Vomiting is a condition when stomach contents are forced out through the mouth. Unlike regurgitation (expulsion of stomach contents without contraction), vomiting is accompanied by contraction of the stomach and abdominal muscles. Vomiting itself is actually not a disease, but a symptom that someone is experiencing a health problem.
Causes of Vomiting
Vomiting can be caused by a variety of conditions. Consumption of alcoholic beverages or eating too much, can cause vomiting. However, this is not a condition to worry about.
A number of health disorders that can cause vomiting include:
- Gastric pains
- Motion sickness
- Food poisoning
- Headache or migraine
- Nausea in early pregnancy (morning sickness)
- Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
- Bowel obstruction due to hernia, paralytic ileus, or gallstones
- Kidney stones
- Side effects of antibiotics, anesthetics, or chemotherapy
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Bacterial or viral infections of the digestive tract
- Kidney infection
- Inner ear infections, such as labyrinthitis
- Meningitis.
If a person vomits repeatedly and is not related to the above conditions, it can be suspected that he has cyclic vomiting syndrome. Cyclic vomiting syndrome is a condition that generally occurs in children around the age of 5 years. This condition is characterized by vomiting for more than 10 days, and has been accompanied by complaints of weakness.
Seek immediate medical attention if any of the following conditions occur:
- Vomiting lasts more than two days and does not improve
- Vomiting blood (hematemesis), especially if the blood is dark or yellow in color
- Chest pain, which can be a sign of a heart attack
- Signs of dehydration, such as dizziness or headaches
- Weight loss due to constant vomiting
- Suffering from diabetes.
Vomiting Diagnosis
As previously explained, vomiting is a symptom that a person is experiencing a health problem. Therefore, the diagnosis made is to determine the underlying medical condition of vomiting. This step will help the doctor determine the right treatment method for the patient.
In the case of vomiting blood, the doctor will first stabilize the patient's condition, before diagnosing the underlying cause.
Vomiting Treatment
Treatment of vomiting depends on the underlying cause. If vomiting occurs only once, treatment is not necessary. However, the patient must drink plenty of electrolytes to replace lost fluids and nutrients.
Other things you can do to help relieve vomiting are:
- Take antiemetic or antiemetic drugs (eg domperidone), to reduce the frequency of vomiting
- Consume soft and easily digestible foods, such as biscuits
- Eat or drink little by little, to avoid vomiting
- Avoid medications that can trigger heartburn, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids.
Vomiting Prevention
Triggers and causes of vomiting vary. Therefore, the prevention is also different, depending on the conditions that cause vomiting.
Some preventive steps that can be taken are:
- Take anti-hangover drugs before traveling, for example dimenhydrinate
- Consumption of ginger juice or sweet drinks, such as fruit juice
- Avoid acidic drinks, such as orange juice
- Avoid alcoholic drinks
- Avoid spicy food
- Do not eat too much
- Keep your body clean, such as washing your hands regularly
- Don't exercise right away after eating
- Manage stress well
- Enough rest
Vomiting Complications
Vomiting not only expels food from the stomach, but also fluids. As a result, if vomiting persists, the patient will become dehydrated and malnourished. Symptoms that appear when the body lacks fluids and nutrients are weakness and headaches. If this condition occurs, the patient should get medical attention immediately.