If you’re desperate and the ice chips aren’t cutting it, try smelling rubbing alcohol. I know, I know—bear with me. A 2014 study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that patients who sniffed isopropyl alcohol wipes had a 40% reduction in nausea compared to those who didn’t. It’s like a chemical reset button for your brain’s vomit alarm.
Do not drink it. Just sniff it. It’s cheap, it’s weird, and it works. You’ll look ridiculous, but you won’t care because you’re busy not throwing up.
So, next time you hear someone whimper, "I can’t keep anything down, not even water," pat them on the back (from a safe distance, obviously) and hand them an ice cube. Tell them their body is just being a dramatic overachiever. And remind them that this too shall pass—usually within 24 hours, and often with a very soggy trip to the bathroom.
