Ginger, peppermint, antacids, and simple breathing techniques can all relieve nausea and upset stomach, depending on the cause. Some work within minutes, others take longer but address the underlying problem. The best choice depends on whether you’re dealing with queasiness, acid-related discomfort, or a full stomach bug.
Ginger for Nausea
Ginger is one of the most studied natural remedies for nausea. Its active compounds, called gingerols, block the same receptors in the gut that prescription anti-nausea medications target. Ginger also reduces inflammation in the digestive tract and helps the stomach empty more efficiently, both of which ease that heavy, queasy feeling.
You can get ginger through tea, chewable ginger candies, capsules, or even flat ginger ale (though many commercial ginger ales contain very little actual ginger). Fresh ginger sliced into hot water is a reliable option. For capsules, most studies use doses in the range of 250 mg to 1 gram per day, split across multiple doses.
Peppermint for Stomach Cramps and Bloating
Peppermint oil relaxes the smooth muscle lining your digestive tract by blocking calcium channels in the muscle cells. This makes it especially useful when your upset stomach involves cramping, bloating, or that tight, pressured feeling in your abdomen. Peppermint tea works for mild symptoms, while enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules deliver a stronger effect lower in the gut, which is why they’re commonly used for irritable bowel symptoms.
One important caveat: peppermint relaxes the valve between your esophagus and stomach. If your upset stomach is actually acid reflux or heartburn, peppermint can make it worse by allowing stomach acid to travel upward. Skip it if burning in the chest is part of the picture.
A Surprisingly Fast Trick With Rubbing Alcohol
One of the fastest-acting nausea remedies is also one of the least known. Sniffing a standard isopropyl alcohol prep pad (the kind used before injections) can cut nausea in half within about 4 minutes. In emergency department trials, patients who inhaled from alcohol pads held just below their nose reduced their nausea from 50 out of 100 to 20, outperforming even prescription anti-nausea medication at the 30-minute mark. Patient satisfaction scores were also significantly higher with the alcohol pads.
The technique is simple: hold an alcohol prep pad about an inch below your nose and take slow, deep breaths as needed. You can use multiple pads. The effect is short-lived, so this works best as a bridge while other remedies kick in or while a wave of nausea passes. No adverse effects were reported in clinical trials.
Acupressure on the Inner Wrist
Pressing a point called P6 on your inner forearm has consistent clinical support for reducing nausea. The spot sits about three finger-widths above your wrist crease, in the groove between the two tendons. Apply firm, steady pressure with your thumb for several minutes. In a controlled trial, patients using this technique experienced significantly less nausea, vomiting, and retching over a six-hour period compared to both placebo and no-treatment groups. Anti-nausea wristbands sold at pharmacies work by applying continuous pressure to this same point.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Bismuth Subsalicylate
The pink liquid (or chewable tablets) sold as Pepto-Bismol contains bismuth subsalicylate, which is FDA-approved for nausea, upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, and diarrhea. It works on multiple fronts: the bismuth portion coats irritated stomach lining, fights bacteria, and reduces inflammation, while the salicylate component decreases the production of chemicals that trigger gut cramping and excess fluid secretion. It’s a good all-purpose option when you’re not sure exactly what’s causing your stomach distress.
Antacids
If your upset stomach feels more like burning or sourness, antacids neutralize stomach acid directly. Liquid antacids containing magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide tend to work faster and last longer than calcium carbonate tablets. In a head-to-head study, magnesium/aluminum antacids raised stomach pH more effectively and lasted about 82 minutes in the esophagus compared to 60 minutes for calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate can also trigger what’s called “acid rebound,” where the stomach responds by producing even more acid after the initial relief wears off. For occasional heartburn this doesn’t matter much, but if you’re reaching for antacids frequently, the magnesium-based option may work better.
What to Eat and Drink
The old advice to stick to bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the BRAT diet) isn’t wrong, but it’s unnecessarily restrictive. Those foods are easy on the stomach, but so are brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and unsweetened dry cereal. There’s no need to limit yourself to just four foods. The real principle is to avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned meals until your stomach settles.
Once you can keep bland foods down for a day or two, start adding foods with more nutritional value: cooked squash, carrots, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, and avocado. These are still gentle on digestion but provide the protein and nutrients your body needs to recover, especially after a bout of vomiting or diarrhea.
Staying hydrated matters more than eating. Vomiting and diarrhea deplete fluids and electrolytes quickly. Plain water helps, but if you’ve been vomiting repeatedly, your gut absorbs fluid most efficiently when sodium and glucose are present in a 1:1 ratio. The WHO’s oral rehydration formula uses this principle. You don’t need to buy medical-grade solutions; many commercial electrolyte drinks approximate this balance. Sip small amounts frequently rather than drinking large volumes at once, which can trigger more nausea.
Probiotics for Stomach Bugs
If your nausea and upset stomach stem from a stomach virus or food poisoning, probiotics can shorten the duration of symptoms. The most studied strain for acute gastroenteritis is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which a meta-analysis found reduces diarrhea duration by about 24 hours and decreases the risk of symptoms dragging on past a week. Look for products that list this specific strain and contain at least 10 billion colony-forming units per dose. Probiotics won’t stop nausea immediately, but they help your gut recover faster when an infection is involved.
Warning Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most nausea and upset stomach resolve on their own within a day or two. But certain symptoms alongside nausea signal something more serious. Call emergency services if you experience chest pain, severe abdominal cramping, confusion, blurred vision, or a high fever with a stiff neck.
Get to urgent care if your vomit contains blood, looks like coffee grounds, or is green. The same applies if you’re showing signs of dehydration: very dark urine, dizziness when standing, dry mouth, or extreme thirst. For adults, vomiting that persists beyond two days warrants a doctor visit. For children under two, the threshold is 24 hours, and for infants, 12 hours. Unexplained weight loss combined with ongoing nausea also calls for evaluation.