Nausea is the feeling of wanting to vomit, or throw up. Many people describe nausea as “feeling queasy” or “sick to my stomach.”
Causes of Nausea
Nausea has many causes, including:
- Motion sickness – Being seasick or carsick
- Early stages of pregnancy
- Intense pain in any part of the body
- Emotional stress, fear, and anxiety
- Infection caused by a virus or bacteria, such as stomach flu
- Overeating, or eating certain combinations of food
- Food poisoning
- Appendicitis
- Heart attack
- Concussion or brain injury
- Alcohol poisoning
- Ingesting a toxic substance
Most nausea goes away when the cause is cleared up. Ongoing or recurring nausea could be a symptom of:
- Gall bladder disease
- Brain tumor
- Some forms of cancer
- Ulcers
Treatment for Nausea and Vomiting
If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, rest and try to stay hydrated. You may be able to prevent vomiting by taking slow, deep breaths.
Drink small quantities of liquids at intervals. If you can’t keep anything down, suck on chips of ice.
If you don’t have an appetite, don’t eat. Try several small meals through the day.
Avoid fatty foods, ice cream, spices, and foods that are very hot or very cold. Start with a bland diet.
See a doctor if:
- Vomiting continues for longer than 2 or 3 days, or severe vomiting for longer than 1 day.
- Vomiting is accompanied by severe diarrhea.
- You have severe chest pain or abdominal pain.
- Vomiting is accompanied by a fever over 101 degrees.
- There is blood in your vomit.
- Nausea is accompanied by symptoms such as a severe headache, shortness of breath, stiff neck, blurred vision, fainting, or confusion.
- You have signs of dehydration and haven’t been able to keep anything down in over 12 hours (8 hours for a child), or you have been vomiting for more than 2 days (24 hours for children under 2, and 12 hours for infants).
- You are elderly.
Treatment for nausea and vomiting is available at Urgent Family Care in Knoxville, Tennessee without an appointment. Don’t hesitate to come in if you are worried because you or your child is vomiting.
Alcohol Poisoning
Vomiting after drinking is a sign of alcohol poisoning. A person who has vomited should not consume any more alcohol. If a drinking companion is vomiting profusely, bring them to an urgent care center or emergency room right away.
Other symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
- Pale skin
- Irregular breathing
- Hypothermia
- Loss of consciousness
Try to keep the person awake. Offer water, not coffee. If the person is conscious and awake, try to get them to eat something with carbohydrates. Never leave the person alone to “sleep it off”. Watch over them. Place the person on their side to prevent them from choking on their vomit.
Evaluation and treatment for alcohol poisoning is available at Urgent Family Care in Knoxville,TN.