Vomiting (or, throwing up) happens when the contents of your stomach are forcefully ejected through the mouth. If you’re vomiting, it’s also common to experience other symptoms like nausea and stomach pain.
Several conditions can trigger vomiting, including pregnancy, food poisoning, and motion sickness, among others.
While throwing up can be uncomfortable, home remedies and medications can often help relieve symptoms quickly.
While vomiting can occur on its own without any other symptoms, you may also experience symptoms like:
Vomiting can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). You may have a chronic vomiting concern if you’re feeling nauseous or throwing up often for at least a month. In such cases, it’s important to see your healthcare provider soon for an evaluation. Excessive vomiting can contribute to dehydration, which can cause more severe symptoms.
Vomiting is your body’s way of protecting you from something potentially toxic that you might have eaten or ingested. This defense mechanism activates when an external factor triggers the brain or the gut to turn on the vomiting reflex.
Many factors, including infections, health conditions, and medications can induce vomiting.
Conditions
Conditions that can cause vomiting include:
Appendicitis
Anxiety or stress
Cyclic vomiting syndrome (a condition that causes sudden severe nausea and vomiting episodes)
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA (an emergency medical condition that causes extremely high blood sugar levels)
Eating disorders
Food allergies
Motion sickness
Pain (for example, a migraine or kidney stones)
Pregnancy (morning sickness)
Vertigo (the sensation that either you or the environment around you is spinning or moving uncontrollably)
Digestive conditions like the following can cause vomiting:
Bowel obstruction: A blockage in the small or large intestine
Gastritis: A condition that causes stomach lining inflammation
Gastroparesis: A condition that causes your stomach to empty slower than it should
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): A condition that causes stomach acid to repeatedly flow back into your esophagus
Infections
Infections that can cause vomiting include:
Medications
Medications that can cause vomiting include:
Antibiotics
Chemotherapy
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Surgical anesthesia (medication that helps put you to sleep during surgery)
Risk Factors
Because there are many possible underlying causes behind vomiting, experts haven’t identified a set of general factors that might increase your risk of vomiting. However, some research has been done to look at the risk factors for vomiting after anesthesia In the study, researchers found that the following factors increased the risk of throwing up:
Being female
Having a history of motion sickness
Not smoking
Being younger than 50 years old
Having gastroparesis
The specific type of surgery and anesthesia you receive might also contribute to the risk of vomiting.
While vomiting on occasion is normal for everyone, if you’re experiencing long-term nausea and frequent bouts of vomiting, it’s a good idea to see your healthcare provider for a proper evaluation. They can help you understand what’s causing your symptoms and create a treatment plan to help you feel better.
During your appointment, your provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and perform a physical exam. They may also order additional diagnostics to learn about the underlying cause of your vomiting and confirm a diagnosis. These tests include:
Blood test: Measures blood cell count, chemical levels in the blood, and liver and pancreatic enzymes
Urine test: Checks for pregnancy
Imaging test: Takes detailed images of the gastrointestinal tract, abdomen, or brain to check for any abnormalities or signs of inflammation
Endoscopy: Examines the structures in your stomach and small intestine to diagnose digestive disorders
Gastrointestinal motility test: Surveys how food is moving through the stomach and digestive tract
Mental health evaluations: Only needed if your provider suspects an eating or anxiety disorder
It’s worth noting that you may need additional testing and evaluation if you’re experiencing dehydration, acidosis (dangerous levels of acid in the bloodstream), or sudden and severe abdominal pain.
The main goals of treatment for vomiting are to reduce your symptoms and minimize the chances of experiencing complications—like dehydration, where the body doesn’t have enough fluids to function properly.
Since there are several underlying causes of vomiting, your healthcare provider will work with you to figure out what’s causing your symptoms and determine a treatment plan based on your exact needs.
Home Remedies
Self-care strategies and home remedies are often enough to improve short-term vomiting concerns. Healthcare providers may often recommend the following:
Avoid scents and foods that trigger vomiting
Eat bland foods like clear broth, toast, or potatoes
Stay hydrated with water or electrolyte drinks
Drink fluids slowly
Take ginger and vitamin B6, especially if your vomiting is pregnancy-related
Try acupressure wristbands, which may provide relief for mild vomiting and nausea
Use over-the-counter (OTC) antiemetic medications such as Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) or antihistamines like Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
Limit physical activity after eating
Get fresh air
Prescription Medications
If your vomiting is chronic or has caused complications, your healthcare provider may recommend prescriptions or medical treatments. These treatment options may include:
IV fluids to treat dehydration by managing the levels of electrolytes (like potassium and magnesium) in the blood
Prescription medications to reduce vomiting, such as Reglan (metoclopramide) and Zofran (ondasetron), or Phenergan (promethazine)
Nutritional support for unintentional weight loss or malnutrition caused by vomiting either through clear liquids or a feeding tube if needed
Vomiting isn’t always avoidable. Everyone vomits at some point in their lives. However, some tips can help reduce your risk of vomiting due to certain causes. Consider the following:
Take OTC or prescription medications to stop nausea before going in for chemotherapy, surgery, or an event that may cause motion sickness (e.g., a long car ride)
Keep your hands clean and cooking food thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning or stomach flu
Get an evaluation from a healthcare provider if you have chronic vomiting, so your treatment plan can prevent future vomiting episodes
In mild vomiting cases, you may not experience any complications at all. If your vomiting episodes are severe or long-term, the most common complication that can occur is dehydration. Dehydration can cause a variety of symptoms severe thirst, rapid heart rate, fever, and headaches. It can become life-threatening without proper treatment, so early treatment is important.
Severe vomiting can also lead to small tears in the esophagus, which may bleed. If these tears occur, you may notice blood in the vomit or black poop. While rare, intense vomiting can prompt the entire wall of the esophagus to tear, causing a leak of the stomach contents into the chest or abdomen.
Seeking early treatment from your healthcare provider about vomiting can help reduce your risk of these complications.
Vomiting is extremely common and can happen for a variety of reasons. Common causes of throwing up include food poisoning, pregnancy, and underlying health conditions. In most cases, home remedies can help treat symptoms.
If your vomiting is chronic, it’s important to see a healthcare provider sooner to understand the cause of your symptoms, begin treatment, and reduce your risk of developing complications like dehydration.