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In addition to the discomfort and turmoil in your stomach, you may experience a sore throat for quite some time after vomiting. However, you don't have to endure this painful throat situation. There are several remedies that can quickly and effectively soothe your throat, including easy-to-make solutions, over-the-counter medications, and natural treatments.
Steps
Soothing Your Throat with Simple Solutions
Drink water or clear fluids. Taking a small sip of water after vomiting can help relieve throat pain and prevent dehydration. Water helps flush out any stomach acid that may have entered your throat when you vomited.
- If your stomach still feels unsettled, it's better to drink water slowly and not in large quantities. Drinking too much or too quickly could make you vomit again. Sipping slowly will be gentler on your irritated throat.
- You can also try drinking a little apple juice or any clear liquids.
Drink a warm beverage. If plain water doesn’t help soothe your sore throat, try a warm drink like herbal tea. The warmth of drinks like tea can help ease a sore throat if you sip it slowly. Be sure to consult your doctor before choosing a herbal tea, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, or have heart disease.
- Ginger tea can help calm any lingering nausea and soothe your throat, but it should not be given to children under 2 years old. You could also try peppermint tea, which has a soothing and numbing effect on a sore throat. Avoid peppermint tea if you have acid reflux, and do not give it to young children.
- Make sure the beverage is not too hot. Drinking it too hot could irritate your throat further.
- Consider adding honey to your warm drink. Honey can help soothe the throat. However, do not give honey to children under 12 months of age to avoid the risk of infant botulism.
Gargle with warm salt water. Warm salt water can soothe a sore throat caused by vomiting due to its anti-inflammatory and symptom-reducing properties.
- To make salt water gargle, dissolve 1 teaspoon (5g) of salt in 240ml of warm water.
- Be sure not to swallow the saltwater. Swallowing it can further irritate your stomach.
Eat soft foods. If your throat feels sore from vomiting but you're hungry, soft foods can help both soothe your throat and fill your stomach. Foods that are soft and not dry or rough will feel more comfortable on your irritated throat and can help reduce the burning sensation caused by stomach acid.
- A small amount of foods like jelly, fruit ice cream, or bananas are good options to help ease your sore throat.
- Be cautious when eating if you’ve just vomited, especially if you're still feeling nauseous, as overeating may trigger another round of vomiting. Soft, cool foods like yogurt or ice cream may be tempting when you have a sore throat, but it's best to avoid dairy products until the vomiting has fully stopped.
Use Over-the-Counter Medications
Use a throat spray. Throat sprays contain numbing agents that can temporarily relieve a sore throat. Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the product packaging.
- Throat sprays are available at pharmacies without a prescription.
Use lozenges. Similar to throat sprays, lozenges specifically designed for sore throats contain local anesthetics that help reduce throat pain. These come in various flavors and are available at pharmacies.
- Just like over-the-counter medications, be sure to follow the usage instructions on the packaging for the correct dosage.
- Local anesthetics do not cure the pain completely, but provide temporary relief from discomfort.
Take pain relievers. Over-the-counter pain medications can help relieve pain caused by various reasons, including soreness from vomiting. However, make sure that the nausea and vomiting have stopped before taking pain relievers, as they may upset your stomach and worsen the discomfort.
- Some pain relievers you can use to alleviate sore throat pain include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin.
Consider Natural Remedies
Consult a doctor first. While many herbal remedies are safe for most people, don’t be too hasty, as not all natural products are safe. Herbs can interact with other medications, and some may worsen conditions or be unsafe for certain groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Always be cautious and ask your doctor before trying any herbal remedy.
Gargle with licorice root. You can simmer licorice root to make a soothing gargle for a sore throat. Licorice has been shown to relieve throat discomfort after numbing, so it can help soothe a throat irritated by vomiting.
- Some medications can interact with licorice, so consult your doctor if you are taking medication for high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, or heart disease.
Drink marshmallow root tea. Marshmallow root tea is not related to the fluffy white marshmallow candy, but is instead a medicinal plant known for its soothing properties, including relieving sore throats.
- Marshmallow root tea can typically be found at natural food stores or online.
- Marshmallow root also helps soothe stomach discomfort, which may assist in alleviating the cause of nausea and sore throat after vomiting.
Use slippery elm. Slippery elm coats the throat with a gel-like substance, helping to reduce pain and irritation. This product is usually available in powder or lozenge form. If purchasing the powder, mix it with hot water to drink.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using slippery elm.
Seek Medical Care
Know when to contact a doctor. While vomiting and nausea often pass quickly, there are certain cases where you should reach out to a doctor. Even mild flu can become serious if dehydration sets in. Call your doctor if you or your child experience any of the following:
- Unable to keep food or liquids down
- Vomiting more than 3 times in a day
- Head injury before vomiting started
- No urination for 6 to 8 hours
- For children under 6: vomiting lasting longer than a few hours, diarrhea, signs of dehydration, fever, or no urination for 4-6 hours
- For children over 6: vomiting lasting longer than 24 hours, vomiting with diarrhea lasting over 24 hours, signs of dehydration, fever over 38.3°C, or no urination for 6 hours
Know when to call emergency services. In certain situations, you or your child may require immediate medical attention. Call 115 or emergency services right away if you or your child exhibit any of the following signs:
- Blood in vomit (bright red or looking like coffee grounds)
- Severe headache or stiff neck
- Feeling lethargic, confused, or less alert
- Severe abdominal pain
- Rapid breathing or a fast pulse
