How to Stop Dry Heaving

Medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Last Updated: October 18, 2024 Approved

Dry heaving is that sensation you feel when you are about to vomit but nothing comes out of your mouth. This condition is commonly seen in pregnant people, but it can happen to anyone. In most cases, you can stop dry heaving by putting the right food or drink in your stomach—usually something bland, sweet, or cold—or by using over-the-counter medication like an antihistamine or anti-nausea drug, depending on the underlying cause and your current medical condition. Dry heaving usually goes away with home care, but when it happens incessantly, then it is best to seek prompt medical attention.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Home Remedies

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1
Drink plenty of fluids. One of the main causes of dry heaving is that there are not enough fluids circulating in your body, causing fluid imbalance. Your best course of action, then, is to drink plenty of fluids. Remember the rule: drink at least 8-12 glasses of water every day. Sports drinks with electrolytes are also good for correcting this imbalance.
- If you cannot tolerate liquids due to the bad taste in your mouth, then rehydrate gradually. Start by taking small sips of water, apple juice or mint tea.^{[1]
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- Dehydration due to dry heaving causes a lot of problems. With the loss of mucus, your body signals your heart to work harder and your kidneys to work double time. When vital organs are stressed, it can lead to total shutdown, which, in worst case scenarios, can lead to death.
Aromatic herbs like ginger and cardamom can reduce nausea and help get your dry heaves under control.^{[2]
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Research source} Chew on a tiny bit of fresh or dried ginger or a cardamom seed and see if your symptoms subside.

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3
Eat something sweet to get your blood sugar up. Low blood sugar (or hypoglycemia) is a signal that your body is missing some nutrients that you need to fully function. This can cause dry heaving and also serve as a warning. Luckily, it can be quickly remedied by eating a popsicle or some candy.
- Maintaining your sugar levels not only prevents hypoglycemia and dry heaving, but also helps in keeping you focused. Eating something sweet will bring glucose to your brain and help transport oxygen to your blood so that it can properly circulate to the different parts of your body.
4
Eat bland food, like toast or soda crackers. These dry, light or somewhat tasteless foods decrease palate sensitivity in the tongue. This reduces dry heaving, gets rid of that bad taste in your mouth, and may even prevent the urge from getting worse. These foods should be soft, not spicy, and low in fiber. A few good bland foods are:^{[3]
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- Soup, broth, bouillon
- Rice water
- Cereals (oatmeal, cream of wheat, corn flakes)
- Pudding and custard
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Toast
- Soda crackers
5
Keep your mouth closed while eating. When you chew with your mouth open, you let air into your upper GI tract. This can increase your risk of dry heaves. Chew with your mouth closed to keep air intake to a minimum.
- You can also reduce your air intake while drinking by drinking from a cup instead of using a straw or drinking directly out of a bottle or can.
Eating food with a lot of air in it can aggravate dry heaves. Steer clear of carbonated beverages and beer, as well as foods like ice cream, whipped cream, and omelets.
7
Eat small meals often. Eating a large amount at one time may bring about dry heaves or full-on vomiting. Instead of eating 3 full meals a day, split each meal into 2 and make a 6 meal plan—you're eating the same amount, just spaced out throughout the day.
- Do not allow your stomach to be empty. This is correlated to maintaining your blood sugar level, in addition to taking pressure off your gastric sphincter. While an empty stomach is a trigger for dry heaving to occur, hypoglycemia should also be taken seriously as it can cause myriad other problems like lightheadedness and nausea.^{[4]
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  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  
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8
Reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a powerful and addictive stimulant that our bodies easily react to. Since it is such a powerful chemical, it can cause the gastrointestinal tract to become hyperactive, leading to dry heaves and vomiting when too much is consumed. To avoid this, limit your caffeine intake to 250 milligrams per day.^{[5]
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- Coffee, tea and chocolates are not the only goods with caffeine content. See the label for the amount of caffeine on each product you consume.
9
Have something cold. Cold foods and drinks decrease the stimulation of the gastrointestinal system. If you choose something with sugar, that's 2 benefits in 1. However, be sure to only consume what you can tolerate. Start out with a small amount and increase it if you can. Good examples are:
- Cold, decaffeinated soda
- Ice chips (put in your mouth and let it melt)
- Popsicles
- Sherbet
- A frozen yogurt bar

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Medical Treatment

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1
Take antihistamines (Benadryl). These medications are taken to manage allergic symptoms caused by triggers that can also cause vomiting. Taking antihistamines will help in managing the pain that histamines bring about in case you are dehydrated due to dry heaving. 1 or 2 tablets of an antihistamine like Benadryl should help stop the urge to vomit.
- Histamine is actually an essential chemical messenger in the brain. Also, it manages water intake as well as drought management in the body. It's when these chemicals flare up in allergic reaction that an anti-histamine comes in handy.
2
Consider taking anti-vomiting/nausea drugs. Medications like Bonine and phenothiazines can be taken to settle gastric contents in your stomach and help stop vomiting. These should be taken once daily or as needed whenever symptoms arise. Talk to your doctor about what's appropriate for you—the dosage will depend upon the severity of your condition.
- Phenothiazines (Compazine and Phenergan) block dopamine receptors that trigger neurotransmitters for involuntary vomiting. Once these neurotransmitters are blocked, retching will likely cease.
3
Talk to your doctor about anti-anxiety medications. Quite clearly, anxiety causes stress. When you are stressed, a horde of symptoms manifests which can lead to dry heaving. Taking Ativan or Xanax as needed or when anxiety attacks manifest may greatly help if you suspect stress may be the cause of your dry heaving.
- Alprazolam (Xanax) is usually prescribed in a dosage of 0.25 mg thrice a day for short anxiety attacks. However, correct dosing of anti-anxiety medications should be at your psychiatrist’s discretion. These are “downers” and need to be taken carefully as they slow and decrease everything from heart rate to organ functioning.
4
Consider alternative measures like acupuncture. Sometimes alternative measures such as acupuncture and acupressure are also considered to be effective against dry heaving, especially for pregnant people. The principle involved here is that when energy is unbalanced, illness will develop. In order to restore balance, certain points need to be stimulated in order to reduce episodes of dry heaving as well as relax the gastrointestinal tract. This is where acupuncture comes in.
- If you're not fond of needles, consider acupressure or a deep tissue massage. Mention to your masseuse that you're interested in relieving pressure points for the sake of your health.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preventing Future Episodes

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1
Hydrate before consuming alcohol. Before a night of drinking, try to drink at least 750 mL (3 cups) of water, or however much you can tolerate. Drinking a lot of water before drinking alcohol prevents you from becoming severely dehydrated. With enough water in your system, alcohol gets diluted and its absorption is slowed, therefore delaying the negative effects of overconsumption, like vomiting and dry heaving.
- After consuming too much alcohol, alcohol replaces the water in your body, making you dehydrated. You end up vomiting until there's nothing left. That's when dry heaving starts. With more water in your system, dry heaves can be avoided.
2
Eat food high in healthy fats. Fats reduce alcohol absorption in your body. This works the same way as taking in more water. It slows the absorption of alcohol to the body, thereby delaying its effects. However, there is a difference between healthy fat and unhealthy fat. Here are some sources of fat that will keep you feeling energized and healthy:
- Fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, and herring
- Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts
- Olive, grapeseed, and flaxseed oils
- Avocados
3
Relax. Anxiety and stress are things we all experience. People who have difficulty coping with stress experience signs and symptoms in the body. This is called “conversion,” a type of defense mechanism against stress and anxiety. Nausea, vomiting and retching (dry heaving) appear with no clear physical cause. In order to avoid this, stay relaxed!
- Apart from taking anti-anxiety medications, introduce yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises into your routine. If those aren't up your alley, take a vacation or try a relaxing hobby. Even if it's half an hour of "me-time," it'll help.
4
Avoid triggers like bad smells. An awful and stomach-turning smell can give you the urge to dry heave. Common nauseating odors include smoke, perfume and certain food smells. Try to avoid these if you're feeling especially sensitive to odors, light, and sound. If you cannot avoid it, wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth or simply use a handkerchief.
- Odors trigger dry heaves by sending too many chemical stimuli to the brain. Your olfactory system is highly connected to your digestive system, so a bad smell can produce the urge to vomit.
5
Minimize exposure to motion sickness. Plenty of people feel the urge to vomit when they're suffering from motion sickness. This happens when what we see and what our body thinks is our position aren’t in conjunction. Simply driving down a windy road can cause it, as can being on a boat, roller coaster, or any other up-and-down, left-and-right, jostling experience.
- Try not to listen to people talking about motion sickness. For some unknown reason, a person who listens to people who say that they have motion sickness may get it too. It's like yawning—sometimes it's contagious.
- To combat motion sickness, look at a fixed object (example: the horizon) while travelling in any vehicle. Fixed views do not stimulate the brain, reducing the urge to heave.

Expert Q&A

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Question

For a few weeks now, every single day, I've been nauseated. But just recently, I've started to have diarrhea. I am a hypochondriac and I'm sort of scared. It won't go away. Please help. What should I do?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

I believe you need to see your medical provider for an in-depth assessment and evaluation of your symptoms to address the root causes of your condition/s and help you feel better.

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Question

How do I stop dry heaving when going to the bathroom?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

Keep your mouth closed while you are in the bathroom, and try chewing a piece of ginger or cardamom.

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How are ulcers found?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

Ulcers are diagnosed based on a person’s symptoms, history, physical exam, lab-work and/or upper gastroscopy.

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Tips

In case dry heaving is not totally remedied with home treatments, it is best to pay your doctor a visit to get prescription drugs to manage the symptoms.

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High-fat, spicy, and raw foods should be avoided while you are experiencing nausea to avoid further gastrointestinal problems.

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