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How to stop throwing up: Top 10 tips

There are ways to settle your stomach so you can stop vomiting and reduce your risk of dehydration
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By | Mar. 7, 2024 Medically reviewed by Jesse P. Houghton, MD, FACG
Someone looking ill with a blanket around their shoulders and holding a mug: How to stop throwing up
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Throwing up can be an unpleasant surprise, but it is the body’s way of expelling potentially harmful stomach contents. But it is even more unpleasant and even worrisome when you can’t seem to stop. Whether it’s the stomach flu, food poisoning, early pregnancy, food allergies, cancer treatments, or any other reason for the cause, certain home remedies may provide some relief. Here, we share some of the top doctor-recommended ways to stop throwing up, including popular home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to stop vomiting.  

10 ways to stop vomiting immediately

There are times when you should let your body vomit instead of interfering. But if the vomiting persists, there are certain treatments and remedies that may provide urgent nausea and vomiting relief for some of the most common causes. Here are a few of the most effective. 

1. Let your stomach rest

People who’ve just thrown up might not even want to look at any food or drinks, and that’s a good thing. “If you swallow something, immediately your body is going to think it is the start of food and rev up the digestive system as it was designed,” says Ernie Vesta, MD, medical director of Curally. “It generally takes about four hours for the stomach to totally empty after a meal. So, let the stomach empty for about four hours after your last vomit.”

MedlinePlus also recommends sitting—but not lying down—since moving around might also increase the discomfort. This will help settle the stomach before eating, drinking, or taking medications. 

2. Drink clear liquids

Once the stomach has settled, it’s time to reintroduce small amounts of liquids—but only clear liquids that aren’t too sweet. Drinking water or sucking on ice chips is best, but sports drinks, Pedialyte, flat soda, or certain fruit juices can work too. “Start with an ounce of clear fluid, such as water or apple juice,” Dr. Vesta recommends. If you can keep it down for an hour, add another ounce or take two ounces, three ounces, and so forth until you keep liquids down for four hours.

Avoid citrus juices since acidity can irritate the stomach, as can coffee and alcohol. And don’t chug or take large gulps, which might make nausea worse. Small sips are much gentler on the stomach. 

3. Eat bland foods

If liquids stay down for a few hours, it might be time for some solid foods. But don’t jump right into anything spicy, acidic, or fatty. Instead, healthcare providers recommend the BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These soft, low-fiber foods are easy to digest, which puts less stress on the already overexerted digestive tract.   Other bland foods that are good for nausea include starchy foods, like rice, saltine crackers, biscuits, bread, pasta, or potatoes. 

Start slow, and don’t eat a lot at once. Rather than three large meals, spread it out to six or more small meals throughout the day, slowly reintroducing a normal diet. 

4. Take medication

Rest and a proper post-vomiting diet can go a long way, but some cases call for reinforcements. Anti-vomiting and anti-nausea medications are available both over the counter (OTC) and by prescription. 

OTC antiemetics include bismuth preparations like Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) and antihistamines like Dramamine (dimenhydrinate). Even though you can get these medicines without a prescription, it’s a good idea to consult your physician or pharmacist when choosing an OTC antiemetic.

In cases of chronic nausea—like the kind that comes from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, or chemotherapy—prescription medications might be necessary. Common drug classes for nausea and vomiting treatment include serotonin antagonists, neurokinin (NK-1) receptor antagonists, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, and dopamine antagonists.

5. Get some fresh air 

Rolling the window down is a common method for treating motion sickness while driving, and fresh air may decrease other types of nausea as well, but it’s not totally clear why. It may have to do with a change in body temperature, getting out of a room that contains triggering odors, or possibly a combination of factors. But for someone who feels like they might vomit but feels well enough to walk, the outdoors might literally and figuratively be a breath of fresh air. 

6. Do deep breathing exercises

“Deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which may help calm the body’s stress response that often accompanies nausea,” says Dr. Rizwan Bashir, MD, a neurologist at AICA Orthopedics. According to a recent study, breathing exercises reduced chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and retching in cancer patients. Taking a second to breathe deeply and evenly in moments of intense nausea may help stave off vomiting. 

7. Grab some ginger

People around the world have used ginger for digestive issues for thousands of years because it can improve the gastrointestinal tract’s efficiency, helping to move food through the system. Even today, studies consistently show that ginger has a positive effect on vomiting and nausea. 

A knob of raw ginger is pretty unappetizing on its own, but homemade ginger tea—adding grated ginger to boiling water—can make it more appealing. It’s also available in supplement form, and ginger ale may work well in a pinch too. But while ginger might soothe the stomach, “if you haven’t cleared whatever was bothering you in the first place, no amount of home remedy will solve the problem,” Dr. Vesta says. 

8. Use peppermint oil

Freshening breath is far from peppermint’s only benefit. It’s long been a home remedy for all kinds of gut issues, including vomiting. As a natural relaxant, it may help the muscles around the stomach stop contracting. In fact, a study from 2021 concluded that “peppermint oil significantly reduced the frequency of nausea, vomiting, and retching” in chemotherapy patients who placed a drop of the oil between their upper lip and their nose three times a day for five days after chemotherapy. Peppermint tea is a good option, but peppermint aromatherapy can work too. 

9. Reach for lemons

This citrus powerhouse has a lot of benefits, and that includes vomiting prevention. However, it’s not always their nutritional properties that do the trick. Rather, it’s their aroma. One study found lemon aromas were effective for reducing vomiting in pregnant women with morning sickness, and another study showed that it may also work for vomiting and nausea in postoperative patients.

Lemon water may also help settle an upset stomach since it might aid digestion. Just be careful—because citrus is highly acidic, too much of it may cause additional abdominal pain or acid reflux.

10. Try acupressure

“Acupressure, particularly on the P6 or Nei Guan point on the wrist, is a traditional remedy that may help in reducing nausea,” Dr. Bashir explains. This is a traditional Chinese therapy that uses hands and fingers to apply pressure on specific parts of the body. The Pericardium 6 (or P6) point is located between the two tendons on the underside of the wrist. Pressing on it may change the pain messages that particular nerves send to the brain, although it’s not effective for everyone. 

That said, by pressing and massaging this point, people with pregnancy-induced vomiting or myocardial infarctions have been able to find some relief, studies show. 

How to stop yourself from throwing up: Prevention is key

If vomiting is a consistent issue, or for people who’d rather just take proactive measures to avoid it, certain lifestyle changes can help prevent or reduce the risk. They include:

  • Prioritize good hygiene. “It sounds gross, but most GI tract pathogens are fecal-oral transmitted,” Dr. Vesta says. “So, hygiene is really important, specifically hand washing. Water is the universal solvent.” 
  • Avoid overeating. Eating too much can put pressure on the stomach. Eating small meals throughout the day can reduce gastric stress—just don’t skip meals. 
  • Eat slowly. Like overeating, eating quickly can make the stomach work harder, and it’s best not to overburden it. 
  • Avoid trigger foods. For someone who gets nauseous after eating spicy foods, a plate of Buffalo wings might not be the best choice. Other common triggers include fried, fatty, processed, or strong-smelling foods. 
  • Stay hydrated. Vomiting may cause dehydration, but the opposite is also possible. Either way, it’s important to drink enough water throughout the day. 

When to see a doctor for vomiting

Vomiting doesn’t always warrant a rush to the ER. In fact, some people feel a lot better after they vomit. Still, it’s important to know the warning signs for a condition that requires immediate help. 

Medical treatment may be necessary if the vomiting lasts for longer than 48 hours for adults. “Seek medical help if vomiting is persistent, severe, accompanied by symptoms like a headache, fever, stiff neck, or if there are signs of dehydration,” Dr. Bashir says. “Additionally, vomiting after a head injury or with neurological symptoms like altered consciousness or severe headache warrants prompt medical evaluation.”

Since vomiting depletes bodily fluids, any adult or child experiencing signs of severe dehydration, like dark-colored urine, difficulty urinating, lightheadedness, dry mouth, or confusion, should seek medical attention. Most people wrongly assume they’re not dehydrated if their mouth is not dry. That’s far from reality,” Dr. Vesta explains. “Then, there are what’s known as ‘insensible losses,’ which are fluid losses you don’t know about. The higher the temperature you have, the more quickly fluid will evaporate from your body. A good way to know you’re dehydrated is if you pinch your skin and it stays tented,” meaning it remains elevated in the area you pinched it.

Consistent or recurring vomiting with no apparent underlying cause may denote an underlying condition, so it’s important to see a healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis.

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