How to Stop Throwing Up After Drinking Alcohol: Remedies & Prevention Tips

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Plus, why you throw up when drunk & when to seek medical help
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After a wild night out, you might be feeling sick from drinking too much alcohol. Staying hydrated, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, and getting plenty of rest are some of the best strategies to help with vomiting and other hangover symptoms. However, there are a few other steps you can take to avoid throwing up in the first place. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to not throw up when drunk, including why you throw up and how to recover quickly.

How to Not Get Sick After Drinking

  1. Drink small sips of water to rehydrate.
  2. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.
  3. Sleep in an upright position to feel better.
  4. Avoid drinking more to ease hangover symptoms.
  5. Eat small amounts of bland foods, like crackers or toast.
Section 1 of 5:

Minimizing Nausea After Throwing Up

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  1. Throwing up can make you dehydrated, which can interfere with your body’s circulation and lead to more serious complications. After throwing up, drink small sips of water every 15 minutes for the first 3-4 hours. You can even suck on ice chips if you’re feeling warm. [1]
    • If you’re struggling to keep fluids down, wait about 30 minutes to sip water after vomiting.
    • You can also sip clear fluids and drinks with electrolytes, like broth, sugar-free ginger ale, sports drinks, or apple juice.
  2. Crackers, toast, plain oatmeal, and grits are good options because they require less digestion and, therefore, are less likely to irritate the lining of your stomach and intestines. [2] Just remember to go slow and start off with small bites.
    • You can also try eating foods like bananas, rice, and applesauce (part of the BRAT diet).
    • For 24-48 hours after vomiting avoid foods that can upset your stomach or make nausea worse. This includes: fatty, greasy, sugary, or spicy foods, dairy products, alcohol, soda, and caffeinated beverages. [3]
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  3. Taking medication with small bites of food can prevent a stomach ache. Stick to aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen. Do not take acetaminophen (Tylenol) after drinking—it can be toxic to your liver when mixed with alcohol. [4]
    • Alternatively, take antacids to help settle your stomach.
  4. While “hair or the dog,” or drinking more alcohol to cure a hangover, may temporarily reduce your symptoms, there’s no scientific evidence that it works (and you’ll feel much worse when your blood alcohol levels return to zero). Give your stomach a break and do not drink again after throwing up. [5]
  5. Sleeping is one of the best ways to help you feel better after a night of drinking and throwing up. Rest in an upright seated position with your head elevated about 12 inches (30 cm) above your feet to reduce nausea. [6]
    • You can try sleeping upright in a recliner or watching TV in a seated position until you feel well enough to go to bed.
    • Avoid lying down in a flat position to rest, especially if you have acid reflux. This may cause you to start throwing up again.
  6. Studies show that ginger can help reduce nausea and settle an upset stomach. [7] So, drink a cup of ginger tea, chew on a piece of raw ginger, or take a ginger shot if you’re feeling queasy.
    • To make ginger tea , peel a fresh knob of ginger, cut it into thin slices, and put a few slices in a cup. Pour in boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes. [8]
  7. While it isn’t scientifically proven, you may be able to stop nausea with acupressure . [9] Find the Neiguan (P-6) pressure point on your inner arm. Position your hand so that your palm is facing upwards. Place your middle three fingers across the wrist starting where the wrist meets your hand. The outside of the finger closest to your body should mark this pressure point P-6. Now you can use your thumb to press this point, moving in a circular motion for a short period of time. [10]
    • You might gain additional relief by repeating this process on your other wrist.
  8. Sometimes, moving around can make you feel worse if you’re nauseous. [11] Move to a quiet room if you’re at a social gathering, and sit down until you’re feeling better. You may get relief if you rest in a propped up position. Activity may worsen nausea and can even cause vomiting.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Prevent Vomiting From Drinking Alcohol

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  1. Different people process alcohol at different rates, which means you could have the same number of drinks as a friend but feel greater effects from the alcohol than they do. Your alcohol tolerance is generally linked to your weight and gender, but it can also be affected by a variety of factors, including your hormones and differing levels of enzymes responsible for metabolizing alcohol. [12] Use the following chart as a general guide on how many drinks it takes to reach a BAC of 0.08 (the legal limit in most states): [13]
    • Men
      • 120 to 140 lbs: 1-2 drinks per hour
      • 150 to 180+ lbs: 2-3 drinks per hour
      • 190 to 220+ lbs: 3-4 drinks per hour
    • Women
      • 90 to 110 lbs: 1 drink per hour
      • 120 to 170 lbs: 1-2 drinks per hour
      • 180 to 200+ lbs: 2-3 drinks per hour
    • Note: One drink is equal to one 12 oz of beer with 5% alcohol, 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor, or a 5 oz glass of wine with 12% alcohol.
  2. This might be harder than it sounds, especially when friends are encouraging you to have another drink. However, doing so keeps your blood alcohol levels from reaching the point of intoxication, which can prevent vomiting and other hangover symptoms. [14]
    • As a general rule, try to limit yourself to one drink per hour.
    • If someone is pressuring you to drink more, you could say, “I’m going to be sick if I have another” or “I have a busy day tomorrow so I can’t drink too much.”
  3. Alternating each alcoholic beverage with a glass of water can prevent dehydration and slow your alcohol intake. [15] This can help you over drinking and throwing up later. If you get super drunk, switch entirely to water. Drink it steadily, but do not chug or drink water to excess, as this can upset your stomach.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 169 wikiHow readers how they prefer to pace themselves while drinking, and 54% of them said drinking water in between alcoholic drinks. [Take Poll]
  4. Food helps slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream, which can keep your blood alcohol concentration lower. A heavier meal can offset the effects of alcohol on your body, and may prevent vomiting and other hangover symptoms. [16]
    • The best options are foods that contain protein, fat, and carbohydrates. This includes: a burger and sweet potato fries, salmon with rice pilaf and veggies, an egg and cheese sandwich, a tofu bowl with rice and stir-fried veggies, paneer or chicken tikka, or a bean burrito with cheese and veggies. [17]
  5. This makes it easier for you to keep track of how much alcohol you’ve consumed (so you can avoid drinking too much). For example, if you start with a drink with lower alcohol content, then switch to a drink with a higher alcohol content, you might forget or underestimate how much you’ve consumed. [18]
    • Whether it’s beer, liquor, or wine, choose one and stick to it!
  6. Studies show that lighter-colored drinks like vodka, gin, light beer, and white wine are less likely to cause hangovers. Darker-colored drinks like whiskey, bourbon, scotch, brandy, dark beers, and red wine have congeners, which can cause more severe symptoms. [19]
  7. Cooling yourself off is a big part of feeling better, especially if you’re drinking at a large party or social gathering. Going outside can distract you if you’re feeling nauseous and calm down your central nervous system. Strong smells can trigger your gag reflex, so it’s best to step outside if you’re feeling overstimulated. [20]
    • As an added bonus, if you do vomit, it won't be while you're surrounded by people. Plus, throwing up outside requires less involved clean up!
  8. If you heave or gag, the best strategy to prevent vomiting is to quit drinking for the night. Vomiting doesn’t reduce your blood alcohol level, and drinking more could lead to something more serious, like alcohol poisoning. [21]
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Section 3 of 5:

Why Drinking Alcohol Makes You Throw Up

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  1. When you drink alcohol, your liver breaks it down into less harmful substances. However, when you drink too much, your liver can’t break down alcohol fast enough and a toxic substance called acetaldehyde builds up in your bloodstream. This can cause nausea and vomiting as your body tries to get rid of it. [22]
  2. Drinking alcohol increases stomach acid production, which can cause nausea, vomiting, or belly pain. [23] The more alcohol you drink, the greater the risk of these symptoms.
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Section 4 of 5:

Should you make yourself throw up after drinking?

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  1. Throwing up doesn’t reduce your blood alcohol level because the alcohol has already entered your bloodstream. However, forcing yourself to throw up can make it more likely to tear your esophagus, which can lead to bleeding and other serious complications. These include: [24]
    • Dehydration
    • Tooth damage
    • Metabolic issues
    • Gastrointestinal bleeding
    • Damage to the stomach or esophagus lining
    • Aspiration of vomit into the lungs, which can lead to pneumonia
Section 5 of 5:

When to Seek Medical Help

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  1. Alcohol poisoning is a potentially life threatening situation that occurs when someone drinks alcohol quicker than their body can process it. It also impairs a person’s gag reflex so they can’t prevent choking on their own vomit. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include: [25]
    • Confusion
    • Skin that’s pale or blue
    • Having a seizure or fit
    • Loss of consciousness
    • Vomiting more than once
    • Slow or irregular breathing
    • Cold and clammy extremities
    • Slurring words or being unable to speak
    • Being unable to coordinate movement, like standing, walking, or picking things up
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  • Question
    What if I vomit blood?
    Community Answer
    You should see your doctor.
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  • Question
    What if dizziness is caused by the body sensing poison in the body and signaling the inner ear?
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    Sit down. Breathe deeply. Try to focus on one specific location on the ground. Do not close your eyes, as this may increase nausea.
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  • Question
    Is it embarrassing to throw up in front of a lot of people at a party?
    Community Answer
    It depends on who is at the party and how you feel about it. Some people will find it embarrassing, others won't. If you're very drunk, you probably won't care.
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      Tips

      • If you’re at a party, avoid drinking games or shots. Drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time is the most likely way to become dangerously intoxicated. [26]
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      • To cure a hangover, certified wine consultant Murphy Perng recommends “drinking plenty of water to help your body flash out waste and reset…and avoiding drinks that can make you feel dehydrated, like coffee.”
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Never ever force a drink down. If you feel like your body is rejecting an alcoholic drink, let it out. If you force something down it's just going to try and come back up.
      • If you have a nasty taste in your mouth either from throwing up or from the alcohol not sitting right, try biting into a lemon.
      • It helps me to just drink with sips. Instead of swallowing whole gulps or chugging something, just sip tiny amounts.
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      Warnings

      • If you think someone has alcohol poisoning, call 911 and stay with them. Sit them up if they’re awake, or place them on their side if they’ve passed out. [27]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vomiting-101-why-you-throw-up-and-the-best-way-to-recover
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vomiting-101-why-you-throw-up-and-the-best-way-to-recover
      3. ↑ https://uhs.umich.edu/diarrheavomiting
      4. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16627-hangover
      5. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover
      6. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting
      7. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/best-foods-for-hangover
      8. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits
      9. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002117.htm
      1. ↑ https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/acupressure-nausea-and-vomiting
      2. ↑ https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/when-you-have-nausea-and-vomiting
      3. ↑ https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/health/services/promotion/alcohol-other-drugs-alcohol/alcohol-and-your-body
      4. ↑ https://angelaolsonlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/08_BAC_Chart.pdf
      5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16627-hangover#prevention
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dangers-of-too-much-alcohol-summer-heat
      7. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16627-hangover
      8. ↑ https://wellbeing.jhu.edu/blog/2022/05/11/food-and-alcohol-what-you-need-to-know/
      9. ↑ https://www.unitypoint.org/news-and-articles/how-to-get-over-a-hangover-unitypoint-health
      10. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cure-your-hangover
      11. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vomiting-101-why-you-throw-up-and-the-best-way-to-recover
      12. ↑ https://studenthealth.uconn.edu/educational-handouts/nausea-vomiting-diarrhea
      13. ↑ https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/alcohol-metabolism
      14. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hangovers/symptoms-causes/syc-20373012
      15. ↑ https://alcoholrehabhelp.org/addiction/effects/throwing-up/#5_Reasons_Youre_Throwing_Up_After_Drinking
      16. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-poisoning/
      17. ↑ https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/health/services/promotion/alcohol-other-drugs-alcohol/alcohol-and-your-body
      18. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16640-alcohol-poisoning

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