Vomiting is rarely painful, but never pleasant. It occurs along with throwing up, retching, heaving, hurling, puking, tossing or being sick. Emesis is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying of stomach contents through the mouth or, less often, the nose.
Types of Vomiting or Emesis
Dry heaves. It is where you retch and feel like vomiting, but nothing comes out of your stomach. It is also known as nonproductive emesis.
Blood streaked or bloody vomit. It indicates a cut or scrapes to the esophagus or stomach. Some vomit resembles coffee grounds. A vomit that looks like coffee grounds occurs when stomach acids and blood congeal. It can be a sign of ulcer, stomach or liver cancer gastroesophageal reflux disease, and other abdominal conditions.
Yellow vomit. It indicates the presence of bile, It typically happens after a meal. Rare episodes of vomiting may include partially digested food or feces.
Symptoms of Vomiting
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Vertigo
- Lightheadedness
- Rapid pulse
- Excessive sweating
- Confusion and fainting
- Decreased urination
- Excessive sleepiness
- Dry mouth
- Chest pain
Is Vomiting Harmful?
Generally, vomiting is harmless, but it can be a sign of a more serious illness. Concussions, meningitis, and appendicitis are typical conditions that can cause Emesis. Another concern is persistent vomiting is dehydration.
Recurrent vomiting in pregnancy can lead to a serious condition that causes the development of mineral imbalances. This condition is threatening to the unborn child.
What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Emesis?
- Early stages of pregnancy
- Medication-induced vomiting
- Intense pain and emotional stress
- Gallbladder disease and food poisoning
- Stomach flu
- Overeating
- Brain injury
- Heart attack
- Ulcer
- Bulimia and other psychological diseases
- Ingestion of toxins or excessive amounts of alcohol
- Migraines and vertigo
- Motion sickness
- Certain medicines
- Kidney infections and kidney stones
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
How to Diagnose Emesis?
- Your doctor may use a blood test to determine signs of anemia, dehydration, inflammation, infection, and liver problems.
- Urine tests are also another method to determine signs of dehydration, infection, and kidney problems that cause vomiting.
- Upper GI endoscopy also helps determine the problems in your upper digestive tract that may be causing nausea and vomiting.
- Other testing method includes ultrasound, gastric emptying test, upper GI series, MRI scan, and CT scan.
Treatment for Emesis
Antiemetic drugs are drugs that can help ease the symptoms of nausea and vomiting or emesis. It works by blocking the chemicals in the brain involved in vomiting and nausea. You can also drink tea and avoid unhealthy meals. Inform your doctor if symptoms persist.