remember to keep the lid on. Strain the liquid from the rice and keep in a glass container or jar. Take small sips of the liquid.

Clove

Cloves have many properties which can help to relax the digestive tract and stop vomiting.¹¹

You can make clove tea by placing a few cloves in a cup of boiling water, cover and let them infuse for 5 minutes. Or you can add one drop of clove oil in a cup of water to help you to stop vomiting, or you could try chewing on a few cloves to control your nausea.

Fennel and Cumin Seeds

Cumin has many benefits and uses, and fennel seeds are known to relieve stomach cramps, help indigestion and bloating.

Some people recommend fennel seeds or cumin seeds to relieve nausea and prevent vomiting. Although no research has been carried out to see if they stop or reduce episodes of nausea, it is known that they have a beneficial effect on the digestive tract.^{12, 13}

To make fennel tea, take one tablespoon of crushed fennel seeds and let them steep in a cup of boiling for 10 minutes. You can take this once or twice a day. Remember to strain before drinking.

To make cumin tea, add one teaspoon of cumin seeds to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes then strain. Take this once or twice a day.

Other Ways to Stop Vomiting and Treat Nausea

There are many other practical ways to reduce bouts of vomiting and also get rid of feelings of nausea.

Eat Bland Food / Dry Crackers

Information provided by the National Institute of Health (NIH) says that you should try to eat 6 to 8 small bland meals in the day when you have nausea and vomiting.¹⁴  The principle behind the bland diet is to eat foods that don’t strain your digestive system. This means eating foods without a lot of seasoning to prevent nausea and a sour stomach. Some of the best foods to eat are:

• Dry crackers
• Toast
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Noodles
• Soups

Related: Bland Diet: Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid – The Ultimate Guide

Acupressure

Applying pressure to certain parts of your body can also help you to stop vomiting. This is called acupressure and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center recommends it for patients undergoing chemotherapy.¹⁵

This is what you should do:

• Turn your palm so that it is facing you.
• The pressure point you should find is on your wrist, about the width of 3 fingers from your hand.
• Place your thumb on the point just below your index finger.
• Using a circular motion, press down for 2 to 3 minutes. You should press firmly without causing yourself discomfort.
• Repeat on the other wrist.

Do this as often as needed throughout the day, but especially before mealtimes and before going to bed.

Further reading: If you are interested in accupressure, you can read more about Zu San Li – the point of longevity and how to activate it, as well as how to do Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ) to heal your body.

More Practical Ways to Stop Vomiting

There are other practical ways to help relieve nausea and stop vomiting which can be used in conjunction with the other ideas in this article. You can try this:

• Get some fresh air and breathe deeply
• Avoid places where there are strong smells, especially of food
• Lie down with your feet raised higher than your body
• Avoid fatty or spicy foods

Please remember that frequent vomiting can lead to dehydration (you can have a look at these 7 signs of dehydration). Therefore, it is important to keep yourself well hydrated.

Water is the best liquid to drink, but if you have been vomiting frequently, you will need to replace the salts and minerals in your body. So you should try to consume drinks which are high in potassium and sodium (for example sports drinks).¹⁶

Read my other related articles:
1. Top 10 Herbal Teas That Will Work Wonders On Your Digestion
2. How to Make Cleansing Ginger Lemon Tea With Many Health Benefits
3. How to Get Rid of a Sour Stomach
4. How to Make Yourself Throw Up

Resources:

1. Battle morning sickness.
2. Antispasmodic effect of ginger.
3. The amazing and mighty ginger.
4. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting.
5. Treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum.
6. Antiemetic activity of volatile oil from Mentha spicata and Mentha piperita.
7. Effect of aromatherapy inhalation on nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.
8. Treatment of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy.
9. Effect of cinnamon on menstrual bleeding and systemic symptoms.
10. Managing acute gastroenteritis among children.
11. Phytochemical effectiveness of clove oil.
12. Influence of dietary spices on digestive enzymes.
13. Fennel.
14. When you have nausea and vomiting.
15. Acupressure for nausea and vomiting.
16. Preventing dehydration when you have diarrhea or vomiting.

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