Vomiting is when you throw up what is in your stomach. Nausea is when you feel like you're going to throw up.
Causes
Common causes of nausea and vomiting are:
Viruses in the intestines (you can
get diarrhea, too)
Morning sickness in pregnant women
Some medications
Spoiled food
Eating or drinking too much
Some medical conditions cause vomiting, too. These include:
Vertigo from an inner ear problem
Migraine headaches
Appendicitis
Brain tumors
Acute glaucoma (see Glaucoma)
Stomach ulcers (see Peptic
Ulcers)
Hepatitis - inflammation of the liver
Meningitis - inflammation of membranes that
cover the brain and spinal cord
Do you have any of these problems along with the vomiting? Stiff neck, fever, and headache Black or bloody vomit Very bad pain in and around one eye Blurry eyesight A head injury that happened a short time ago |
 |
| Dehydration is when your body loses too much water. Do you have
any of these signs of dehydration? Feeling confused Very little or no urine Sunken eyes Dry skin that doesn't spring back after
being pinched |
|
| Do you have these symptoms with the vomiting? Fever and shaking chills Pain in one or both sides of your lower back |
|
| Do you have very bad stomach pain? Does it last for more than 2
hours? Does it keep hurting even after throw up? |
 |
| Do the whites of your eyes or does your skin look yellow? |
|
| Do you have any of these problems? Burning or stinging feeling when
you pass urine Passing urine a lot more often than usual Bloody or cloudy urine Pain in your abdomen or over your bladder |
|
| Do you have ear pain or a feeling of fullness in your ear? |
 |
| In a baby or small child, has the vomiting lasted 2 to 6 hours?
For others, has the vomiting lasted more than 12 hours without getting better? |
|
| Do you have a blind spot, loss of part of your visual field, or do
you see sparkling lights? |
|
| Are you throwing up medicine that is necessary for you to take?
(Birth control pills and high blood pressure pills are examples.) |
|
For Vomiting:
Don't eat solid foods. Don't drink milk.
Drink clear liquids (water, sport drinks,
such as Gatorade, flat cola, and ginger ale, etc...). Take small sips. Drink only 1 to 2
ounces at a time. Stir any carbonated beverages to get all the bubbles out before sipping
them. Suck on ice chips if nothing else will go down. {Note: For
children, contact your child's health care provider about using over-the-counter products
such as Pedialyte and Revital Ice-rehydrating freezer pops.}
Gradually return to regular diet, but wait
about 8 hours from the last time you vomited. Eat foods as tolerated. Avoid greasy or
fatty foods.
Don't smoke, drink alcohol or take aspirin.
For Nausea Without Vomiting:
Drink clear liquids. Eat small amounts of
dry foods, such as soda crackers (if tolerated).
Avoid things that irritate the stomach,
such as alcohol and aspirin.
For motion sickness, use an
over-the-counter anti-nausea medicine, such as Dramamine. Follow package directions.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/20/99