WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What is acute nausea and vomiting? Acute nausea and vomiting starts suddenly, gets worse quickly, and lasts a short time. What other signs and symptoms may I have? You may have any of the following, depending on the cause: - Swelling, pain, tenderness, or a lump in your abdomen
- Splashing sounds heard with stomach movement
- Headache or confusion
- Increased eye pressure and swelling, or problems with your eyesight
- Diarrhea or blood in your bowel movements
- Muscle pain, neck stiffness, or uncontrolled movements
- Fast and unusual eye movements
- Slow heartbeat or dizziness
- Vertigo (inner ear problem causing dizziness) or hearing loss
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
What causes acute nausea and vomiting? Food poisoning, viral gastroenteritis, and certain medicines are the most common causes of nausea and vomiting. Viral gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and intestines caused by a virus. Other common causes of nausea and vomiting include the following: - Large amounts of alcohol
- Too much medicine or stopping a regular medicine too quickly
- Early stages of pregnancy
- Liver or pancreas inflammation (swelling)
- Infection in the stomach, intestines, or other organs in the abdomen
- Trauma to the head
- Anxiety
- Gastroparesis (a condition that prevents your stomach from emptying properly)
- Metabolic disorders, such as uremia or adrenal insufficiency
What causes acute nausea and vomiting with stomach pain? - Inflammation of the appendix, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, or other organs
- Gallstones
- Bacteria or a parasite in the digestive system
- Heart attack
- Stomach ulcers
- Bowel blockage or twisting
- Injury
What causes acute nausea and vomiting with other signs and symptoms? You may be sweating and have pale skin, problems with digestion, and more saliva than usual. These signs and symptoms may be caused by the following: - Problems in the autonomic nervous system, which controls body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and stomach fluid
- Increased pressure or bleeding in the brain
- Swelling of the tissue covering the brain
- Migraine or seizures
- Inner ear disorders, which cause problems with balance
What should I tell my healthcare provider about my nausea and vomiting? Tell your healthcare provider when you last had nausea and vomiting and how long it continued. Tell him if it happened before, during, or after a meal. Tell him what and how much you ate. He will ask about other signs and symptoms that appear with your nausea and vomiting and if you have recently lost weight. Tell him if you have had gallstones or stomach surgery in the past. Tell him how much you vomited and if it came out very fast and forceful. He will also need to know if the vomit smelled like bowel movement, had blood in it or was bright yellow, or if there were pieces of food in it. How may acute nausea and vomiting be treated? The first goal of treatment for nausea and vomiting is to raise the level of your body fluids back to normal. Treatment also depends on the cause of the nausea and vomiting. If there is a medical condition causing your nausea and vomiting, it will also be treated. Treatment is also aimed at stopping or preventing your signs and symptoms. You may need one or more of the following treatments: - Medicines:
- Antianxiety medicines may be given to help you feel more relaxed. These medicines may also be used if motion sickness medicine does not stop your nausea and vomiting.
- Antiemetics may be given to calm your stomach and stop your vomiting. It is also given to stop you from vomiting after surgery or after taking cancer medicine.
- Motion sickness medicine is used to stop nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness.
- Gastrointestinal stimulants are used to help empty your stomach and bowels, which helps decrease your nausea and vomiting.
- Treatments and procedures:
- Gastric pacing is used when your stomach or intestines stop working. Wires are placed inside your stomach. Electrical stimulation using the wires causes your stomach and intestines to work as they should. The device is used just before meals and is continued for hours after to decrease your symptoms.
- Intravenous (IV) fluids replace the lost fluids and electrolytes through a tube in your vein. This is given to people who cannot drink liquids.
- Nasogastric (NG) tube: An NG tube is put into your nose, and passes down your throat until it reaches your stomach. Food and medicine may be given through an NG tube if you cannot take anything by mouth. The tube may instead be attached to suction if caregivers need to keep your stomach empty.
What can I do to prevent or treat acute nausea and vomiting? - Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol may upset or irritate your stomach. Too much alcohol can also cause acute nausea and vomiting.
- Control stress. Headaches due to stress may cause nausea and vomiting. Find ways to relax and manage your stress. Get more rest and sleep.
- Drink more liquids. You can replace lost body fluids by drinking plenty of liquids. You may also drink an oral rehydration solution (ORS). An ORS has the right amounts of water, salts, and sugar you need to replace the lost body fluids. Ask your healthcare provider for more information about ORS.
- Eat smaller meals, more often. Eat small amounts of food every 2 to 3 hours, even if you are not hungry. Food in your stomach may decrease your nausea.
- Ask about over-the-counter medicines. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are available without a prescription. These medicines are safe for most people and can help you feel better when used correctly. They can cause serious problems if you use certain other medicines, or you have a medical condition. You may have problems if you use too much or use them for longer than the label says. Follow directions on the label carefully. Ask your healthcare provider before you take any over-the-counter medicines.
When should I seek immediate care? - You see blood in your vomit or your bowel movements.
- You have sudden, severe pain in your chest and upper abdomen after hard vomiting or retching.
- You have swelling in your neck and chest.
- You are dizzy, cold, and thirsty, and your eyes and mouth are dry.
- You are urinating very little or not at all.
- You have muscle weakness, leg cramps, and trouble breathing.
- Your heart is beating much faster than normal.
- You feel pain at the back of your neck, find it hard to think or speak clearly, or have facial twitching.
- You continue to vomit for over 48 hours.
When should I contact my healthcare provider? - You have frequent dry heaves (vomiting but nothing comes out).
- Your nausea and vomiting does not get better or go away after you use medicine.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
|