Dorothy FarrarIntermittent nausea
Intermittent nausea is a form of nausea with or without vomiting that occurs in flares or phases. They lie on the muscles of the internal organs, they can move like waves.
What is Intermittent Nausea?
Most of the time, intermittent nausea is abdominal pain , which does not necessarily lead to vomiting , but can be clearly felt. They appear intermittently, meaning they get better for a moment and then they come back. They can get worse with each interval, but they can also get better again. The muscles of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity are able to contract in waves, which can result in intermittent nausea.
They do this all the time, but humans don’t notice. If they do it jerkily, there will be a stabbing abdominal pain with intermittent nausea. It is always just the symptom and not the underlying disease itself. However, based on the description of intermittent nausea with or without vomiting, the doctor can usually investigate a suspicion and find out how he can help the person affected.
causes
Every woman who has her menstrual period once a month is familiar with the jerky contraction of muscles . In women, the uterus and fallopian tubes can perform the muscular movement that causes intermittent nausea. It is only natural that the menstrual period can lead to intermittent abdominal pain. Young women in particular suffer from it, but menstrual problems of this type can also persist for a long time beyond puberty.
Another common cause of intermittent nausea is emotional triggers such as stress , sadness or sometimes great joy. Most people have to have very strong emotions to react in this way. Physical triggers are food intolerance, consumption of spoiled food, tapeworm infections or irritable bowel syndrome.
If the intermittent nausea occurs suddenly and it is not just abdominal pain, but also nausea with vomiting, then it is usually an intolerable food. Many people are familiar with this reaction of their body when consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. In these cases, the intermittent nausea usually stops after vomiting and some restful sleep. However, if it occurs repeatedly and more frequently, you should have it checked out by a doctor, as it can be a serious cause.
Diseases
- tapeworm infection
When to the doctor?
Intermittent nausea is common in early pregnancy. If there is no desire to have children, a doctor should therefore be consulted as soon as there is no menstrual bleeding or it is unusually weak. In addition, intermittent nausea occurs in young women with the onset of menstrual bleeding. The organism needs time to adjust to the hormonal changes. A doctor does not need to be contacted in this case. The symptoms usually disappear within a few hours. A protection is enough.
If the intermittent symptoms always occur after eating certain foods, a doctor should be consulted. There is an allergic reaction. A blood test is used to find out which substances trigger the nausea. If you have other symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness or headaches, you should consult a doctor. There are diseases that can spread and worsen the state of health.
Intermittent nausea is often a sign of severe emotional distress. Stress, overwhelm, grief or fear can be the cause. A doctor should be consulted as soon as the person concerned feels that they need help to cope with the situation. If the mental state worsens and other psychological symptoms such as apathy or a depressive phase occur, a doctor should be contacted.
diagnosis and course
In the case of intermittent nausea, the doctor will first want to know whether it occurs once or repeatedly, how long it has existed and whether there have been other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea , fever or loss of appetite . Depending on the suspicion, he will ask about known intolerances, allergies and the last food and drinks of the person concerned. If there is an intolerance to a food, no further treatment is usually necessary and the doctor only prescribes rest and plenty of fluids in case of vomiting.
Over-the-counter medications may also be recommended. However, if the cause of intermittent nausea cannot be identified quickly or if it keeps coming back over a longer period of time, the doctor will have to investigate further. An ultrasound examination can provide initial information, but it is not yet precise enough for the diagnosis. Gastrointestinal reflections under anesthesia offer the doctor an insight into the inner workings of the digestive tract and are also suitable, for example, for taking a biopsy if an unusual structure is detected. Biopsies can then be examined under a microscope in the laboratory to make the diagnosis.
complications
In the case of intermittent nausea, the secondary event is usually vomiting. The affected person throws up, and in most cases the nausea disappears afterwards. Severe health complications do not occur with this symptom in most cases. The nausea can be caused by an ingredient or an allergic reaction and will go away once the substance is removed from the body. This can last for several hours and depends on the cause of the nausea. Without treatment, the nausea usually disappears, so that everyday life can be resumed.
There is usually no direct treatment by a doctor. The nausea can be curbed by various means and can be treated well with rest and relaxation for the body. Without treatment, headaches can occur, and nausea is often a symptom of an impending gastrointestinal disease. Health complications are very rare, however, so that the symptom disappears again after a short time.
treatment and therapy
Intermittent nausea is treated based on the cause. This usually improves the symptom over time. This is easiest if the cause was a food intolerance or a sensitive reaction in the gastrointestinal tract. Intolerances such as lactose intolerance and celiac disease can be diagnosed for the first time by the occurrence of intermittent nausea and the affected person is then supported in changing their diet . This is the best way to avoid getting intermittent nausea again.
If, on the other hand, a spoiled food was eaten, you have to wait and see. Herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint are helpful because they work well against nausea and at the same time hydrate the body. Conversely, if intermittent nausea is accompanied by recurrent vomiting, the doctor may prescribe a medication to stop it until the body recovers on its own. In more severe cases, such as a viral gastrointestinal disease , the doctor may inject it to make it work faster and limit fluid loss.
If, on the other hand, the doctor finds another cause for the intermittent abdominal pain during an examination or by examining a biopsy , he will draw up a treatment plan depending on the disease. Since this is usually to be considered in the long term, he can prescribe anticonvulsants to relieve his symptoms. These also help if the intermittent nausea occurs due to the menstrual period. If the trigger is stress, psychotherapy can provide the best long-term help if the patient is suffering or if it occurs repeatedly , so that medication does not have to be taken all the time.
outlook and prognosis
Nausea can be caused by many different ailments and illnesses. In most cases, however, the nausea is a harmless complaint that disappears together with the underlying disease. For this reason, the further course of the nausea depends very much on its cause. If the nausea occurs due to intolerance or poisoning , the symptoms usually disappear after a few hours.
Excessive consumption of alcohol or other drugs can also cause nausea. However, in this case, too, the course of the disease is usually positive and there are no further symptoms. If the nausea lasts for a longer period of time and does not go away on its own, a doctor should be consulted. In this way, complications can be avoided. Especially when nausea is accompanied by other complaints, there is usually no self-healing. It is not uncommon for this to be accompanied by fever and diarrhea and significantly reduces the quality of life of those affected.
prevention
The best way to prevent intermittent nausea is to avoid foods that are known to be poorly tolerated. In the case of an existing lactose intolerance, it is not advisable, for example, to consume lactose-containing foods and suppress the symptoms with tablets or select those that are better tolerated than others. Intermittent nausea can also occur from it and signals that the behavior is not healthy for the body.
Many people react to some foods with intermittent nausea even without a diagnosed intolerance. So everyone has a limit of tolerance when it comes to alcoholic beverages – if he drinks beyond thirst, he feels correspondingly bad. Such foods should also be avoided or only eaten in small amounts to prevent intermittent nausea. In the case of psychological causes, the trigger should at best be avoided or a different way of dealing with it should be developed – together with an experienced psychologist.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.