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Before discussing herbs for a queasy stomach, it helps to describe when it happens and what comes with it. Learn what to bring and when to see a doctor first.

A queasy stomach has a way of sending people straight to a search engine. Lists of herbs for nausea pop up within seconds, and some of the ingredients, such as ginger, may already be sitting in your pantry.

Nausea is a symptom, not a diagnosis

Feeling sick can have many different causes. It may be a side effect of a medicine, an early sign of pregnancy, part of a viral illness or linked to something that needs prompt investigation. A list of ingredients cannot tell you which of these applies, and a spice you cook with is not the same as a concentrated herbal product.

Details that make the conversation useful

If you would like to discuss herbal options with Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, come prepared to describe:

• when the nausea tends to appear and how long it lasts;
• anything that comes with it, such as headache, pain or dizziness;
• every medicine and supplement you currently take;
• any herbal bottle you have used before, with its label and instructions.

When to see a doctor instead

Repeated vomiting, signs of dehydration such as dark urine or dizziness on standing, or significant abdominal pain call for medical assessment, not another product. Your GP or an emergency department is the right place to start in those situations, and anyone who is pregnant should also involve their midwife or maternity team.

If granules are prescribed

Christine's herbal medicine is supplied as granules in a labelled bottle, together with a sheet explaining how to prepare, measure and store it. You should also have a date to review how things are going. Keep the directions and bottle side by side, mention any medicine change at your next contact, and if something unexpected develops, ask before adjusting the dose.

Herbal advice in Lane Cove

People living and working around the North Shore can talk through herbal options at the Lane Cove clinic. Jotting down the time of day, what you had eaten and how long the queasiness lasted, over a few days, gives Christine far more to work with than a single description on the day. This information is general and cannot assess the cause of your own symptoms.