How To Make Yourself Throw Up

Are you feeling ill? Did you eat something that hasn’t quite sit right in your tummy? Maybe you’ve had a bit too much to drink.

Throwing up will often bring relief, however, it should only be the chosen method when all else fails to bring relief.

You should only consider making yourself throw up if:

You have spoken to your physician and received the green light to induce vomiting;
You have food poisoning;
You have ingested non-corrosive substances that won’t cause damage coming back up.

Vomiting is a natural act that may occur when the body feels the need to rid itself of substances that disagree with your body or toxins your body feels the need to eject.

When choosing to induce vomiting, it is important to take certain steps to ensure you doing so in the safest way possible. If you are not careful, you can actually end up causing more harm than good.

When to Induce Vomiting

There are times when inducing vomiting may be the best course of action to make yourself feel better or to rid your body of something that is making you feel ill. For instance, vomiting may be easier to deal with than dealing with prolonged discomfort after eating something that doesn’t agree with you.

Before making yourself throw up, decide where you are going to get sick. Most people prefer the bathroom, a plastic bag, or a garbage can to prevent making a mess.

As you prepare to make yourself vomit, sit in a position that is comfortable to avoid putting additional stress on your abdomen as you eject the contents from your stomach. After vomiting, or in between instances of vomiting, rinse your mouth out with water to rinse any stomach acid or remaining food particles from your teeth and throat.

How to Induce Vomiting

The following ways methods are the safest and easiest ways to help make yourself throw up. Be advised that some these methods work efficiently so be prepared.

Index Finger

Using you finger to stimulate your gag reflex is one of the most common ways to make yourself throw up. To employ this method in the safest manner possible, follow these guidelines:

Make sure your nails are short so you don’t cut or scratch your throat.
Wash your hands.
Position your body in a way you that you don’t put too much pressure on your abdominal area—most people prefer to knee or sit.
Insert your fingers into your mouth and throat, stimulating the gag reflex.
Once you’ve triggered the gag reflex, you will immediately begin to feel a wave of nausea. When you start feeling nauseous, remove your fingers right away because you will throw up immediately.
If you feel nauseous but do not succeed in vomiting, try stimulating the gag reflex with your index finger once again.
After vomiting, wash your hands.
Rinse your mouth out and swish water around in your mouth to rinse the stomach acid from your teeth and mouth.
Refrain from brushing your teeth for 30 minutes after vomiting. Your tooth enamel will momentarily be sensitive from being exposed to stomach acid.

Sensory Stimulation

Watching other people throw up is another effective method that may help trigger vomiting as well. Videos of people vomiting can be found online. If this is not enough to make you vomit, try stimulating your gag reflex with your index finger as well.

Emetics

You can purchase over-the-counter drugs that safely induce vomiting if the previously mentioned methods are ineffective. Ipecac is the most common emetic on currently on the market.

When taken in high doses, ipecac is toxic, so it is not recommended to keep around the home. Ipecac is also not recommended for the use of children under 10 years of age, pregnant women, or women who are breast feeding. To take ipecac syrup, follow the following guidelines:

Carefully follow the directions listed on the bottle.
After taking the ipecac syrup, drink one or two glasses of water.
If you do not throw up within a half hour of taking the syrup, try taking another dose. If vomiting does not occur after taking the second dose, contact your physician.
Ipecac may cause some side effects such as dizziness, rashes, drowsiness, or an allergic reaction. To prevent these side effects from occurring, only take ipecac in small doses.

Other Methods

The following methods are not scientifically proven and have not been tested for safety. Trying these methods may have some unwanted side effects, so please take that into consideration before attempting any of the following methods.

Salt Water

Consuming a small amount of salt water may help you throw up. Consuming too much sodium can have an adverse reaction on your health, so this method should be considered a last resort. Do not exceed the listed amount of sodium to prevent hypernatremia from occurring.

Mix 3 tablespoons of salt in a glass of water. This method should induce vomiting within a half hour. Be advised that consuming this much sodium is 9 times the daily-recommended amount of sodium for a healthy diet.

Mustard Water

The thought of this method alone should be enough to make you want to vomit. This method words similar to the salt water solution, taking about 30 minutes to take effect.

Mix one tablespoon of water into a glass of warm water. Drink and wait 30 minutes for the mixture to take effect.

Bloodroot Herb

Bloodroot has been used by Native Americans to induce vomiting. Be advised that this method works fast and when taken in high doses, can be toxic and even cause death. Talk to your physician before attempting this method. To use this method, follow these guidelines:

Boil a teaspoon of bloodroot in a cup of water.
Once the water has reached a boil, let the bloodroot sit in the hot water for 20 minutes.
Strain the roots from the water and rink the liquid.

What to do After Vomiting

After vomiting, follow these guidelines to help your body recover:

Rinse your mouth out with water. Be sure to gargle and swish the water around to make sure all the stomach acid gets rinsed off of your teeth and throat.
Do not brush your teeth for 30 minutes after vomiting because your teeth will be sensitive from being exposed to stomach acid.
Slowly sip water to re-hydrate your body. Don’t drink too much too fast or you may vomit again.
Drink herbal teas to replenish your system and help soothe your digestive tract. Try sipping on ginger, fennel, chamomile, and citrus teas. If you’re still feeling nauseous, ginger tea will help calm your tummy. Chamomile tea will stop your stomach from having spasms.
Let your body recover by getting some rest. Vomiting makes your body lost fluids and nutrients and therefore needs some time to recuperate.

When Not to Induce Vomiting

Sometimes, throwing up causes more harm than good. Listed are situations in which vomiting is not deemed safe and should be avoided. To have a better idea when to induce vomiting, contact your physician.

First off, you should not induce vomiting unless poison control or your physician recommends you do so.
If you’ve ingested toxic, corrosive substances such a gasoline or bleach, inducing vomiting can do irreversible damage to your esophagus and digestive system.

If You Have swallowed a corrosive substance, contact poison control immediately.

Vomiting could actually cause the toxic substances to be absorbed even quicker in your system.
Trying to make yourself vomit could transfer the poison to your lungs.
Throwing up may not remove the poison from your stomach.
Vomiting may prevent other treatments from working.
Throwing up should never be used as a weight loss method.

Substances to Avoid Throwing Up

Throwing up the following substances may cause even more harm. If you’ve ingested any of the following substances, call poison control immediately.

Corrosive Substances: Acids, pesticides, and bleach. These substances will cause chemical burns in your mouth, throat, and esophagus.
Flammable Substances: Gasoline, paint thinner, kerosene, solvents, and any other flammable substance. These substances can burn your mouth, throat, and esophagus.
Detergents: Detergents, soaps, shampoos, and any substance that is lightweight and can froth. These substances can come into contact with your airways, burning your mouth, throat, and esophagus.

Side Effects of Vomiting

Vomiting may cause the following side effects:

Since your body loses lots of fluids when vomiting, you may become dehydrated.
Stomach acids may burn your esophagus when coming up.
If vomit reaches your airways, you may aspirate. Aspiration may result in infection and swelling in your lungs.
Stomach acid may cause your tooth enamel to erode.
Violently vomiting may result in the tears in the esophagus.

Note: If you are unsure about something you swallowed call a doctor or poison control first!