Vomiting & Nausea — AIPM HealthyLife®

Signs & Symptoms

Vomiting is the forcible emptying (“throwing up”) of your stomach contents. When you vomit, your stomach muscles contract, which forces the contents of the stomach up through your esophagus and out your mouth. Dry heaves may precede or follow vomiting.

Nausea is the uncomfortable feeling you get in the back of your throat or the uneasiness in your stomach when you feel like you are going to throw up.

Prevention

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before you prepare food, eat, and after you use the toilet.
Eat well, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest to keep your immune system strong.

Causes

Eating spoiled food
Infections in the intestines
Drinking too much alcohol
A side effect of some medications
Motion sickness. Morning sickness in pregnant females.
Labyrinthitis. This is inflammation of an area in the ear. Often, a respiratory infection causes this.
Migraine headaches
Acute glaucoma
Stomach ulcers
A blockage in the intestines
A concussion from a head injury
Hepatitis
Meningitis. This is inflammation of membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Triage Questions

Question 1

With vomiting, do you have any of these problems?

Any heart attack warning signs
One or more symptoms of meningitis
Vomit red blood or material that looks like coffee grounds

Self-Care / Prevention

Vomiting

Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or take aspirin.
Don’t eat solid foods. Don’t drink milk.
Drink clear liquids at room temperature (not too hot or cold). Good examples are water; sport drinks, such as Gatorade; diluted fruit juices; ginger ale, etc. Take small sips. Drink only 1 to 2 ounces at a time. Stir carbonated beverages to get all the bubbles out before you sip them. Suck on ice chips if nothing else will stay down. {Note: For children, contact your child’s doctor about using over-the-counter (OTC) mixtures, such as Pedialyte.}