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Overview of Nausea: Definition, Causes, Mechanism of Action

Nausea is a sensation of feeling sick that is often accompanied by the feeling that you’re going to vomit. It can result from various triggers such as food poisoning, medication taken on an empty stomach, motion sickness, or pregnancy-related morning sickness in the first trimester. 

Many effective anti-nausea medications called antiemetics are available to alleviate discomfort. Some of these medications act on the brain, while others affect the gut. 

What Medications Are Used To Control Nausea?

Over-the-Counter Antiemetics (Anti-Nausea Medicines)

• Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate): Commonly used when someone has gastroenteritis (stomach flu), Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) works by reducing stomach acid and protecting the stomach lining while easing discomfort and nausea.

• Emetrol (phosphorated carbohydrate): Similar to Pepto-Bismol, Emetrol is one of the OTC medicines that helps alleviate nausea associated with stomach flu.

• Antihistamines provide OTC relief from nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness:

  • Dramamine (dimenhydrinate): This anti-nausea medication works by blocking the vomiting reflex. It is used for nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness. Learn what to avoid when taking Dramamine.

  • Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy (meclizine): This is an antihistamine that can be used to manage nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

  • Benadryl (diphenhydramine): This OTC product is often used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness.

Prescription Anti-Nausea and Antiemetic Medicines

• Zofran (ondansetron): It belongs to a group of drugs called serotonin 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists that can block messages from the stomach to the brain. Ondansetron controls nausea by blocking the action of a chemical called serotonin. It is used to treat nausea and vomiting, which are the most common side effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Learn how often you can take Zofran for nausea.

• Phenergan (promethazine): Promethazine belongs to a drug class called phenothiazines; however, it also has antihistamine effects. It is used to treat nausea/vomiting after surgery; it is also used as a sleep aid and to treat allergy symptoms.

• Reglan (metoclopramide): This anti-nausea medication relieves nausea, vomiting, and upset stomach by blocking the action of dopamine and speeding up the emptying of the stomach.

• Compro (prochlorperazine): This medication belongs to a drug class called phenothiazines; it is available as a rectal suppository to treat severe nausea and vomiting. 

The following over-the-counter medicines for nausea are also available by prescription:

• Dimenhydrinate injection - used for nausea, vomiting, and vertigo.

• Meclizine (Antivert) - used at higher doses for vertigo.

Trying to choose between meclizine vs Dramamine for vertigo? Check out our blog.

Save Up to 80% On Your Anti-Nausea Medications!

Choosing the Best Nausea Relief

If you have ongoing nausea, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider to find out the cause. Once the cause has been identified, your healthcare provider can help you decide which anti-nausea medication may be best for you, depending on the cause of nausea and your other health conditions. 

For example, if episodes of anxiety trigger nausea, your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs to treat the underlying cause. Medications such as proton pump inhibitors may be used to treat nausea caused by excess stomach acid. 

Consulting a doctor will also ensure that your anti-nausea drug does not interact with your other medicines. 

Common Questions

What Is The Best Medicine For Nausea?

The best medicine for nausea depends on what medical condition creates nausea and individual responsiveness to a medicine.

Trying to decide what foods to eat when nauseous and what foods to avoid? Check out our blog.

What Is The Most Effective Anti-Nausea Medication? 

The most effective anti-nausea medicine will depend on the underlying cause (the health condition that has caused nausea) and your other co-occurring health problems. Different anti-nausea medicines work in different ways, and there is no positive evidence that one is superior to the others for all causes of nausea.

Is Zofran The Best Anti-Nausea?

Zofran may be the best anti-nausea for nausea caused by cancer treatment or surgery. However, other anti-nausea medicines may work better, depending on the cause of nausea. 

What Relieves Nausea Fast?

One of the most commonly used medications for fast nausea relief is prochlorperazine (Compazine). It works for many different causes of nausea, including morning sickness in pregnancy, vertigo and inner ear problems, and nausea caused by certain cancers, radiation, and opioid pain medicines.

What Is The Best Anti Sickness For Nausea?

There is no single best anti-sickness medication. The best option depends on the specific cause of nausea. 

What Is The Best Anti-Nausea Medication For Chemo?

There are many medications that can be used for managing nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy. Examples include ondansetron (Zofran), palonosetron (Aloxi), dolasetron (Anzemet), and granisetron (Sancuso transdermal patch). Another option is nabilone (brand name: Cesamet). Chemotherapy-induced nausea can also be treated with neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonists such as aprepitant and fosaprepitant. People who do not respond to conventional antiemetic medicines may be given dronabinol (Marinol), a synthetic THC derivative. 

If you are on chemotherapy drugs known to cause delayed nausea, your healthcare team may give you antiemetic medicines prophylactically (preventatively) before starting chemotherapy. According to the American Cancer Society, the choice of medicine for nausea relief depends on how likely the chemotherapy drugs are to cause nausea and how you responded to anti-nausea medicines in the past.

Safety and Side Effects

Special consideration is advised for pregnant women, who should consult a doctor before taking any medication for nausea to ensure the safety of the baby. Common side effects associated with each type of medication should also be noted, as well as interactions with other medications.

Common Side Effects of Anti-Nausea Medicines

• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol): Black tongue or black stool (temporary and harmless).

• Phosphorylated carbohydrate (Emetrol): Stomach pain, diarrhea.

• Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine): Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, dry eye, blurred vision.

• Meclizine (Bonine): Drowsiness, dry mouth.

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): Drowsiness, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, stomach discomfort, constipation, impaired coordination, pain with urination, sweating, erectile dysfunction, loss of appetite.

• Ondansetron (Zofran): Diarrhea, constipation, headache, fatigue.

• Promethazine (Phenergan): Drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation.

• Metoclopramide (Reglan): Drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, low mood.

• Prochlorperazine (Compazine): Drowsiness, blurred vision, headache, dry mouth, stuffy nose.

Drug Interactions of Anti-Nausea Medicines

• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate): Blood thinners; medications for diabetes, gout, arthritis.

• Phosphorylated carbohydrate (Emetrol): No drug interactions expected.

• Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine): Alcohol; allergy, cough, and cold medicines; monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs); sedatives.

• Meclizine (Bonine): Alcohol; anticholinergics; certain antidepressants; sedatives and tranquilizers.

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): Alcohol; certain blood pressure medications; other antihistamines; tricyclic antidepressants; sleeping pills; some antiseizure drugs; certain medications for bowel disease.

• Ondansetron (Zofran): Certain medications for Parkinson’s disease; heartburn medicines; antifungal agents; certain medications prescribed for heart rhythm abnormalities; medications for Tourette’s syndrome; some antipsychotics.

• Promethazine (Phenergan): Tricyclic antidepressants; sedatives, hypnotics, tranquilizers; narcotic analgesics (opioid pain pills); barbiturates; anticholinergics; monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs); alcohol.

• Metoclopramide (Reglan): Parkinson’s disease medicines; certain antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines; certain other antiemetics.

• Prochlorperazine (Compro, Compazine): Medications prescribed for heart rhythm abnormalities; certain antipsychotics; Tourette’s syndrome medicines; certain medicines for high blood pressure.

Note: The above list does not include all the potential interactions of anti-nausea medications. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure there are no potentially dangerous interactions between your medications.

When To See A Doctor For Nausea And Vomiting?

It is usually okay to treat occasional, mild nausea and vomiting with over-the-counter medicine or a natural remedy. However, you should see a healthcare provider if nausea and vomiting last more than two days in adults and children over the age of 2, more than 24 hours in children under the age of 2, or more than 12 hours in babies under 1 year of age. 

You should also seek medical attention if you have on-and-off episodes of nausea and vomiting for more than a month or if you have unexplained weight loss or other symptoms accompanying nausea and vomiting.

Read our blog to learn more about when to seek medical attention for vomiting.

Nausea Medications for Specific Conditions

• Stomach upset: Salicylate medicines like Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate (active ingredient: bismuth subsalicylate) work well for nausea caused by stomach upset due to stomach flu or food poisoning. 

• Motion sickness: Antihistamines like promethazine are effective when nausea is caused by motion sickness or inner ear problems (vertigo).

• Morning sickness in pregnancy: Medications that are safe for the mother and baby include promethazine, prochlorperazine, cyclizine, doxylamine, metoclopramide, and pyridoxine.

• Medication-induced nausea: Dopamine antagonists like prochlorperazine are useful in treating nausea caused by cancer drugs, radiation, and opiate medications.

• Migraines: Metoclopramide acts directly on the gut and helps ease nausea caused by migraines and stomach problems.

• Cancer treatment and surgery: Ondansetron is often part of the treatment plan for cancer patients to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. This prescription medicine is also used as an antiemetic after surgery.