Nausea With MS: Causes and Tips for Managing

Medically reviewed by Syuzanna Simonyan, M.D.

Written by Sarah Winfrey

Updated on September 9, 2026

Feel better informed on MS and get real support from your community.

Join

Key Takeaways

Nausea is a common and sometimes daily challenge for people living with multiple sclerosis, and it can get in the way of work, driving, and other everyday activities.

View all takeaways

“Nausea is happening to me pretty regularly now,” shared a MyMSTeam member. “At work, driving home, while I’m at home, it’s a struggle. I lie on the shower floor at times. It seems better when I lie down in bed. The moment I start moving around, I start feeling nauseated again,” they shared.

Nausea can be a frustrating issue for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). For some, it interferes with every aspect of life.

If you’re struggling with MS nausea, there are several possible causes and treatments that may help. Depending on the cause, your healthcare team may suggest changing how or when you take a medication, trying an antinausea treatment, or using vestibular rehabilitation if nausea seems to be linked to dizziness or vertigo. Simple strategies such as staying hydrated may also help some people.

🗳️ How often do you experience nausea with MS?

At least once a week

At least once a month

At least once a year

Never

What’s Nausea Like With MS?

Several MyMSTeam members have shared how nausea affects them.

“I was just recently diagnosed, but I have experienced getting extremely hot, where I almost look like I have a sunburn, start sweating like crazy, and eventually throw up,” one member said. “Afterward, I feel so drained and almost like I have the flu.”

Some have nausea once in a while. One member shared, “About four years after being diagnosed, I was feeling this way. I left work, drove about 30 miles, and by the time I got home, I was vomiting. I couldn’t sit up, or I would vomit.”

Others experience nausea regularly. “I’ve had MS for 25 years. My nausea started in the last year. I also get bad vertigo at the same time. I haven’t vomited but have felt I was going to.”

Some members of MyMSTeam have reported nausea and feeling hot during MS flares. One member made this connection, saying, “When having a bad flare, I sometimes feel nauseous, then hot.”

What Causes Nausea in MS?

There are many potential causes of nausea in MS. Other common symptoms of MS, like dizziness and vertigo, may cause feelings of nausea. You may also have nausea as a side effect of certain MS medications.

Dizziness

People with MS often have dizziness and vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that the room is spinning around you.

These symptoms may result from MS-related damage to myelin in areas of the brain involved in balance. The myelin sheath is the coating that protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

In MS, the immune system damages myelin and the cells that produce it, which can eventually damage the underlying nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

Demyelination can lead to lesions, or areas of damaged tissue, that affect nerve cells’ ability to send signals through the nervous system.

MS-related vertigo can result from damage to the parts of the brain that control balance. However, other conditions, like inner-ear disorders, can cause similar symptoms that aren’t related to MS.

Vision Problems

MS can cause many vision problems, including nystagmus (rapid eye movement) and double vision. Vision problems may lead to nausea in some people, particularly if the vision problems affect how someone perceives their body’s position or location in their surroundings.

Stomach Problems

People with MS may also experience various stomach and bowel problems. In some cases, indigestion may be a side effect of certain MS medications.

Indigestion can also be related to problems in how the gut functions. Poor mobility can also contribute to the digestive issues with MS.

Aside from nausea, indigestion may also cause bloating, burping, heartburn, and the inability to finish meals.

Nausea as a Side Effect of Disease-Modifying Therapies

Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) treat MS. They don’t just mask the symptoms. DMTs help reduce MS disease activity, including relapses, and may slow the progression of disability.

Nausea is listed as a potential side effect for these DMTs:

Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)
Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera)
Monomethyl fumarate (Bafiertam)
Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)
Teriflunomide (Aubagio)

Several others list similar symptoms, like diarrhea or gastroenteritis (stomach and intestinal inflammation).

In addition, medications used to treat MS or manage its symptoms can also cause nausea, including:

Amantadine (Symmetrel)
Dantrolene (Dantrium)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Modafinil (Provigil)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Sertraline (Zoloft)

One MyMSTeam member also mentioned experiencing nausea while taking multiple medications: “I have been going through severe nausea since this December. My doc said it could just be the mix of meds I am taking.”

Other Possible Causes of Nausea

Nausea can have many causes unrelated to MS. These other common causes can include:

Pregnancy
Motion sickness
Anxiety, depression
Other vestibular disorders
Viruses and bacteria
Gastroenteritis (inflammation of stomach and intestines)
Gastroparesis (paralysis of part of the stomach)
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

Your neurologist will help you determine whether your nausea is related to MS, MS medications, or something else entirely. That way, they can help you find the best treatment for your nausea.

Managing Nausea With MS

Fortunately, there are several options to help you manage nausea. Some are specific to MS, and others can help with nausea in general.

MS Medication Changes

If you and your neurology team believe that your MS treatment is causing your nausea, they may recommend changes to how you take medication. Timing of your meds with meals or adding antinausea medication could help.

But if nothing seems to help and the nausea isn’t tolerable, your provider may consider switching DMTs.

You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons with your medical team to find the right DMT for you. Many MS treatments are available, and you may be able to find one that works for you without causing or worsening side effects.

Antinausea Medications

Sometimes, medications for motion sickness can help improve nausea. These are available over the counter and include meclizine and Dramamine (dimenhydrinate). They may not help everyone, and they can cause significant tiredness and lethargy.

You’ll need to decide if antinausea medications are the right choice for you. As always, consult a healthcare professional before trying new treatment options to manage MS symptoms, even if they’re available over the counter.

Vestibular Rehabilitation

Some physical therapists are trained to help people who feel chronically dizzy or nauseated. They will give you a series of exercises, usually involving slow head or body rotations, that may help ease some of your vertigo and nausea. Talk to your doctor about whether this might be a good option for you.

Home Remedies

Several home remedies may help reduce nausea for some people with MS, including:

Eating or drinking ginger — You can try ginger tea, ginger gummies, ginger supplements, or including ginger as a spice in food.
Trying peppermint — Some people find that sucking on peppermint candies or drinking peppermint tea helps ease feelings of nausea.
Drinking plenty of water — Dehydration can make nausea worse.
Wearing acupressure bands around your wrists — These bands feature a nub that puts pressure on an acupressure point on the inner wrist. Some people find that wearing them regularly helps improve their feelings of nausea and vertigo.
Trying breathing exercises — Taking deep breaths low into the stomach (into the diaphragm) may help ease nausea for some people.

These tips aren’t specific to MS-related nausea. They could help with any type of nausea. However, they don’t work for everyone.

For example, peppermint may worsen reflux or heartburn for some people. In addition, certain supplements can interact with medications. Talk to your healthcare team before trying home remedies to make sure they’re safe for you.