7 common causes of nausea and how to deal with it

An unpleasant feeling of nausea makes life difficult and unsettling. It can be short-lived and long-term and occur with or without other unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness, stomach cramps, or without them. However, nausea is a symptom that should not be ignored.

There are many possible causes of nausea. Some conditions are minor and go away independently, while others are serious and require medical attention. Read on to find out 7 common causes of nausea and how to deal with it.

Problems with digestion

Feelings of nausea can indicate stomach problems. If you experience prolonged nausea, especially with symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, and stool problems, be sure to see your doctor to find out the cause.

Notes that acidic stomach contents move up into the esophagus, in gastrointestinal reflux disease. Over time, this can lead to stomach discomfort and nausea.

Another possible and more serious cause is stomach or small intestinal ulcer. Ulcers cause inflammation and pain, prompting receptors in that area to alert the brain to a bowel disorder. In turn, the body reacts with nausea.

Severe pain

Severe pain, especially headache, can also trigger nausea. For example, migraines or physical trauma often contribute to this.

Severe pain causes your body to release hormones such as adrenaline, which activates cellular receptors in the intestines and brain. This leads to nausea.

Also, nausea often accompanies rehabilitation after medical interventions. As the anesthetic wears off, the sensation of pain builds up, which over time becomes so intense that it causes nausea. And some types of injections provoke an unpleasant condition – for example, intravenous ones.

Medicines

Nausea is a common side effect of medications. Moreover, depending on the characteristics of our body, such a reaction can occur to almost any medication.

The most common drugs that cause persistent nausea are chemotherapy drugs. Antibiotics and pain relievers can also cause stomach upset and nausea. This is because drugs can activate receptors in the intestines that tell the body that potentially harmful substances are in the blood. The body can respond with nausea and vomiting, a defense mechanism to rid itself of foreign matter.

Infections

Certain types of infections can cause nausea, especially those caused by food poisoning. Food poisoning occurs when we eat something that contains a harmful pathogen, such as salmonella or E. coli.

Certain viral illnesses can also cause nausea and other unpleasant conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. This can happen with flu, rotavirus infections.

Seasickness

Seasickness, or motion sickness, is a common cause of nausea. Here’s how it works: movement is sensed by different pathways in the nervous system, and when walking, for example, these paths work in concert. Because we do it consciously, sending a certain signal to the brain. However, when a combination of intentional movement with unintentional, for example, when driving in vehicles, the nervous system receives conflicting signals. It is because of this that we feel sick and sick.

And there is also the term “cybernetic disease” when we feel nausea, migraine, and dizziness when working at a computer for a long time. We are “rocked” by the monitor because the brain receives messages that we are moving – for example, due to the blinking of a picture on the screen when we are actually motionless. This is called vestibular conflict and is most common among computer gamers.

Anyone can experience cyber illness, but those who have migraines prone to motion sickness, as well as people with vestibular problems or who suffered concussions, are most susceptible to it. It is noted that young children and the elderly are also susceptible to this disease.

Binge eating

Eating a large meal can cause nausea, especially if it includes spicy and fatty foods. The doctor assures that this usually goes away rather quickly, so the symptoms should not last long. But if nausea accompanies you after each meal, you should consult a doctor – this may be a symptom of gastritis.

In addition, allergies or sensitivities to certain foods can also cause nausea after eating them.

Stress

The brain and intestines are closely related, both physically and chemically. This is precisely the reason why stress causes physical symptoms. For example, when you are anxious or emotionally stressed, your body overproduces certain hormones. These hormones trigger the release of substances that activate the nausea-causing part of the brain.

Stress can also cause changes in the balance of “good” and “bad” gut bacteria, which can also cause nausea.

How to get rid of nausea

When nausea occurs regularly, you should find out its causes. Unfortunately, the use of medicines that alleviate the “here and now” condition will not get rid of the prospect of an unpleasant condition in the future. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor if nausea has become your frequent companion – for example, if a certain medicine causes it, you should talk to your doctor about adjusting the dosage or choosing an analog.

If nausea does not come often, then there are ways to help yourself. Ginger and mint are two of the most popular natural remedies. Ginger can be consumed as tea or candy and is especially useful for long journeys for those with motion sickness.

Peppermint is also useful in tea, but you can also buy a bottle of peppermint essential oil and inhale it, or apply it to your wrist to be “close at hand.”

The most famous “non-food” nausea remedy is a cool compress. It is placed on the back of the neck. It can alter the perception of nausea and provide some relief. They also recommend taking deep, soothing breaths, which can help attenuate the brain signals that cause nausea.

What absolutely must not be done with attacks of nausea: eat fatty foods, meat, dairy products, and drink carbonated drinks. They can provoke bloating, and the abundance of sugar in the soda will only increase the discomfort. Better to give preference to clean water and “light” foods. And for recovery from nausea, rice, mashed potatoes, bananas, and boiled eggs are good options.