Definition, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Definition
What is vomiting?
Vomiting is the body’s reflex to expel all or part of the stomach contents by force through the mouth. This reflex is usually uncontrollable and occurs some time after you experience nausea.
When you experience nausea, you may feel weak and sweaty. The production of saliva will increase drastically. This is a sign that your body is preparing to remove food that is in the stomach.
Vomiting is actually the body’s reaction to protect itself. This condition is not dangerous if the cause is mild, for example motion sickness, increased hormones during pregnancy, and so on.
Reflex vomiting is also often experienced by migraine sufferers or a side effect of chemotherapy treatment. Cases like this can be overcome by avoiding various factors that trigger nausea.
However, forced emptying of stomach contents can also be caused by disorders of the digestive system. The two most common causes of this condition are stomach flu and food poisoning.
Like an upset stomach or flatulence, vomiting can signal a number of digestive upsets. To determine the cause, you can consult a doctor and undergo further tests.
Symptoms
What are the symptoms that appear when someone wants to vomit?
Vomiting is not a disease, but a body reaction or symptoms that can indicate certain health problems. Vomiting associated with health problems does not usually just happen, but appears with symptoms such as:
- nausea,
- stomach ache,
- Loose stools (diarrhea),
- fever,
- bloated,
- beetle,
- dizziness or vertigo,
- heart rate increases,
- sweating a lot,
- dry mouth, and
- urinating less frequently.
There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a certain symptom, consult your doctor.
When should I see a doctor?
The discharge of the stomach contents may indicate another health problem, especially if the complaint lasts for a long time. You should contact your doctor if you experience a collection of symptoms such as:
- chest pain,
- severe stomach pain or cramps,
- blurred vision,
- fainting or confusion,
- shivering and looking pale,
- a fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius,
- stiff neck,
- vomit smelling feces,
- gushed vomit
- vomits blood, or
- vomit appears blackish in color.
The various symptoms above can signal not only digestive problems, but also diseases of other systems. Immediately visit the doctor for further tests. This step will help reveal the contributing factors.
Cause
What causes vomiting?
There are a number of conditions that can provoke the body’s reflexes to excrete stomach contents, ranging from digestive problems to brain signal disorders, to certain medications. Here are a few of them.
1. Problems in the digestive tract
Vomiting is most often caused by acute gastritis or esophagitis. Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach, whereas esophagitis is inflammation of the wall of the esophagus.
Here are various medical conditions that can be the cause.
Gastric infection
Infection of the stomach wall can cause irritation or even wound formation. The causative agent for infection is usually bacteria Helicobacter pylori or viruses such as rotavirus and norovirus.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is another term for the stomach flu. This disease begins with a viral or bacterial infection, then develops into inflammation of the stomach or intestines. Gastrointestinal disorders eventually result in nausea and vomiting.
Food poisoning
Food poisoning occurs when you eat food contaminated with salmonella bacteria, E. coli, S. aureus, and its kind. Vomiting is the digestive system’s mechanism of removing harmful bacteria from your body.
Gastric ulcer disease
Gastric ulcer is a condition when there is a wound on the stomach wall. Sores can inhibit the digestion of food in the stomach and cause symptoms of abdominal pain, burning, and vomiting, which has been known as ulcers.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
GERD is the increase in stomach acid back into the esophagus. Stomach acid sometimes not only moves upward, it can also force its way out of your mouth in the form of vomit.
Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the movement of the stomach muscles. The work of the digestive system of people who have gastroparesis can slow down or stop working altogether. The main symptoms are stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.
Gallbladder disease
Gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder, and other disorders of the bile system can affect the secretion of stomach acid. Sometimes, the production of stomach acid becomes so excessive that your body vomits it up.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a disease of the liver caused by a viral infection. This disease causes symptoms in the form of abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, yellowish looking skin, and nausea which is often accompanied by vomiting.
2. Pregnancy
Vomiting during pregnancy (morning sickness) are usually caused by hormonal changes in the bloodstream. Most women experience moderate symptoms morning sickness during the first trimester.
Symptoms of morning sickness usually goes away by the fourth month. In rare cases, pregnant women may experience severe vomiting, dehydration, and weight loss, which are symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum.
3. Neurological causes
Vomiting can also be caused by neurological factors, which means it is related to the nervous system. Here are a number of conditions that often trigger it.
- Headaches, especially migraines due to the mechanism associated with nausea and vomiting.
- Diseases of the inner ear, such as labyrinthitis, vertigo, or Meniere’s disease.
- Increased pressure on the inside of the head, which affects the part of the brain that regulates the vomiting mechanism.
- Smells, sounds, and trauma that triggers nausea or vomiting reactions.
- Heat-related disorders, such as exposure to excessive heat or dehydration.
4. Diabetes
Diabetics are more susceptible to nerve damage. If damage occurs to the nerves that regulate gastric movement, it can cause gastroparesis. As a result, the stomach cannot empty completely and vomiting appears.
5. Drug side effects
The consumption of non-steroidal pain relievers and chemotherapy drugs has a number of side effects, one of which is irritation of the stomach lining. This in turn can cause symptoms in the form of stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
6. Car sickness
During the trip, your eyes see a tree or a moving road, but your body gets a different signal because it is still in a stationary position. This is considered a danger, and the body responds by emptying the stomach.
Diagnosis
How is vomiting diagnosed?
If it is possible that vomiting is caused by certain health problems, the doctor will make a diagnosis from a physical exam and follow-up tests. Your doctor may also check a sample of your vomit if deemed necessary.
Drugs & Medicines
How to treat vomiting?
Digestive diseases such as food poisoning and vomiting can cause symptoms of nausea and vomiting. To treat these symptoms, your doctor may prescribe the following anti-nausea medications.
1. Emetrol
Emetrol (phosphoric acid) is commonly used as a medicine to treat nausea due to gastrointestinal infections, such as poisoning and vomiting, or due to overeating.
Emetrol should not be taken more than five doses in one hour without a doctor’s recommendation. Also ask your doctor about the use of drugs if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, or if you want to give them to young children.
2. Bismuth subsalicylate
Bismuth subsalicylate is a medication that can relieve nausea and stomach pain. Pregnant or nursing women should consult their doctor before using this nausea medicine.
The reason is, the properties of salicylates contained in bismuth subsalicylate are similar to aspirin which can harm the fetus and baby. People who are allergic to aspirin or related drugs should also not use bismuth subsalicylate.
Only take medication with your doctor’s permission if you are being prescribed anticoagulant drugs (blood thinners), have diabetes, or have a history of gout.
3. Other drugs
Antibiotics can be given to treat vomiting due to bacterial infection. In addition, the antacid drug, histamine-2 (H2) blockers, and proton pump inhibitor (PPIs) such as omeprazole help reduce symptoms of mild gastritis.
Prevention
What are some of the home remedies that help with vomiting?
Here are some ways to deal with vomiting at home.
1. Drink water
Drinking water may not stop vomiting, but it can help relieve stomach and mouth discomfort. Adequate water intake also prevents you from lack of fluids due to repeated vomiting.
2. Eating ginger
Ginger has long been believed to relieve nausea. To get its benefits for the digestive system, you can mix these natural herbs into your cooking ingredients and tea dishes.
3. Drink tea peppermint
The content of menthol and methyl salicylate in peppermint can have a calming effect on the stomach muscles and the entire digestive tract. Both of these substances also help increase the flow of bile.
You can consume peppermint in the form of finished tea or make your own. However, you are not advised to consume this material if you have acid reflux disease.
4. Salty crackers
Salty crackers or saltine crackers is a salty biscuit that is rich in carbohydrates. The carbohydrate content in these crackers can help absorb excess acid in the digestive tract that may be a trigger for nausea.
Nausea and vomiting also often make a person lose their appetite. Eating slow crackers in small portions can protect you from lack of energy when you feel nauseous.
Vomiting is basically the body’s mechanism to protect itself from chemicals, toxins, harmful microbes, and so on in the stomach. However, this condition can also signal a disturbance in the digestive system.
Occasional vomiting is normal. Conditions that you should not ignore are vomiting repeatedly, prolonged, or accompanied by symptoms in the digestive system. Consult your doctor to find out the causes and how to overcome them.
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