What should you know about good nausea medicine?

Nausea can accompany gastroenteritis or food poisoning, especially with vomiting or diarrhoea. Acid reflux and gastritis may cause upper abdominal discomfort, while gallstones can cause pain after meals. Heat exhaustion may bring nausea with sweating, weakness and dizziness. Low blood sugar can cause nausea with shaking, hunger, sweating or confusion. Less common causes include liver infection and medication side effects, so the surrounding symptoms guide treatment.

Take small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration drink and choose bland foods when you can tolerate them. Rest somewhere cool if heat may be involved. Avoid alcohol, heavy meals and strong smells. A pharmacist or clinician can advise about an anti-sickness medicine after checking your age, pregnancy status, medicines, allergies and heart or neurological conditions. Do not take leftover tablets or treat persistent nausea without finding its cause.

Get urgent help for severe or worsening abdominal pain, chest pain, blood or coffee-ground material in vomit, black stools, fainting, confusion, a stiff neck, or signs of severe dehydration. Prompt assessment is also needed when nausea follows a head injury, occurs with yellowing of the skin, or prevents fluids from staying down. People with diabetes, older adults and young children may become unwell more quickly.

What cause best fits my nausea and associated symptoms? Would an anti-sickness medicine be safe with my current prescriptions? How can I replace fluids? Which changes should prompt urgent review?