Home Remedies for Nausea or Upset Stomach

Nausea otherwise known as upset stomach can be described as an unpleasant, uneasy, or weak feeling in your stomach. You may feel like you have to vomit, but that won't always happen.

Nausea is not an illness but a common symptom of many conditions – from bacterial or viral infections to problems with internal organs. It's also a common side effect of certain treatments and medications.

Some common things that cause nausea are: 

Chemotherapy

Medications

Emotional distress

Food poisoning

Gastritis, or an inflammation of the stomach lining

Migraine

Morning sickness during pregnancy 

Motion sickness

Stomach flu

Remedies and Treatments for Nausea

You can treat most nausea at home. As soon as you start feeling sick, limit your diet to clear liquids in frequent, small amounts. Clear liquids are easy to digest and don't put extra strain on your stomach or intestines. 

While drinking water is an effective way to replace fluids, it doesn't contain the salts, sugars, and nutrients (electrolytes) you need to nourish your body until you can eat solid food again. That's why it's good to drink liquids with electrolytes such as:

Clear soup broth or bouillon

Decaffeinated tea

Sports drinks

Clear soft drinks like 7UP, Sprite, or ginger ale

Juices like apple, grape, cherry, or cranberry (Make sure to avoid citrus juices.)

Popsicles

Avoid alcoholic beverages, dairy products, smoothies, and vegetable juice.

Drink enough fluids to keep your urine a pale straw color. If you're not able to keep liquids down and begin to vomit, start with sips of water or sucking on ice chips. Once you are able to keep all liquids down, try some solid foods along with the liquids. Good foods to try are: 

Applesauce

Bananas

Soda crackers

White rice

White toast 

If your nausea causes frequent vomiting, doctors may give you oral rehydration therapy, which involves drinking a rehydration solution that replaces the minerals and body fluids you lost.

Some people find that peppermint and ginger help with their nausea, but there is not enough research to know whether these remedies work well. 

When to See a Doctor

Though nausea is not typically a sign of something serious, you should reach out to your doctor if your vomiting lasts more than 2 days for adults, more than 24 hours for children, or more than 12 hours for infants. You should also schedule an appointment if you've dealt with bouts of nausea for more than a month, or if you have unexplained weight loss along with your nausea or vomiting. 

While you wait to speak with your doctor, make sure to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, and eat bland foods. Keep track of your symptoms and watch for any signs of dehydration.

Emergency Care

If you have nausea along with any of the following warning signs, you should call 911 or your primary doctor right away – or go to the nearest urgent care facility or emergency room: 

Dark urine or infrequent urination

Dizziness or confusion

Dry mouth and other signs of dehydration

Extreme belly pain

Extreme headache

High fever

Multiple bouts of vomiting during a period lasting more than 24 hours

Reason to think that nausea and vomiting is due to food poisoning

Severe stiff neck

Some blood in your vomit