Have you ever felt like throwing up, but nothing comes out? Known as dry heaving or retching, this is your body’s attempt to vomit as your diaphragm and abdominal walls contract. This causes your airways to close off, and your lungs expand as your body prepares to get rid of the stomach content through your esophagus. Sometimes, retching might lead to vomiting, although usually, the body doesn’t have any content to bring up. Vomiting or not, dry heaving can be challenging to deal with. This is why we’ll tell you how to stop dry heaving in this blog.
What Causes Dry Heaving?
Retching gives you a similar experience to vomiting without the actual content coming up for you to throw up. Some factors can cause dry heaving, like:
- Exercise
- Excessive Alcohol Consumption
- GERD
- Medications
- Pregnancy
- Infection
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney or Liver Issues
- Infection
- Anxiety
- Food Poisoning
- Migraines
How to Stop Dry Heaving at Home
Dry heaving is not a pleasant experience, but the good news is it’ll not last for long. In the meantime, you can try these effective tips to stop retching at home:
1. Hydrate Yourself
Hydrating yourself by drinking water can help stop dry heaving. Take small, slow sips of water to rehydrate. Moreover, you can suck on ice chips or popsicles to start easily and let your body receive an adequate amount of water.
2. Electrolytes
Drinking beverages that are rich in hydration salts, called electrolytes, can help. Start by taking small sips and gradually increase the amount if you can. Sports drinks, soup broths, and oral rehydration salts can help fix your body’s electrolyte imbalance.
3. Get Rest & Relax as Needed
Just resting for a bit can improve your condition too. Lie down with an elevated head, taking deep breaths. Relaxed and deep breaths can reduce dry heaving symptoms.
4. Eat Tolerable Food in Small Amounts
If your dry heaving results in vomiting, eat whatever appeals to you afterward. Porridge, applesauce, bananas, applesauce, toast, and other plain foods will digest easily and minimize the nauseating feeling. Just be mindful to eat in small portions.
5. Have Something with Ginger
Ginger has been used for a while as a remedy to reduce nausea and stop dry heaving. Therefore, you can take ginger chews, gums, supplements, and drinks to feel better. Even anti-nausea medications have started using ginger as an ingredient.
6. OTC Supplements
You can take antiemetic medication, as it can help block the neurotransmitters that lead to nausea, dry heaving, and vomiting. The package instructions will suggest how to take the OTC medications. Other than this, Antacids can also reduce your symptoms by neutralizing stomach acids. They contain compounds like calcium carbonate, magnesium, and baking soda that help improve your condition.
Tips to Stop Dry Heaving
You can also follow these tips if you are dry heaving and want to stop it:
- Avoid lying down on a full stomach, as it can lead to acid reflux
- Rest if a nauseating feeling occurs when you exercise
- Eat foods that are easier to digest
- Don’t eat large meals; eat small portions every 2 to 3 hours
- Stay hydrated throughout the day
- Refrain from having anything fatty or spicy, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, and other foods that can trigger acid reflux
What Should I Do?
There are many tips on how to stop dry heaving. Essentially, you should stay hydrated and eat in small portions. But if your symptoms increase, visiting a doctor is important. Dial (281) 357-1977 to contact our specialists at Gastroenterology today.