12 Home Remedies to Manage Premenstrual Nausea

Hormonal changes occurring during periods might end up making you feel nauseous.⁽¹⁾ The usual pangs of headaches and stomach cramps can make matters even worse for women. During periods, chemicals known as prostaglandins are secreted in the body that causes discomfort.⁽²⁾ This can lead to stomach discomfort, diarrhea and even nausea. Therefore, it is important to know about premenstrual nausea and home remedies to manage it.

Menstrual cycle is related to hormonal changes and many symptoms are a result of it. Many women experience premenstrual complaints, which occur prior to the menstrual phase. Premenstrual symptoms vary in terms of intensity, experience and duration. Some of these pre-menstrual symptoms include: Nausea, fatigue, acne breakouts, bloating, swelling or tenderness of breasts, difficulty in sleeping, constipation, headache, anxiety, diarrhea, backache, appetite changes, depression, irritability and difficulty in concentrating and pain in muscle joints.^(3,5)

Nausea being an inherent characteristic of both pregnancy and menstruation, it becomes difficult to differentiate between the two. Here are some differences by which you can differentiate premenstrual nausea from pregnancy nausea.

Duration of Nausea: Premenstrual nausea subsides within twelve to sixteen hours from the beginning of period, but in extreme cases can last for a stretch of five to six days or until the bleeding ceases. Nausea in pregnancy can last till the end of first trimester and can even continue for long in some.

Nausea with Other Symptoms: Nausea accompanied with vomiting is often treated as the foremost sign indicating pregnancy. Pregnancy also presents with increased urination, missed or late period, fatigue and swelling or tenderness of breasts.^(4,5) You can easily ensure your pregnancy by conducting a test at home using the readily available testing kits. This is a sure way of differentiating premenstrual nausea from pregnancy nausea.

Premenstrual nausea is a fairly common complaint experienced by most women. However, this symptom can bother women almost every month, so knowing home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea can surely help.

Here are some remedies to manage premenstrual nausea.

1. Fresh Air: Sit in front of a fan or head outdoors to fill your lungs with fresh air. Better oxygenation with fresh air is one of the best home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea.
2. Hydrate Yourself: Drinking plenty of water to maintain hydration is one of the most effective home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. It may be useful to take small sips of water instead of drinking large quantities at once.
3. Control your Body Temperature: Premenstrual nausea can be accompanied with lot of discomfort. One of the effective remedies to manage premenstrual nausea also includes maintaining cool temperature. Keep the room cool or apply a cool compress on your forehead.
4. Monitor Body Energy Levels: Try keeping your blood sugar at steady levels by eating small meals throughout the day. Maintaining blood sugar levels is one of the essential home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. Avoid eating junk or sugary foods and instead choose to have healthy and complex carbs, vegetables and fruits that can help to keep blood sugar levels stable.
5. Diet ⁽⁶⁾: Opt for bland foods, such as rice, bananas, toast, apple sauce or tea and avoid spicy, sour and oily foods. Having a balanced, nutritious diet can provide essential nutrients, which too is one of the home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea.
6. Exercise ⁽⁶⁾: Engage in moderate exercises, such as brisk walking for thirty minutes. Regular exercises throughout the month can help reduce premenstrual nausea. Being physically active and exercising regularly is one of the most effective home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea.
7. Ginger ⁽⁷⁾: Sip on ginger ale or suckle some ginger candies to keep away from intestinal disturbances including premenstrual nausea and abdominal pain. This magical herb is one of the most popular home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. For making the ginger tea, peel one fresh piece of ginger measuring two inches and let it simmer in one to two cups of water for 10 to 20 minutes or you can also choose to buy a readymade one.
8. Herbal Tea: If you thought that herbal teas are perfect instant relaxer then do try them out as home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. Apart from being highly comforting, herbal teas also help in alleviating premenstrual nausea and should be sipped in small quantities throughout the day.
9. Chamomile: Be it vomiting, nausea or flatulence, chamomile has farfetched benefits in curing it all.⁽⁸⁾ Enriched with anti-inflammatory properties, chamomile helps in dealing with premenstrual symptoms like uterine cramping. This is one of the well-known pain reliever and relaxant that is also used as home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. You can benefit from the goodness of fresh chamomile flowers by brewing a hot cup of tea using three to four teaspoons of chamomile buds. Steep it for five minutes before drinking the same. You can also add a dash of mint leaves for the extra flavor.
10. Peppermint (9): The freshness of peppermint has often been accredited to have warded off both vomiting and nausea. This too is one of the popularly used home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea. Tear a handful of peppermint leaves and brew a hot tea using the same.
11. Essential Oil: No doubt, tea brewed using ginger, peppermint and chamomile can go miles in fighting off nausea, but in case if you are not much of a tea person, then essential oils will definitely do you good. A diffuser machine can help spread the soothing aroma of chamomile, ginger and peppermint all around you and help you manage premenstrual nausea.
12. Medicines: Premenstrual nausea is one such guest that pays us a monthly visit; whether we like it or not. So, as a long term solution to premenstrual nausea and vomiting, supplementation and medicines may be needed in some cases. The need for supplementation of vitamins and minerals is best assessed by your physician, so take medical advice. Also, for some women, pain relieving medications or hormone medications may be needed to manage premenstrual nausea.

Premenstrual nausea surely isn’t one of the best feelings in the world, as you are left feeling incapacitated. Resorting to natural ways and home remedies to manage premenstrual nausea can help.Taking hormonal medications might offer some relief, but if things do not improve or if premenstrual nausea is associated with unusual symptoms, it is best to consult your physician.

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• Rare Hormonal Disorders
• How Do You Stop Hormonal Mood Swings?
• What is Hormonal Imbalance, Know Its Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Natural Remedies, Supplements
• How To Know You Have A Hormonal Imbalance
• The Warning Sign Of Hormonal Imbalance In Females