Vomiting is a common condition experienced by everyone. However, if what comes out is yellow vomit, this of course makes you feel anxious and worried. Is this condition normal or dangerous? Let's find out the answer in the following article.
Vomiting is a condition when the body expels stomach contents forcibly through the mouth. Before vomiting, you will usually experience nausea which makes the body uncomfortable.
In some cases, the vomit contents may be yellow or greenish-yellow in color. Yellow vomiting occurs when bile comes out with vomit.
Causes of Yellow Vomiting
There are several conditions or diseases that can cause someone to vomit yellow, including:
1. Bile reflux (bile reflux)
Bile is a yellow-green liquid that is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Under normal circumstances, bile is secreted into the intestines to aid digestion.
However, bile can sometimes re-enter the stomach and esophagus (esophagus), then be regurgitated along with the stomach contents. This usually happens when a person is late for a meal for a long time.
2. Gastrointestinal obstruction
Gastrointestinal obstruction is another cause of jaundice in adults and children. This condition can occur when the small intestine or large intestine becomes blocked, causing a buildup of fluid and food in the intestine.
As a result, the pressure in the digestive tract will increase and trigger liquid or food that accumulates back up into the esophagus, causing vomiting.
3. Operation history
A history of gastric and bile duct surgery can also increase the risk of yellow vomit. The occurrence of yellow vomiting can be caused by inflammation of the stomach wall and bile ducts after surgery.
4. Pregnancy
Morning sickness is a symptom of nausea and vomiting that occurs in early pregnancy. When the frequency of vomiting experienced by pregnant women becomes more frequent, the stomach contents decrease so that what is excreted is vomit containing bile. This is what causes yellow vomit.
5. Appendicitis
Appendicitis can cause symptoms in the form of yellow vomiting accompanied by severe abdominal pain. This is a dangerous condition that should be treated immediately by a doctor.
6. Recurrent vomiting syndrome (cyclic vomiting syndrome)
Recurrent vomiting syndrome (cyclic vomiting syndrome, CVS) is a disorder that makes sufferers feel nauseous and vomit suddenly. The vomiting experienced by people with CVS can be severe enough to make it difficult to eat and drink. When this happens, people with CVS may experience yellow vomiting.
Until now, the cause of recurrent vomiting syndrome is still not known with certainty. This condition is more common in children, but adults can also experience it.
Although it is not known what causes it, symptoms of recurrent vomiting syndrome can sometimes recur due to several factors, such as allergies, colds, anxiety disorders, sinus inflammation, fatigue, and hot weather.
In addition to the above conditions, yellow vomiting can also be caused by several other causes, such as food poisoning, gastroenteritis, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, acid reflux disease, and stomach ulcers.
Handling of Yellow Vomiting Complaints
To find out the cause of yellow vomiting, the doctor will perform a physical examination and supporting examinations, such as X-rays, endoscopy, blood and urine tests, ERCP, and examination of stomach acid.
After the results of the examination are obtained and the cause of yellow vomiting is known, the doctor will provide treatment according to the cause. The types of treatment that are generally carried out are:
Administration of intravenous fluids
If the yellow vomiting experienced is severe enough or too much to cause the sufferer to become dehydrated, the doctor will give intravenous fluids. In addition, the doctor will also recommend the patient to undergo treatment in the hospital so that his condition can always be monitored.
Administration of drugs
To stop severe vomiting, your doctor may prescribe anti-emetics, such as ondansetron. If the yellow vomiting is caused by a problem with the gallbladder, such as bile reflux, the doctor can treat the condition using medications, such as ursodeoxycholic acid and bile acid sequestrants.
Your doctor may also prescribe acid-lowering medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), if the jaundice is accompanied by acid reflux.
Operation
If these medications can't treat jaundice due to bile reflux, your doctor may recommend surgery. This surgery aims to correct disorders of the bile or gastrointestinal tract and overcome blockages in the intestines that are the cause of yellow vomiting.
Whatever the possible cause, yellow vomiting is a condition you need to watch out for. Especially if this complaint is accompanied by pain in the chest or heartburn, vomiting for more than 2 days, shortness of breath, weakness, decreased appetite, fever, stiff neck, and blood spots appear in the vomit contents.
If you experience the above symptoms, immediately consult a doctor. This is important so that you can immediately get treatment according to the cause of the yellow vomiting you are experiencing.