Vomiting (nausea) – causes, treatment and prevention

Vomiting (nausea)

During vomiting (vomitus), the contents of the stomach are reflexively pushed out of the body through the esophagus and mouth. Vomiting is usually announced by nausea and the feeling of having to vomit – the so-called nausea . Those affected often feel a burning sensation in the esophagus ( heartburn ). The causes of vomitus can be varied. Gastrointestinal diseases, alcohol or motion sickness are common triggers for vomiting.

What is vomiting?

Vomiting (vomiting) pushes half-digested food particles from the stomach out of the mouth, which could otherwise harm the body; it is therefore a reactive phenomenon. Those affected often initially complain of severe nausea and nausea, which eventually triggers vomiting.

With some diseases, however, the unhealthy contents of the stomach should not be pushed out, so that it is an annoying side effect without purpose. Gastric acid in particular is vomited, since the stomach contains no other substances that it could vomit. Vomiting and nausea are cases for the general practitioner if they occur repeatedly.

causes

Nausea and vomiting can be caused by a variety of different reasons. Often, however, vomiting is due to a bacterial or viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract ( gastrointestinal infection ).In children in particular, infection with the rotavirus is often the cause of vomiting.

Vomiting also occurs after eating something that has gone bad. The toxic substances can cause considerable damage in the body (gastrointestinal).

However, vomiting can also occur as a symptom of infectious diseases such as the flu , sometimes it also accompanies a migraine or is the result of sunstroke .

Women who suffer from the premenstrual symptom also have to vomit in severe cases, which is due to the hormones in their bodies that do not only do positive things. Eating disorders ( anorexia , bulimia ) can also trigger vomiting.

If none of these problems are present and you still vomit, your digestive tract may have a serious condition. Possible causes include signs of cancer if there is blood in the vomit, gastritis , benign ulcers or injuries.

An irritable stomach or irritable bowel can also be responsible for vomiting. On the other hand, if you are currently taking medication, you should take a look at their side effects.

Diseases

When to the doctor?

If nausea persists for several days, consult a doctor. There can be various causes that need to be investigated and clarified. It is often an infection or inflammation. Both diseases are caused by viruses or bacteria, which multiply quickly and cause the condition to worsen. In addition, there is a high risk of infection for people close to you.

Regular vomiting can be a sign of an eating disorder. Since this leads to a life-threatening condition in the long term, a doctor must be consulted in good time. One-time vomiting can be caused by stress . If the person concerned does not manage to improve the way they deal with the stressful situation on their own, they should consult a doctor. A food intolerance can trigger vomiting or nausea. An allergy test is carried out by a doctor, which provides information and more detailed information about the cause of the intolerance.

Vomiting is common in people with migraines. In this case, it must be decided individually whether the person concerned wants to see a doctor. Most people are already being treated by a doctor for migraines. If nausea is triggered within a few hours after taking medication, you should consult a doctor immediately.

diagnosis and course

If you experience frequent nausea or nausea that persists for a long period of time, you should definitely consult a doctor to clarify the reasons for this. In an initial patient consultation, the doctor gets a precise impression of the symptoms. He asks, for example, how often the patient throws up, how long the symptoms have lasted, the consistency of the vomit or possible accompanying symptoms (eg diarrhea ). The question of past meals or general eating habits is also obvious.

After the detailed questioning, the person concerned is examined by a doctor and, if necessary, further diagnostics are carried out. If necessary, an analysis of the blood, as well as an ultrasound or X-ray diagnosis can be carried out. In some cases, endoscopic examinations ( gastroscopy ) are used to find the cause of the symptoms.

Slight vomiting, for example as a result of a gastrointestinal infection, usually subsides on its own after a few days of bland food. If the symptoms persist for a long time or are accompanied by other symptoms (vomiting blood), you should definitely consult a doctor. In case of frequent vomiting, it is necessary to balance the fluid and mineral balance accordingly. If the drunk is immediately vomited up again, fluid and electrolytes must be given via an intravenous injection (access through a vein by the doctor).

complications

Vomiting can bring some complications. One of the most common problems is aspiration. The ingested food, liquid or saliva gets into the nasopharynx through vomiting. The victim chokes and is overwhelmed with a reflexive cough. The purpose of coughing is to bring the elements that have entered the windpipe back into the mouth. If this does not succeed, there is a risk of breathing difficulties or infections. In the worst cases, it results in pneumonia or death by asphyxiation. Gasping for air triggers anxiety in most people. As a result, in rare cases, repeated vomiting can also lead to an anxiety disorder .

Depending on the frequency and intensity of the vomiting, the organism may be undersupplied. The body lacks essential minerals and nutrients. As a result, malfunctions or failures of the organs or systems can occur. In severe cases, there is a risk of dehydration for those affected. If vomiting occurs regularly, the mucous membranes in the mouth, throat and stomach are attacked. In addition, tooth enamel wears off. In the long term, there is a risk of losing your teeth. In addition, the stomach wall can tear and cause further discomfort. If the vomiting is chronic, it can lead to pathological malnutrition with mortal danger.

treatment and therapy

The aim of treating nausea is to stop the vomiting. There are over-the-counter medications (dimenhydrinate) that can stop the urge to vomit in the first place. They are aimed, for example, at travelers who have to vomit during a long journey because of the sense of balance – the corresponding drugs have a direct effect on the vomiting center in the brain.

If a disease is the reason for the nausea, the therapy aims to treat the underlying disease. For example, an infection with rotaviruses or noroviruses is treated with appropriate medication, since the vomiting stops when the infection ends.On the other hand, if you have to vomit due to cancer or treatment, you are given so-called antiemetics , which stop the urge to vomit.

However, not every medication can be used to suppress vomiting in a meaningful way – this is the case, for example, if the treatment with the triggering drug is only short-lived. Then the nausea can also remain untreated without causing any damage.

Nausea or vomiting can be curbed by taking so-called antiemetics (antiemetic). In the case of gastric intolerance, therapy with suppositories is also possible. If vomiting persists, it is important to ensure adequate fluid and electrolyte intake . In worse cases, liquids must be continuously administered by infusion.

Medicines or teas based on herbal ingredients (e.g. chamomile, fennel, caraway) are suitable home remedies for mild symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

outlook and prognosis

In many cases, the prognosis associated with vomiting (nausea) is good in both adults and children. This applies in particular to cases in which a recognizable, rather harmless cause such as excessive or fatty food, alcohol or a mild gastrointestinal infection is the cause. In these cases, vomiting or the urge to vomit is simply a physiological reaction of the body to free itself from stressful food or drinks or, in the case of an infection, from pathogens such as bacteria or viruses.

Vomiting in connection with motion sickness or an emotionally stressful situation such as before an important exam also has a favorable prognosis. When the stressful situation is over, the urge to vomit subsides spontaneously. The same applies to the first few months of pregnancy.

The prognosis is more difficult to assess when the vomiting seems severe and uncontrollable. Irrespective of the cause of the nausea, the complication of dehydration in the patient must be ensured by adequate fluid intake through drinking or an infusion. Serious diseases behind the vomiting such as intolerance, poorly controlled diabetes or poisoning make the prognosis rather difficult to assess. This also applies to the intentional vomiting associated with bulimia, which is one of the severe forms of eating disorders .

prevention

Microbial (amongst others caused by bacteria) induced vomiting mostly results from unsanitary conditions. Spoiled food or gastrointestinal infections can be prevented by careful inspection, proper preparation, and timely processing of food; Infections caused by proper hand hygiene. If you are sensitive to certain foods and cannot tolerate them, you should of course avoid them in order not to vomit. The more serious diseases, on the other hand, can hardly be effectively prevented.

Dorothy Farrar

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.

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