Nausea and Vomiting- causes & remedies

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are extremely 

unpleasant but usually not harmful. Common 

causes include viral infection, pregnancy, 

certain medications, food poisoning, and 

motion sickness.

More serious symptoms such as confusion, 

abdominal pain, high fever, weakness, and/or 

persistent vomiting may be a sign of a more 

serious condition and should be evaluated by 

a doctor.

Signs of Dehydration

If you or your child has been vomiting, watch 

for signs of dehydration: increased thirst, dry 

lips or mouth, sunken eyes, and rapid 

breathing or a quickened heartbeat.

Children have a much higher risk of 

dehydration than adults. In infants, decreased 

urination and no tears are also red flags for 

dehydration.

Treating Dehydration

With vomiting, it's important to replace fluids. 

Adults and children can drink water or suck 

on ice chips, electrolyte drinks, or oral 

rehydration solutions.

Children under 6 are most at risk for 

dehydration. They may require a rehydration 

solution after only a few hours of vomiting.

What About Flat Soda?

Although some people say flat soda settles 

the stomach, you may want to limit the 

number of sweetened beverages your child 

drinks. Too much sugary fluid, like juice or 

soda, can cause diarrhoea.

Diet

Once vomiting has eased, you can begin a 

liquid diet. Small amounts of clear chicken 

broth or diluted apple juice are a good start.

As food and drink are tolerated, you can 

move on to soft foods, such as gelatin and 

apple-sauce. The next day, move to bland 

solid foods, including rice and toast.

Medications

Most of the time nausea and vomiting go 

away on their own. But for some people, 

medications called anti-emetics can prevent 

and control vomiting brought on by nausea.                                                 

Certain medications help with nausea and 

vomiting related to motion sickness or from 

chemotherapy. It's best to check with a doctor 

before using medication.

Ginger

It may sound like an old wives' tale, but some 

research suggests that ginger may be an 

effective remedy for nausea and vomiting 

related to pregnancy, motion sickness, and 

following surgery. In a study funded by the 

National Cancer Institute, chemotherapy 

patients who took as little as ¼ teaspoon of 

ginger per day experienced significantly less 

nausea.

Acupressure

Some studies suggest wrist acupressure can 

help manage nausea and vomiting related to 

pregnancy and chemotherapy.

One pressure point thought to help nausea is 

on the inside of your arm, a few inches above 

the wrist.

When to Call the Doctor

Seek immediate medical attention for 

children or adults if illness is severe, a person 

is unresponsive or too weak to move or 

stand, or if vomiting is accompanied by a stiff 

neck, severe headache, abdominal pain, 

vomiting of blood or coffee grounds, black 

tarry stools, confusion, high fever, or 

poisoning is suspected. People at high risk 

due to an underlying condition or needing 

essential medicine should also call their 

doctor.