Nausea and Vomiting: Common Signs of Illnesses that No One Should Ignore

Most people associate vomiting to two things: a pregnant woman or a man who just had too many to drink. What is seen as a normal bodily response to conception or, in the case of a hard drinker, overconsumption of alcohol, nausea and vomiting may also be signs of something more serious. Getting sick will usually involve nausea, since the body is no longer in equilibrium health-wise.

It is quite normal for people to experience certain health conditions like headaches, flu, or fever. Everyday, people come into contact with millions if not billions of bacteria and viruses at home, in the office, in the street, and just about everywhere they go. Once the immune system is overrun by the microscopic “invaders”, a person would almost always have bouts of nausea and vomiting. These are actually symptoms of an illness. Nausea is a queasy, unpleasant feeling that is felt in the stomach all the way to a person's throat. Nausea may lead to vomiting and dizzy spells. Vomiting, on the other hand, is occurs when a person feels a strong, uncontrollable need to “throw up.” Nausea and vomiting can happen in both adults and children. Pregnant women may also experience nausea and vomiting, especially during the first trimester of the pregnancy. People undergoing cancer treatments are also prone to nausea and vomiting because of the chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Whether one is healthy or sick, it is important to know how and what causes nausea. The sight of a person vomiting or being in such a weak condition may cause a lot of concern not only for the sick person but for people around him as well. Knowing the signs, causes and ways to prevent nausea and vomiting will certainly help reduce the worries when somebody gets sick.
Some of the more common reasons for nausea and vomiting include seasickness, early pregnancy, motion sickness, exposure to chemical toxins, food poisoning, intense pain, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, indigestion, and virus infections. Other causes of nausea include diabetes, influenza, Addison's disease, appendicitis, brain tumor, alcohol abuse, stomach flu, heart attack, kidney failure, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, viral hepatitis, radiation therapy, medications (prescription and non-prescription), and bowel obstruction.
In some cases, what causes nausea and vomiting may be quite similar. But in adults, most cases of vomiting may be traced to food poisoning, viral infections, and motion sickness. In children, vomiting may be caused by overeating, coughing, and other illnesses where the child experiences high fever.
Nausea and vomiting are usually harmless or non-life threatening. However, concussions, meningitis, intestinal blockage, brain tumors, migraine headaches, and encephalitis may also cause a person to vomit or feel nausea. For that reason, it is essential to know and observe the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, especially in children. Dehydration is also a concern in the case of vomiting, since it this occurs when the child is having diarrhea. Severe dehydration in children is life-threatening. Consulting a physician may be advisable if nausea lasts for more than a week, but vomiting can just be treated at home.