How to Prevent and Treat Nausea

Nausea in and of itself is pretty terrible, but nausea often leads to vomiting, which is even worse to experience.

Thankfully, both nausea and vomiting are highly preventable! Our AFC Urgent Care Cleveland team describes what you can do to avoid feeling nauseous below, so keep reading.

Here’s what to do: Opt for many small meals instead of a two or three big meals. Going for light meals instead of heavy meals will prevent from overwhelming your body with large amounts of protein and acid to digest.
What to do next: Don’t lie down after eating. Experts suggest waiting at least two hours before lying down after a meal to help prevent reflux. This will help food pass to avoid nausea and indigestion.
What to do after: Drink lots of water. Not only does water boost our concentration and energy, but drinking plenty of water each day will help you avoid lethargy and sickness while also providing optimal prevention from nausea.
Another prevention tactic: Avoid spicy foods. Spices and hot foods can irritate people’s acid reflux senses, as well as their stomach linings and tendencies for indigestion, heartburn and nausea. If you know that spices are troubling for you, stick with mild flavorings and herbs instead, as those won’t cause discomfort.
Something else to keep in mind: Be careful of your caffeine intake. According to experts, withdrawal from caffeine can result in nausea, fatigue, dizziness, muscle pain, trouble sleeping and irritability. While none of these sound good, nausea is definitely a major disturbance and can sometimes last a while. Be careful with how much caffeine you consume each day and of withdrawal symptoms.
One more suggestion: Add more ginger to your diet. Ginger has been traditionally used to support digestive health, and many people use it today to both address and prevent digestive discomfort. Fresh ginger can be used as a tea and is also available in the form of a capsule.
Action steps to take: If you do, in fact, become nauseous. Consider taking an OTC OTC antiemetic medication, like Dramamine or Pepto-Bismol. Antiemetic medications are anti-nausea drugs that can help to reduce feelings of nausea or vomiting.
Doctor recommendations: If you feel nauseous for more than 12 hours, visit our AFC center! Extended periods of nausea can be a sign of a more serious health complication.

If you have any further questions about nausea or stomach health, don’t hesitate to ask! Reach out to our team at AFC Urgent Care Cleveland today.