Feeling nauseous or sick to your stomach is one of the most unpleasant physical sensations. Nausea Medicine can detract from your quality of life and interfere with daily activities. Thankfully, there are a variety of effective medicines available to provide relief from nausea.
What causes Nausea?
Nausea has many potential causes including:
Motion Sickness
One of the most common causes of nausea is motion sickness experienced during travel by air, boat, car or other moving vehicles. The inner ear plays an important role in balance and sense of motion. When these senses do not match up with what the eyes see, it can lead to nausea and vomiting.
Pregnancy
Morning sickness or nausea during pregnancy is very common, affecting around 70-80% of expectant mothers. Hormonal changes along with sensitivity of the stomach and intestine during pregnancy are responsible for morning sickness. It usually starts around the 6th week of pregnancy and subsides by the 14th-16th week.
Post-Surgery
General anesthesia, certain medications, and abdominal pain or discomfort are some factors that can lead to post-surgical nausea. Surgeries involving the gastrointestinal tract like hernia repair or gallbladder removal tend to have higher risk of post-op nausea.
Chemotherapy
Many chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer are highly emetogenic, meaning they are strong triggers of nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy-induced nausea can develop either during treatment or in the days following chemotherapy.
Migraines
Nausea or the sensation of vomiting is one of the main symptoms experienced during migraines and severe headaches in around 70-90% of cases. Changes in brain chemistry during migraine attacks are thought to stimulate the vomiting center in the brain stem region.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Conditions affecting the stomach and intestines like peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatic disorders are common causes of chronic nausea symptoms. Pain, inflammation and malfunctioning of the gastrointestinal tract play a role.
Medications for Nausea:
Antihistamines
Over-the-counter antihistamines like meclizine (Antivert), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) can provide effective relief from motion sickness and other causes of nausea. They work by blocking histamine receptors in the brain stem involved in triggering nausea and vomiting responses.
5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
Prescription medications like ondansetron (Zofran), granisetron (Kytril), and palonosetron (Aloxi) block serotonin receptors and are very effective against chemotherapy and post-op induced nausea. They have minimal side effects.
Corticosteroids
Steroids like dexamethasone (Decadron) help relieve nausea by reducing inflammation in the digestive tract and modulating brain chemicals involved in vomiting responses. Prednisone may also be used for severe chemotherapy induced nausea.
Gabapentin/Pregabalin
Neuropathic pain medications like gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) can provide relief from nausea due to their anticonvulsant and analgesic effects. They work by modulating brain neurotransmitters involved in pain and nausea pathways.
Dronabinol/Nabilone
Oral cannabinoids like dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone help reduce nausea through their interaction with cannabinoid receptors in the brain stem region and gastrointestinal tract areas involved in nausea control. They may be useful in refractory nausea cases.
Herbal Remedies for Nausea
Ginger
Ginger is one of the most effective natural remedies recommended for various types of nausea including pregnancy related morning sickness. It works through various mechanisms like antioxidant effects, slowing gastric emptying, and blocking serotonin receptors involved in triggering nausea. Studies have shown ginger is as effective as vitamin B6 for pregnancy nausea.
Peppermint
Peppermint oil contains menthol which helps relax the stomach and intestinal muscles, easing nausea sensations. It also stimulates digestive secretions and bile flow for better digestion. Sucking on a peppermint candy or drinking peppermint tea can often stop an episode of nausea in its tracks.
Chamomile
The flavonoids present in chamomile tea have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and sedative properties that help relax the digestive tract and calm nausea. Research indicates chamomile may work similarly to prescription anti-nausea medications through blocking histamine and serotonin receptors involved in triggering vomiting.
Lavender
Inhaling the scent of lavender oil through a diffuser, lotion or linen spray can trigger relaxation responses in the brain and body through interaction with the olfactory bulb and limbic system areas involved in mood and stress regulation. By stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, lavender indirectly eases nausea.
In summary, relying on safe and effective over-the-counter or prescription anti-nausea medicines along with natural ginger, peppermint, chamomile and lavender remedies can provide much needed relief from nausea caused due to various illnesses, surgeries, medications or lifestyle factors like stress and travel sickness. Consult a doctor for evaluating the underlying cause and choosing appropriate pharmacological or herbal solutions. With treatment, relief from the unpleasant sensation of nausea is very possible.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it