Sudden nausea – causes, treatment and prevention

It is not uncommon for children to become nauseous very quickly and then soon vomit . In adults, on the other hand, this is less common because they have learned to assess and control the functions of their bodies. Nevertheless, some clinical pictures trigger sudden nausea, which can occur anywhere and at any time and ensures that everyday life can no longer be lived as usual. The sudden nausea can remain as severe as this, get worse or turn into vomiting and other accompanying symptoms relatively quickly.

Frequent triggers are infections of the gastrointestinal tract or diseases of the internal organs, but sudden nausea can also have emotional triggers. Strong emotions, for example, can cause the body to react quickly to them. Also in question is the high consumption of alcohol or drugs . Women should think about pregnancy if sudden nausea attacks them several times in the near future. If the sudden nausea returns or if it cannot be clearly related to a cause, it should be checked out by a doctor to be on the safe side.

causes

When nausea occurs suddenly in adults, it is because the body is reacting violently to an influence. Normally, it would take a while for the body to be able to react with nausea at all – because the trigger is usually in the food , it first has to get to the stomach and intestines so that the body can recognize what to do. Sudden nausea therefore often has mental triggers, because there doesn’t have to be anything in the stomach for a psychosomatic reaction.One trigger is enough. Strong emotions such as joy, excitement, but also stress , anger or sadness can lead to sudden nausea. It can be a one-time observation of a particularly strong emotion, but it can also be a long-term problem. Sudden nausea also occurs with physical illnesses, such as a gastrointestinal infection. What begins as nausea quickly turns into diarrhea , vomiting, fever and fatigue .

Sudden nausea also occurs with more severe diseases of the internal organs, but the person affected usually already knows what is wrong by this point. If a woman has missed her last menstrual period and is suddenly followed by a rapid onset of nausea, she should take a pregnancy test. Circulatory problems are not uncommon , especially in young people . Nausea occurs very quickly, followed by dizziness and possible syncope. Sudden nausea is also a common side effect of medication.

Diseases

• gastrointestinal infection

• alcoholism

• drug addiction

• food poisoning

When to the doctor?

Sudden nausea can have many causes. In most cases, however, the sole symptom does not require a doctor’s visit. Many people suddenly feel nauseous before an exam, before giving a public speech, before an appointment with their supervisor, when they are under stress or when there is enormous internal tension. A visit to the doctor is only necessary if the person concerned does not feel able to cope with the situation without emotional support.

Anxious patients very often suffer from sudden nausea. You should see a doctor to start appropriate therapy. If there are other symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach pain , a heart attack is present. A doctor should be consulted, as the state of health often deteriorates in the coming hours or days. If the nausea persists for several days, a doctor’s visit is also advisable.

In sexually mature women, the sudden nausea can indicate an existing pregnancy. If there is no menstrual period and there is an unusual feeling of tenderness in the breasts, a doctor should be consulted. If the sudden nausea occurs after eating, there is an intolerance . An allergy test can be used together with the doctor to find out which foods must be avoided in the future.

diagnosis and course

Sudden nausea takes a few minutes for a previously healthy person to feel ill. The person affected may vomit, get diarrhea or circulatory problems and have to sit down. Some cases of sudden nausea resolve just as quickly as they came. In other cases, they improve after the patient vomits. The accompanying symptoms help the doctor to make a diagnosis.

complications

Sudden nausea can have a number of different causes, but it is not always problematic from a medical point of view. Complications can arise mainly due to the situation in which the person finds themselves when nausea occurs suddenly and quickly. The accompanying symptoms of a rapidly developing nausea can also lead to difficulties, such as dizziness and balance disorders , sweating, vomiting or abdominal pain. Sudden nausea, for example, can be a reaction of the body to an intolerable or dangerous food, so that it is not long before the person vomits.

If the person concerned does not manage to withdraw in time, he must vomit in an unfavorable situation. This is only good for the body, but not necessarily for the person concerned. Sudden nausea can also become problematic if the person cannot immediately free themselves from the triggering situation. Travel sickness, for example, can also develop very quickly and continue to increase to the point of vomiting, since it is often not possible to interrupt the journey immediately. If sudden nausea from pregnancy occurs and is accompanied by vomiting, it can weaken the woman’s body if it occurs frequently. Even if pregnancy sickness suddenly occurs within normal limits, it restricts the woman, especially in early pregnancy, because from then on she has to try

treatment and therapy

When women complain of sudden nausea, a pregnancy test is done as standard. Some pregnancies are not announced by anything – except for the nausea, which is becoming more and more common from now on. If this test turns out to be negative, further blood and ultrasound tests can be considered. On the one hand, the doctor can see what is happening in the stomach and intestines, on the other hand, inflammatory markers in the blood can be recognized and assigned to a disease.

Questioning the patient is also very important in the event of sudden nausea. Drug and alcohol abuse often leads to sudden nausea with other symptoms. If the doctor knows what the patient has taken, the faster treatment can be given, which is important if nausea has already developed due to these substances. This indicates a strong poisoning of the body. If no cause can be found in this way, a gastrointestinal endoscopy may be necessary.

In this way, diseases of the internal organs are recognized and can be treated in a targeted manner. If, on the other hand, it is a side effect of a medication, the doctor treating you will try to adjust the dose or prescribe an alternative that is better tolerated. However, since this is not always possible, for example when treating a cancer patient, the doctor will instead treat the symptoms symptomatically and use an antiemetic to try to get the sudden nausea as a side effect under control.

prevention

Unfortunately, sudden nausea caused by pregnancy or medication cannot be avoided. However, over time those affected know what causes the nausea and what helps in these situations. As long as you are suffering from the nausea, you should take the liberty to do whatever relieves it when it occurs. For example, it can be helpful to drink ginger tea or an herbal tea that relieves abdominal cramps and helps against nausea. Avoiding irritating foods and drinks like coffee can also have a positive effect on the onset of nausea. Sudden nausea caused by excessive alcohol consumption can be completely avoided. Everyone knows their limit and should refuse further drinks when this is reached.