Is The Sensation I am Feeling in My Stomach Nausea?

Do you have an upset stomach at times? Does it feel like you are going to lose your lunch? If so, you may be experiencing nausea. Nausea is the feeling you get in your stomach right before you throw up. It is a very common symptom that is present in a variety of conditions. Nausea can be a physical cause or a mental cause. Sometimes it is difficult to determine what is causing your nausea.

Who is at Risk for Nausea & Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are the symptoms of many illnesses. A lot of people will be at risk to develop nausea and vomiting especially if they:

• Are pregnant (morning sickness)
• Suffer from migraine headaches
• Just had surgery. The nausea is usually caused by the anesthesia they were given to be asleep during the surgery. Nausea subsides after the anesthesia wears off.
• Have motion sickness
• Have problems with their thyroid
• Have problems with their inner ear
• Have too much pressure in their brain
• Are sick with the stomach flu
• Have an infection such as a bladder infection or an ear infection
• Take medications that cause a side effect of nausea and vomiting

What will My Doctor Ask Me?

Your doctor will ask you about your nausea and questions that go along with it, such as:

• When did your nausea first start?
• How long does your nausea last?
• Have you vomited after having nausea?
• If you did vomit, how many times did you vomit and how much was expelled each time?
• What color was the vomit?
• Was there any blood in your vomit?
• Was there any blood in your vomit?
• What time of the day do you get nauseated?
• Do you get nauseated before or after you eat?
• What type of medications do you take on a daily basis?
• If you are female, could you be pregnant?
• Do you have a pain in your stomach before you vomit? Is the pain relieved after you omit?
• Do you have nausea and vomiting with a fever?
• Is anyone currently sick in your family or household?

How Do I Treat My Nausea?

Since nausea can be a symptom of so many illnesses, doctors have to determine what is causing the nausea you are experiencing by eliminating causes based on a few tests and other methods.

Tests

Your doctor may want to draw your blood to see if any of your electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, sodium) are out of the range they should be. They will most likely perform a pregnancy test on a female of child-bearing age. They may also check your blood count to see if you have an infection. They may also check your drug or alcohol levels as needed.

Treatment

Most episodes of nausea will resolve on their own. Usually, your nausea is due to a stomach bug, motion sickness, or food poisoning. The primary treatment for nausea and vomiting is hydration. If you have been nauseated and vomited, you are losing the fluid in your body and could become dehydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to make up for the fluid you are losing by vomiting.

Ways to Treat Nausea & Vomiting without Taking Medications

• Eat a liquid diet (soup, jello, broth)
• Avoid milk and other dairy products
• Stop eating solid foods (steak, chicken, pasta)
• Start drinking fluids slowly and in small amounts; start with sips first
• Gradually increase water intake to eight ounces hourly
• Give Pedialyte to children; Gatorade to adults as they contain sugar and salt that is lost in vomit
• Resume a regular diet as soon as you can tolerate it (usually four to six hours after your nausea and vomiting stops)

Medications to Take to Stop Nausea & Vomiting

• Emetrol
• Dramamine
• Zofran
• Phenergan
• Scopolamine

Emetrol and Dramamine are both over-the-counter (OTC) medications. You can take these medications per the package directions.

Zofran and Phenergan are to prevent nausea and vomiting from occurring. They are by prescription only.

Scopolamine is a medicine used to prevent motion sickness which in turn prevents nausea and vomiting. It is also by prescription only.

What do I Need to Know about Nausea & Vomiting? – Patient Education

• The most important thing is to stay hydrated. If you lose too much of your body fluid, you will start to feel tired and show signs of dehydration such as: decreased urine production, dry mouth, constipation, confusion, sunken eyes, headache, and dry skin
• Infants and the elderly can become dehydrated very quickly. It is critical to watch for signs of dehydration in both these age groups. You will know if a baby is dehydrated if there are no tears when they cry and if they have no or very little wet diapers
• Ginger is a natural substance that can help prevent nausea and vomiting from occurring. There are ginger lozenges as well as ginger gum that work well. You can drink ginger ale to cure nausea or to soothe an upset stomach.
• If you get seasick or get nauseated from a rocking boat, stand up and look at the horizon. It will keep you oriented and balanced, and the nausea will subside.
• If nausea is caused by nerves or worrying, find a task to distract yourself. It works well for a large amount of people.

Emergency Warning Signs/When to Follow Up

If nausea is combined with other symptoms, there may be more going on that needs further evaluation. You should go to the doctor immediately if:

• You cannot keep any foods or liquids down over the last one to two days
• You have nausea with a high fever and a stiff neck
• You noticed blood in your vomit
• You are not producing any urine
• You have blurred vision and a headache along with the nausea
• You have nausea and the worst headache of your life