Understanding the Causes of Nausea and Vomiting: A Gastroenterologist’s Perspective

Nausea and vomiting are two signs that a gastroenterologist uses to help diagnose gastrointestinal conditions. The gastroenterologists at San Diego Gastroenterology provide comprehensive gastroenterology services, including diagnosis and treatment of nausea and vomiting. They have three convenient office locations in San Diego, CA, to help you.

What You Need to Know about Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting can be temporary, or they can become a chronic problem. Some of the most common causes of temporary episodes of nausea and vomiting include:

• Stress
• Pregnancy
• Motion sickness
• A viral infection like the flu
• A bacterial infection like food poisoning
• Alcohol and substance abuse

Nausea and vomiting can also become a chronic condition. Some of the most common causes of chronic nausea and vomiting include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Appendicitis
• Kidney stones
• An intestinal obstruction
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Chemotherapy, radiation, and other cancer treatment

If you are experiencing frequent episodes of nausea and vomiting without an obvious cause, it’s time to visit a gastroenterologist. You should also visit a gastroenterologist if the nausea and vomiting is accompanied by:

• A fever over 101 degrees
• Blood in your stools
• Vomiting blood
• Difficulty breathing
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes
• Abdominal swelling
• Uncontrollable pain

To diagnose the cause of your nausea and vomiting, one of our San Diego gastroenterologists may recommend blood and stool testing, an upper endoscopy, and a colonoscopy.

There are steps you can take to help control nausea and vomiting. You should:

• Eat a bland diet of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT)
• Eat smaller amounts of food slowly
• Take a small amount of ginger or peppermint
• Drink licorice or chamomile tea
• Take over-the-counter antacids
• Avoid smoking and tobacco use
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Limit aspirin or NSAID medications

Want to Know More about the Causes of Nausea and Vomiting?

To learn more about the causes of nausea and vomiting and how your gastroenterologist can help, call the gastroenterologists at San Diego Gastroenterology. You can reach them in San Diego, CA, by calling (619) 291-6064, so call now!