Nausea is always a symptom, never a disease in itself. It's your body's way of signaling that something is wrong, and our job is to figure out what. Nausea can be triggered by cancer treatment, chronic pain, stress, neck or back problems, medication, inflammation, or hormonal changes.
At Anodyne Care, we always start by identifying the cause of your nausea. Is it a side effect of chemotherapy? Is it due to persistent pain that has sensitized your nervous system? Or is it stress and anxiety manifesting physically?
Evidence clearly shows that combining medication, medical cannabis, and non-pharmaceutical methods like acupuncture provides the fastest and most lasting relief. We treat both cause and symptoms simultaneously, because persistent nausea requires a holistic approach.
When nausea comes together with…
Nausea is one of the most feared side effects of cancer treatment. Up to 70% of cancer patients experience nausea during chemotherapy, and for many it lasts for days after each treatment. The nausea can be so debilitating that patients consider discontinuing treatment, even though it could save their lives.
Nausea during cancer treatment occurs for several reasons:
Chemotherapy releases toxins that the body registers and responds to with nausea
Radiation treatment, especially to the abdomen, chest, or brain, can directly affect the nausea center
Anxiety and stress before and during treatment can worsen nausea (anticipatory nausea)
The cancer itself can produce inflammatory substances that trigger nausea
The good news is that nausea during cancer treatment can now be treated far more effectively than just a few years ago. The combination of modern anti-nausea medication, medical cannabis, and non-pharmaceutical methods provides significantly better relief than medication alone.
At Anodyne Care, we have special experience with cancer-related nausea. We work closely with oncologists and offer:
Optimization of classical anti-nausea medication: We ensure you get the right combination of antiemetics (often 2-3 types simultaneously), properly dosed and given at the right times - both preventively and as needed.
Medical cannabis (THC/CBD): Evidence for cannabis against cancer nausea is very strong. THC works directly on the nausea center in the brain and often has an effect when other remedies fail. CBD reduces inflammation and anxiety, which also dampens nausea. We tailor type and dose to you individually.
Acupuncture: Studies show that acupuncture at specific points (especially the P6 point on the wrist) can significantly reduce nausea,both acute nausea and delayed nausea after chemotherapy.
Nutritional counseling: We help you find foods and meal patterns that minimize nausea and ensure you get enough nutrition, even when appetite is gone.
Psychological support: Many develop anticipatory nausea - nausea that occurs already at the thought of treatment or when driving to the hospital. Cognitive therapy and relaxation techniques can break this connection.
Our goal is that you should be able to complete your cancer treatment without being hindered by nausea. It's possible - and you don't have to manage it alone.
What helps against nausea - both now and long-term
Effective nausea treatment requires a combination of methods that both relieve acutely and prevent long-term. Here are the main tools we use at Anodyne Care.
Prescription and over-the-counter medication
There are many types of anti-nausea medication, and they work in different ways:
Antihistamines (e.g., Dramamine, Postafen): Block histamine receptors and are especially effective against nausea from motion and dizziness. Available over the counter.
Dopamine antagonists (e.g., Metoclopramide, Domperidone): Block dopamine receptors in the nausea center and promote gastric emptying. Require prescription.
Serotonin antagonists (e.g., Ondansetron, Granisetron): Very powerful against nausea from chemotherapy. Block 5-HT3 receptors. Prescription only.
Anticholinergics (e.g., Scopolamine): Used for severe nausea and motion sickness. Available as patch.
Often a combination of several types of medication is needed to target all mechanisms behind the nausea. We adjust and optimize continuously until we find the best combination for you.
Medical cannabis and CBD for nausea
Cannabis has been used against nausea for millennia, and modern research confirms the effect. Both THC and CBD have anti-nausea properties, but they work in different ways:
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol): Works directly on CB1 receptors in the nausea center in the brainstem and suppresses nausea very effectively. THC is especially strong against chemotherapy nausea and nausea that doesn't respond to traditional medication.
CBD (cannabidiol): Reduces inflammation, dampens anxiety, and has an indirect anti-nausea effect by stabilizing the nervous system. CBD doesn't cause intoxication and has almost no side effects.
We often use a combination of CBD and low-dose THC, which provides a good effect without strong intoxication. Dose and type are individually tailored, and we always start carefully and increase gradually.
Medical cannabis is especially relevant if:
Traditional medication doesn't work well enough
You have nausea from chemotherapy or chronic pain
You simultaneously have problems with appetite, sleep, or anxiety
You want to avoid higher doses of prescription medication
Acupuncture and reflexology
Acupuncture has strong evidence against nausea - so strong that many hospitals now offer it to cancer patients. The most studied point is P6 (Neiguan), located on the inside of the forearm, about 5 cm below the wrist.
Stimulation of the P6 point - either with needles or pressure (acupressure) - can significantly reduce nausea with:
Chemotherapy nausea
Postoperative nausea
Pregnancy nausea
Nausea from migraine
The mechanism isn't fully understood, but acupuncture appears to affect the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and endorphins and can modulate activity in the nausea center.
Reflexology works on similar principles and can be a good supplement, especially if you're nervous about needles.
Diet, fluids, and lifestyle advice
What and how you eat can have great significance for nausea:
Small, frequent meals: Avoid getting too hungry, as low blood sugar worsens nausea. Eat 5-6 small portions distributed throughout the day.
Cold and neutral food: Hot dishes smell more and can trigger nausea. Cold food (fruit, yogurt, salads) is often easier to eat.
Avoid fatty and fried food: Fat delays gastric emptying and worsens nausea. Choose lean protein and carbohydrates.
Ginger: Has documented effect against nausea. Can be taken as tea, capsules, or raw.
Peppermint: Both tea and the scent of peppermint can relieve nausea.
Fluids: Drink often, but small amounts at a time. Avoid drinking a lot during meals. Sucking on ice cubes can help.
Avoid triggers: Strong scents, certain foods, and alcohol can trigger nausea.
Psychological treatment for stress- and anxiety-induced nausea
Psychological nausea is real nausea. When you're stressed or anxious, your autonomic nervous system activates, which can directly affect the gastrointestinal system and trigger nausea. Many experience nausea before important events, after traumatic experiences, or as part of an anxiety disorder.
With anticipatory nausea (e.g., nausea already at the thought of chemotherapy), cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure treatment can help break the connection between situation and nausea.
Relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and breathing exercises can dampen activity in the sympathetic nervous system and thereby reduce nausea in stressful situations.
Many don't know that chronic pain itself can cause nausea, but it's actually very common. The mechanism is called central sensitization, and it explains why people with long-term pain conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, herniated disc, or chronic back pain often also struggle with nausea.
How pain causes nausea:
When the body is exposed to persistent pain, the nervous system gradually becomes more and more sensitive. It starts as a protective mechanism, the body wants you to take the pain seriously. But over time, nerve cells become so reactive that they begin sending alarms about dangers that aren't there.
This hypersensitivity doesn't only affect pain sensation. The same processes in the central nervous system also affect the nausea center, balance system, and the body's stress response. The result is that even moderate pain can trigger severe nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.
Furthermore, chronic inflammation in the body releases signaling substances (cytokines) that circulate in the blood and can directly activate the nausea center in the brainstem. This is clearly seen in inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and fibromyalgia.
Specifically about fibromyalgia and nausea:
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and a long list of other symptoms - and nausea is very common. Up to half of fibromyalgia patients report regular nausea.
The cause is multifactorial: central sensitization makes the nervous system hypersensitive, there's often disturbed sleep (which worsens nausea), many have irritable bowel syndrome simultaneously, and stress and anxiety, which are common with fibromyalgia, can also trigger nausea.
Arthritis and nausea:
With inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, etc.), nausea is both a direct symptom of inflammation and often a side effect of medication. NSAID medications (anti-inflammatory pills) irritate the stomach lining and can cause nausea. Methotrexate, a common arthritis medication, also often causes nausea.
Our treatment:
We address both pain and nausea simultaneously, as the two are closely connected:
Pain treatment: Medication, physiotherapy, and medical cannabis to dampen pain signals and reduce central sensitization.
Anti-inflammatory treatment: Both medication and diet can reduce inflammation in the body, which lessens both pain and nausea.
Medical cannabis: THC and CBD have pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nausea effects, which is an ideal combination for this type of problem.
Acupuncture: Documented effect on both pain, inflammation, and nausea.
Psychological support: Living with chronic pain is enormously burdensome. Stress and anxiety treatment can reduce both pain and nausea.
The goal isn't just to dampen symptoms, but to dampen the nervous system's overreaction and restore a more normal pain and nausea threshold.
Nausea steals quality of life. It prevents you from eating, working, being social, and enjoying life. And when nausea is constant or comes with other symptoms like pain, fatigue, or dizziness, it can feel overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be this way.
At Anodyne Care, we've treated hundreds of patients with persistent nausea, from cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to people with chronic pain, migraine, or stress-related nausea. We know what works, and we know that treating nausea requires a personal, holistic approach.
We find the cause of your nausea, and we treat both symptoms and underlying problems with the best combination of medication, medical cannabis, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes. Our goal isn't just to dampen nausea, we want to help you become free of it.
Call us or book online. We offer quick appointments, even for urgent needs, and we take time to listen and understand your specific situation.
You deserve to live without nausea. Let us help you.