Causes and Symptoms of Vomiting

Posted by sanjay on Saturday 18 Apr 2009

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When a person voluntarily or involuntarily ejects their stomach contents out of their mouth and oftentimes their nose, the act is referred to as vomiting or emesis. Vomiting occurs when the stomach muscles contract and a person emits their solid and liquid stomach contents. Prior to vomiting, a person will feel nauseous; but just because a person feels nauseous does not mean they are going to vomit.

There are many reasons why a person may vomit, everything from the cold and flu, to something they ate or drank, pregnancy or other medical conditions. Vomiting is oftentimes a symptom of a more serious disease. When a person vomits they may begin to salivate excessively, get chills or feel dizzy. This article discusses the causes and symptoms of vomiting.

What causes vomiting?
A person can vomit for many reasons. They may have an eating disorder called bulimia nervosa where they force themselves to expel the contents of their stomach by vomiting after eating a meal. People can also vomit from overeating or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. If a person has food poisoning from something they have eaten, they may vomit. Women who go through hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy can get morning sickness which causes them to vomit. They predominately vomit in the morning but may actually vomit at any point in the day. People with certain medical conditions may vomit from the medications and procedures that they use to treat the illness. Gastrointestinal problems such as peptic ulcers, gastoesophageal reflux disease, problems with the digestive tract, and intestinal blockages can cause a person to vomit.

What are symptoms of vomiting?
Before a person vomits they will feel nauseous. Nausea is an uneasy feeling in the stomach. The person may feel weak or dizzy and their skin can feel cold and clammy. Their heart rate can increase and they may salivate excessively. When they see, smell or try to eat or drink, they often become repulsed. When a person does vomit, the stomach muscles contract and the food is expelled through the mouth and sometimes the nose.