By Marygrace Taylor, Self
You know you’re not pregnant, and you didn’t eat anything funky. So why are you feeling nauseous?
Turns out, plenty of other things can make your stomach churn that have nothing to do with babies or bad food. Here are six unexpected things that could be causing your queasiness—plus what you can do to make it go away, stat.
Turns out, plenty of other things can make your stomach churn that have nothing to do with babies or bad food. Here are six unexpected things that could be causing your queasiness—plus what you can do to make it go away, stat.
Emotions like stress or anxiety can mess with your gut—as if you weren’t dealing with enough problems already.
Even though stress is an emotion, it causes a cascade of physical changes in your body. Including in your gut, which is highly sensitive to negative feelings, explains Randy Wexler, M.D., an internist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
[post_ads]Your gut is lined with nerves that work to expand and contract to push food through your digestive tract. But when you’re stressed or anxious, your brain sends signals to those nerves that cause additional contractions. All those contractions mess up your gut’s normal rhythm, which can leave you feeling nauseous. And you don’t have to be majorly upset to feel the effects. Even minor stress can make you feel pukey, Dr. Wexler says.
Pausing to take a few deep breaths can help you feel calmer, which could help ease your nausea. Another option: Sip a cup of ginger tea or chew on a piece of candied ginger, says Kristine Arthur, M.D., an internist at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. The spicy root has properties that are thought to ease nausea.
Weirdly, being really hungry can actually make you feel like throwing up.
When you’ve gone several hours without eating, your blood sugar can get too low. (Especially if the last thing you ate was mostly carbs, like a plain bagel or cookies.) That can leave you dizzy and nauseous, like you’re going to pass out, says Dr. Arthur.
The fix? Eat something that’s high in carbs—like a glass of fruit juice, a piece of fresh or dried fruit, or bread. “Candy will also work if healthier options aren’t available,” Dr. Arthur says. Getting sugar into your system will bring your blood sugar back up to normal, so you start to feel better. (Steer clear of foods that are high in fat or protein. They won’t raise your blood sugar and can actually slow the absorption of carbs.)
When you’ve gone several hours without eating, your blood sugar can get too low. (Especially if the last thing you ate was mostly carbs, like a plain bagel or cookies.) That can leave you dizzy and nauseous, like you’re going to pass out, says Dr. Arthur.
The fix? Eat something that’s high in carbs—like a glass of fruit juice, a piece of fresh or dried fruit, or bread. “Candy will also work if healthier options aren’t available,” Dr. Arthur says. Getting sugar into your system will bring your blood sugar back up to normal, so you start to feel better. (Steer clear of foods that are high in fat or protein. They won’t raise your blood sugar and can actually slow the absorption of carbs.)
It sounds simple, but you might also just need to drink more water.
Your unsettled stomach could just be telling you to swig more H20. The cells in your body need water to produce proteins to help your stomach function properly. When the cells sense that they aren’t getting enough water, they stop doing their job—and leave you feeling nauseous, says Dr. Wexler.
[post_ads_2]
And we’re not talking about day-in-the-desert-without water dehydrated. For some people, even mild dehydration could mess with your stomach, Dr. Wexler says.
You’ll probably know if your nausea is caused from dehydration if you also feel, well, really thirsty. So if that’s the case, drink up. Usually, plain water is fine, says Dr. Wexler. But if you have signs of severe dehydration—like fatigue, dizziness, or confusion—seek medical attention right away.
Your unsettled stomach could just be telling you to swig more H20. The cells in your body need water to produce proteins to help your stomach function properly. When the cells sense that they aren’t getting enough water, they stop doing their job—and leave you feeling nauseous, says Dr. Wexler.
[post_ads_2]
And we’re not talking about day-in-the-desert-without water dehydrated. For some people, even mild dehydration could mess with your stomach, Dr. Wexler says.
You’ll probably know if your nausea is caused from dehydration if you also feel, well, really thirsty. So if that’s the case, drink up. Usually, plain water is fine, says Dr. Wexler. But if you have signs of severe dehydration—like fatigue, dizziness, or confusion—seek medical attention right away.
Plenty of medications—even supplements and over-the-counter meds—can mess with your stomach.
Sometimes, popping an over-the-counter pain reliever (like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or an NSAID) on an empty stomach can actually leave you feeling nauseous. Without some food in your belly to act as a buffer, the components of some pills can be irritating to the lining of the stomach, Dr. Wexler says. Supplements like vitamins C, E, and iron can have a similar effect.
If it’s been more than an hour or two since your last meal, you can keep discomfort at bay by eating something small. “Often, just a piece of bread or a few crackers will suffice,” Dr. Wexler says. Just be sure to have your snack before you take your vitamins or meds, so it can coat your stomach. Eating afterwards won’t usually help, says Dr. Wexler.
Sometimes, popping an over-the-counter pain reliever (like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or an NSAID) on an empty stomach can actually leave you feeling nauseous. Without some food in your belly to act as a buffer, the components of some pills can be irritating to the lining of the stomach, Dr. Wexler says. Supplements like vitamins C, E, and iron can have a similar effect.
If it’s been more than an hour or two since your last meal, you can keep discomfort at bay by eating something small. “Often, just a piece of bread or a few crackers will suffice,” Dr. Wexler says. Just be sure to have your snack before you take your vitamins or meds, so it can coat your stomach. Eating afterwards won’t usually help, says Dr. Wexler.
As if you weren’t in enough pain already from a migraine, these severe headaches can also lead to nausea.
Experts don’t fully understand why a migraine can leave you feeling like you have to puke. What they do know? Migraines can cause dizziness and blurry vision, which can make you nauseous.
[post_ads]If you feel a migraine coming on, taking an OTC pain reliever might help, says Dr. Arthur. (Just be sure to have it with a small snack like crackers. And drink plenty of water, since dehydration can make headaches and nausea worse.) And if OTC pain meds don’t work, talk with your doctor. She can prescribe prescription migraine meds may be more helpful.
Experts don’t fully understand why a migraine can leave you feeling like you have to puke. What they do know? Migraines can cause dizziness and blurry vision, which can make you nauseous.
[post_ads]If you feel a migraine coming on, taking an OTC pain reliever might help, says Dr. Arthur. (Just be sure to have it with a small snack like crackers. And drink plenty of water, since dehydration can make headaches and nausea worse.) And if OTC pain meds don’t work, talk with your doctor. She can prescribe prescription migraine meds may be more helpful.
If you feel pressure in your ear along with nausea, it could be an infection. Good news: That’s totally treatable.
The canals in your inner ears play an important role in helping you maintain your balance. But an infection can cause changes to the normal fluid levels in one ear, Dr. Arthur says. When that happens, your brain gets a signal that the pressure in your infected ear is different than the pressure in your healthy ear. And those mixed signals can leave you feeling dizzy and queasy.
The canals in your inner ears play an important role in helping you maintain your balance. But an infection can cause changes to the normal fluid levels in one ear, Dr. Arthur says. When that happens, your brain gets a signal that the pressure in your infected ear is different than the pressure in your healthy ear. And those mixed signals can leave you feeling dizzy and queasy.
More:
