Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Nausea
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Nausea is something most people are familiar with. It is never pleasant and can arise in a variety of situations, including pregnancy and travel.
Anti-nausea medications are commonly used to help relieve it. Unfortunately, such medications can have negative side effects of their own, including drowsiness.
Here are 17 home remedies that help you get rid of nausea without using medications.
Pregnancy Nausea Starts Between Weeks 4 And 8
Nausea typically starts between weeks four and eight of pregnancy and usually lasts through the first trimester. But some women may have nausea throughout their whole pregnancy.
Despite the name “morning sickness,” nausea can occur anytime during the day throughout your pregnancy.
“Because this idea of ‘morning sickness’ is common, a lot of women don’t report their symptoms,” says Cynthie Wautlet, MD, an OB-GYN at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Reporting your symptoms is especially important since early detection and prevention are the best ways to control nausea.
When All Else Fails
Most nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can be managed using the above recommendations, but if youre not finding relief, here are some safe over-the-counter medications to consider:
- For reasons not entirely understood, vitamin B6 supplementation can reduce nausea. Take one 25 mg tablet three times a day, taking caution not to exceed 200 mg a day. Note that prenatal vitamins contain B6, so factor that into your daily allotment.
- Doxylamine, an antihistamine, is sold under the brand name Unisom as a sleep aid and is safe to take during pregnancy to help reduce vomiting. Take half a tablet in the morning and one whole tablet before bed, but be careful not to take before driving as it can cause drowsiness. Research indicates that vitamin B6 and doxylamine are most effective when taken together, so we recommend a combination of the two for maximum symptom reduction.
- Benadryl, another antihistamine, is safe for reducing nausea and vomiting. Take one 25 mg tablet orally four times a day. This may also make your sleepy.
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Seek Medical Treatment For Serious Symptoms
Sometimes, nausea and vomiting can be severe, or last into the second trimester. Talk with your healthcare provider about other treatments. In some cases, hyperemesis gravidarum can happen. Women with this serious condition need treatment with medicine and intravenous fluids.
Online Medical Reviewer: Bowers, Nancy, RN, BSN, MPHFoley, Maryann, RN, BSN
Date Last Reviewed: 4/12/2016
Take A Vitamin B6 Supplement
Taking a B6 supplement is a good alternative if you want to avoid anti-nausea medications while youre pregnant. Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, successfully reduces nausea during pregnancy.
Vitamin B6 supplements are available in the form of a pill that you can typically find at your local store. Doses of vitamin B6 up to 200 mg per day are generally considered safe during pregnancy with practically no side effects.
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Nausea Help During Pregnancy
Treatment for and prevention of nausea during pregnancy is truly synonymous in regards to everyday self-care and home remedies. The following suggestions are beneficial to try as soon as you find out you are pregnant or if you are already pregnant and just looking for some relief. Look at the steps below, and explore our guide to managing morning sickness.
To help prevent and treat nausea during pregnancy, try:
How To Avoid Nausea And Morning Sickness
- If you feel sick first thing in the morning, give yourself time to get up slowly. If possible, eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit before you get up.
- Get plenty of rest and sleep whenever you can. Feeling tired can make the sickness worse.
- Eat small amounts of food often rather than several large meals, but dont stop eating.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Ask those close to you for extra help and support.
- Distract yourself as much as you can. Often the nausea gets worse the more you think about it.
- Avoid foods and smells that make you feel worse. It helps if someone else can cook. If not, go for bland, non-greasy foods, such as baked potatoes, pasta and milk puddings, which are simple to prepare.
- Wear comfortable clothes. Tight waistbands can make you feel worse.
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Ensure Good Fluid Intake
It is important to stay hydrated for good health, especially during pregnancy.
It may be hard to consume eight glasses of water a day while experiencing nausea, but dehydration can aggravate feelings of nausea.
Adding apple cider vinegar and honey to water may make it more palatable.
Sucking ice cubes made from water or fruit juice is also an effective method.
What Is Morning Sickness
If youre struggling with morning sickness, rest assured that youre not alone. About 70 percent of women experience symptoms, which include nausea and vomiting. For some, these symptoms are triggered by certain odors and sensations. Typically, symptoms begin around six weeks into pregnancy and start to subside during your second trimester. However, each pregnancy is different, and symptoms often last for shorter and longer term periodsand in varying degrees of severity. While the exact cause of morning sickness is difficult to pinpoint, its widely agreed that low blood sugar and a rise in pregnancy hormones are at least partially to blame.
For a deeper dive into morning sickness symptoms, causes, and treatments, read our complete guide. To learn about the best morning sickness remedies to relieve pregnancy nausea, keep reading below.
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What Is Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Hyperemesis gravidarum is simply increased nausea and vomiting in pregnancy due to the normal increase in one of the pregnancy hormones. If you are experiencing these symptoms it is important to tell your obstetric provider because if left alone, it can cause severe dehydration. There are simple things you can do at home to help decrease nausea and vomiting and prevent from becoming dehydrated.
Ginger Remedies For Morning Sickness
Ginger is regarded as one of the best morning sickness remedies and can be consumed in a variety of ways. Grate up some ginger root and add to hot water for a simple anti-nausea tea, or stir some into your soups and smoothies for a less intense flavor.
Ginger ale and hard candies that are made with real ginger can also settle your stomach. However, these should be consumed in moderation to avoid excess sugar, which can impact your blood glucose levels and lead to more nausea. Check the ingredients before you buy, and look for options with less added sugar that dont use high fructose corn syrup or artificial coloring.
When heading out, pack some crystallized ginger or hard candies into your bag that you can snack on.
Timing of meals and snacks
Although you might not feel like eating when youre experiencing morning sickness, an empty stomach can leave you feeling even worse. Strategic timing and eating habits are some of the best morning sickness remedies.
Staying hydrated
Vomiting causes a loss of fluids and electrolytes, potentially leading to dehydration. It can be difficult to maintain your fluid intake when you have morning sickness, so try to catch up when your symptoms are at bay.
- Add some fruit or a slice of lemon to your water to give it a natural flavor that might make it easier to stomach.
- If youre still having trouble, drink herbal teas, natural fruit juices, milk, or nutritious soups to keep your fluids in check.
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Can Morning Sickness Hurt My Baby
Although you might be feeling sick, your baby almost definitely isn’t. In the short term, not eating very much isn’t a problem. Your baby is teeny tiny when morning sickness is at its worst and doesn’t have very much in the way of nutritional needs yet. By the time he does, you’ll almost certainly have your appetite back, in spades!
Even women who have such a hard time keeping food down that they actually lose weight during the first trimester arent hurting their babies, as long as they make up for the lost weight, as needed, in later months.
Keep an eye on your urine: It should be clear or light-colored, like straw. If its darker, you may be dehydrated. Be sure to drink up, since staying hydrated during pregnancy ensures your baby is getting the essentials he needs for healthy development.
If youre not able to keep anything down, including fluids, it may be a symptom of hyperemesis gravidarum a more serious condition that affects up to 3 percent of women with morning sickness. If your nausea is continuous and severe and you vomit several times a day, make sure to see your doctor. You may require additional treatment to protect yourself and your baby.
Vitamin B6 + Antihistamines For Morning Sickness
Fortunately, about half of pregnant people improve significantly with a combination of Vitamin B6 and Unisom , Dr. Fox says, which are both safe to take in pregnancy. You may recognize Unisom as an over-the-counter sleep aid, but its also an antihistamine to treat hay fever and allergy symptoms, and its a common nausea treatment.
Another antihistamine often used to treat pregnancy-related nausea is Benadryl , says Dr. Nateya Carrington.
Keep in mind that antihistamines commonly have the side effect of drowsiness, so your doctor will likely tell you to take it at night. And keep in mind that before taking any medication, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure its the right treatment option for you.
Dont want to take two pills at once? Good news: Dr. Fox says, There are prescription medications like Bonjesta and Diclegis that combine Vitamin B6 and doxylamine into one pill to be taken once or several times a day.
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What Causes Nausea In Pregnancy
No one actually knows what causes morning sickness. Also known as nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
It is speculated that the extreme change in hormones may be to blame. Also the enhanced sense of smell and taste that you experience during pregnancy may contribute to your morning sickness symptoms.
Whatever the cause we just want to get rid of it right? Morning sickness can be terrible! 75% of women experience some sort of nausea during their first trimester. About half of those also experience vomiting.
There is even an extreme case of morning sickness known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum . This is a condition in which you suffer from severe nausea and vomiting all the time and experience weight loss and electrolyte imbalance as a result. If you think you are suffering from HG please consult your doctor or midwife.
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Prenatal nutrition and fitness feels like a mystery to many of us. I mean your doctor hardly even touches on that area at all.
And yet, we now know that what you eat and how active you are while pregnant directly affects your babys genetic outcome, turning on and off certain genes based on your nutrition and fitness!
Hows a mom to know what to eat, what not to eat, and how to safely exercise to have a fit bump-only pregnancy and grow the most healthy baby possible through her diet and exercise?
Stick To Foods That Appeal To You
Chances are you’ll be able to find a few healthy foods that you can keep down. Theyll take care of most of your nutritional requirements until a more varied diet becomes palatable.
Remember that no one food has a monopoly on any particular nutrient or meal. For example, you can get your vitamin A and protein from peaches and yogurt at dinner instead of broccoli and chicken. Or have pasta for breakfast instead of cereal.
Don’t worry too much about getting your daily dozen in the short term. There will be plenty of time later on in your pregnancy for eating well.
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Nausea And Vomiting Of Pregnancy
HOWARD ERNEST HERRELL, MD, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
Am Fam Physician. 2014 Jun 15 89:965-970.
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy affects nearly 75% of pregnant women. The exact cause is unknown. In most cases, it is a mild, self-limited condition that can be controlled with conservative measures and has no adverse fetal sequelae. About 1% of women develop hyper-emesis gravidarum, which may result in adverse outcomes for the mother and fetus. Patients with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy should be evaluated for other causes, particularly if symptoms are unremitting or presentation is atypical. Initial treatment is conservative and includes dietary changes, emotional support, and vitamin B6 supplementation. Several safe and effective pharmacologic therapies are available for women who do not improve with initial treatment. Women with hyperemesis gravidarum may require more aggressive interventions, including hospitalization, rehydration therapy, and parenteral nutrition.
Nausea and vomiting occur in up to 74% of pregnant women, and 50% experience vomiting alone.1,2 Although the term morning sickness is commonly used to describe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, the timing, severity, and duration of symptoms vary widely. Approximately 80% of women report that their symptoms last all day, whereas only 1.8% report symptoms that occur solely in the morning.2
SORT: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
SORT: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Is It Bad If I Have No Morning Sickness
While morning sickness can be an uncomfortable but reassuring reminder that youre pregnant, its also perfectly fine if you rarely or never have a bout of queasiness while you’re expecting.
Studies show that roughly 75 percent of all pregnant women experience nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy. That means that approximately 25 percent don’t.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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Guard Against Unpleasant Smells
When youre pregnant, you expect your body to change. But who knew that your sensitivity to smells would change as well? The hormonal changes that accompany pregnancy can even turn once-appealing smells into unpleasant, even intolerable, nausea triggers.
That means that the smell of your favorite meal may now make you want to throw up. Talk about frustrating!
If you find that your sense of smell is becoming more sensitive, we suggest you avoid heavy odors like tobacco, perfumes, and exhaust from vehicles. If you encounter a smell that triggers your nausea, excuse yourself as quickly as possible and find fresh air away from the odor.
If you cant get away from the trigger smell, try breathing through your mouth instead of your nose. And dont worry about what others may think if you have to excuse yourself. Theyre not pregnant.
Risk Factors For Morning Sickness
It’s thought hormonal changes in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are probably one of the causes of morning sickness.
But you may be more at risk of it if:
- you’re having twins or more
- you had severe sickness and vomiting in a previous pregnancy
- you tend to get motion sickness
- you have a history of migraine headaches
- morning sickness runs in the family
- you used to feel sick when taking contraceptives containing oestrogen
- it’s your first pregnancy
- you’re obese
- you’re experiencing stress
Visit the pregnancy sickness support site for tips for you and your partner on dealing with morning sickness.
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Is There Medical Treatment For Morning Sickness
Yes. If you cant relieve morning sickness on your own or if you have severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, your provider may treat you with these medicines:
- Vitamin B6 and doxylamine. Your provider may treat you with these medicines separately or together. You can get vitamin B6 and doxylamine over-the-counter , which means you dont need a prescription for them from your provider. Doxylamine is found in some OTC medicines that help you sleep. Or your provider may prescribe you a medicine that combines them.
- Antiemetic drugs. These are drugs that help prevent vomiting. If Vitamin B6 and doxylamine dont work, your provider may prescribe an antiemetic drug for you. Not all are safe to use during pregnancy, so talk to your provider to make sure the medicine is a good choice for you.
Talk with your provider before you take any medicine during pregnancy, even medicine to help treat morning sickness.
Dressing To Accommodate Nausea
Even if you are not currently feeling unwell, if you are prone to feeling sick while you are pregnant then you should deliberately pick outfits that do not encourage or enhance nausea. In the main, you should aim to avoid wearing tight things, especially clothing that digs into any part of your abdomen.
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Drink Plenty Of Fluids Especially Water And Juice
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Water and juice are two of the best fluids to drink when youre pregnant as a way to deal with nausea. They will help you stay hydrated and help to settle your stomach. If you find that drinking fluids make your nausea worse, try sipping on them slowly or drinking them through a straw.
Here is a list of some homemade drinks to help with your morning sickness:
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Water: Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with eight ounces of water. Drink this mixture three times per day.
- Lemon Water: Mix the juice of one lemon with eight ounces of water. Drink this mixture three times per day.
- Ginger Tea: Steep one teaspoon of grated ginger in eight ounces of boiling water for five minutes. Drink this tea three times per day.
- Banana and Honey Smoothie: Blend one banana, one tablespoon of honey, and eight ounces of cold water or juice. Drink this smoothie once per day.
- Watermelon Juice: Blend two cups of watermelon, seeds removed, and eight ounces of cold water or juice. Drink this juice once per day.
