FT Chronicle

Vomiting , known medically as emesis and informally as throwing up and a number of other terms, is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one’s stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting may result from many causes, ranging from gastritis or poisoning to brain tumors, or elevated intracranial pressure. The feeling that one is about to vomit is called nausea, which usually precedes, but does not always lead to, vomiting. Antiemetics are sometimes necessary to suppress nausea and vomiting, and, in severe cases where dehydration develops, intravenous fluid may need to be administered to replace fluid volume.

Vomiting is different from regurgitation, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Regurgitation is the return of undigested food back up the esophagus to the mouth, without the force and displeasure associated with vomiting. The causes of vomiting and regurgitation are generally different.

Vomiting and nausea are not illnesses but common complaints that go along with many diseases and conditions. The problems with nausea and vomiting are related to the cause.

Nausea and vomiting from motion sickness or seasickness or cancer therapy can result in loss of water and electrolytes, which can lead to dehydration. Vomiting and nausea known as morning sickness may occur during pregnancy. Nausea, the unmistakable, unpleasant, queasy feeling in your throat or stomach that may result in vomiting, is a message sent by your brain. It tells you that something isn’t right.

Vomiting is emptying your stomach by a strong gag and retch that leads to throwing up. The stomach’s contents are forcefully expelled through the mouth. Vomiting can come in waves as the natural movement (known as peristalses) is reversed, and involuntary contractions in the walls of your stomach and esophagus force the stomach contents out. Sometimes coughing or spitting up mucus from the lungs is confused with vomiting. You can only vomit from the stomach.

Retching is the movement of the stomach and esophagus without vomiting. Sometimes this is called the dry heaves. Most people experiencing the dry heaves would rather just throw up and “get it over with.”.

Bright red in the vomit suggests bleeding from the esophagus. Dark red vomit with liver-like clots suggests profuse bleeding in the stomach, such as from a perforated ulcer. Coffee ground-like vomit suggests less severe bleeding in the stomach, because the gastric acid has had time to change the composition of the blood. Yellow vomit suggests bile. This indicates that the pyloric valve is open and bile is flowing into the stomach from the duodenum. (This is more common in older people.)

Most of the time, nausea and vomiting go away on their own as quickly as they started and can be managed at home. Treatment for nausea and vomiting usually involves medicine to decrease the nausea and fluid replacement for dehydration.