Vomiting is your body’s natural mechanism to eliminate harmful substances from your stomach through the nose or mouth.
The burning question is, how do you vomit exactly when you want to? After all, your body doesn’t function with the help of remote control.
Throwing up is definitely not a pleasant thing to do, at least not by choice. Sometimes, when you’ve accidentally swallowed the wrong medication, experiencing indigestion, or are too drunk to move an inch, then inducing vomit is your last resort.
When doing so, you must take proper care or speak to a physician about potential hazards in advance.
Keep reading as we unearth all the safe and easy tips on how to make yourself throw up without causing damage to your body.
How to Make Yourself Throw Up
There are several safe ways to make yourself throw up and relieve yourself of the uneasiness. You can either push your index finger down the throat or consume lukewarm saltwater to instigate the process.
Some other methods include touching your uvula, eating raw eggs, or drinking mustard water.
Word of Caution
Do not try to throw up by yourself unless it is meant for some of the following situations:
- If you experience unbearable gastric pain or severe indigestion.
- If you have ingested anything harmful or poisonous, like rotten food or pills.
- If you are feeling uneasy due to excessive drinking.
It’s important to know that vomiting by force every other day can take a toll on your body. Sometimes, people tend to form a habit of this activity in order to lose weight or rid themselves of a queasy feeling.
However, this repetitive behavior can damage your upper respiratory system and the esophagus.
Method 1 – Push Your Index Finger Down the Throat
This technique is based on the principle of your body’s gag reflex. Although the process may sound weird, it’s generally the fastest way of making yourself puke. Also, there are no health hazards involved because it’s just you and your finger!
If you’re wondering how to let’s begin by understanding the science behind it. The gag reflex is a contraction of your throat that can be activated by touching your uvula, the area around your tonsils, and the back of your mouth and tongue.
Basically, the gag reflex acts as a goalie, because nothing can enter your body without passing through it.
By pushing your finger, you are activating your gag reflex, and this leads to vomiting.
Steps to Follow to Throw Up:
- Make sure that your hands are washed and your nails are trimmed. Getting unwanted bacteria into your mouth is a strict no-no.
- Tie your hair up so that they don’t intervene with your hands during the activity.
- Choose a spot where you’re comfortable throwing up. You can use a toilet or a barf bag.
- We recommend that you follow these steps sitting or kneeling down.
- Insert your index finger as deep as you can in the mouth.
- Keep touching and pressing the tip of your finger on the back of your throat to trigger the gag reflex.
- Once you begin feeling uneasy, you may want to throw up very soon.
- Pull out your finger, and wait for some time.
- You are most likely to throw up by now. In case you still don’t, then repeat the same steps till you feel like vomiting.
- Once done, wash your mouth, face, and hands properly.
Trying to throw up by using your finger is a trouble-free method, but it may only work for some people with a highly sensitive gag reflex.
Method 2 – Drink Lukewarm Saltwater
An ingredient like salt is readily available in every household, and using it to induce vomiting is one of the most traditional ways out there.
Many people start feeling nauseated after consuming a heavily salted glass of water. This is because a large quantity of sodium chloride reaching your stomach drives vomiting.
Steps to Follow to Throwup:
- Take a glass of lukewarm water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of salt to it.
- Mix it thoroughly.
- Drink the mixture quickly.
You need to wait for around half an hour for this method to work.
However, DO NOT try this technique if you’re a thyroid, high blood pressure, or heart ailment patient.
Method 3 – Use Raw Egg Whites to Vomit
Here’s another bizarre (but effective) way of making yourself vomit. Eggs are a breakfast staple at every other home and are also widely available in the market.
Usually, people don’t relish the unpleasant smell and taste of a raw egg. Gargling with an egg white can make you throw up because it spawns a sense of nausea.
Another great reason to go with this technique is that it carries the least chances of causing any potential harm.
Steps to Follow to Throwup:
- Take two eggs and crack them open.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
- Put the egg whites in a mug and start gargling with them.
- Keep repeating the previous step until you start feeling groggy.
- You are most likely to puke during this process.
Method 4 – Consume Mustard Water
Mustard is known for possessing natural emetic properties. This is why consuming it causes you to throw up.
That being said, never form a habit of practicing this process every day. Mustard water consists of sodium in a heavy quantity and is unsuitable for your health.
Steps to Follow to Throwup:
- Take a glass of water, mustard seeds, and a spoon.
- Draw out a spoonful of mustard seeds and put them in your glass of warm water.
- Drink the mixture quickly.
Method 5 – Touch Your Uvula
Stand in front of the mirror and open your mouth. Do you see the dangling thing that’s present towards the back of your throat?
That’s your uvula, and touching it induces a nauseating feeling, thereby making you want to vomit in seconds.
Steps to Follow to Throwup:
- Wash your hands and trim your nails to avoid any bacteria or dirt entering your mouth.
- Tie your hair up properly.
- Stand or sit somewhere you’re comfortable vomiting.
- Insert your finger in your mouth and start irritating your uvula.
- Keep swirling it around until you feel the urge to throw up.
Don’t stroke or scratch your uvula too hard, because it is a sensitive structure.
What to Do Once You Throw Up?
Below, we have listed a few things that should definitely be on your chart once you induce vomit. Take a look:
- Take rest because throwing up causes exhaustion.
- Eat a fruit like a banana to regain energy and nutrients.
- Don’t brush your teeth immediately after throwing up, because that causes issues like enamel erosion.
- Properly clean your nose and throat.
- Take a warm, relaxing shower.
- Hydrate yourself thoroughly.
When Should You Throw Up?
Throwing up is not fun, but it can be important in some instances. Here are some of these situations:
- You’ve eaten a rotten food item or something you are allergic to.
- You’ve consumed a large quantity of alcohol and are feeling uneasy.
- You’ve ingested a non-corrosive poison, such as drugs, pills, and medicinal herbs.
When Should You Not Throw Up?
The first thing that comes to your mind after accidentally consuming a poisonous solution is to throw up. However, that’s not always the best idea because it can cause irritation or throat burns. Read on to know the situations where vomiting can do more harm than good:
- On consuming solid objects like coins, toys, plastics, buttons, rings, and pebbles.
- On swallowing chemical-based products such as dish-washing liquids, floor cleaners, soaps, and shampoos.
- Gulping down liquids such as kerosene, gasoline, solvents, and paint thinners.
- On consuming bleach and detergents.
Before You Leave!
Vomiting is an involuntary urge, except for when it’s important in order to make yourself feel better. It’s crucial to remember that you should only follow this practice under proper care. You may want to try several techniques of making yourself vomit until you find the one that works best for you.
All the above-mentioned methods are suitable to employ in not-so-serious situations. However, in case your nausea or vomiting seem more serious, it’s best to consult a doctor immediately.