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Why is nausea immediately relieved by smelling an alcohol pad?

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Interestingly enough, this

Interestingly enough, this remedy for nausea, sniffing an alcohol pad, has more to do with regulating breathing than about the alcohol itself.

Although seemingly odd, having patients sniff alcohol pads does seem to significantly decrease nausea. But the same reduction in nausea was also created by having patients sniff pepperment or saline solution (a placebo). This suggests that the substance being sniffed isn't as important as breathing deeply for about 5 minutes. Using any of these substances not only improved patients' subjective experience of nausea, but also decreased the amount of anti-nausea medications used, according to one study which assessed the effectiveness of these "aromatherapy" treatments in post-surgical patients.

The mechanism for why this remedy works is not entirely clear but the thought is that the breathing center is very close to the part of the brain that is involved with nausea and vomiting. Perhaps when the brain is focused on deep breathing it expends less energy and focus on thoughts about nausea.

Regardless of how it works, it is a safe and seemingly effective for the troublesome problem of nausea.

Stefanie is GrannyMed.com's Q&A Expert

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This information is solely for informational and educational purposes only. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Neither the owners or employees of GrannyMed.com or the author(s) of site content take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading this site. Be aware that many of the techniques and remedies published on this site have not been evaluated in scientific studies. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Use of these remedies in connection with other medications can cause severe adverse reactions. It is always best to speak with your primary health care provider before engaging in any form of self treatment. Additional information contained in our Legal Statement


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