Dry heaving or that intense nausea can make you feel miserable. It can happen every morning, after eating or the night after drinking too much alcohol. Anxiety, diarrhea and vomiting may accompany this feeling. Here are cures and remedies for dry heaving and vomiting.
Dry heaving meaning (Definition)
What is dry heaving? Dry heaves or dry heaving is a condition where a person tries to vomit, but nothing is released from their stomach. It can also be described as repeated involuntary retching that is not accompanied by vomiting.
Dry heaving can also be called retching or dry heaves, and is a condition that often occurs after vomiting or nausea.
In simple terms, dry heaving implies where there is nothing present in your stomach for you to throw up. It is important to understand that this is very different from vomiting or nausea.
Causes of dry heaving
As explained above, dry heaves occurs after vomiting and nausea have taken place. In many cases, the vomiting act is the main trigger factor for this condition. The following are some of the known causes that could lead to this problem.
Alcohol hangover
Alcohol hangovers are always caused by an excessive intake of alcohol on the previous day. The alcohol you consume, ether from wine, liquor, or beer gets turned into a chemical once it is inside your body.
The chemical known as acetaldehyde is responsible for causing the nausea sensation experienced when you are nursing a hangover from the previous night.
Dry heaving from anxiety and stress
Our bodies react very differently when they are exposed to extreme stress levels. There are people who will experience eye twitching, dry heaves, heart palpitations, while others will get headaches.
Experiencing this type of feeling is completely normal and is not an indication that you have a mental issue.
It only becomes a problem when you are incapable of managing the overwhelming stress in your life as you would normally manage it. As such, you will continue to experience these symptoms until you are able to manage the symptoms completely.
Nausea after eating
When you consume more food than you are required to do in a day, or in a meal, you may start to experience dry heaves and nausea.
A condition that will often be caused by your gastric.
Dry heaving pregnancy symptom (morning sickness)
When pregnant women are in their second trimester, they may start to experience dry heaves, vomiting, and nausea.
The symptoms will often go away when they are in their six month of pregnancy, but for those who are not fortunate enough, they may have to deal with the symptoms until their last month of pregnancy.
The reason for this could be an increase in the estrogen levels, blood pressure changes, or changes in the woman’s carbohydrate metabolism.
Stomach flu
Vomiting and nausea are often controlled by the same brain parts that are responsible for causing the involuntary body functions.
In such a case, you will find that vomiting will be a reflex that has been triggered by a signal sent down from the brain.
The signal for you to experience nausea or vomiting could have been a result of taste, smell, infection, dizziness, or irritation by food.
Food poisoning causes dry heaving after eating
Food poisoning in a person occurs when strains of parasites, bacteria, or viruses contaminate your drinks and food.
Salmonella bacteria are one culprit responsible for causing most cases of food poisoning. According to the information provided by WebMD, you have an increased chance of being contaminated if your food is not stored at 140 F and above or 40 F and below.
Common symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Dry heaves
- Loose bowel movements
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Presence of blood in your stool
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramping
Pertussis (dry heaving cough)
Also known as, whooping cough, the condition is highly contagious and is caused by a bacterial infection. In many cases, it affects small babies (infants) as well as people in other age groups.
When a person is on the second stage of this condition, the coughing fit will become so severe and this may lead to a person experiencing poor bladder control, dry heaving, breathing difficulties, and vomiting.
Chemotherapy Drugs
Many individuals who have at one point or another undergone cancer treatment have reported experiencing bouts of nausea and vomiting, while others experienced dry heaves.
Apart from the chemotherapy drugs, cancer itself, and radiation therapy may also cause the above symptoms.
When the patient is first provided with the chemotherapy drugs, the brains vomiting center is automatically setoff, and this leads to the smooth intestinal muscles contracting, and the end result is dry heaves or vomiting
Low Blood Sugar Levels
For many people, mild cases of hypoglycemia are not a cause of concern or worry. It is common to experience it every now and again, especially when one is hungry or has just completed performing exercises that were strenuous.
Common symptoms of low blood sugar include cold, jitters, dry heaves, and nausea. In the case of diabetes patients, the dry heaves are caused by ketones.
Gastroparesis
It is a condition that happens when there is abnormal or deficient contraction of your stomach muscles. When it happens, it will impair the ability of your stomach to grind food and take it where it is needed in the small intestines.
The condition is often caused by uncontrolled diabetes, as well as the use of certain medications.
Some of its symptoms include:
- Poor appetite
- Bloating
- Dry heaves
- Feeling full very fast
- Weight loss
- Bloating
Dry heaving every morning
Dry heaves that occur in the morning are often attributed to the amount of stress that has piled up in your body.
It is therefore recommended that you consider taking part in exercises that are not strenuous as well as taking up stress relieving exercises to help you in overcoming this problem.
Dry heaving while running
Experiencing dry heaves when you are exercising or jogging is a problem that most professional athletes often have to deal with on a regular basis.
When you push your body too intensely when exercising, there is a high probability that your gag reflex will kick in, and you may also experience a burning sensation in your stomach, accompanied by nausea.
There are people that actually end up vomiting immediately they finish their workouts. You can make a few adjustments to your workout, which will help you eliminate this problem altogether.
Dry heaving and diarrhea
Experiencing symptoms like dry heaving and diarrhea can often point towards underlying medical conditions. These conditions can be either somatic, relating to the body, or psychological, relating to the mind. Continuous stress or fear of distressing circumstances may trigger these symptoms, thereby signaling the intersection of both physical and psychological health.
For instance, persistent stress can result in a disorder known as “functional vomiting,” which is characterized by symptoms such as dry heaving. On the other hand, diarrhea can sometimes be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that’s often linked with stress or anxiety.
Given the diverse array of possible causes for these symptoms, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional to evaluate your condition. They can conduct an in-depth medical evaluation to determine if these symptoms might be indicative of an underlying physical ailment. Conditions affecting the digestive system, such as gastroenteritis or gastritis, could be responsible.
Your healthcare provider may also recommend testing for the presence of parasites. Certain parasitic infections, like giardiasis, can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea. Timely diagnosis and treatment of these infections are vital for your overall health.
Remember, every person’s body reacts differently to stress, illness, and disease. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand and treat these symptoms in the context of your individual health status. By prioritizing your health and seeking professional advice, you can navigate towards a more thorough understanding and effective management of these symptoms.
Dry heaving and stomach pain
Similar to the above, these symptomps can have a somatic background. You should visit your doctor to check for digestive system deseases and parasites.
Dry heaving bile
There is a variety of reasons for a person vomiting bile. Starting from an empty stomach because of excessive vomiting, ending on stomach virus.
Throwing up bile is the body’s defense-mechanism. If you throw up bile, we recommend reading our other article on this topic: Vomiting Bile Causes, Yellow, Black Bile in the Morning, Blood, During Pregnancy, Remedies
How to stop dry heaving
It is possible for a person to prevent and stop the occurrence of dry heaves by ensuring that he or she consumes lots of water.
One of the primary causes of the dry heaves is dehydration. This means that there are not enough fluids that are circulating in your body, which then leads to an imbalance of fluids.
As such, your best course of action will be to ensure that you take many fluids. This means that you have to take a minimum of eight glasses each day. You may also take up sports drinks that come filled with electrolytes.
Home remedies
Dry heaves is a common problem that plagues many people from time to time. When you are experiencing this condition, you will often feel nauseated, warm, but no vomit is being expelled.
The following natural remedies will come in handy in helping you address this problem for the last time.
Ginger
It is considered to be one of the best natural remedies you can use for dry heaves. According to researchers, it contains active components such as pungent phenol compounds that have a huge influence in your stomach, nervous system, and intestines, and which, in return helps reduce the heaving
It helps in combating nausea and vomiting caused by a wide range of issues.
Instructions
- Scoop a single teaspoon of grated ginger root and add it to a single cup of boiling water. Use a lid to cover the simmering water and leave it alone for the next five minutes.
- Strain the resulting liquid before adding some lemon juice and honey to make it taste better.
- It is recommended that you take it while still warm, and to make sure that you do not take more than three cups of this solution on a single day
- Alternatively, you can mix a single teaspoon of ginger juice, a single teaspoon of honey, one of mint juice, and another of fresh lemon juice. Continue to take this concoction for the next few hours until you begin to experience some relief.
- Another option is to nibble on a piece of raw ginger
Note: in case you happen to be taking aspirin, or similar medication, you should stay away from ginger remedies completely.
Peppermint
It comes with a calming effect on the stomach lining that is vital in completely eliminating this feeling. It also has antispasmodic properties that can be used to prevent nausea.
According to a study conducted in 1997 at the Liverpool University in England, peppermint could also be used to relive the post-operative heaving.
Instructions
- Scoop a single teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves and place them in a cup
- Take hot water and pour it over the peppermint leaves
- Cover the peppermint solution and leave it alone for the next five minutes
- You should take this tea while it is still hot
- Due to intestinal cramping, it is highly effective for dry heaves
- Alternatively, you could take a drop or two of peppermint oil on a piece of tissue and gently inhale this scent.
- Ensure you take deep breaths when you are inhaling
Lemon
Lemon contains neutralizing acids that help in creating bicarbonates in your stomach and thus help in dealing with the heaves.
It also comes in handy in balancing the pH levels that are present in the stomach.
Instructions
- Take a single teaspoon of honey and mix it with that of lemon juice. You should eat this mixture very slowly for immediate relief
- Take the juice derived from half a lemon and add a single teaspoon of salt into some water
- Inhale the smell that comes from this mixture for the next few minutes before proceeding to drink it very slowly. A person suffering from high blood pressure should not add any salt to it
- Obtain a ripe lemon and proceed to cut it into two halves. You should take one half and place it close to your nose to allow you to inhale the air very slowly
Clove
Clove is another excellent dry heaves fighting home remedy. It comes with soothing and aromatic properties that make it ideal for this role. Additionally, it can come in handy in dealing with pregnancy related nausea.
Instructions
- Obtain a single teaspoon of clove powder and place it inside a single cup of water that is boiling.
- Use a lid to cover it, and allow for five minutes for it to steep before you can strain it
- You should drink it as often as needed. A single teaspoon of honey can also be added to spruce up the taste
- Alternatively, you can place a few drops of clove oil on a towel and place it near your nose to make it possible for you to inhale its smell.
- You must continue taking deep breaths until you begin to feel a relief
- Another option is to chew a few cloves
Cumin
It helps in the secretion of digestive enzymes known to promote digestion and the proper assimilation of nutrients from foods into the body.
It thus helps alleviate the symptoms that are associated with dry heaves
Instructions
- Take a single teaspoon filled with cumin seeds into a regular cup
- Ensure you add some hot water into the cup. Once the hot water is added, you will need to cover it, and allow it to steep for the next five minutes
- A pinch of nutmeg powder should then be added. Take your tea and sip slowly as you chew the seeds in it.
- Additionally, consider adding a single teaspoon of dry roasted cumin seeds
Fennel
Fennel is another carminative herb known to help in treating dry heaves. It will help in preventing the formation of gas your gastrointestinal tract. It will therefore play an important role in preventing symptoms that are associated with indigestion.
Instructions
- Scoop a single teaspoon of fennel seeds and place them in a cup of hot water
- The cup should be covered using a lid, and left to steep for at least ten minutes
- You should then add a few drops of fresh lemon juice, and a single teaspoon of honey into this solution
- It is recommended that you drink the herbal tea very slowly
- Once the tea is finished, the fennel seeds should also be chewed
- Another option is to take the teaspoon of fennel seeds and chew them on their own without adding any water to the seeds.
Check price of fennel seeds on Amazon
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
ACV is seen as a good natural remedy for heaving due to migraines or food poisoning. It also comes in hand in assisting digestion, as well as treating many problems that are often associated with stomach disorders.
Instructions
- Scoop a single teaspoon of ACV add it into warm water in a glass
- Add a single teaspoon of honey
- The solution should be consumed immediately you start experiencing the dry heaves and it would provide immediate relief
Cinnamon
Cinnamon comes with chemicals that are known as catechins, and which are used to relieve symptoms associated with dry heaves.
Additionally, you will find that cinnamon can be very soothing when experiencing a stomach irritation, and will thus help prevent vomiting.
Instructions
- Boil a single teaspoon of cinnamon powder or place it inside a flask filled with water
- It should be allowed to steep for at least ten minutes
- Strain the cinnamon powder and add a single teaspoon of honey to your solution to make it sweeter
- The tea should be drunk at a leisurely pace.
Pregnant women should not take tea made using cinnamon powder.
Anise
Also known as anise seed, it comes in handy when dealing with vomiting and nausea. It also contains an ingredient that helps in assisting digestion
Instructions
- Scoop a single teaspoon of anise and add it to a single cup of water in a pan.
- It should be allowed to steep for the next five minutes before being strained and taken while still hot
- An alternative would be to chew on a single tablespoon of anise for immediate relief.
Cold compress
Even though a compress may not help you deal with nausea, it comes in handy when you are experiencing dizziness. It can also be used to lower the body temperature, and in the process reducing the symptoms that come with this condition.
Instructions
- Obtain a handful of ice cubes and place them in a towel. The towel should then be placed at the backside of the neck, across the throat, or on the forehead for a few minutes.
- You should soon start feeling better after using the cold compress.
Dry heaving cure
Apart from relying on the natural remedies discussed above, you can also rely on the following medications:
Antihistamines
The medications falling under this category are taken when one wants to manage the allergic symptoms that have been caused by the same triggers that cause nausea, vomiting, and dry heaves.
When you take the above medications, they will aid in managing pain brought about by histamines, especially when heaving has led to dehydration.
To effectively address dehydration and dry heaving, replenishing lost fluids is crucial. Drinks like Liquid IV and Nuun, or similar rehydration solutions, are highly effective in providing essential hydration. These drinks contain a balanced blend of electrolytes and water, helping restore the body’s fluid balance. When used in combination with antihistamines, they can help manage allergic symptoms and alleviate discomfort, while also supporting the relief of dry heaving and associated symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
A single tablet should be enough in helping you restore the urge to expel your stomach contents.
According to medical experts, histamine is an essential chemical messenger that is located right inside your brain. It also assists in the intake of water and the management of drought inside your body. Thus, when the chemicals begin to flare up because of an allergic reaction, the anti-histamine will come in handy in dealing with the flare-up.
Consider ingesting anti-nausea drugs
There are certain medications that can be prescribed by your doctor to help in settling the gastric contents that are present inside your stomach.
Often, the doctor will recommend that you take them once each day, or as needed, and in some cases when the symptoms begin to show.
It is therefore recommended that you speak with your doctor to get a good idea on what is right for you, as the dosage will often depend on the severity of the heaving.
According to Dr. Axephenothiazines will help in blocking your dopamine receptors. The dopamine receptors are responsible for triggering neurotransmitters that cause involuntary vomiting. Therefore, once your transmitters have been blocked, there is a high likelihood that all retching will come to an end.
Consult the doctor about anti-anxiety medications
Anxiety is often the primary cause of stress in the body. When a person is stressed, there are very many symptoms that will begin to appear, and this will in the end lead to heaving.
Anxiety medication such as Xanax may help reduce your anxiety levels, especially if you suspect that this is being caused by increased stress.
According to health line, dosing of anti-anxiety medication is often done at the discretion of your psychiatrist. Given that the meds are considered to be “downers” they should be taken carefully as they are known to slow down and decrease the functioning of important body organs such as the heart rate.
Consider taking part in alternative measures
Alternative measures like acupressure and acupuncture are at times considered to be effective when a person has to deal with this problem. They are especially useful for women who are pregnant.
The principle behind alternative measures is that when energy becomes unbalanced, there is a probability that illnesses will begin to develop.
As such, to restore the normal body balance, there are certain points in your body that should be stimulated for you to reduce the number of dry heave episodes that you experience, and to allow you relax the gastrointestinal tract.
In case you do not like needles, you can consider taking part in a deep tissue massage or acupressure. Remember to mention to the masseuse that your main interest is to relieve the pressure points in your body to improve your health.