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Nausea can come from medicines, pregnancy, infection and much more. Before any herbal granules are discussed, note when it happens and what you take, and seek medical care for ongoing vomiting or dehydration.

Feeling sick to your stomach makes almost any suggestion appealing. Articles listing herbs for nausea are easy to find, and some of the ingredients may already be in your pantry. Yet nausea is a symptom with many possible sources, and a list of plants cannot tell you which one applies or which product might be suitable.

Many roads lead to nausea

Medicines, pregnancy, infections, digestive conditions, anxiety and many other situations can all leave a person feeling queasy. Working out the likely reason is the step that matters most, and it may involve your GP before any herbal product is considered.

Kitchen familiarity is not the same as suitability

Cooking with a spice is very different from taking a concentrated herbal preparation. A medicinal product can interact with prescriptions or be unsuitable during pregnancy, even when the plant itself seems harmless. If you are pregnant, your maternity team should know about any herbal product you are considering.

Information that helps the conversation

• When the nausea happens, and whether it is linked to meals, movement or time of day.
• Other symptoms that come with it.
• What you have already tried, including products from a pharmacy or naturopath.
• Every medicine and supplement you are taking.

Having these answers ready lets Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, judge at the Lane Cove clinic whether a herbal option is even worth raising, or whether a medical check should come first. Christine's herbal medicine comes as granules in bottles, so bring any bottle and earlier written directions you already have.

When to seek medical care instead

Ongoing vomiting, signs of dehydration such as dizziness or very little urine, or significant abdominal pain call for prompt medical assessment. Moving from one product to another in these situations can delay care you need.

If a herbal plan is agreed

The plan should spell out the product name, the measuring directions and when it will be looked at again. Keep those instructions with the labelled bottle. Tell Christine whenever your other medicines change, and if a new symptom appears that might relate to the product, call for advice rather than changing the amount on a hunch.

Understanding why you feel unwell comes before any choice, herbal or otherwise, and that order of steps is worth holding on to.