Nausea and vomiting

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Nausea (medical: nausea) and vomiting (medical: vomiting, vomiting) are unspecific symptoms that can have many causes - the possible triggers range from disgust to gastrointestinal infections and heart attacks to meningitis. Pregnancy is usually accompanied by nausea and possibly vomiting at the beginning. Here you can read everything you need to know about the causes and treatment options for nausea and vomiting.

Brief overview

Description: Nausea is an uncomfortable feeling in the upper abdomen with loss of appetite and possibly pressure / cramping sensation in the lower throat. Increased salivation and nausea are also possible. Finally, when vomiting occurs, stomach contents are emptied via the esophagus and mouth.
Causes: e.g. B. poisoning, alcohol and nicotine, food intolerance, nervousness, hernia, appendicitis, gastric ulcer, inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), liver failure, kidney or biliary colic, kidney pelvic inflammation, cardiac insufficiency / infarction, sunstroke and heat stroke, migraine, stroke caused by cerebral hemorrhage, disturbance of the hemorrhage when traveling by ship / plane / car / bus / train, pregnancy (including ectopic pregnancy), medication
Treatment: Home remedies such as tea (chamomile, lemon balm etc.), rusks, ginger or alternative healing methods such as homeopathy and acupressure often help. If the cause is an underlying disease such as gastric ulcer, this must be treated by a doctor.
When to the doctor In the case of persistent or regular nausea, rapidly increasing pain in the navel / groin area, vomiting of blood and vomiting after eating mushroom dishes or canned food.
Diagnostics: consultation with the patient, physical examination, if necessary blood / stool examination, ultrasound examination, hydrogen breath test (to clarify certain food intolerances), neurological examination

Nausea and vomiting: description

Nausea is mostly defined as an uncomfortable feeling in the upper abdomen that is associated with loss of appetite. Sometimes there is also a feeling of pressure or cramps in the lower throat (hypopharynx). If the nausea increases, there is increased salivation (hypersalivation) and nausea. Sometimes vomiting actually occurs.

Depending on the cause of the nausea, other accompanying symptoms can occur, such as:

Abdominal pain (such as appendicitis)
Chest pain (if you have a heart attack)
Headache or migraine
Fever, cough, runny nose (with flu)

Vomiting center in the brain

Nausea and vomiting are controlled by the vomiting center in the brain. You will probably feel nauseous when this vomiting center is gently stimulated. If the activation is stronger, vomiting occurs. Triggering stimuli can be very different in nature: disgust, severe pain, shock, gastrointestinal infections, increase in intracranial pressure, medication, toxins or a disturbance of the balance organ in the inner ear.

Nausea and Vomiting: Causes and Possible Disorders

Nausea and vomiting can have many causes. The most important are:

Poisoning, luxury and addictive substances

Food poisoning: Diarrhea, cramping abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting can all indicate food poisoning. It is triggered by toxins that are ingested through food. Most of these are bacterial toxins (e.g. from salmonella or staphylococci), sometimes also toxins from other organisms (such as fungal toxins) or chemical toxins (lead, copper, zinc, etc.).

Other poisonings: Nausea and vomiting can also occur with other forms of poisoning, such as poisoning with drugs, carbon monoxide or pesticides. If you suspect poisoning, you should call the poison control center immediately!

Alcohol and Nicotine: Alcohol and nicotine are toxins to the body. The dose decides whether the desired effects (such as stimulation, calming, relaxation) remain or whether symptoms of poisoning occur. In milder cases, these include nausea, vomiting and nervousness. In the case of severe alcohol or nicotine poisoning, convulsions and impaired consciousness (in some cases up to a coma) are possible. In such cases, call the emergency doctor immediately! Incidentally, nausea, vomiting and nervousness can also occur as withdrawal symptoms in the presence of alcohol or nicotine addiction.

Caffeine: Too much caffeine (coffee, caffeinated energy drinks, etc.) can also be responsible for nausea, vomiting, nervousness and sweating, as well as concentration problems and tremors. Withdrawal from the usual dose of caffeine can cause the same symptoms.

Drugs: An overdose of drugs as well as withdrawal from drugs in the case of existing drug addiction can trigger nausea, vomiting, confusion, increasing clouding of consciousness up to a coma as well as possibly strong restlessness and seizures. Call the ambulance immediately!

General causes in the abdomen

Acute abdomen (acute abdomen): This is a threatening complex of symptoms consisting of sudden, severe abdominal pain, tense ("hard as a board") abdominal wall and vegetative (not voluntarily controllable) symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sweating, palpitations and a drop in blood pressure. An acute abdomen can develop in almost all acute abdominal diseases (e.g. acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, biliary colic, etc.). In rare cases, an acute abdomen is the result of diseases outside the abdomen such as unstable angina pectoris (tight chest) or heart attack. Notify the emergency doctor immediately!

Pinched inguinal hernia: An inguinal hernia is a pathological protrusion of the peritoneum through a congenital or acquired gap in the abdominal wall in the area of the groin. Together with part of the peritoneum (hernial sac), a loop of intestine can also be turned out and pinched in the process. The first signs of this are sudden severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The hernial sac is hard, painful and can no longer be pushed back into the abdomen. Notify the emergency doctor immediately!

Inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis): It develops, for example, with gastric rupture, appendicitis, mechanical intestinal obstruction and acute pancreatitis. The signs of an acute abdomen (see above) appear: nausea, vomiting (rarely vomiting excrement), rapidly increasing, severe abdominal pain, hard stomach, cold sweat and palpitations, often also fear and fever. Call the emergency doctor immediately!

Causes in the gastrointestinal tract

Food intolerance: Nausea and possibly vomiting after consuming certain foods can indicate an intolerance to certain ingredients of the food. Examples are milk sugar intolerance (lactose intolerance), fructose intolerance (fructose intolerance) and intolerance reactions involving the immune system - these include, for example, food allergies (e.g. cow's milk allergy) and celiac disease (gluten intolerance). Such illnesses also often lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea and / or flatulence.

Stomach overload: If you have eaten too much or too quickly, you may feel full, nauseous and possibly vomit.

Irritable stomach: Nausea, vomiting and belching as well as pain and / or feeling of pressure in the epigastric region can indicate an irritable stomach (functional dyspepsia).

Gastritis: Above all, nausea after eating, accompanied by vomiting, belching as well as pain and / or feeling of pressure in the epigastric region are possible warning signals of acute gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining).

Gastric or duodenal ulcer (Ulcus ventriculi / duodeni): Gastric and duodenal ulcers can cause nausea, vomiting, belching, loss of appetite and pain and / or pressure in the epigastric region. Vomiting of blood (hematemesis) and / or black stools (tarry stools) occur when the ulcer begins to bleed.

Stomach cancer (gastric cancer): Possible signs of stomach cancer are an unpleasant odor when belching with stomach pain, new aversion to certain foods (especially meat), nausea, bloating, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Gastric perforation: Both a gastric ulcer and stomach cancer can break through the stomach wall, creating a connection to the open abdominal cavity. Such a stomach perforation is noticeable by sudden, boring pain, which often radiates into the left shoulder. The abdominal wall becomes hard as a board, nausea and vomiting may occur (acute abdomen).

Irritable bowel syndrome: Recurring nausea, belching, and loss of appetite with abdominal pain, as well as alternation between diarrhea and constipation are possible signs of irritable bowel syndrome.

Appendicitis: Appendicitis causes nausea, vomiting, and rapidly increasing pain that travel from the navel to the right abdomen.

Infectious diarrhea (gastrointestinal flu, vomiting diarrhea): gastrointestinal inflammation caused by viruses or bacteria (less often parasites) is accompanied by severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms usually subside on their own within a few days.

Intestinal obstruction (ileus): With an intestinal obstruction, the transport of food in the intestine is partially or completely interrupted. With mechanical intestinal obstruction, the reason is a narrowing in the intestine (for example due to colon cancer, polyps, feces or foreign bodies in the intestine). In paralytic ileus (bowel paralysis), the movements of the intestinal wall are paralyzed (for example due to peritonitis or appendicitis, biliary colic, certain drugs or occlusion of an intestinal artery). Whether mechanical or paralytic - an intestinal obstruction causes nausea, vomiting (seldom vomiting), rapidly increasing, severe abdominal pain and a distended stomach (acute abdomen). Call the ambulance immediately!

Occlusion of an intestinal artery (mesenteric infarction): The occlusion of one or more intestinal arteries triggers sudden, severe abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting and circulatory depression (drop in blood pressure, etc.). After three to four hours, the symptoms often subside for some time. However, within about 24 hours there is intestinal paralysis and so-called peritonitis - an inflammation of the peritoneum caused by bacteria. The pathogens enter the abdominal cavity from the loops of the intestine, which have been cut off from the blood supply and thereby died. Call the ambulance immediately!

Causes in the liver, gallbladder and pancreas

Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis): Nausea, loss of appetite, aversion to fat and fatigue can indicate acute viral hepatitis. Those affected feel a feeling of pressure in the right upper abdomen, possibly accompanied by jaundice, dark urine, discolored stool and itching.

Acute liver failure: A sudden decrease in liver function without previously known liver disease can be the result of acute viral hepatitis or drug poisoning, for example. There is often abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Biliary colic: Biliary colic manifests itself through nausea, vomiting and very severe colic-like pain in the right upper abdomen. The pain can also radiate into the right shoulder, jaundice, dark urine and itchiness. Biliary colic is caused by an inflammation of the gallbladder or a gallstone stuck in the bile duct. Call the emergency doctor immediately!

Acute inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis): An acute inflammation of the pancreas often manifests itself in accompanying symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and belt-shaped upper abdominal pain. The symptoms often appear a few hours after consuming alcohol or fatty foods. Other symptoms such as fever and jaundice can also occur. Call the emergency doctor immediately!

Chronic pancreatitis (chronic pancreatitis): Chronic pancreatitis triggers permanent or recurring episodes (phases, sections) of nausea, vomiting and pain in the upper abdomen and back. Often the symptoms are made worse by high-fat food and alcohol. Bulky, shiny stools and weight loss are also possible.

Malignant tumor of the pancreas (pancreatic carcinoma): The most important symptoms of pancreatic cancer include upper abdominal discomfort that stretches into the back in a belt shape, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and decreased performance.

Causes in the kidney area

Renal colic: It causes nausea, vomiting and very severe, colic-like pain in one flank. The pain often radiates into the lateral lower abdomen, the labia or testicles and / or the back. There may be blood in the urine. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Acute inflammation of the kidneys (pyelonephritis): Nausea, vomiting and pain in the upper abdomen and flanks can also be caused by acute inflammation of the kidneys. Fever, chills and pain when urinating also speak in favor of this.

Urinary poisoning (uremia) in kidney failure: Kidney failure is a rapid or slower progressive decline in kidney function. One also speaks of acute or chronic kidney failure. In severe cases, urinary substances accumulate in the body (substances that can only be excreted through the kidneys). This then triggers urine poisoning (uremia). It can be recognized by the smell of urine on the breath and skin, nausea, vomiting, brownish-gray skin and water retention in the tissue (edema).

Addison's disease: This adrenal cortex dysfunction is also called Addison's disease. Too little or no adrenal cortex hormones are produced. The most important signs include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting with weight loss and dehydration, weakness, low blood pressure, increased pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes, depressed mood and increased excitability.

Causes in the area of the genital organs

Rupture of the fallopian tube in an ectopic pregnancy: If a fertilized egg engages in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus and grows, it can eventually tear the fallopian tube. The result is heavy bleeding into the abdomen with the formation of an acute abdomen (including nausea and vomiting).

Inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries (acute adnexitis): acute inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries is accompanied by sharp pain in the lower abdomen (one or both sides), fever, yellowish-green, foul-smelling discharge and a pronounced feeling of illness. If the inflammation spreads to the peritoneum (peritonitis), nausea and vomiting can occur.

Stem-twisted ovarian cyst (ovarian cyst): Ovarian cysts are cavities (bubbles) on or in the ovaries that are filled with fluid. They develop mainly as a result of hormonal changes shortly after puberty and before menopause. Ovarian cysts usually go away on their own. A rare complication is the twisting of an ovarian cyst around its stem, caused by jerky, rapidly slowed body movements. As a result of the rotation, the blood vessels supplying the ovary are pressed off - the ovary threatens to die. The rotation of the stem of an ovarian cyst can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, increased pulse rate and sweating.

Testicular twisting (testicular torsion): The sudden, one-sided (sometimes bilateral) rotation of the testicle around its own axis occurs mainly in infants up to the age of two and in adolescents between 15 and 20 years of age. It causes sudden and very severe pain in the testicles that can spread to the groin and lower abdomen. The affected testicle is very sensitive to pressure, the scrotum swollen. There is also often nausea and vomiting. After about six hours, the testicle is irreversibly damaged, so an operation must be performed as soon as possible.

Causes in the area of the heart and circulation

Acute heart failure (heart failure): A pump failure of the heart that develops within minutes to hours shows up in acute weakness, malaise, nausea, rapidly increasing shortness of breath, palpitations, palpitations, very low blood pressure and signs of shock. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Chronic heart failure: Chronic heart failure (heart failure) develops over months to years and can affect either half of the heart or the whole heart. Signs of right heart failure include loss of appetite, bloating, nausea, gas and water retention (edema) in the lower legs.

Heart attack (myocardial infarction): If you feel nausea, vomiting, severe pain or tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, cold sweat and fear, a heart attack could be the reason. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Heart tightness (angina pectoris): The same symptoms as a heart attack can also cause angina pectoris, i.e. a temporary reduced blood supply to the heart muscle. Call the ambulance immediately! Only he who is alarmed can tell whether a heart attack or angina pectoris is causing the nausea, vomiting, severe pain or tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, cold sweat and fear.

Blood pressure derailments with high blood pressure: If the blood pressure of high blood pressure patients suddenly shoots up to values above 230/130 mmHg, doctors speak of a hypertensive crisis. It can quickly turn into a hypertensive emergency, which also shows signs of organ damage. For example, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, seizures, paralysis and impaired consciousness up to a coma can indicate damage to the brain (e.g. bleeding, infarction) due to the sudden massive increase in blood pressure. Call the ambulance immediately!

Causes in the brain

Altitude vertigo: Vertigo and nausea when looking down (on a suspension bridge, for example) are normal reactions of the body. However, nausea and vomiting can occur. But that doesn't make nausea and vomiting any more pleasant either.

Heat stroke / sunstroke: Nausea, vomiting and headaches after a long stay in the blazing sun are often signs of sunstroke or heat stroke. This is also indicated by hot, red skin, lack of sweating, dizziness and weakness. If there is also a clouding of consciousness, you should call the emergency doctor!

Migraines: The recurring, strong, mostly pulsating and one-sided headaches are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to noise and light as well as possibly paresthesia, visual and speech disorders.

Cerebral haemorrhage: If a cerebral vessel suddenly ruptures (for example in the case of high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis or a sack-shaped vascular bulge = cerebral aneurysm), the shooting-in or rapidly increasing, severe to unbearable headache, clouding of consciousness as well as nausea and vomiting can trigger. Depending on the location of the cerebral hemorrhage, nerve failures are also possible, which can lead to visual or speech disorders as well as paralysis on one side. Call the emergency doctor immediately!

Stroke caused by cerebral haemorrhage (hemorrhagic insult): About 20 percent of all strokes are caused by cerebral haemorrhage. Possible signs are sudden onset headaches with nausea and vomiting as well as paralysis, seizures and impaired consciousness up to a coma. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Meningitis and meningitis: Both encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (meningitis) cause nausea, vomiting and severe headaches. Usually there is a rapid clouding of consciousness. A stiff, painful neck, paralysis, visual or speech disorders, and seizures are also possible. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Early summer meningoencephalitis: This tick-borne viral infection (TBE for short) usually triggers pure meningitis (meningitis), sometimes also encephalitis (meningoencephalitis); a dangerous inflammation of the spinal cord (myelitis) occurs less often. A TBE infection usually runs in two phases: First, you experience flu-like symptoms with fever, headache and muscle pain. After a brief improvement, the inflammation becomes noticeable in the nervous system, for example with fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting and possibly paralysis and impaired consciousness.

Neuroborreliosis: Borreliosis is a bacterial infection whose pathogens (Borrelia) are transmitted by ticks. In around five to ten percent of patients, the infection spreads to the nervous system months or years after the tick bite. This so-called neuroborreliosis can be associated with nausea and vomiting, among other things.

Contusion of the skull: If nausea and vomiting occur immediately after a head injury, but the patient remains fully conscious, it is probably a contusion of the skull. If vomiting persists, call the emergency doctor!

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): If nausea and vomiting occur immediately after a head injury and the patient subsequently becomes unconscious, either a concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) or a higher-grade traumatic brain injury is the cause. Call the emergency doctor immediately!

Brain tumor: Nausea and vomiting, which cannot be explained with a gastrointestinal disease, and which occur primarily in the early morning and on an empty stomach, can indicate a brain tumor. Another possible warning symptom is a new headache, which increases over time and while lying down. They are especially noticeable at night and early in the morning, but improve spontaneously during the day.

Causes in the area of the ears and eyes

Travel sickness: The rocking movements on a ship, flights and trips by bus, car or train can disrupt the balance organ in the inner ear (vestibular apparatus). It then sends signals to the vomiting center that trigger nausea and possibly vomiting. Doctors speak here of motion sickness (kinetosis).

Ménière's disease: This inner ear disease, which usually occurs on one side only, is also called Ménière's disease. Patients repeatedly suffer from attacks of sudden vertigo (with nausea and possibly vomiting), ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and acute hearing loss.

Acute glaucoma attack (glaucoma): An acute glaucoma attack is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and unbearable, one-sided forehead and eye pain. The affected eye is red and hard, and vision is blurred. Because of the risk of blindness, you should call the emergency doctor immediately or go to the nearest eye clinic immediately!

Metabolic causes

Metabolic imbalance in diabetes: nausea, vomiting and cramp-like upper abdominal pain in diabetics are warning signals for diabetic ketoacidosis. Further symptoms of this dangerous metabolic imbalance are strong thirst, fruity bad breath and increasing clouding of consciousness. Alert the emergency doctor immediately!

Acetonemic vomiting: Slender children tend to “starve” when infected (for example when they eat and drink poorly), whereby ketone bodies (chemical compounds such as acetone) accumulate in the blood. As a result, they vomit up to 50 times a day, their exhaled air smells of acetone, they are overexcited or dizzy.

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

Pregnancy can also trigger nausea. Nausea and / or morning vomiting, appetite disorders and reluctance to eat certain foods occur in 70 to 90 percent of all early pregnancies. Doctors speak of nausea gravidarum and vomiting (vomiting gravidarum). Both are not considered to be pathological.

The situation is different with the rare severe vomiting during pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum): Here, pregnant women vomit more than five times throughout the day and night. Vomiting is independent of food consumption, cannot be breast-fed and is not due to any other illness. Hyperemesis gravidarum usually begins in the sixth to eighth week of pregnancy and lasts until the 12th to 14th week of pregnancy (rarely until the 20th week of pregnancy).

The women lose a lot of fluids, blood salts (electrolytes) and weight, which is why treatment is absolutely necessary.

Other causes of nausea and vomiting

Fear, excitement, fright, pain, disgust: some people react to such factors with nausea and possibly even with vomiting.

Side effects of drugs: Nausea and possibly vomiting can occur as undesirable effects of various drugs such as iron tablets, antibiotics and cancer drugs (cytostatics).

Nausea and vomiting: treatment

Depending on how severe the symptoms are and what the (suspected) cause is, you can treat nausea and vomiting with various home remedies and medications. Acupressure can also relieve nausea.

Home remedies for nausea and vomiting

In harmless cases, such as nausea from driving, stage fright, or early pregnancy, there is a lot you can do yourself to relieve nausea and vomiting.

The most important tip when vomiting: drink a lot! If you vomit, you lose fluids and minerals. These memories have to be refilled. Water or unsweetened teas are best.

Tea for nausea

Tea, in particular, is a great remedy for nausea. The ingredients of many medicinal plants soothe the stomach and relieve nausea. The following medicinal plants are suitable as home remedies:

ginger
anise
Caraway seed
Lemon balm
peppermint
Vermouth
Calamus root

Read more about the correct preparation and use in the corresponding medicinal herb articles.

Roll cure: A roll cure with chamomile tea is recommended for gastritis and stomach ulcers: drink half a cup of chamomile tea on an empty stomach and lie on your back for ten minutes. Then drink half a cup of tea again and lie on your left side for ten minutes.

Repeat the process with half a cup of tea each in the prone position and on the right side. The roller cure should be repeated regularly, especially in the case of chronic complaints.

What to eat when you feel sick?

Compatible diet: Avoid fatty and high-calorie foods in the event of acute nausea and vomiting. Instead, only consume tea, rusks and gruel boiled with water. That goes easy on the stomach.

As soon as the nausea and vomiting improve, you can slowly put other, easily digestible foods on the menu (white bread and cooked, steamed, low-fat foods). You should avoid alcohol, caffeine, raw vegetables, heavy, high-fat foods and hot spices for a while.

Ginger: Ginger is a proven remedy for treating and relieving nausea and nausea. Chew a piece of fresh ginger root or get a ginger supplement from the pharmacy.

Radish juice: Black radish contains hot mustard oils and bitter substances that inhibit bacteria, viruses and fungi and can help against nausea and gastrointestinal complaints. To do this, peel and grate a black radish and squeeze it with a juicer. Take one to two tablespoons of the juice several times a day.

Ginger-rice congee: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recommends a ginger-rice congee for nausea and vomiting: Briefly boil 100 grams of whole grain rice with 600 milliliters of water and a piece of chopped ginger and then simmer on a low flame for two to four hours leave (the longer, the more digestible).

Instead of ginger, you can add about five grams of ground cardamom and a little brown sugar just before the end of the cooking time.

Warmth against nausea

A warm belly wrap, a hot water bottle, a grain pillow (cherry stone pillow) or a steamed hay flower pouch on the stomach can help against nausea after eating due to digestive problems (e.g. after a meal that is too rich or too rich).

Drugs for severe nausea

In severe cases of nausea and vomiting, an antiemetic (such as metoclopramide) will help. The remedy helps with nausea and vomiting due to migraines, severe tumor pain or chemotherapy, for example.

In severe cases of vomiting, the doctor may prescribe infusions to replace the fluid that has been lost.

Nausea can also be a side effect of some medications. In this case, the doctor can change the dosage or prescribe a better-tolerated preparation.

If nausea and vomiting are accompanying symptoms of an underlying illness, the doctor will treat them. Most of the time, the nausea also disappears.

Alternative methods for nausea

Acupressure for nausea

An important acupressure point for nausea and vomiting is pericardium 6. It lies between the two palpable flexor tendons on the inside of the forearm, about two and a half cross fingers from the wrist folds.

At this point, press the tip of your index finger away from your body towards your hand for about a minute. This pressure point massage is designed to quickly dispel nausea and vomiting.

Homeopathy for nausea

Homeopathic remedies that are supposed to help against nausea and vomiting are for example

Cocculus D12 (for motion sickness),
Ipecacuanha D12 (for persistent nausea without a coated tongue) and
Colchicum D12 (if the sight or smell of food or the thought of food causes nausea and vomiting).

The concept of homeopathy and its specific effectiveness are controversial in science and not clearly proven by studies.

Schüssler salts

Popular Schüßler salts for nausea are, for example, No. 4 Kaliumchloratum D6, No. 7 Magnesium phosphoricum D6, No. 8 Sodium chloratum D6 and No. 11 Silicea D12 (possibly several in combination). If the nausea is accompanied by vomiting, stomach pain, a feeling of pressure in the abdomen and a slight fever, No. 3 Ferrum phosphoricum D12 is the drug of choice.

In case of nausea and vomiting while traveling by car, boat, bus or train, No. 9 sodium phosphoricum 6X is recommended.

The concept of Schüßler salts and their specific effectiveness are controversial in science and not clearly proven by studies.

What helps against nausea during pregnancy?

The following tips can help you reduce nausea during pregnancy:

Have a small breakfast in bed in the morning.
Eat several small, high-carbohydrate meals throughout the day.
Avoid spicy and fatty foods.
Avoid coffee, black tea and carbonated drinks as much as possible.
Oral intake of magnesium and iron is often not well tolerated by the stomach and can worsen symptoms.
Fresh ginger and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) have been shown to relieve nausea during pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting: when do you need to see a doctor?

Nausea and vomiting after a car ride, a carousel ride or an overly large meal do not require a doctor's visit. Even a normal "stomach flu" with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea usually goes away on its own.

However, medical attention is required in the following cases of nausea with or without vomiting:

Persistent or recurring nausea or vomiting without an apparent cause
Nausea and vomiting that lasts longer than two days (earlier in children and old people because of the risk of dehydration and mineral deficiency).
Persistent, frequent vomiting, bilious vomiting or vomiting with excessive weight loss or lack of weight gain in newborns / infants
Regular nausea and possibly vomiting after consuming certain foods (suspected food intolerance)
Increased feeling of pressure in the right upper abdomen with nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, aversion to fat and possibly jaundice, dark urine and itching (suspected viral liver inflammation)
Rapidly increasing, one-sided pain in the umbilical or groin area with bulging, as well as nausea and vomiting (suspicion of a pinched inguinal hernia or other trapped hernia)
Nausea, vomiting and belching as well as pain and / or feeling of pressure in the epigastric region, loss of appetite, bloating and possibly vomiting blood and / or black stools (tarry stools). This can indicate, among other things, an irritable stomach, acute gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer or other diseases.
recurring nausea, belching, loss of appetite, abdominal pain as well as diarrhea and / or constipation (suspicion of irritable bowel syndrome, among other things)
persistent or recurring nausea with vomiting, upper abdominal pain and back pain, and often worsening symptoms from fatty foods and alcohol (suspected chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer)
Rapidly increasing, severe, unilateral or bilateral lower abdominal pain with nausea and attacks of fever (suspicion of acute fallopian tube and ovarian inflammation - visit the gynecologist on the same day!)
Nausea and vomiting after eating mushrooms (if you suspect mushroom poisoning - call a poison control center!)
Nausea and sudden vomiting in young children (suspected poisoning from swallowing drugs, alcohol, cleaning products, cigarettes, etc. - call a poison control center or go to the hospital immediately!)
Nausea and vomiting after consuming a canned food, especially if the lid was arched (suspected botulism, a serious infectious disease - call an emergency doctor or go to a hospital immediately!)
Sudden, severe pain in the left upper abdomen, which radiates into the left shoulder and is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and fear (suspected unstable angina pectoris or heart attack - call an emergency doctor!)
Rapidly increasing, severe pain that moves from the navel towards the lower abdomen, as well as a hard stomach, nausea and vomiting (suspicion of appendicitis - call an emergency doctor!)
Sudden, violent and usually belt-shaped upper abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting and possibly fever, jaundice and signs of shock (suspicion of acute pancreatitis - call an emergency doctor!)
Rapidly increasing, mostly one-sided pain in the upper abdomen or on the flank with fever, chills, nausea and vomiting as well as painful, frequent urination (suspicion of acute pelvic inflammation - call an emergency doctor!)
Wavy, strongest flank pain, which often radiates into the lateral lower abdomen, in the labia / testicles and / or back, and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting (suspected renal colic - call an emergency doctor!)
strongest, colic-like pain in the right upper abdomen, which often radiates into the right shoulder, and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and possibly jaundice, dark urine and itching (suspected biliary colic - call an emergency doctor!)
Rapidly increasing, severe abdominal pain, bloated stomach, no loss of diaper or stool, nausea and vomiting (suspected intestinal paralysis or mechanical intestinal obstruction - call an emergency doctor!)
Rapidly increasing, severe abdominal pain, hard abdominal wall, nausea and vomiting, cold sweat, racing heart, fear and mostly fever (suspicion of peritonitis - call an emergency doctor!)
Rapidly increasing, cramp-like upper abdominal pain in diabetics with nausea, vomiting, thirst and fruity bad breath (suspicion of diabetic ketoacidosis - call an emergency doctor!)
Nausea, vomiting, very severe headaches, mostly rapid clouding of consciousness and possibly stiff neck, paralysis, visual or speech disorders and / or seizures (suspicion of meningitis, encephalitis and cerebral aneurysm hemorrhage - call an emergency doctor!)
Nausea, vomiting, unbearable, one-sided forehead and eye pain as well as blurred vision (if you suspect an acute attack of glaucoma - call an emergency doctor or go to an eye clinic immediately!)
after a long stay in the sun or in the heat: nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, weakness, hot, red skin, no sweating and clouding of consciousness (suspicion of sunstroke or heat stroke - call an emergency doctor!)
Immediately after a head injury: nausea and persistent vomiting when fully conscious (suspected bruised skull - call an emergency doctor!)
Immediately after a head injury: nausea, vomiting and then unconsciousness (suspected concussion or traumatic brain injury - call an emergency doctor!)
with (suspected) consumption of alcohol or drugs: nausea, vomiting, often confusion, increasing impaired consciousness up to a coma as well as possibly severe restlessness and seizures (suspicion of poisoning or abuse of alcohol or drugs - call an emergency doctor!)

Nausea and vomiting: diagnosis

With as precise information as possible about the medical history (anamnesis), the patient can provide the doctor with valuable information on the possible cause of nausea and / or vomiting. It is important, for example, how long the symptoms have existed, whether the patient is plagued by morning sickness, nausea after eating or constant nausea, whether he is vomiting blood (hematemesis) and whether he has other symptoms (such as headaches, dizziness, etc.) noticed.

It is also very helpful for the doctor to know whether nausea and vomiting go hand in hand or whether only one of the two symptoms is occurring. Nausea without vomiting speaks more for a cause in the brain or in the area of the metabolism and less for a trigger in the gastrointestinal tract (such as abdominal flu, appendicitis). Conversely, sudden vomiting without previous nausea can indicate, for example, increased intracranial pressure or, in infants, a narrowing of the stomach outlet (hypertrophic pyloric stenosis).

The presumption of the cause of nausea and / or vomiting that emerges from such information can be confirmed (or rejected) by the doctor through appropriate examinations. The most important are:

The physical exam is routine when a patient comes to the doctor with unclear symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. A blood pressure measurement is also carried out. It is particularly important for high blood pressure patients who complain of nausea, vomiting and other complaints such as headaches, dizziness, visual disturbances, etc. - a dangerous blood pressure derailment is suspected (hypertensive crisis, hypertensive emergency).

A blood test can help clarify many causes of nausea and vomiting, such as suspected appendicitis, liver and gallbladder inflammation, heart attack, neuroborreliosis, food intolerance or metabolic imbalance in diabetes.

The urine test is particularly indicated in the case of kidney diseases (e.g. kidney failure, pelvic inflammation, renal colic) as a possible cause of nausea and vomiting.

A stool examination is mainly carried out if nausea and vomiting occur as accompanying symptoms of an infectious diarrheal disease (such as salmonella infection).

The hydrogen breath test (H2 breath test) can be used to demonstrate intolerance to milk sugar (lactose intolerance), fructose (fructose intolerance) or sorbitol (sorbitol intolerance) as the cause of nausea and vomiting.

A skin test if an allergy is suspected (for example, a prick test) is carried out to diagnose a food allergy that triggers nausea and vomiting.

An ultrasound examination (sonography) is indicated when nausea and vomiting may be caused by gallstones, appendicitis, a twisted ovarian cyst, a rupture of the fallopian tube in an ectopic pregnancy, kidney or liver failure.

Heart ultrasound (echocardiography) and electrocardiography (EKG) are performed if heart failure is the cause of nausea and vomiting. An EKG is also done if a heart attack is suspected.

An X-ray examination can, for example, identify gastric perforations and intestinal obstruction as possible causes of nausea and vomiting. A special form of X-ray examination (ERCP) can be useful if you suspect chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.

A gastroscopy is necessary if the doctor suspects a stomach or duodenal ulcer, inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) or an irritable stomach as the cause of nausea and vomiting.

Computed tomography (CT) is done if, for example, stroke, brain tumor, and pancreatic cancer are suspected causes of nausea and vomiting.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful if, for example, meningitis, encephalitis, cerebral hemorrhage, brain tumor or TBE could cause nausea and vomiting.

A neurological examination is scheduled, for example, if encephalitis, migraines and Ménière's disease are suspected.

The ENT examination supports the diagnosis of Ménière's disease as a cause of nausea and possibly vomiting.

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