An NHS doctor has approved a series of hacks shared by a TikTok user that will stop you from feeling sick.
Dr Karan Raj, who lives in the UK and uses his social media platform to give medical advice, approved the top tips suggested by a person who posts under the pseudonym @onlyjayus – including how to prevent nausea, feeling like you’re going to throw up and advice on how to clear your sinuses.
And the expert gave a firm seal of approval for the three hacks by giving a thumbs up to each.
When discussing the first hack on how to prevent yourself from feeling nauseous, the TikTok user could be seen smelling rubbing alcohol that had been placed onto a piece of kitchen roll.
Dr Karan Raj, who is an NHS doctor and uses his social media platform to give medical advice, approved the three hacks posted by another TikTok user – including smelling rubbing alcohol to get rid of nausea – but warned to only inhale it and not to consume it
She admitted the smell wasn’t pleasant, but claimed that it did stop her from feeling nauseous.
Dr Karan put his thumb up in response to the hack and explained that rubbing alcohol contains isopropyl ethanol, which relieves nausea – adding that you should only inhale it and not consume it.
Dr Ross Perry, GP and Medical Director of Cosmedics skin clinics, told FEMAIL: ‘There have been small studies conducted to suggest that inhaling isopropyl alcohol vapour can help relieve nausea much in the same way as smelling peppermint, spearmint or ginger.
‘It is unclear why alcohol or any other oils can alleviate symptoms of nausea. This could be related to breathing as opposed to a true pharmacologic effect, which realistically could merely be the placebo effect.
Dr Karan also said that humming when you feel like you’re going to throw up helps because humming suppresses the gag reflex
‘There are lots of home remedies which may alleviate the feeling of nausea and make you feel more comfortable rather than cure the condition. Opening a window, placing a cold compress to the forehead, keeping hydrated will also likely work just as well.’
The TikTok user then went on to pretend to gag and claimed she was going to throw up – before revealing the symptoms disappeared when she started humming.
The doctor also put his thumb up and explained that humming suppresses the gag reflex.
Dr Ross Perry commented: ‘Quite often when the gag reflex kicks in it can cause all sorts of feelings of stress and anxiety. By controlling and regulating your breathing it helps you to relax. It’s actually very difficult to gag and hum at the same time.
‘Again there are lots of at home remedies to strengthen your gag reflex such as brushing your tongue with your toothbrush where the gag reflex is and frequently doing it for ten seconds over as may days which will help to reduce gagging.
‘Likewise practicing mediation or listening to music and focussing your mind on something else will also help as will placing a little salt on the tongue which activates the taste buds on the front on the tongue and suppresses the gag reflex.
‘Again, what method works for one might not work for another but ultimately it’s about focussing on something else rather than the gagging motion.’
Finally, the TikTok user cliamed her nose wouldn’t stop running before revealing a clever way to help clear your sinuses.
She advised holding your tongue to the roof of your mouth and then pressing your thumb to your forehead for around 20 seconds.
Again, Dr Raj approved the hack, saying that the movement moves the vomer bone, which helps to clear your sinuses.
The final hack was to clear your sinuses, which can be done by pressing your tongue on the roof of your mouth and then pressing your thumb to your forehead for around 20 seconds, which moves the vomer bone and opens up your sinuses
Dr Ross Perry explained: ‘Acupressure is a method which can work to clear your sinuses. By pushing your tongue to the top of the mouth and placing a finger between the eyebrows and applying pressure. Hold for around 20 seconds and release.
‘When you let go you might start to feel a little movement in the back of the throat as sinuses clear.
‘This method of course doesn’t work for everyone and you can also try tipping the head back, pinching the nose and holding your breath. When exhaling and tilting the head back forward it can often help clear the sinuses.
‘However, if it continues it’s worth visiting your local pharmacy or GP.’
Taking to the comments section, one person enthused: ‘I have hummed while stopping myself being sick didn’t realise it was actually a thing,’ while a second commented: ‘I never believe it until Dr Karanr has verified it.’
A third penned: ‘Where was this in my first trimester?’, while someone else added: ‘The humming works… except for the 35 weeks I suffered with “morning sickness” it didn’t work then.’
Another wrote: ‘Where was this when I had “morning” sickness for SEVEN MONTHS.’
Others complained that the sinus trick didn’t work for them, with one commenting: ‘The sinuses trick never works for me.’
TikTok users shared their experiences with the hacks, while others didn’t know they worked when feeling sick and nauseous