Vomiting is an unpleasant experience that can be caused by numerous factors. Often, vomiting is the result of a temporary condition or simple illness that will resolve within a few days and may not require a doctor's attention. Choosing the best home remedies for vomiting depends on the underlying cause leading to this symptom. If vomiting continues for several days, or does not respond to any remedies or anti-vomiting over-the-counter drugs, a trip to the doctor or the emergency room may be warranted.
One common occurrence is vomiting due to excess alcohol consumption. If vomiting occurs while drinking or shortly thereafter, it may be a sign of alcohol poisoning and should be treated as a serious health condition. In the throes of a hangover, however, vomiting may also occur, largely due to dehydration. One of the best home remedies for vomiting caused by too much alcohol is drinking fluids, preferably a clear soda or electrolyte-enhanced beverage. These will help get much-needed fluids to the body and may cause nausea and vomiting to subside.
Pregnant women often suffer from morning sickness, which may include vomiting caused by drops in blood sugar. Most women feel nauseous and vomit shortly after waking up, due to the long period of sleep in which blood sugar levels plummet. Some good home remedies for vomiting that is pregnancy related include keeping crackers or bread next to the bed, to be eaten immediately after waking. Eating at regular intervals throughout the day can also stave off nausea and additional episodes of vomiting.
When the source of nausea seems to be an illness or food poisoning, many home remedies for vomiting use ingredients commonly found in the pantry. Ginger is an age-old remedy for vomiting and nausea, and may be taken in the form of raw ginger, ginger tea, or ginger-ale beverages that have real ginger instead of artificial flavoring. Eating mint leaves or drinking mint tea can quickly calm nausea, while cinnamon, anise, and cloves are also popular home remedies for vomiting.
One of the keys to many home remedies for vomiting is to avoid overloading the stomach too soon after throwing up. It is natural for people to feel hungry and thirsty after vomiting, since they have just voided the contents of their stomach, but food and drink need to be introduced gradually to be sure that the stomach can handle intake. Having a small glass of soda or tea that is sipped over the course of a half hour or so can be a good way to start recovery. If liquids stay down, consider nibbling a piece of dry toast or salty crackers. Once a person has avoided vomiting for 24 hours, it is usually safe to re-introduce more foods, but keeping ingredients basic and bland can give the stomach more time to recover.
