How Does Nausea Medication Work?
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Upset Stomach
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Nausea directly affects the stomach and can make you want to vomit. It isn't really considered a sickness; rather, it is a symptom of something else going on in the body. Yet there are medications that can help quell nausea.
Causes of Nausea
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The cause of nausea isn't limited to one factor, although it is frequently associated with motion. Long, bumpy car rides or traveling by boat on high-swelling waters can cause nausea. This happens because your eyes can sometimes see motion that is different from the actual motion of your body. This is especially true with amusement rides, which are sometimes designed to cause that effect.
Drug interactions, side effects and medical conditions can also cause nausea. The list of medical conditions is almost limitless. Treatments such as chemotherapy and general anesthesia have been known to contribute to nausea. For pregnant women, nausea is often referred to as motion sickness.
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OTC, Prescription and Natural Treatment
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There are several over-the-counter drugs that treat nausea symptoms. Alka-Seltzer is used to treat nausea caused by acid indigestion. It creates hundreds of miniature air bubbles that help push stomach acid back down from the throat. Pepto-Bismol claims to coat the stomach lining with soothing medication. It is used to treat nausea associated with diarrhea.
For those who suffer from motion sickness-related nausea, Dramamine is the most frequently used medication. However, Dramamine is also known to cause drowsiness. A more advanced formula utilizes meclizine as the active ingredient to reduce that side effect.
Many prescription nausea medications are used to treat other conditions, but they may be prescribed for their anti-nausea benefits. Most of those drugs are prescription-level anti-histamines. Phenergan is a drug used for treating allergic symptoms, yet it can be prescribed by doctors for chronic motion-sickness sufferers.
There are more natural and alternative ways to treat nausea if you decide that drugs are not for you. Drinking clear, carbonated soft drinks like seltzer water or ginger ale can help quell nauseating feelings. Also, avoid eating solid foods while trying to treat nausea, especially greasy foods. For sea-sickness, there are special wristbands called "sea bands" that use acupressure. They press down on a nerve between your wrist and elbow that can bring nausea relief.
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