Vomiting • What may be behind the symptom

“Puking”, “spitting”, “spitting”, “rowing”, “throwing up” – there are many different synonyms for vomiting. Experts call the jerky emptying of the stomach contents through the esophagus and mouth emesis or vomitus.

At a glance:

Home remedies for nausea: This soothes the queasy stomach

Natural defense reaction: nausea as a protective mechanism

Vomiting is a natural defense reaction of the body, which has to deal with spoiled food, an infection, incompatible medication, or excessive consumption of alcohol, for example.

However, vomiting is often a symptom of another disease. Nausea and nausea may or may not precede vomiting. Often times, people feel better after they vomit. The vomiting can be connected with other accompanying symptoms such as

If the vomiting occurs not only once but continues for a long time or if further symptoms occur, medical advice should be sought.

Vomiting is usually not subject to voluntary control. Only in the case of mental illnesses such as bulimia (eating-vomiting addiction), which is one of the eating disorders, do those affected consciously induce vomiting.

What complications can arise?

Vomiting is not dangerous at first, but it can lead to complications:

• The loss of the acidic stomach contents can lead to disruption of the acid-base and mineral balance in the body as a result of repeated vomiting. This particularly affects the potassium content of blood and tissues. Certain potassium concentrations in the body are the prerequisite for undisturbed heart activity. Severe persistent vomiting can therefore cause life-threatening cardiovascular disorders.

• Another long-term complication that can result from frequent vomiting are cracks in the lining of the esophagus (Mallory-Weiss syndrome), which can lead to dangerous bleeding.

• If vomit gets into the lungs via the airways (a so-called aspiration), the result is often severe inflammation.

• There is an acute danger to life through vomiting if unconscious. If the vomit gets into the respiratory tract, those affected threaten to suffocate within a very short time. Therefore, you should always bring unconscious people into the stable side position immediately so that vomit can drain out of the mouth and throat by itself. If you have a glove available, you may want to empty your mouth.

Special forms of vomiting

• Vomiting (Emesis gravidarum): In the first three months of pregnancy, nausea and vomiting are relatively often an expression of the physical and hormonal changes. However, if it is excessively violent, gynecological advice should be sought.

• Vomiting blood (Hematemesis): Most often it is bleeding from the upper part of the digestive system. If the blood is dark to black, it is usually blood from the stomach or duodenum. Because blood turns black when it comes into contact with stomach acid. If the blood is lighter, this is a sign that it may have come from the esophagus. In any case, if you vomit blood, you should immediately seek medical help or call 911.

• Breaking up manure (Miserere or Kopremesis): This is usually a sign of an untreated intestinal obstruction. In the case of vomiting, those affected urgently need to go to a clinic.

• Vomiting from Bile: There are many different causes for this. It could be signs of biliary colic, constipation, or improper nutrition. It is a sign that the food has already passed through the stomach and been in the duodenum.

If the child or toddler vomits

Toddlers and younger school children vomit much more often than older ones and adults too. With them, the interaction between the stomach and the vomiting center is still developing. This is why children can vomit after eating too cold, too hot, unfamiliar or fatty foods and drinks, as well as minor infections. Fever, excitement, and fear can also be triggers. Vomiting in children is usually harmless. However, if the child or infant keeps vomiting, if there are severe abdominal pain and other accompanying symptoms, or if the child appears apathetic, a doctor should be consulted.

Vomiting – these are the causes

Vomiting and nausea occur in numerous diseases. In most cases, however, it is the direct irritation of the gastrointestinal tract by viruses, bacteria or drugs that causes vomiting. Vomiting is a protective reflex of the body – after all, foreign bodies, but also pathogens or harmful food, can be quickly removed from the body in this way.

Possible causes of vomiting …

… in the gastrointestinal area:

… for disorders of the brain function:

… in the case of metabolic disorders or hormonal factors:

… when taking medication, drugs, poisons:

• Emetics (such as apomorphine)
• Anesthesia (e.g. during surgery)
• Different medications (antibiotics, cytostatics) – the side effect is usually listed in the package insert
• Poisoning with the heart drug digitalis
• Substance abuse (for example, alcohol, some hallucinogens, ecstasy)
• Radiation in cancer therapy
• Mushroom poisoning
• Heavy metal poisoning

… for mental and psychosomatic illnesses:

Vomiting can also be psychological, for example when you are disgusted (in front of smells, food or certain sights), in or after acute stressful situations, when you are excited, panic or very afraid.

This is the medical diagnosis of vomiting

If vomiting persists or is accompanied by symptoms such as severe upper abdominal pain and fever, a doctor should be consulted. Other existing or missing symptoms are taken into account in the diagnosis.

Medical help should be sought urgently if:

• vomiting continues for several days or is particularly violent.
• additional symptoms such as fever, diarrhea or headache occur
• the person concerned has previously been abroad
• the vomit is noticeably discolored (yellowish in the case of bile, bloody or black-brown in the case of feces)
• the vomiting was preceded by a fall on the head (concussion)
• those affected are elderly or children, as the risk of serious circulatory problems is increased

If people in the same environment already suffer from similar problems, this is an indication of a contagious disease such as a gastrointestinal virus. The use of new medication can also be related to the symptoms; the new medication should then be mentioned in the anamnesis discussion.

The further, targeted diagnostic measures are accordingly based on the suspected cause of the vomiting. Diagnostic techniques such as:

• Blood tests
• Ultrasonic
• X-ray examination
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Reflections of the stomach and / or intestines

How is vomiting treated?

The treatment for vomiting depends on the underlying disease. It is therefore as diverse as the respective underlying disease. In the case of excess sugar (hyperglycaemia), as can occur in the context of diabetes, the extremely high blood sugar level must be normalized by administering insulin.

In the case of an acute stomach (acute abdomen) or an intestinal obstruction (ileus), which are also accompanied by vomiting, but also with severe abdominal pain, those affected must be hospitalized immediately. If vomiting persists, the loss of water and minerals may be compensated for with infusions.

Remedies for motion sickness and chemotherapy

If travel sickness or seasickness is the cause of the vomiting, treatment with travel tablets, chewing gum or plasters, which are available over-the-counter in pharmacies, is recommended. These drugs (H1 antihistamines) suppress signals from the vomiting center in the brain, but often cause a certain amount of fatigue. Treatment usually has to be preventative. The medication should therefore be taken or used before the start of the trip.

If the vomiting is due to chemotherapy or radiation for cancer, nowadays so-called 5-HT3 antagonists (Setrone) or the cortisone preparation dexamethasone are mostly used; the intake should be discussed with a doctor.

Home remedies for vomiting

Some tips and home remedies can help with nausea and vomiting. Whatever the cause of the vomiting, the following always applies:

• Drink enough! Because the body loses fluid and essential salts (minerals) through vomiting, any disturbances in the salt and water balance must be corrected as soon as possible.

• Clear broth, electrolyte solutions or tea are recommended. Fennel, peppermint and chamomile soothe the stomach. If you can only hold a little to yourself at first, it is best to drink in small sips or take the liquid in teaspoon by spoon.

A child who vomits while lying down should definitely be lifted upside down. This ensures that the vomited stomach contents do not get into the windpipe. A cool, damp cloth on the forehead relieves nausea and dizziness. After vomiting, the mouth is rinsed out with water. The unpleasant taste in the mouth disappears and the teeth are cleaned of vomit.

More tips and home remedies for vomiting

• Diluted blueberry juice calms the intestines.
• Grated apple helps relieve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Ginger acts as a natural anti-emetic: it acts on the vomiting center in the brain and thus helps against nausea and vomiting. Spooning ginger tea slowly is a suitable home remedy for nausea.
• Avoid solid food and low-fat diets are highly recommended if you are vomiting.
• Carbonated drinks and beverages that are a strain on the stomach should be avoided. That includes cola, alcohol and coffee. Fruit juices are only suitable in small quantities, as the fruit acids they contain can put a strain on the gastrointestinal tract.

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