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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Vomiting is a reflex eruption through the mouth of the contents of the stomach, and sometimes the duodenum.

Vomiting

The gag reflex is quite complex – it involves various muscle groups. It is controlled by the vomiting center located in the brain stem. By its very nature, vomiting is a mechanism by which the body defends itself against poisoning. Normally, vomiting is a reaction to toxic substances entering the gastrointestinal tract or simply something that cannot be digested – for example, too fatty foods. Therefore, after an attack of vomiting, a person often feels relieved: the body has cleansed itself.

However, the intoxication that caused vomiting may have an internal source, that is, be the result of any pathology or disease. It is also possible that the irritation of the nervous system, leading to vomiting spasms, is not related to the state of the stomach at all. This makes one perceive vomiting as a very serious, and even formidable symptom. An attack of vomiting is almost always a sufficient reason to see a doctor. In case of recurring attacks, you should definitely consult a doctor!

Causes of vomiting

In most cases, vomiting is due to irritation of the receptors of the stomach or, in medical terms, has a visceral origin. The cause is most often acute or chronic diseases of the stomach itself (acute food poisoning, gastritis, stomach ulcers, food allergies). Also, the receptors of the stomach can also respond to diseases of other organs – the gallbladder, uterus, heart (vomiting is included in the complex of possible symptoms of myocardial infarction).

Vomiting can also be of central origin, that is, caused by pathologies of the central nervous system (brain), such as meningitis, encephalitis, trauma, and brain tumors. Quite often, vomiting is observed with migraines. Problems in the inner ear can also lead to vomiting (in which case, vomiting may be accompanied by dizziness). With excessive irritation of the receptors of the inner ear (during motion sickness), even a healthy person can vomit, especially if the vestibular apparatus is not trained. Sometimes vomiting is caused by an emotional disorder (stress) or is a reaction to something that causes extreme disgust (conditioned reflex vomiting).

Irritation of the vomiting center can be caused by toxic substances carried by the blood stream ( hematogenous toxic vomiting). Toxic substances can enter the body from the outside (for example, chlorine or carbon monoxide – by inhalation), or can be produced in the body itself – as a result of impaired liver or kidney function.

Vomiting and other symptoms

Usually vomiting is preceded by nausea, because, in fact, vomiting is the resolution of nausea, its logical conclusion. The fact that nausea turned into vomiting indicates the severity of the pathological process. Vomiting spasms can be observed against the background of elevated temperature, accompanied by diarrhea. In the vomit, in addition to food debris, gastric juice and mucus, bile, blood, and pus may be present.

Repeated, periodically recurring and indomitable vomiting exhausts and dehydrates the body, leads to a violation of mineral metabolism and acid-base balance.

Diarrhea and vomiting

Vomiting and fever

When vomiting scares

Any bout of vomiting is a very unpleasant experience. Even if a person experiences relief with the resolution of an attack, vomiting itself is perceived as an extraordinary event, which should not normally be. The shock of the body, domestic and social inconvenience – all this makes vomiting a process of a different order compared to other reflex actions, such as coughing or sneezing. We always react sharply to vomiting (we do not leave it unattended), and rightly so.

However, in some cases, vomiting worries us especially strongly. Such is vomiting of bile , vomiting of blood . Parents are worried about cases of vomiting in a child . Quite often, vomiting is observed during pregnancy , attracting increased attention.

These cases should be mentioned separately:

Vomiting of bile

Vomiting blood

Vomiting during pregnancy

Child vomiting

What to do if you throw up

What to do if you throw up

Because anyone can experience vomiting, it’s helpful to know how to prevent vomiting, what to do during and immediately after an attack, and when to see a doctor.

Nausea is a precursor to vomiting. If you feel sick, try opening a window (increase the oxygen supply), drinking some sweetened liquid (this will calm the stomach), sitting or lying down (physical activity increases nausea and vomiting). You can dissolve a tablet of validol. If you get sick on the road, take candy with you and dissolve on the way. This will help prevent vomiting.

What to do when vomiting

During an attack, it is important to exclude the ingress of vomit into the respiratory tract. The patient during vomiting should never lie on his back. Do not leave young children unsupervised if they may vomit. An elderly or weakened person must be helped to turn on his side, head to the edge of the bed, put a pelvis in front of him.

What to do after vomiting

After an attack, rinse your mouth with cold water. If the patient himself cannot do this, it is necessary to moisten a piece of gauze in a soda solution and wipe his mouth.

Immediately after the attack, you can drink only a few sips of water, and then if there was no blood in the vomit. You can drink properly only after 2 hours, and eat only 6-8 hours after the attack. Food should be dietary, sparing; best of all – porridge on the water, rice, low-fat soup.

With repeated attacks of vomiting, dehydration of the body is possible. Therefore, it is necessary to drink a special solution that restores the water-electrolyte and acid-base balance.

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When should you see a doctor if you vomit?

Vomiting – in many cases, a sign that the body is experiencing serious problems and needs to be cleansed, and therefore, most likely, in treatment. If the disease is accompanied by vomiting, this usually indicates that the disease is quite severe.

If the attack of vomiting was one-time and there is reason to believe that it was caused by overeating, motion sickness, alcohol poisoning or stress, there is no direct need to see a doctor. In all other cases, a doctor’s consultation is necessary. Especially if the attacks are repeated for two days or more, as well as in the presence of diabetes or other chronic diseases.

Sometimes emergency care is required for vomiting. You need to call an ambulance if:

• vomiting accompanied by persistent or severe abdominal pain;
• there are repeated bouts of vomiting after a head injury;
• with vomiting observed dehydration, dry mouth, increased urination;
• with deterioration of mental and functional activity in the elderly;
• there is blood in the vomit (for example, impurities in the form of “coffee grounds”).

Which doctor should I contact if I vomit?

Complaints of nausea and vomiting are usually addressed to a gastroenterologist or general practitioner (general practitioner, family doctor or pediatrician). In case of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, you should contact your gynecologist.

Do not self-medicate. Contact our specialists who will correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.

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