Nausea And Vomiting

Nausea

Nausea refers to the feeling of queasiness or discomfort that sometimes precedes vomiting. Stomach upset and gastrointestinal problems are common causes of nausea, but it can also be triggered by other factors such as headaches and motion sickness. Nausea is a common symptom of early pregnancy. It also occurs as a side effect of certain medications and, for some people, in conjunction with anxiety or depression.

When treating nausea, it's important to find and cure the source of the symptoms. The two most common causes of nausea are food poisoning and gastrointestinal infections, which both run the risk of becoming very serious if left untreated. Other serious conditions that can trigger nausea include appendicitis, diabetic ketoacidosis, meningitis, brain tumor and cardiac arrest. Treating nausea alone can mask the symptoms of a serious disease and delay receiving help.

Other causes of nausea are not tied to any gastrointestinal concerns, and managing the symptoms alone is the correct course of action. For example, motion sickness, vertigo and other types of equilibrium disruption pose no direct threat to the body but trigger nausea symptoms. Psychological factors can trigger nausea as well. Some people experience nausea when severely stressed or as a reaction to disgust or fear.

Once the source of nausea has been identified, the nausea itself can be treated with antiemetic drugs. The most common of these are ondansetron, metoclopramide and promethazine. Medicinal marijuana has also been used successfully to reduce nausea symptoms in patients on chemotherapy and those who experience chronic nausea as a result of ongoing medical conditions.

Occasional or mild nausea usually is not something to worry about. When symptoms become severe, stop you from completing regular activities or coincide with other symptoms, it's time to seek medical help. Your nausea may be a sign of a more serious condition, or you may require drugs to manage your nausea and allow you to function normally once more.

Vomiting

Vomiting refers to the forceful expulsion of one's stomach contents up through the esophagus and out through the mouth or nose. In medical terminology, this is called emesis, and it commonly follows or coincides with nausea, diarrhea, and stomach upset. Vomiting can become serious when it leads to dehydration or prevents the patient from being able to keep food down. It also frequently coincides with serious infections, such as food poisoning, gastroenteritis, or urinary tract infections (bladder infections). It can also happen as a result of some neurological conditions.

The biological mechanics behind vomiting are fairly complex. First, the brain transmits signals to the salivatory glands, whose purpose is to lubricate the esophagus and protect the tooth enamel. This can be felt as a feeling of pressure behind the ears and usually coincides with nausea. A series of muscle contractions beginning in the small intestine then works to expel food upward through the stomach and past the esophogeal sphincter.

The contents and appearance of the patient's vomit can hint at what underlying medical conditions may be present. For example, the presence of fresh or digested blood in the vomitus can signal the presence of inflammation or injury in the digestive tract; the presence of fecal matter in the vomitus is a sign of intestinal obstruction.

The body has designed vomiting as a method for removing dangerous substances, such as poison, from the body. This is why vomiting frequently occurs with food poisoning or the over-consumption of alcohol, and in these cases it can be very helpful to prevent further harm from occurring. Unfortunately, it does not always work as intended. It may occur when there are no harmful substances to expel, or it may become excessive. In these cases, vomiting will cause more problems than it solves.

Vomiting will usually occur either as a response to gastrointestinal problems, such as bowel disease, or neurological issues, like migraines or brain tumors. Metabolic disturbances like hypoglycemia, uremia, hypercalcemia and adrenal insufficiency will all cause vomiting as well.

Regardless of the cause of vomiting, treatment options are usually similar: Suppress the vomiting with the use of medications, administer fluids to prevent dehydration, and treat the underlying cause. A doctor can identify and administer the appropriate treatment once the cause is discovered and prevent more serious complications from arising.