Nausea refers to an imminent urge to vomit. It often precedes or accompanies vomiting.
Vomiting is the voluntary or involuntary forceful removal of stomach contents from the mouth.
Retching is strenuous rhythmic activity during the nausea period, before vomiting.
Regurgitation (meal liquid acid etc.) is the rise of the stomach contents by contraction of the abdominal and diaphragm muscles in the absence of nausea.
Nausea and vomiting can be a symptom of many diseases;
Those due to intra-abdominal causes;
1-gastric outflow tract obstruction
2-small intestine obstruction
3-large intestine obstruction
4-disorders of the vessels feeding the intestine
5- intestinal inflammations
6- gallbladder diseases
7- pancreatic diseases
8- appendicitis
9- liver diseases (hepatitis)
10-impaired movement disorders of the stomach
11- reflux disease
Those due to extra-abdominal causes;
1- heart and lung diseases
2-inner ear diseases (vertigo)
3- brain diseases (bleeding, cancer)
4-psychiatric diseases (depression, psychogenic vomiting)
5- post-operative vomiting
6-periodic vomiting syndrome
Drugs and other causes;
1- cancer drugs
2- antibiotics
3- heart drugs (digoxin etc)
4- diabetes drugs
5 – contraceptives (oral contraceptives)
6-pregnancy
7- kidney diseases (chronic- acute renal failure)
8-acidoses
9 – goiter diseases
10- adrenal gland diseases
11- alcohol
in the differential diagnosis of vomiting;
Certain diseases can be considered according to the occurrence time and character of nausea-vomiting;
It can be seen especially in morning sickness, vomiting, pregnancy and kidney diseases. Vomiting that comes out involuntarily and suddenly without nausea can be seen in cases of increased intracranial pressure (brain edema, cerebral hemorrhage). It is also important in complaints accompanying nausea. If there is dizziness with nausea and vomiting, it may suggest an inner ear disease called vertigo, and abdominal pain with vomiting may suggest a stomach ulcer.
As it can be understood from all these explanations, nausea and vomiting can be a symptom of many diseases along with accompanying symptoms as well as many causes. The treatment should be carried out by the necessary branches and specialists according to the underlying cause. Do not forget that you should definitely consult a specialist in long-term, persistent, nausea and vomiting.
Exp. Dr. Cem Özcan
Internal Medicine Specialist
