Complications caused by vomiting

Causes for Vomiting

Vomiting, in general, is a process of expelling the contents of your stomach orally. This may happen for numerous reasons. Many people rightly associate it with excessive alcohol indulgence. However, stomach poisoning, numerous infections and even tumors may stand behind this highly unpleasant action. Some people tend to vomit while traveling or after being stressed or disgusted by some smells or sights. Truly, the reasons are many. Unfortunately, the negative effects of this action are many as well.

Vomiting Process

Vomiting process consists of two parts. The first one is mostly connected to an action of one's stomach he or she often perceives as hiccups. However this is not the case. Rather, stomach contractions are engaged in order to trigger the second phase. The second phase includes the expelling of the gastric contents themselves. Nausea is the most common sensation before the whole process takes place.

Risks Connected with Vomiting

First of all, there is a risk of choking. Namely, while vomiting, some parts of the expelled substances may get trapped in one's respiratory tract disabling his or her breathing process and causing potential life risks. Our organism usually fights these risks off through coughing or similar actions. Nevertheless, sometimes we cannot expel the gastric content and may be in risk of suffocating.

Terrible thing about vomiting is that we expel all the nutritive substances, including serious amounts of water during the process. This leads to dehydration as well as many other nutritive deficiencies which are possibly life-threatening. In such cases, our other organs start compensating for the lost substances. However, if the vomiting continues, it may lead our organism to exhaustion, having lethal outcomes.

Persistent and frequent vomiting may have other side effects as well. Small tears may be created introducing blood in the vomit itself. Also, acids from vomit may damage our teeth and lead to their decay.

Brain Stimulation

There are receptors in brain which, when stimulated, may cause vomiting. This stimulation may come either from some drugs and substances or from the organism itself, in case of poisoning, infections or similar situations. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and similar procedures are known to trigger these brain receptors, thus causing vomiting. Stress, excessive mental straining or shocks may also produce the same effect.

Useful Even Though Unfortunate

Finally, how ever unpleasant the vomiting process may be, doctors are able to analyze the expelled substance in order to pinpoint the underlying condition causing it. Color, smell and contents are all of great importance, when it comes to this analysis since different conditions cause different types and characteristics of vomit.