Chinese Medicine for Vomiting

In Chinese medicine, vomiting is seen as a disorder of the stomach’s ability to receive and move food properly. It can come from cold, dampness, heat, weakness, or an imbalance in the body’s yin and yang. Each type of vomiting pattern has distinct signs, causes, and treatments aimed at restoring harmony in the stomach and body.

Cold-Dampness

Common Signs

  • Nausea or vomiting, especially with watery contents

  • No sweating even in hot weather

  • Cold sensations in the lower abdomen or genitals

  • Loose stools or diarrhea

  • Cough with sputum that is easy to expel

  • Swelling or heaviness in the limbs

  • Headache or joint pain

  • Scant, clear urine

  • Fatigue and body pain

Treatment Principle
Disperse cold, dry dampness, harmonize the stomach, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Huo-Xiang-Zheng-Qi-San

Helpful Foods: Cayenne pepper, dill seed, fennel, fresh ginger, mustard seed, prickly ash, star anise, mustard, wine, carp, celery, horse bean, jellyfish skin, Job’s tears, hyacinth bean, oregano, sweet basil, adzuki bean, bamboo shoot, soybean sprouts, rosin

Indigestion

Common Signs

  • Belching with foul or sour odor after meals

  • Bloating, abdominal pain, or fullness

  • Nausea or vomiting of clear water or sour acid

  • Diarrhea or constipation

  • Poor appetite and fatigue

  • Hot palms, mild fever, or bad-smelling stools

  • Worse after overeating or eating rich food

Treatment Principle
Promote digestion, relieve food stagnation, harmonize the stomach, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Bao-He-Wan

Helpful Foods: Asafoetida, buckwheat, castor bean, jellyfish, peach, radish, water chestnut, cardamom seed, cayenne pepper, coriander, grapefruit, jackfruit, malt, sweet basil, tea, tomato

Dampness–Sputum

Common Signs

  • Vomiting of watery or phlegmy material

  • Dizziness and headache

  • Hiccups or chest discomfort

  • Cough with white, slippery sputum

  • Shortness of breath or panting

  • Sleepiness or poor sleep

  • Prolonged dizziness

Treatment Principle
Warm and transform phlegm, harmonize the stomach, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Xiao-Ban-Xia-Tang

Helpful Foods: Adzuki bean, ambergris, barley, common carp, cucumber, mung bean, seaweed, shepherd’s purse, star fruit, bamboo shoot, crown daisy, date, fresh ginger, mustard leaf, black and white pepper, mustard seed, asparagus, pear

Stomach Energy Upsurging

Common Signs

  • Repeated nausea or dry vomiting

  • Vomiting food shortly after eating

  • Hiccups or acid reflux

  • Upset stomach with fullness or sour taste

  • Alternating vomiting patterns (morning or evening)

  • Poor digestion

Treatment Principle
Regulate stomach energy, harmonize digestion, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Xuan-Fu-Dai-Zhe-Tang

Helpful Foods: Almond, areca nut, sugar beet, brake, buckwheat, common carp, cashew nut, coriander, loquat, malt, pea, black and white pepper, radish, rice bran, sword bean

Yang Deficiency

Common Signs

  • Vomiting of clear water after meals

  • Cold hands, feet, or fingertips

  • Frequent chills and love of sleep

  • Fatigue and low energy

  • Loose stools or diarrhea

  • Long, clear urine streams

  • Weak digestion with bloating

  • Pale face or cold sweat

Treatment Principle
Warm the middle region, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Li-Zhong-Tang or Wu-Zhu-Yu-Tang

Helpful Foods: Kidney, lobster, sardine, shrimp, star anise, red and black dates

Yin Deficiency

Common Signs

  • Dry vomiting or retching

  • Dry throat or mouth

  • Dizziness and fatigue

  • Afternoon headaches or low fever

  • Hot palms and soles

  • Night sweats

  • Toothache or gum bleeding

  • Thin or underweight body

Treatment Principle
Nourish yin, moisten dryness, strengthen the stomach, and stop vomiting.

Herbal Formula: Sha-Shen-Mai-Dong-Tang

Helpful Foods: Bird’s nest, cheese, kidney bean, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, cuttlefish, duck, duck egg, white fungus, oyster, pork, royal jelly

In Chinese medicine, vomiting is not just a stomach issue—it reflects disharmony between internal organs and the body’s fluids. Whether caused by cold dampness, heat, weakness, or imbalance in stomach energy, treatment aims to restore balance through herbs and nourishing foods that warm, cool, or moisten as needed, helping the body regain stability and ease.