Nausea is an upsetting feeling in the stomach that may or may not lead to vomiting depending on the root cause. Understanding the main causes of nausea can help to treat ongoing symptoms that prevent everyday tasks. Severe nausea has the potential to cause dizziness and an overall malaise feeling, preventing individuals from sticking to their everyday work and home life routines. Nausea is not always easy to manage, especially when it is accompanied by vomiting and other gastro-centric issues. Determining the source of nausea and learning how to prevent, eliminate, and ease the overall feeling is essential to ensure there are no underlying causes and triggers leading to an upset stomach. When nausea becomes a prominent issue that is severe and interfering with everyday life, seeking out the advice of a medical doctor or a gastroenterologist is highly advisable to determine the best course of action and the right treatment.
1. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common causes of nausea in patients who are fighting cancer with regular appointments. Chemotherapy often includes radiation therapy which works in the body to defeat and eliminate cancer cells. While chemotherapy is a known treatment of cancer that can result in a complete success, it takes a toll on the patient who is receiving it as it also affects healthy cells in the body. Patients commonly experience nausea during intense chemotherapy sessions.
2. Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is often one of the first signs of pregnancy in many women. As the body begins to change and adapt for a new life, nausea becomes more prevalent. When a woman's body begins to rapidly change and prepare for a baby by making room, vomiting is also likely and accompanies nausea. Most bouts of morning sickness do not last past the first trimester of pregnancy, or the first three months.
3. Anesthesia
General anesthesia is known to trigger nausea in patients who are not familiar with surgeries or those who are predisposed to upset stomachs. When anesthesia is used, the body is no longer conscious as it does not respond to pain reflexes or signals as it traditionally does when awake. General anesthesia consists of intravenous drugs (anesthetics) and in some cases, additional gasses to keep patients unconscious and out of pain for various surgeries and medical procedures. Upon waking up, it is possible to feel extremely nauseous and in some cases, vomiting is also present.
4. Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is common among children and those who have also been diagnosed with vertigo. Motion sickness is triggered by fast movements that cause the body trouble with keeping up, such as driving long distances, roller coasters, or even airplanes. When the body is unable to keep up with the feeling of fast movements, individuals become dizzy and begin to feel nauseous. When motion sickness is unable to be controlled, vomiting is also possible.
5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a prevalent stomach condition that affects millions of individuals of all ages each year. With IBS, the stomach does not properly manage foods, causing uncontrollable gas, nausea, and vomiting when triggered by various ingredients which affect patients individually. IBS is managed with a strict and proper diet that works for each patient individually based on their own needs and body's reaction to different foods and ingredients. With IBS, feeling full and bloated after digesting a small amount of food is common, leading to feeling nauseous and vomiting in severe cases of irritable bowel syndrome.
6. Severe Pain (in Various Areas of the Body)
Severe pain is a trigger of nausea and can occur just about anywhere in the human body. Some instances of severe pain causing nausea includes migraines, recovering from surgery, and breaking a bone or pulling a tender muscle. The body responds to severe pain in the form of nausea as a response to pain signals being sent to the brain. When the body's vagus nerve is triggered due to feeling upset, crying, or shaking, it also upsets the stomach which leads to additional anxiety and the possibility of feeling nauseous or vomiting.
7. Stomach Flu
The stomach flu, also known as viral gastroenteritis, is another common cause of nausea and vomiting in individuals of all ages. The stomach flu prevents individuals from keeping both liquids and solids down as the bug makes its way through the body. The first sign involved in a stomach flu bug is intense and severe nausea, followed by uncontrollable vomiting. In many cases, the stomach flu lasts anywhere from 12 to 48 hours depending on the severity of the bug itself.