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A list of herbs for nausea cannot tell you what is behind your symptoms. Christine starts with the details, knows when a GP visit comes first and explains how granule plans are kept clear.

Tempting remedies for an unsettled stomach

When you feel queasy, an article listing herbs for nausea can look like an easy answer. Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, understands that impulse, yet she also knows how many different things can sit behind that feeling. Medicines, pregnancy, infections and other illnesses can all bring on nausea, and a general list cannot tell you which one applies to you or which product might be suitable.

Familiarity can be misleading too. A spice you happily cook with is not the same as a concentrated herbal granule, and the fact that it sits in your pantry does not mean a stronger form suits everybody.

Details that help Christine understand

Before any herbal option is discussed, Christine will want a clear description of your nausea. When does it tend to appear? Is it linked to meals, mornings, travel or particular medicines? What else comes with it, such as headaches, dizziness or changes in appetite? And what have you already tried?

Please also bring a full list of your medicines and supplements. If you have used one of Christine's granule bottles before, bring that bottle and its written directions as well, so she can see exactly what was supplied.

When to see a doctor first

Some situations call for medical assessment rather than another experiment at home. Vomiting that keeps returning, signs of dehydration such as dizziness or very little urine, or significant abdominal pain should be checked by your GP or, if severe, by emergency care. Swapping to a different herbal product is not the answer in those circumstances. If you are pregnant, your maternity team should also know about any herbal product you are considering.

If a herbal plan is agreed

• Know the exact product name, how to measure the granules and how to store the bottle.
• Store the written sheet alongside the original labelled bottle.
• Tell Christine about any change to your other medicines.
• If a new symptom appears, ask for advice instead of changing the dose yourself.

A careful first step in Lane Cove

If nausea has been troubling you and Chinese herbal medicine has crossed your mind, Christine can talk it through with you at the Lane Cove clinic. Jotting down when the queasiness arrives, and what you had eaten beforehand, gives that conversation something real to work with.