Nausea and vomiting are not illnesses in themselves, but are symptoms of other problems. Essentially, they are the part of the body’s defense mechanism designed to remove toxic substances before they cause any harm. There is a part of the brain called “the vomit center” that controls the act of being sick. If the vomit center senses a problem, it initiates the vomiting sequence (described below).
Nausea is often experienced as a distasteful sensation that occurs before vomiting and is characterized by an odd feeling in the stomach, cold sweats and excess salivation.
Vomiting is sudden, forceful expulsion of the contents of one’s stomach through the mouth. Symptoms normally subside between 6 and 24 hours and can be easily treated at home.
However, if symptoms persist for more than 24-48 hours or if there is an underlying medical condition or you are pregnant, you should seek medical advice.
If vomiting persists or if you are generally unwell (with fever, rash, diarrhea, headache, blood, abdominal pain or drowsiness for example) you should seek medical advice.
There are numerous causes of nausea and vomiting. These symptoms may be due to the following common ailments such as:
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Infections
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Overeating
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Stomach flu
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Food poisoning
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Pregnancy
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Stomach irritants (alcohol, smoking, recreational drugs, aspirin and ibuprofen, side effects from prescribed medication)
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
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Headaches and migraines
Also more severe conditions can cause vomiting and nausea such as:
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Inner ear problems
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Peptic ulcer disease
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Head injuries (see doctor immediately)
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Exposure to sounds, smells or witnessing disturbing events can trigger sickness
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Heat exhaustion, heatstroke
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Diabetes
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Digestive organ diseases (hepatitis, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, IBS, kidney diseases and cancer)
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Sepsis
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Bowel obstruction
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