Do Tums Help With Nausea? Let’s find out.

By - Samin Ishmam

Nausea is arguably one of the worst things you can feel. And the dread of vomiting makes it so much worse. So, it’s natural to look for a solution to this discomfort.

But the only medicine in your cabinet is Tums. You might have also heard it from your friend at any point in the past. Or you might have tried other medications. Now you’re left wondering, do tums help with nausea? That’s what we’ll be talking about in this article.

Is Tums good for nausea?

The answer to Do Tums help with nausea isn’t very straightforward. You can feel nausea due to a variety of reasons. And Tums will help with certain types of nausea. However, there are other types of nausea in which Tums might not help at all. In fact, it might even make it worse.

To understand when Tums can relieve nausea, let’s take a look at the drug itself. That way, you can have a better idea as to when it can work on your body.

Related: Is it safe to take expired Pepto Bismol?

Tums, what is it?

Tums is a drug that belongs to the class of drugs called antacids. The chemical composition of antacids varies among different medications. Tums is the trade name of a type of antacid called Calcium Carbonate.

It is an OTC or over-the-counter drug. So you can buy it without any prescriptions from almost any drug store.

How does it work?

As the name suggests, it works by fighting off too much acid. But where does this acid come from? Let’s dig a bit deeper.

Stomach acidity and nausea

Your stomach produces a potent acid called hydrochloric acid. This acid kills bacteria and other germs. It also makes the protein in your food easy to digest.

Related: Does Spicy Food Kills Bacteria Inside Your Stomach?

However, if the amount of this acid is too much, then it can harm your stomach. There is a layer of mucous-like substance on your stomach. This layer protects it from the harmful effects of acid.

So, if the amount of mucus is less or if there’s too much acid, the cells of your stomach are destroyed. The excessive acid can also come up to your esophagus and even your mouth. That’s when you’ll taste that sour, acidic taste.

Related: Can Acidity Cause Stomach Pain After Drinking Water

The cells of the inner wall of your throat and esophagus can be harmed in this way as well. This can cause difficulty in swallowing.

The sour taste, the damage to the cells, and the difficulty in swallowing can all contribute to nausea.

What Tums or other antacids do

This is where Tums comes in. The Calcium carbonate reacts with the excess acid in your stomach. And it creates neutral compounds which aren’t harmful.

Thus the excess acid can’t harm the cells of your food pipe. That gives your body time to heal. And so, you’ll not feel nausea anymore.

So, if your nausea is due to acidity, Tums will help.

Will Tums help with other types of nausea too?

We’ve seen that Tums will act great in case your nausea is due to excessive acid. But, is that the case always? Nausea can be due to a variety of other reasons too. So, let’s further explore the question, do Tums help with nausea?

Other causes of Nausea

Nausea is an uneasy feeling which makes you think you want to vomit. This uncomfortable feeling can be the reason for a variety of conditions. Some of the most common causes are:

So, as you can see, your nausea can be because of any of these. But, Tums will not cure your nausea if the underlying cause isn’t cured as well.

Tums is a medication that can only neutralize stomach acid. It has no other functions. So, if your nausea isn’t due to acid, Tums can’t heal you.

So, is Tums completely useless in these conditions?

But, there’s more to this story. You see, all of these conditions can make you feel nauseous in a variety of ways. And one of the ways can be by excreting stomach acid. Sounded a bit confusing? Let’s elaborate.

Stress and anxiety can cause nausea, as we’ve seen. But, stress and anxiety can also cause your stomach to secrete more acid. So, this excessive acid might make your nausea worse.

This is where Tums can be beneficial. They can fight off excessive stomach acid. But, Tums will not cure your nausea completely. The reason is that the initial cause of nausea is still there. So, it’s best to see your doctor. However Tums will make your nausea somewhat better but not eliminate it.

That being said, let’s take a look at some of the most common nausea and see if Tums will do anything about them.

Do Tums help nausea during pregnancy?

Tums can’t directly make your nausea or morning sickness go away completely. However, stomach acidity does make morning sickness worse sometimes. So, in those cases, you can expect Tums to do its thing and relieve some of the morning sicknesses.

Do tums help with alcohol nausea?

Hangovers are one of the worst experiences. After a fun night of drinking, it’s dreadful to wake up. And the intense headache feels like a bus hit your head. Adding nausea to that makes it truly a horrible experience.

So, it’s natural to seek out every medication which can treat it. Now the question is, do Tums help with nausea due to alcohol? You’ll be delighted to know that Tums can decrease the feeling of nausea in the case of alcoholics to a degree.

Alcohol can stimulate acid release from your stomach. This acid can worsen the feeling of nausea. So Tums can neutralize that excessive acid. Hence you can expect some relief when you take Tums for alcohol nausea.

However, it’s not guaranteed to work in all cases. So, best to see your doctor when you feel nauseous.

Do tums help with car sickness?

You may be out of luck if you’re considering Tums for motion sickness. The reason is that motion sickness has little to do with acid in your stomach.

It happens because of problems in the vestibular system, the balance maintaining part of your body. This system sends irregular signals due to you being in a car or boat. So, your brain gets confused and sends signals that may cause you to feel nausea.

So, Tums have little to do in this case. You’d be better off with other treatments for motion sickness. These include different drugs in the class of antihistamines, antimuscarinics, etc. It’s best to seek the help of a doctor. They can help select which medication is suitable for you.

Can antacids make you nauseous?

We’ve seen that Tums can help you if you feel nauseous. But can this drug be the cause of nausea? The answer is, yes, it can. If you take too many Tums, it can make you nauseous, among other things.

As we’ve already seen, Tums contain calcium. This Calcium is tightly regulated in your body. In regular doses, the calcium doesn’t cause any harm. But if you take too many Tums, too much calcium can be absorbed. And excessive calcium does cause nausea.

So, what else can you do about your nausea?

As we’ve seen, the answer to, do Tums help with nausea is that it certainly does in some cases. But it doesn’t always guarantee complete relief. So, here are some other things you can do at home to feel better:

FAQ

Is it okay to take Tums when I feel morning sickness?

Yes, you can take Tums when you feel morning sickness. These antacids have no negative implications during pregnancy. But it is best to ask your doctor to be on the safe side.

Tums can help with nausea. But don’t expect your morning sickness to go away completely. Tums can reduce it but not cure it. If you do not see any effect, consult with your doctor.

Do Tums help cure a stomach ache?

If your stomach ache is caused due to acidity, then Tums can cure stomach ache. If you feel heartburn, abdominal bloating, and belching, you likely have excessive stomach acid. Then, Tums will help.

But, for other causes of stomach ache, Tums may not provide a complete cure. In any case. It’s best to consult with your doctor before trying any medication.

Can anything bad happen to me if I eat a lot of tums every day for a long time?

Tums contain calcium carbonate. This compound is relatively harmless. But too much can be bad and cause some adverse side effects. These include stomach ache, nausea, constipation, loss of appetite, weakness, etc.

It’s best to consult a doctor. If you have acidity all the time, your doctor can diagnose you and provide much better treatment.

Conclusion

So, now you know the answer to, do Tums help with nausea. Hopefully, Tums can work and relieve your nausea. You should consult with your doctor and talk about your condition if it happens frequently. They can provide you with a better cure.