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Vomiting and Nausea

Vomiting and Nausea Overview

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 means 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."



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Vomiting and Nausea

Pregnancy »

Pregnancy Overview

Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by a sperm, grows inside a woman's uterus (womb), and develops into a baby. In humans, this process takes about 264 days, but the obstetrician will date from the last menstrual period or 280 days (40 weeks).

  • The doctor will use certain terms in discussing a woman's pregnancy. Some of the following definitions are useful:

    • Intra-uterine pregnancy: A normal pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus (womb) and an embryo grows.

    • Embryo: The term used for the developing fertilized egg during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

    • Fetus: The term used for the developing embryo after 12 weeks of gestation.

    • Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (also called beta-hCG): This hormone is secreted by the placenta and can be measured to determine the presence and p...

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Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome »

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a chronic functional disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized by paroxysmal, recurrent episodes of vomiting and was first described in children by Samuel Gee in 1882.

Read More on eMedicine »

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