Causes of nausea

It is a feeling of discomfort in the upper stomach, with, more often than not, an urge to vomit. Nausea itself is not a condition or an illness, rather a symptom for various other conditions.

Sometimes, one needs to vomit. Vomiting means emptying the stomach by a strong gag that leads to throwing up. The stomach's contents are vigorously forced out through the mouth. Vomiting can come in waves as the peristalses is reversed, and unintentional contractions in the walls of one’s stomach and esophagus expel the stomach contents .

At times, nausea can cause retching, which is, in fact, vomiting but without anything coming out of the stomach.

Treatment

Most typically, the cause, or, the condition of which the nausea is a symptom, needs to be determined first. By treating the cause, the nausea goes away, together with other symptoms of the specific disease one might have had. The conditions which may cause nausea are numerous. The most serious conditions that might cause nausea are tumors, meningitis, appendicitis, etc.

There is also the risk of dehydration, so one’s doctor might give the patient certain fluids. If one is unable to keep them down, the doctor will star an IV, which is a more common way of dealing with this problem. The signs of dehydration are dry lips and mouth, sunken eyes, and rapid breathing or pulse. It is less common in adults, while they can notice the symptoms themselves. When it comes to children, an adult must take good care and look out for these signs.

Causes of nausea

Nausea may be triggered by different types of motion sickness (most usually car- and seasickness).

Also, during the early stages of pregnancy, many women experience nausea accompanied by a strong urge to vomit. However, persistent vomiting may lead to a serious condition called hyperemesis gravidarum where the mother may develop fluid and mineral imbalances that can jeopardize her life or that of the fetus.

Stress and pain have been known to cause nausea. By relieving the pain or the stress sensation, the nausea usually goes away.

Overeating. If the stomach is full and is unable to digest the food, it will often try to expel the excess by compelling one to vomit.

Food poisoning. This is where the nausea acts to expel the toxins that may be harmful to one’s body. Usually, if nausea appears soon after a meal, it indicates food poisoning. However, it may also indicate ulcers, and bulimia or gastritis.

Bulimia is a serious medical condition, which should be treated as soon as possible.

Some of the most severe conditions that cause nausea include gallbladder disease, some types of tumors, heart disease, concussion, some forms of cancer, ulcers, etc.

With children, the typical causes are food poisoning, motion sickness, overeating, milk allergy, or illnesses in which a high fever is also present.

If one feels nauseous, one should consult a doctor as soon as possible, so the actual cause may be determined and treated in due course. Also, if the nausea is combined with diarrhea, neck-stiffness, grave abdominal pain; if it lasts for more than one day, etc.