Why Your Throat Hurts After Throwing Up and How to Soothe It

Throwing up is a pain in the stomach. But it can also be a pain in the throat. Even after the queasiness has subsided, it's not unusual to have a sore, burning sensation in your throat for hours or a few days.

If you've only thrown up a couple of times, your throat isn't necessarily getting damaged. If your vomiting is frequent, though, you could develop a more serious throat issue.

Here, learn why you get a sore throat after throwing up and what to do to feel better fast.

Why Your Throat Hurts or Burns After Throwing Up

When your throat tissue comes into contact with vomit, it becomes irritated and inflamed, which can cause a painful burning sensation. That's because vomit has strong digestive acids and enzymes from your stomach, says Corina Din-Lovinescu, DO, an ear, nose, and throat doctor with ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey.

In fact, the average pH of your digestive juice is between 1.5 and 2, Dr. Din-Lovinescu says. That's about the same as straight vinegar or lemon juice, and just a tad less acidic than sulfuric acid.

Throwing up once or twice won't actually burn your throat, even though it can feel pretty fiery. "A typical bout of vomiting is more likely to cause an unpleasant sensation rather than actual physical damage," says Aditya Sreenivasan, MD, a gastroenterologist at Northwell Health Physician Partners Medicine Specialties at East 85th Street in New York City.

But ‌frequent‌ vomiting can cause injuries like esophagitis — a condition that causes inflammation of the esophagus, throat pain, and trouble swallowing. In some cases, the inflammation can be so intense that you'll vomit small amounts of blood, Dr. Sreenivasan says.

Very forceful vomiting can even lead to tears in your throat tissue; this is called a Mallory-Weiss tear.

Symptoms include:

Vomit that is bright red or that looks like coffee grounds
Black or tar-like stools
Bloody stools
Weakness, dizziness, faintness
Shortness of breath
Diarrhea
Paleness
Abdominal or chest pain

If you notice these symptoms, call your doctor and go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

3 Conditions That Can Worsen Throat Pain From Vomiting

Certain conditions can make vomiting especially tough on your throat. These include:

1. GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, happens when acid from your stomach regularly flows up into the throat or mouth. The acid can irritate your throat lining and cause pain and trouble swallowing.

GERD can also cause a burning sensation in your chest, otherwise known as heartburn, and a cough (often called GERD cough or respiratory reflux). You may even wake up with a sore throat from GERD.

If you have GERD, throwing up can make your already-sensitive throat tissue feel even worse. "It may cause more tissue damage and more symptoms," Sreenivasan says.

2. Esophagitis

Frequent vomiting can cause esophagitis — inflammation of the esophagus — and esophagitis caused by something else (like GERD or certain autoimmune diseases) can ‌also‌ be made worse from throwing up, Din-Lovinescu says.

This can up your risk for other esophagitis symptoms like the following:

Feeling like something is stuck in your throat
Food getting stuck in your throat
Indigestion
Nausea or vomiting
Blood in your vomit
Mouth sores

3. Mouth Sores

Mouth sores, or oral ulcers, are tiny, painful sores that can form on your gums, tongue, roof of your mouth, or inside your lips or cheeks.

Sometimes you get them from accidentally biting your tongue or cheek or from eating acidic foods, but they can also stem from stress or underlying health problems like Crohn's or celiac disease.

Exposure to any kind of acid (i.e., acidic foods or drinks) can irritate mouth sores and slow their healing, too. That includes acid from vomit. Dr. Din-Lovinescu says.

Most of the time, throat discomfort after throwing up doesn’t last too long. If you threw up once or twice, your throat will probably start to feel better within a couple of hours, Din-Lovinescu says.

If you have a condition that's causing you to throw up repeatedly, though, "it may take up to six to eight weeks for the lining of the throat to fully heal, and up to three months for symptoms to go away," she says.

5 Ways to Soothe Your Throat After Throwing Up

Throwing up can be hard on your throat, but there are ways to get fast relief. Here are some strategies to relieve the throat burning:

1. Control Your Vomiting

Avoiding throwing up again will keep your throat from getting more irritated. If you're still feeling queasy, try taking an over-the-counter antiemetic (such as Pepto-Bismol), a drug that works by relaxing the stomach muscles that trigger vomiting, Din-Lovinescu says.

2. Stay Hydrated (Especially With Warm Fluids)

It's important to rehydrate in any way you can after throwing up. But drinking fluids can also keep your throat tissue moist and speed healing, Din-Lovenscu says.

Plain water is fine if you can stomach it, but warm fluids like tea or broth can be especially soothing. Plus, they tend to be easier to tolerate when you're nauseous.

If you start to feel better, the best drinks and foods to eat after throwing up include Pedialyte to replenish electrolytes, toast, rice, applesauce, and other puréed foods.

3. Try Honey or Lozenges

One of the best natural remedies for a sore throat is a spoonful of honey, which can temporarily coat your throat to ease irritation.

Sucking on a lozenge or hard candy will do the trick too, Sreenivasan says. Licorice lozenges, in particular, have been shown to help manage throat soreness.

4. Run a Humidifier at Night

Putting a humidifier by your bed can add more moisture to your indoor air, Din-Lovinescu says. The extra humidity will keep your throat tissue hydrated while you sleep, which can ease scratchiness and irritation.

5. Steer Clear of Irritants

Stay away from acidic foods or drinks that might make your throat feel worse. And try to avoid being around anything that might make you cough, like smoke or harsh cleaning products.

How to Prevent Throat Pain From Vomiting

If you happen to vomit often, there are some things you can do to prevent not only throat pain, but also the stomach issues that come with throwing up. This includes lifestyle changes like:

Managing your GERD and acid reflux
Avoiding spicy, fried, or ultra-processed foods
Limiting alcohol (drinking to the point of throwing up can cause throat issues)
Elevating your head right after you eat

Getting help for eating disorders, such as bulimia, which can cause throat burning from vomiting.

When to See a Doctor

It's normal for your throat to burn or feel uncomfortable a few hours to a day after you throw up.

But if the pain lasts longer than a few days, you're vomiting for more than a day, or you're feeling dehydrated, see your doctor as soon as possible.

You should also go to the emergency room if you have signs of a throat tear, like severe pain or blood in your vomit.

The Takeaway

Throwing up can leave you with a sore throat due to the acidic nature of vomit. Most of the time a sore throat will resolve within a day or two after the vomiting stops.
Having GERD or mouth sores can make vomiting even more irritating to your throat.
You can soothe your throat with warm liquids, licorice, honey, and by running a humidifier in your room at night.
If you experience any signs of a tear in your throat tissue, such as blood in your vomit, paleness, or shortness of breath, go to an emergency room immediately.

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Why Your Throat Hurts or Burns After Throwing Up