Nausea and Vomiting (cont.)
Medications and medical treatments
- Side effects from medications: The side effect of many medications include
stomach irritation and/or nausea and vomiting. Anti-cancer dugs are notorious
irritants (for example, chemotherapy treatment). Narcotic pain medications,
anti-inflammatory medications (including both steroids like prednisone and
non-steroidal medications like ibuprofen) and antibiotics all have nausea and
vomiting listed as common side effects.
- Radiation therapy: Nausea and vomiting is associated with
radiation therapy.
Bowel obstruction
Abdominal pain and distention, nausea and vomiting, and inability to
pass
flatus (gas) or have a bowel movement are hallmarks of bowel obstruction. Due to
a variety of potential reasons, the small intestine becomes blocked and doesn't
allow contents to pass through to the colon. This acts like a dam in which food,
fluid, and secretions back up, causing the symptoms of an obstruction.
Pregnancy
Vomiting in pregnancy is especially common in the first trimester and is due
to hormone level changes in the bloodstream.
What about vomiting in infants?
It may be hard to decide if an infant is vomiting or spitting up. If the
episodes occur shortly after feeding and only a small amount comes up, this may
be spitting up.
- Forceful vomiting: In the first two or three months, if the vomiting is forceful after
eating (imagine it flying across the room), this may be a sign of pyloric
stenosis, or an abnormal narrowing of the area at which the stomach empties into
the small intestine. The vomiting is impressive, and if the healthcare provider
suspects this diagnosis, it can be confirmed by ultrasound. The treatment is an
operation to open the narrowing.
- Vomiting associated with pain: if the infant cries uncontrollably, and if the
stool is bloody or red, the diagnosis may be an intussusception (the pushing of
one segment of the bowel into an adjacent segment). These infants should be
evaluated by their healthcare provider.
- Viral infection: If there is associated diarrhea that is not bloody, then a
viral infection is a possibility. Alternatively, there may be an issue with
intolerance to the type of baby formula. Infants and children are at greater
risk of dehydration if the vomiting episodes last for more than 24 hours.
Contact should be made with the healthcare provider for further advice in this
situation.
Next: What can I do at home for nausea or vomiting? »
- promethazine, Phenergan - Explains the medication promethazine (Phenergan), a drug used to prevent motion sickness, nausea or vomiting, itching associated with allergies or for sedation.
- Tonsillectomy - Learn about the tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy surgery. Information on what to expect prior to surgery, during surgery, and recovery time from surgery.
- Swine Flu - Get the facts on swine flu (swine influenza A H1N1 virus) history, symptoms, how this contagious infection is transmitted, prevention with a vaccine, diagnosis, treatment, news and research.
Latest Medical News
Digestion RSS