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Nausea and Vomiting—Adult

Pronounced: nah-zhuh and vah-meh-ting

by Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg, MA

Definition

Nausea is that uneasy feeling in the stomach that may make a person want to vomit. Vomiting is the act of throwing up stomach contents through the mouth.

Causes

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms caused by a condition or disease. Many illnesses can cause nausea and vomiting. Examples include:

Motion sickness
Viral infections such as the flu
Food poisoning

Serious conditions that can cause nausea and vomiting include:

Heart attack
Kidney or liver disorders
Nervous system disorders
Cancer, including brain tumors
Concussion
Brain disorders
Appendicitis —inflammation of the appendix
Migraine headache
Intestinal obstruction

Other causes include:

Overeating
Emotional stress
Pregnancy
Chemo- or radiation therapy
General anesthesia
Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa
Balance disorders such as vertigo

Risk Factors

Having a condition or disease that can cause nausea or vomiting is a risk factor.

Symptoms

In some cases, you may have other symptoms in addition to nausea and vomiting.

If you have any of these symptoms, call for medical help right away:

Blood in the vomit
Chest pain
Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
Severe headache
Stiff neck
Feeling very tired
Confusion
Not feeling alert
Severe abdominal pain or chest pain
Fever over 101°F (38°C)
Severe diarrhea
Rapid breathing or heartbeat

Diagnosis

You will be asked the following questions:

How long have you felt nauseous?
How long has the vomiting occurred?
Does the vomiting happen near mealtime?
Are you taking any medications?
Have you traveled recently?
Have you had any injuries to your head?
Have you lost any weight?
How often have you been urinating? Vomiting may cause dehydration and low urine output.

A physical exam will be done.

Your bodily fluids may be tested. This can be done with:

Blood tests
Pregnancy test in women

Images may be taken of your bodily structures. This can be done with:

Abdominal Ultrasound

The doctor uses a hand-held instrument called a transducer, which uses sound waves to make images of your abdomen.

Treatment

In some cases, you may be able to manage nausea and vomiting at home.

Strategies to Control Nausea

Drink clear liquids such as water, juice, or broth.
Eat light foods that do not further upset your stomach.
Eat and drink slowly.
Eat smaller meals.
Eat more often.
Rest after eating.
Eat foods from all the food groups as much as you are able. This will ensure that you get proper nutrition.

Strategies to Control Vomiting

Rest when you need to.
Slowly build your way up to drinking larger amounts of clear liquids such as water, juice, or broth.
Do not eat solid foods until vomiting has passed.
Do not stop taking your medications unless advised by your doctor.

Vomiting may cause you to become dehydrated. You may need to drink an oral rehydrating solution (ORS) if vomiting makes it difficult for you to stay properly hydrated.

There may be times when symptoms will need to be treated by your doctor. This may be the case if nausea and vomiting are caused by surgery, cancer therapy, pregnancy, or motion sickness. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medications to relieve the symptoms.

Prevention

To help reduce your chances of nausea or vomiting:

Eat small meals throughout the day.
Eat slowly.
Rest after eating.
Drink liquids between meals, instead of during meals.
Always wash your hands before eating, and after using the bathroom and coming into contact with people who are sick.
Make sure you properly handle food.

RESOURCES:

Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
https://familydoctor.org

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders
https://www.niddk.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
https://www.cag-acg.org

Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
http://www.cdhf.ca

References:

Kuver R, Sheffield JV, McDonald GB. Nausea and vomiting. Division of Gastroenterology University of Washington website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed December 15, 2017.

Nausea and vomiting. American College of Gastroenterology website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed December 15, 2017.

Nausea and vomiting. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/symptom/nausea-and-vomiting. Accessed December 15, 2017.

Nausea and vomiting in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed... . Updated September 13, 2017. Accessed December 15, 2017.

Last reviewed November 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Marcie L. Sidman, MD
Last Updated: 12/15/2017

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