Although nausea and vomiting are common and usually aren't serious, they can worry you. In children and young adults it usually results from the viral infection commonly called stomach flu. In these cases, vomiting and diarrhea often go away within 2 to 3 days, but weakness and fatigue may last for about week.
In older people medicines and ulcers are the culprits. Less common causes are bacteria and parasitic infections, drinking too much alcohol. Another cause is food poisoning, which you can get from food tainted with virus, bacteria or chemicals. In this case you could have abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, or fever and chills. The vomiting may leave you dehydrated. Mild food poisoning lasts only a few hours or at worst a day or two, but some types such as botulism and certain forms of chemical poisoning- are severe and may be fatal unless you get prompt treatment.
Symptoms of Nausea:
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal cramps or pain.
- Fever, weakness, and fatigue.
- Headache.
- Loss of appetite.
- High fever.
- Unusual weakness.
- Heavy sweating.
Prevention of vomiting or nausea:
- Keep the immune system strong with plenty of exercise, rest and a healthy diet.
- Wash your hands often.
- Don't thaw frozen meat on the kitchen counter, thaw it quickly in a microwave oven and cook it right away.
- Quickly refrigerate foods that can spoil. Set your refrigerator at 37 degrees and never eat cooked food or dairy foods that have been out of a fridge longer than 2 hours.
- Avoid raw meat, fish, or eggs. Cook all these foods well even if you have to eat them.
- At picnics don't eat moist foods that have been out 2 hours or more, or long enough to become warm.
- Using soap and hot water to wash your hands and any utensils, cutting boards that are touched by uncooked meat, fish or poultry.
- Be sure that all members of your household wash their hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before fixing food or eating.
- Don't eat any food that looks or smells spoiled or any food in bulging cans or cracked jars. (These are signs that the content has gone bad) .
- Don't eat any wild berries, mushrooms or other plants unless you know for sure what they are.
Home remedies for vomiting and nausea:
Common home remedies for vomiting and nausea are as listed below:
- Call the local poison control center, trained staff members can help you decide whether you need medical help.
- For food poisoning, ask if others who have eaten the same food fell ill. Try to get a sample of the food if your symptoms get worse or don't go away.
- Its better not to take over the counter antinausea or antidiarrhea medication for 24 hours, unless a doctor advises it.
- Sip clear liquids, suck on ice chips or Popsicles if nothing will stay down.
- Once you can keep fluid in your stomach, drink clear liquids for the next twelve hours or so and then for one whole day eat bland food.
- Watch for signs of dehydration, especially in infants, children, and older adults (symptoms include dry mouth, sticky saliva, dizziness or weakness) .
- Get plenty of rest until all the symptoms are completely gone.
When to use Home remedies for nausea
- If there is intense pain or swelling in the abdomen, rectum or anus.
- If you have bloody or dark tarry stools.
- If you vomit blood or anything that looks like coffee grounds.
- If along with vomiting and nausea you have blurred vision, muscle weakness, breathing, speaking or swallowing.
