Does Smelling Alcohol Assist With Nausea? A Nurse Explains

Ever feel queasy and reach for ginger ale or crackers to help? Both sound tempting, but nurses have an old-school hack that might work even better: sniffing rubbing alcohol. While this might surprise you, smelling alcohol can often help with nausea, and it’s been used as a quick fix for queasiness for generations. Turns out, the strong smell can work wonders to calm an upset stomach.

Curious how a whiff of something so sharp can help? Read on to learn more about this little-known nausea remedy and why it’s still a go-to for many nurses.

Why sniffing rubbing alcohol helps nausea

While it might be the first time you’re hearing about it (us too), this nausea hack is hardly new. “Isopropyl alcohol was initially used as a South American folk remedy for nausea,” Jennifer Shepherd, DNP, MHA, RN, the director of nursing education and product management at the American Nurses Association, tells Well+Good.

More recently, a study found the hack “to be effective in reducing nausea severity¹ by more than 50 percent, and in a shorter time compared to anti-nausea medications such as ondansetron and promethazine,” Shepherd says. The study, published in 2018 in Cochrane Review, also found that people who sniffed isopropyl alcohol needed fewer drugs to treat their post-surgery nausea.

It’s not totally clear why smelling rubbing alcohol works or why it only works for some people. However, medical professionals have several theories. The first one is simple: “It’s a distraction,” says Liesel Teen BSN, RN, a labor and delivery nurse and host of The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast. A sniff of rubbing alcohol can temporarily take your mind off feeling nauseous, she adds. But there’s also a biological side—its strong, sharp smell stimulates the olfactory nerves (responsible for smell), which interferes with the brain’s nausea pathways, Shepherd says.

Another theory has to do with how fast rubbing alcohol evaporates. It creates a cooling sensation in the nasal passages that can ease nausea in some people, Teen says. It might also help by regulating breathing. Sometimes nausea and irregular breathing go hand-in-hand, so sniffing alcohol may “reset” your senses and slow your breath, she says.

This method can be super useful in situations when people need quick relief from nausea, which Shepherd and Teen say can include the following:

That said, there are certain groups of people for whom this tip may not be helpful or advisable, including:

• Pregnant people: “While some might find relief, others may be sensitive to strong smells, which could worsen nausea,” Shepherd says.
• People with chronic conditions like gastroparesis or severe gastrointestinal disorders: You’ll likely need more comprehensive treatment for nausea related to these medical issues, Shepherd says.
• People with respiratory conditions: They might find the strong fumes irritating, Shepherd says.
• Children: There’s not much research on whether inhaling rubbing alcohol can help kids with nausea. Meaning, it’s also unclear whether it’s effective or safe for them, Teen says.

Also worth noting: Sniffing rubbing alcohol ahead of time (i.e., before a road trip or surgery) won’t stop nausea from hitting you later, Teen says.

Is it safe?

For the most part, “sniffing isopropyl alcohol is generally considered safe when done occasionally and in small amounts,” Shepherd says. That said, there are potential risks, especially if you do it for too long or too often, she says.

According to Shepherd, prolonged or repeated exposure to isopropyl alcohol can irritate your nasal passages and respiratory system. Inhaling too much might also cause dizziness and lightheadedness, and the strong smell might cause headaches for some people. It also might not be a good idea for people who’ve dealt with inhalant misuse issues.

“Inhalant use is like other substance use disorders because it directly stimulates the brain’s reward system, leading to compulsive use and potential dependence,” Shepherd says.

And because there’s limited research on sniffing alcohol for kids and pregnant people, it’s tough to say whether this nausea hack is safe for them, Teen says. If you’re unsure, ask your healthcare provider for advice and alternative anti-nausea hacks.

How to sniff rubbing alcohol for nausea

As long as you take a few precautions, taking a whiff of rubbing alcohol when you feel woozy is generally safe for most people. If you want to give it a go, here’s how to do it safely:

1. For starters, “make sure you’re in a well-ventilated space such as outdoors or somewhere near an open window,” Teen says.
2. Hold an alcohol pad about two to six inches away from your nose. If you don’t have an alcohol pad on hand, you can also soak a cotton ball in isopropyl alcohol.
3. “Take a few deep breaths, inhaling the fumes for about 30 seconds to a minute,” Shepherd says. “You want to be able to smell the rubbing alcohol without it completely overwhelming you,” Teen adds.
4. Listen to your body. “If you don’t get relief, or you start to feel funny, immediately stop,” Teen says.
5. In the same vein, if your nausea persists, don’t keep sniffing, Shepherd says. Reach out to a healthcare provider instead, she says.

Other possible nausea treatments

If the rubbing alcohol trick doesn’t work for you (it won’t for everyone), there are other natural treatments you can try to nix nausea, like these nurse-approved remedies:

Ginger

Shepherd and Teen both recommend eating ginger (think ginger tea or ginger candies). Johns Hopkins Medicine says ginger improves your digestion, so food doesn’t stick around too long in the gut and make you feel nauseous.

Peppermint

A recent study found that peppermint oil helped cut down nausea³, vomiting, and gagging in people undergoing chemotherapy while making their nausea less intense. The people in this study just put a drop of peppermint oil under their noses to reap the benefits.

But if you’re not a fan of essential oils? Peppermint tea ($9) may have a similar effect, Shepherd says.

Acupressure

Acupressure—a type of massage based on the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture—involves putting pressure on certain areas (called acupoints) on your body. It helps curb nausea by changing the pain signals your nerves send to your brain. “Applying pressure to the P-6 point on the wrist can provide relief,” Shepherd says.

Here’s how to find pressure point P-6, according to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:

• Position your hand so that your fingers are pointing up and your palm is facing you.
• Place the first three fingers of your other hand across your wrist. Your fingers should be placed just below your wrist crease (where your wrist bends).
• Place your thumb just below your index (pointer) finger. Remove the three fingers from your wrist, but keep your thumb on that spot and press down.
• You should be able to feel two large tendons (tissue that connects muscles to bones) in between your thumb. This spot in between the two tendons is pressure point P-6.

If you want, you can also buy acupressure wristbands ($5) that press on these pressure points, too.

Hydration

Sometimes nausea strikes when you’re dehydrated, so “sipping on clear fluids like water or electrolyte drinks” can help, Shepherd says. You can drink plain H2O or use electrolyte drink mixes like Nuun daily hydration tablets ($22) or Liquid IV hydration multiplier mix ($26).

Eat small snacks or frequent meals.

“It depends on the source of nausea, but if [it’s] related to pregnancy and morning sickness, it might be helpful to keep something in your stomach at all times,” Teen says. Stick to low-fat and bland, starchy foods. “Even popping a saltine cracker in your mouth first thing in the morning can help with nausea relief,” she says.

Vitamin B6

This essential vitamin “aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates and helps regulate blood sugar levels, which can, in turn, reduce the likelihood of nausea,” Teen says. The National Institutes of Health says you can get vitamin B6 through foods like chickpeas, tuna, fortified breakfast cereals, or through a supplement. Just be sure to check in with your healthcare provider before trying a new supplement, though.

Fresh air

Sometimes, a blast of cool air and a simple change of scenery can help distract you from feeling nauseous, Shepherd says. For example, if you’re feeling car sick, turning up the AC or making a pit stop to walk around outside for a bit can help. Of course, this is a temporary relief strategy; if your nausea is persistent, something like ginger or peppermint can help.

If home remedies aren’t cutting it, and you’re still feeling queasy, speak with your healthcare provider. Depending on your situation, they may prescribe you an antiemetic medication to treat your nausea—like Dramamine ($3).

When to see a healthcare provider

At one time or another, we’ve all felt a little sick to our stomach. Usually, it’s an easy explanation: something you ate didn’t agree with you, or you got motion sickness on a boat ride. In these cases, you can manage nausea at home until it goes away on its own. But if you can’t shake your nausea, your body might be telling you something. Severe or persistent nausea could be a sign of an underlying condition.

Shepherd and Teen recommend you see a healthcare provider if:

• Nausea continues for several days
• Nausea is accompanied by severe symptoms like chest pain, severe abdominal pain, high fever, confusion, or blurred vision
• You have severe or excessive vomiting, or you’re unable to keep liquids down
• You have side effects of dehydration like dry mouth, sunken eyes, or rapid breathing
• You have blood or fecal material in your vomit

If you’re pregnant and you’re dealing with severe nausea that’s messing with your quality of life, don’t be afraid to speak up. “Some degree of nausea is very common and expected in pregnancy, but if you are ever concerned, I highly recommend contacting your OB/GYN provider,” Teen says. Your healthcare provider can examine you to rule out any medical issues and come up with a safe treatment plan to help you manage your nausea.