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If you often feel nauseous when your period comes around, you’re not alone. Many people who get periods experience nausea and even vomiting while they’re on their cycle, which can make an already unpleasant time even worse. Treating your period pain is the best way to prevent nausea before it happens, but there are also things you can do to ease nausea if it does occur.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:Treating Period Symptoms
Method 1
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1Hold a heating pad against your torso to relieve cramps. Turn on an electric heating pad or fill up a rubber one with warm water, then hold it against your stomach or your back. You can keep the heat on your torso until you start to feel some relief or it gets too hot to hold.[1]
- Using heat can help to relax the muscles in your abdomen and your lower back, which helps to reduce cramping, pain, and nausea.
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2Try a warm bath to soothe your pain. Similar to using a heating pad, a warm bath can relax your muscles and make your pain and nausea feel a little better. Fill up your bathtub with warm (but not scalding) water, then soak in it for as long as the water stays nice and toasty.[2]
- Taking a nice bath is also relaxing, which can help relieve stress and relax your muscles.
- Try making an evening out of it by lighting some candles, dimming the lights, and adding a fruity bath bomb to the water.
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3Do some exercise to help relieve cramps. Although it may seem counterintuitive, exercising can actually help to reduce period cramping and pain, leading to less nausea. Try doing some light exercise, like jogging or swimming, to help reduce your period pain.[3]
- If you’re in a lot of pain, don’t worry about trying to exercise. Try some relaxation techniques or a heating pad first.
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4Relax with meditation or yoga to soothe your muscles. Sometimes, stress can exacerbate your period symptoms, leading to more cramping and nausea. If you feel up to it, try listening to a guided meditation video or following a simple yoga routine to focus your mind and distract yourself from your symptoms.[4]
- You can find guided meditation and yoga videos for free on YouTube.
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5Take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help with cramps. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are over-the-counter medications that help to reduce swelling and pain. Ibuprofen and naproxen are good ones to take when you’re dealing with period pain and nausea. Follow the dosing recommended on the bottle (usually 1 to 2 tablets every few hours) to soothe your muscles and get some relief.[5]
- Taking too many NSAIDs at a time can be dangerous, so be sure to read all the information on the bottle and follow the dosing guidelines for your age.
- While aspirin is also an NSAID, you shouldn’t take it while you’re on your period. Since it’s a blood thinner, it can actually make your flow heavier.[6]
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6Talk to your doctor about starting birth control pills. Hormonal contraceptive pills can help some people in reducing period pain and other symptoms, like nausea.[7] If you’d like to explore your options, make an appointment with your doctor and ask about birth control pills as a way to control your period pain and reduce your symptoms overall.[8]
- Birth control pills work by reducing the amount that your uterus can contract, meaning it can’t cramp up as much. This will not only reduce your pain, but it can help to settle your stomach, leading to less nausea.[9]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:Dealing with Nausea
Method 2
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1Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Large meals can overwhelm your stomach and lead to more intense nausea. Try to eat smaller snacks or portions throughout the day to avoid feeling full while still getting all the nutrients you need.[10]
- Granola bars, fruit, baby carrots, and yogurt are great foods to snack on during the day.
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2Avoid powerful smells like smoke or perfume. Intense smells can make your nausea worse, and they can actually make you throw up if you’re feeling queasy. Try to stay away from smoke, perfume, or heavily scented foods, if you can.[11]
- If you’re at school or work, you might not be able to avoid these things completely. However, you can step outside for some fresh air or go to a different room if you need to.
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3Stay away from alcohol until your period is over. Drinking alcohol can make nausea worse, and it doesn’t react well with over-the-counter medication, either. Try to avoid drinking alcohol until your period is done so your stomach feels better, not worse.[12]
- Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to a hangover, which also intensifies nausea. Overall, it’s not a great drink to partake in while you’re dealing with your period.
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4Drink ginger ale or chamomile tea to settle your stomach. These 2 ingredients work to settle your stomach and can make you feel less nauseous if you’re still dealing with the effects of your period. They will also help to keep you hydrated if you’ve been throwing up, which is super important to consider.[13]
- Try to stay away from caffeinated drinks, as they can make your stomach more upset.
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5Rest after you eat a meal. Although it can sound silly, taking a short rest after eating and keeping your head elevated 12 inches (30 cm) above your feet as you lie down can help prevent nausea. Try to do this after you eat a meal if you’re on your period so you can digest your food quickly and avoid stomach churning or feeling gross.[14]
- Sitting in a recliner is better than laying down in bed since it’s easier to keep your head elevated in a chair.
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6Eat cold or room temperature foods, not hot ones. Hot food usually has a strong smell to it, which can make your stomach feel even worse. Instead of going for an oven-baked meal, try foods that are from the fridge or your countertop, like sandwiches, raw vegetables, fresh fruit, cold pasta salad, or crackers.[15]
- Spicy foods can also exacerbate your nausea, so stick to mild foods as you choose your meals for the day.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat causes constant nauseous feeling?
Roy Nattiv, MDDr. Roy Nattiv is a board-certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist in Los Angeles, California. who specializes in a broad range of pediatric gastrointestinal and nutritional illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, food allergies, poor weight gain, SIBO, IBD, and IBS. Dr. Nattiv received his undergrad degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his medical degree (MD) from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he was a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) fellowship trainee and was awarded the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Fellow to Faculty Award in Pediatric IBD Research. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Nattiv is active in the research community and has been published in several high-impact medical journals.
Board Certified GastroenterologistNausea is primarily a result of the stomach not functioning appropriately. Everyone has a pacemaker in their stomach, which controls how quickly or how slowly your stomach empties. When your stomach starts to empty very slowly, that can precipitate nausea or discomfort. There are several causes why someone might have a slow, empty stomach. The number one reason is an infection, such as a common cold, or any sort of virus, or even a bacterial infection that can cause your stomach to just freeze up and slow down. The usage of medication also has side effects that can cause nausea. Another common cause of nausea is obstruction of the stomach caused by constipation that regularly occurs in adults and kids.
Warnings
- If you’ve been throwing up for more than 2 days, seek medical care.[16]Thanks!
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References
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/periods-sick.html
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/periodpain.html
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/especially-for-teens/your-first-period
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/periodpain.html
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0801/p489.html
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0801/p489.html
- ↑ Roy Nattiv, MD. Board Certified Gastroenterologist. Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/periods-sick.html
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/cramps.html
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/periods-sick.html
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/nausea-a-to-z
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/nausea-a-to-z
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/nausea-a-to-z
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting/care-and-treatment
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting/care-and-treatment
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/periods-sick.html
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Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
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