Dealing with a random bout of nausea can be difficult, at least in part because it develops suddenly and without a clear cause. Often, taking steps to ensure your comfort and using an Over-The-Counter (OTC) remedy helps. Sometimes eating proves helpful as well. Additionally, getting to the root of the problem can help you choose a treatment now and prevent future episodes.
Rest can sometimes serve as a treatment for random nausea. This may prove effective if you are nauseated because of sleep deprivation or if your stomach upset is the result of anxiety and stress. Sometimes resting also helps if you have developed nausea because of participation in a strenuous activity. In fact, rest may help even if none of these potential causes are involved. Many people find that going to a quiet location and lying down helps them to feel more comfortable no matter what the cause.
You might be surprised to find that you are nauseated and hungry at the same time. In such a case, eating something might help relieve random nausea. Eating foods that are heavy, greasy, acidic, or sugary may make you feel better at first but may cause your stomach to become even more upset later. Instead, you may do well to focus on eating a small amount of bland food in an effort to feel better. For example, toast or unsalted crackers might help, and some people are able to tolerate plain rice, applesauce, and bananas as well.
There are many OTC medicines used to combat heartburn and indigestion that can help with nausea. These medications come in pill, chewable tablet, and liquid form, and you can choose based on the form you think you can tolerate without feeling worse. You might also try an antihistamine, which is a medication usually taken for allergy symptoms, to relieve random nausea. In fact, you may even find some antihistamines, such as dimenhydrinate, that are specifically recommended for this purpose.
Sometimes the most effective step you can take for dealing with a bout of nausea is determining what might be causing or contributing to it. This can be difficult when nausea develops suddenly, but some of the most common culprits are overeating, motion sickness, infection, and ingestion of alcoholic beverages. If you can pinpoint the cause of your random nausea, you can either treat it or discontinue whatever has caused it. For instance, your doctor may provide treatment recommendations for a digestive tract infection, and discontinuing alcoholic beverage consumption may help calm your upset stomach.
