Nausea and Vomiting – Common Causes and How To Treat It

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Causes Nausea or Vomiting?
• Is Vomiting Harmful?
• When to Call the Doctor About Nausea and Vomiting
• How Is Vomiting Treated?
• How Can I Prevent Nausea?
• How Do I Prevent Vomiting Once I Feel Nauseated?
• More

Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often comes before vomiting. Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying (“throwing up”) of stomach contents through the mouth.

Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions such as:

• Motion sickness or seasickness
• Early stages of pregnancy (nausea occurs in approximately 50%-90% of all pregnancies; vomiting in 25%-55%)
• Medication-induced vomiting
• Intense pain
• Emotional stress (such as fear)
• Gallbladder disease
• Food poisoning
• Infections (such as the “stomach flu”)
• Overeating
• A reaction to certain smells or odors
• Heart attack
• Concussion or brain injury
• Brain tumor
• Ulcers
• Some forms of cancer
• Bulimia or other psychological illnesses
• Gastroparesis or slow stomach emptying (a condition that can be seen in people with diabetes)
• Ingestion of toxins or excessive amounts of alcohol
• Bowel obstruction 
• Appendicitis

The causes of vomiting differ according to age. For children, it is common for vomiting to occur from a viral infection, food poisoning, milk allergy, motion sickness, overeating or feeding, coughing, or blocked intestines and illnesses in which the child has a high fever.

The timing of the nausea or vomiting can indicate the cause. When appearing shortly after a meal, nausea or vomiting may be caused by food poisoning, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), an ulcer, or bulimia. Nausea or vomiting one to eight hours after a meal may also indicate food poisoning. However, certain food- borne bacteria, such as salmonella, can take longer to produce symptoms.

Usually, vomiting is harmless, but it can be a sign of a more serious illness. Some examples of serious conditions that may result in nausea or vomiting include concussions, meningitis (infection of the membrane linings of the brain), intestinal blockage, appendicitis, and brain tumors.

Another concern is dehydration. Adults have a lower risk of becoming dehydrated, because they can usually detect the symptoms of dehydration (such as increased thirst and dry lips or mouth). But young children have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated, especially if they also have diarrhea, because they often are unable to communicate symptoms of dehydration. Adults caring for sick children need to be aware of these visible signs of dehydration: dry lips and mouth, sunken eyes, and rapid breathing or pulse. In infants, also watch for decreased urination and a sunken fontanelle (soft spot on top of the baby’s head).

Recurrent vomiting in pregnancy can lead to a serious condition called hyperemesis gravidarum in which the mother may develop fluid and mineral imbalances that can endanger their life or that of their unborn child.

Rarely, excessive vomiting can tear the lining of the esophagus, also known as a Mallory-Weiss tear. If the esophagus is ruptured, this is called Boerhaave’s syndrome, and is a medical emergency.

Call a doctor about nausea and vomiting:

• If the nausea lasts for more than a few days or if there is a possibility of being pregnant
• If home treatment is not working, dehydration is present, or a known injury has occurred (such as head injury or infection) that may be causing the vomiting
• Adults should consult a doctor if vomiting occurs for more than one day, diarrhea and vomiting last more than 24 hours, or there are signs of dehydration.
• Take an infant or child under six years to the doctor if vomiting lasts more than a few hours, diarrhea is present, signs of dehydration occur, there is a fever, or if the child hasn’t urinated for 4-6 hours.
• Take a child over age six years to the doctor if vomiting lasts one day, diarrhea combined with vomiting lasts for more than 24 hours, there are any signs of dehydration, there is a fever higher than 101 degrees, or the child hasn’t urinated for six hours.

You should seek immediate medical care if any of the following situations occur with vomiting:

• There is blood in the vomit (bright red or “coffee grounds” in appearance)
• Severe headache or stiff neck
• Lethargy, confusion, or a decreased alertness
• Severe abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Rapid breathing or pulse

Treatment for vomiting (regardless of age or cause) includes:

• Drinking gradually larger amounts of clear liquids
• Avoiding solid food until the vomiting episode has passed
• If vomiting and diarrhea last more than 24 hours, an oral rehydrating solution such as Pedialyte should be used to prevent and treat dehydration.
• Pregnant women experiencing morning sickness can eat some crackers before getting out of bed or eat a high protein snack before going to bed (lean meat or cheese).
• Vomiting associated with cancer treatments can often be treated with another type of drug therapy. There are also prescription and nonprescription drugs that can be used to control vomiting associated with pregnancy, motion sickness, and some forms of dizziness. However, consult with a doctor before using any of these treatments.

There are several ways to try and prevent nausea from developing:

• Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals.
• Eat slowly.
• Avoid hard-to-digest foods.
• Consume foods that are cold or room temperature if you are nauseated by the smell of hot or warm foods.
• Rest after eating with your head elevated about 12 inches above your feet.
• Drink liquids between meals rather than during meals.
• Try to eat when you feel less nauseated.

When you begin to feel nauseated, you may be able to prevent vomiting by:

• Drinking small amounts of clear, sweetened liquids such as soda or fruit juices (except orange and grapefruit juices, because these are too acidic)
• Resting either in a sitting position or in a propped lying position; activity may worsen nausea and may lead to vomiting.

To prevent nausea and vomiting in children:

• To treat motion sickness in a car, seat your child so they face the front windshield (watching fast movement out the side windows can make the nausea worse). Also, reading or playing video games in the car could cause motion sickness.
• Don’t let kids eat and play at the same time.

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Healthy Eating Tips To Avoid Constipation

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Common Causes of Constipation
• Fiber Helps Relieve Constipation
• Diet Tips for Digestive Health
• Ease Constipation With Exercise
• Constipation: When to Call Your Doctor

No one likes to think — let alone talk — about constipation, but most everyone has it at one time or another. More than 40 million people in the U.S. have it pretty often. So if you’re dealing with tummy troubles, you’re not alone. Most of the time it doesn’t last long, and simple changes can help your digestive system run smoothly again.

To understand how to prevent constipation, it helps to know what causes it. As food passes through your colon, your body absorbs the water from it, and what’s left forms into stool. Your muscles move it through the colon to the rectum, where you pass it. When this movement slows down, your colon draws too much water. Stools get dry and hard to pass, causing constipation.

The problem often happens because of a low-fiber or high-fat diet, lack of exercise, and not drinking enough fluids. Certain medications, not going when you feel the urge, laxative abuse, and pregnancy can also lead to constipation.

If your bowel habits get sluggish, you don’t have to rush out to buy a laxative. Most people don’t need them for mild constipation. Instead, look at your diet. Are you getting enough fiber?

Fiber is the part of plant foods that the body can’t break down. When you eat foods that have a lot of it, the extra bulk helps keep stools soft and speeds digestion.

All plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, have fiber. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men. After age 50, we need less fiber — about 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men. Unfortunately, most of us only get about 15 grams per day, which may help explain why so many people get constipated.

Examples of high-fiber foods include:

• 1/2 cup navy beans: 9.5 grams
• 1 small pear: 4.4 grams
• 1/4 cup dates: 3.6 grams
• 1 medium apple: 3.3 grams
• 1 medium sweet potato: 4.8 grams

Simple changes can improve your diet and help relieve constipation:

• Add veggies. You don’t have to count grams of fiber to get the amount you need. Instead, aim to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day. Make sandwiches with roasted veggies, add a salad instead of fries to your meal, buy pre-cut vegetables to snack on with low-fat dip, keep the fruit bowl full for a handy and healthy snack, and add chopped, dried fruit to oatmeal and cereal.
• Go for grains. Replace white bread, white rice, and regular pasta with whole-grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. Eat more whole oats, multigrain cereals, and whole wheat crackers — but be sure to choose low-fat and low-sugar options. Snack on air-popped popcorn instead of chips. When you buy cereal, choose brands that have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
• Bulk up on beans. Replace meat with a bean or legume dish at least once or twice a week. Add cooked beans to salads, and try bean soups and stews as main courses.
• Add fiber gradually. Make changes slowly over the course of a week or so — if you up fiber too quickly, you could end up feeling bloated and gassy. Be patient — it may take time for your body to adjust.
• Consider a fiber supplement. If you have trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, a supplement might help. Also called bulk-forming laxatives, they’re generally safe. Just be sure to talk with your doctor before you use them as they can make some medications not work as well.
• Stay hydrated. If you add more fiber to your diet either with food or supplements, be sure to drink more fluids, too. Choose low or no-calorie beverages — sugary soda and fruit drinks will add extra calories you don’t need.

Exercise not only keeps you fit, it may help you stay regular. It can help food move more quickly through your colon. It’s not always easy to find time to be active, but try these tips:

• Start exercising about 20 minutes, 3 days a week, and build up to at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week. Always check with your doctor before you start any type of fitness plan.
• Short on time? Break up activity throughout the day — three 10-minute walks count as much as one 30-minute workout.

Most of the time, healthy changes to your diet and exercise habits will smooth out any digestive woes. But if you’ve tried these tips for 3 weeks and haven’t noticed a change, talk with your doctor. They may suggest that you take a laxative for a few days to help retrain your system. You should also call your doctor right away if you notice blood in your stool, have belly pain, or lose weight without trying.

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Nausea and vomiting in adults – causes, examination and treatment in Astrakhan | Symptoms

Appendicitis, perforation of the intestinal wall, inflammation of the gallbladder, pancreatitis
Signs: Significant abdominal pain. The abdomen is painful on palpation.

Bowel obstruction
Signs: Lack of bowel movements and flatulence. Spasmodic abdominal pain that comes and goes. Bloated belly. Usually in people with a hernia or previous abdominal surgery.

Gastroenteritis
Signs: Vomiting and diarrhea. No pain or minimal abdominal pain (except for vomiting). Rarely, fever or blood in the stool. Normal results of abdominal examination.

Hepatitis
Symptoms: Mild to moderate nausea for many days and sometimes vomiting. General malaise. Darkening of the urine, then yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). Loss of appetite. Sensation of mild discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen.

Ingestion of toxic substances (alcohol, aspirin, iron, lead or insecticides)
Signs: Information about ingestion is usually obtained from the history. Various other symptoms, depending on the substance ingested.

Head injury (due to a recent accident, sports injury or fall)
Signs: Injury is evident from the person’s history. Often headache, confusion, and difficulty remembering recent events.

Brain bleeding
Symptoms: Sudden, often severe headache. Confusion of consciousness.

Meningitis (brain infection)
Signs: Increasing headache and disorientation. Often fever and pain when the head is tilted forward, a reddish-purple rash of tiny dots on the skin (petechiae) if caused by meningococcal meningitis.

Increased intracranial pressure (for example, caused by a blood clot or tumor)
Signs: Headache, confusion, and sometimes problems with nerves, spinal cord, or brain function.

Labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear)
Signs: False sensation of movement (systemic vertigo), rhythmic twitching eye movement (nystagmus), and worsening of symptoms with head movement. Sometimes ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Migraine
Signs: Usually moderate to severe headache. Headache, before which people sometimes see flashes of light and blind spots (aura). Sometimes sensitivity to light (photophobia) or temporary disturbances in balance or muscle strength. Often there is a history of recurrence of such attacks.

Motion sickness
Signs: The cause is obvious from the person’s history.

Psychological disorders
Signs: No diarrhea or abdominal pain. Vomiting often associated with stress. The food is disgusting.

Diabetic ketoacidosis
Signs: Increased daily urine volume (polyuria), increased thirst (polydipsia), and often significant dehydration.

Side effects or drug toxicity
Signs: Taking a drug or substance, which is obvious from the history taking.

Liver or kidney failure
Signs: Often jaundice with advanced liver disease. The smell of ammonia from the mouth in renal failure. Often in people with a known disorder.

Pregnancy
Signs: Nausea and/or vomiting often in the morning or in response to meals.