Nausea or Vomiting

About the Symptom

Nausea is the sensation of an urge to vomit. Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying ("throwing up") of stomach contents through the mouth.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Seizure attack
• Jaundice
• Edema
• Recent weight loss
• Unexplained weight loss of 5% or more in 1 month
• Vomiting of blood
• Melena (black stools)

Possible Causes

Generally, Nausea or vomiting can be related to:

• Hyperemesis Gravidarum

  A severe form of morning sickness, where patients have significant vomiting and are typically unable to keep much food or fluids down. They can lose weight and become very dehydrated. The exact cause is unclear, but it's thought to be related to levels of pregnancy hormones (β-hCG and estrogen). Early treatment of morning sickness can help prevent progression to this severe form. There is typically no harm to the developing baby from this condition, but it is important to maintain normal hydration and weight in the mom.

• Psychogenic Vomiting

  A condition where vomiting is caused by psychological distress rather than infection or medications. Treatment of the underlying stressor or psychiatric illness is necessary.

• Morning Sickness

  Morning sickness, also known as nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is a common condition. It can occur throughout the day despite its name. For most women, it can start from before 9 weeks in pregnancy and typically resolves at the end of the first trimester (14 weeks). For some women, it can continue further and in few cases persist throughout the pregnancy.

• Pyloric Stenosis
• Galactorrhea

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Nausea or vomiting may be related to these serious diseases:

• Cyclic Vomiting

  A condition with repeated and severe vomiting. Patients may become very unwell due to dehydration and starvation. The exact cause is unknown, but known triggers include emotional stress, anxiety, or viral illnesses.

• Cerebellar Hemorrhage / Infarction
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• Alcohol Poisoning
• Intussusception

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Are you feeling nauseous or have you been vomiting?
• How long have you had nausea and/or vomiting this time?
• How severe is the nausea and/or vomiting?
• How has the nausea and/or vomiting changed since it started?
• Do you intentionally induce vomiting?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Lacy BE, Parkman HP, Camilleri M. Chronic nausea and vomiting: evaluation and treatment. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018 May;113(5):647-659. doi: 10.1038/s41395-018-0039-2. Epub 2018 Mar 15. PMID: 29545633.

  https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Abstract/2018/05000/Chronic_nausea_and_vomiting__evaluation_and.8.aspx

• Adel N. Overview of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and evidence-based therapies. Am J Manag Care. 2017 Sep;23(14 Suppl):S259-S265. PMID: 28978206.

  https://www.ajmc.com/view/overview-of-chemotherapy-induced-nausea-and-vomiting-and-evidence-based-therapies-article

• Bustos M, Venkataramanan R, Caritis S. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy - What's new? Auton Neurosci. 2017 Jan;202:62-72. doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.05.002. Epub 2016 May 13. PMID: 27209471; PMCID: PMC5107351.

  https://www.autonomicneuroscience.com/article/S1566-0702(16)30048-0/fulltext

• Wickham RJ. Revisiting the physiology of nausea and vomiting-challenging the paradigm. Support Care Cancer. 2020 Jan;28(1):13-21. doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-05012-8. Epub 2019 Aug 6. PMID: 31388745.

  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-019-05012-8

• Feeling sick (nausea)

  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/feeling-sick-nausea/