Almost every single person, no matter the age group, has experienced some form of nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting, however, are not illnesses. Rather, they are signs and symptoms of an underlying medical condition.
Are nausea and vomiting the same?
Nausea and vomiting are two different symptoms, and one can exist without the other. Nausea refers to feeling sick in the stomach with an urge to vomit, although it doesn’t always lead to vomiting. Vomiting or throwing up is when you expel the contents of your stomach, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, through your mouth. Did you know that the brain parts that control nausea and vomiting are the same? In fact, these two are involuntary actions being controlled by the medulla oblongata, also called the vomiting center of the brain.
Common Causes of Nausea and Vomiting
Many diseases can lead to nausea and vomiting, and they are not necessarily diseases of the stomach alone. Experts in West Palm Beach urgent care have identified the following common reasons for nausea and vomiting:
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is a common occurrence in the United States, with approximately 48 million Americans getting sick from a form of food poisoning every year. Ingesting food-borne microorganisms from contaminated food and drink is the most common cause of food poisoning. If not treated promptly, it can lead to dehydration and fever.
Anorexia
Anorexia is a form of eating disorder that affects 30 million people in the United States, wherein patients have an intense fear of gaining weight. This condition doesn’t discriminate in terms of gender and age. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, a patient dies every hour due to an eating disorder. Patients with anorexia nervosa suffer from slow stomach emptying and sluggish metabolism, leading to bloating, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting.
Bulimia
Bulimia is another form of eating disorder wherein patients have periods of excessive eating followed by induced vomiting and other forms of purging like fasting, excessive exercise, and use of laxatives and enemas — which they do as a compensatory behavior. Just like anorexia, patients with bulimia nervosa are also afraid of weight gain. Around 1.5% of women in the United States suffer from bulimia nervosa.
Brain infections
In patients with brain infections, such as meningitis, nausea and vomiting are common symptoms. According to the National Meningitis Association, 600 – 1,000 Americans get meningococcal disease every year with a 10-15% death rate. Meningitis refers to the swelling of the meninges that protect and cover the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. When the meninges are inflamed, this disrupts the balance and increases the pressure inside the brain, which leads to nausea and vomiting.
Head injury
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Patients who suffered from concussions, a mild form of TBI, have increased intracranial pressure, which may lead to nausea, vomiting, and headache.
Brain tumors
A tumor in the brain can disrupt your chemical and hormonal balance, leading to nausea and vomiting. As the tumor grows, it consumes space and displaces brain tissues, increasing the pressure inside the brain, which further contributes to nausea and vomiting. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, nausea and vomiting may be a side effect of the treatment. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, approximately 24,000 Americans will be diagnosed with this type of tumor in 2020.
Migraine
A migraine is a severe form of headache that’s often described as pounding, pulsing, or throbbing. Over 38 million Americans suffer from migraines. Although the cause of migraine is largely unknown, there are external and internal factors that may trigger an attack. The reasons why patients with migraine experience nausea and vomiting are still not clear, although some experts believe that this can be due to disturbances in the inner ear and the brain.
Learn more about Nausea and Vomiting from our doctors in Urgent Care of The Palm Beaches
If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, you must seek medical help immediately from doctors in our urgent care clinic to identify the cause of your symptoms. Only after finding out the real cause can you be given proper treatment and medical management.
For your convenience, we have made our services more accessible. Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches has clinics in three convenient locations:
We’re here to help you get the care you need quickly, so you can get back to feeling your best. All our locations boast friendly and experienced staff, along with urgent care with x-ray capabilities for a faster diagnosis.
You may schedule an appointment with our doctors online or come over as a walk-in patient.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.