We’ve all been there – that feeling of nausea can come on out of nowhere, making you feel queasy and miserable. But what are the causes? Read on to learn more about common causes of nausea, when to see a doctor, and what steps you can take to find relief.
What Causes Nausea?
Finding anyone in the world who has never experienced nausea would be challenging. But what is it? Nausea is a queasy feeling in your gut that can make you feel like you want to vomit. While not a condition or disease in itself, nausea is often a symptom of some of the following underlying issues:
Motion Sickness
If you’ve ever taken a road trip, flown on an airplane, or sailed the seas and felt your stomach lurching in response to movement, then you know the feeling of motion sickness.
This type of nausea is caused by the inner ear sensing movement that your eyes don’t see. When this happens, the brain gets confused and sends signals to your stomach that can cause feelings of queasiness and sometimes even vomiting.
Although it’s not always possible to prevent motion sickness from occurring when traveling, there are some measures you can take, such as avoiding strong odors or watching out for overly bumpy roads.
Additionally, if you are prone to motion sickness, it is a good idea to bring along some anti-nausea medication or ginger candies for relief.
Early Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant, it can be normal to experience nausea in the early stages. It is usually accompanied by morning sickness, which is caused by a surge of hormones your body produces when you become pregnant.
Other possible causes include heightened sensitivity to smell and stress or anxiety associated with pregnancy. Fortunately, this type of nausea tends to be mild and typically goes away before you reach your second trimester.
Indigestion
The foods we eat can have an impact on our digestive system, and eating too much fat, oil, dairy, or sugar can lead to uncomfortable feelings of nausea and an upset stomach. If you suspect your frequent nausea may be due to indigestion, it would be wise to speak with your dietitian.
They will help you examine the types of food you are consuming and advise you as you switch to healthier options. Eating smaller portions at each mealtime can also help reduce feelings of discomfort as your body will not have to work as hard during digestion.
Food Poisoning
Nausea can be a truly unpleasant experience; in some cases, it can even lead to vomiting. If your nausea is severe enough for you to vomit, then it’s highly likely that you’ve got food poisoning.
Food poisoning happens when someone eats something contaminated with infectious bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Although getting food poisoning might make you feel very unwell for a few days, there are steps that you can take to help yourself recover quickly.
Drinking plenty of fluids will help keep your body hydrated whilst resting up should aid the healing process, too – so don’t forget about those all-important self-care activities.
Anxiety
Do you ever feel nauseous without vomiting when you’re feeling anxious? You may be familiar with the tell-tale feeling of ‘butterflies in your stomach’ that can accompany heightened emotions. Although this sensation is quite common, it rarely leads to anything more serious than a few moments of discomfort.
If this happens to you, take some time to pause and focus on taking deep breaths. This will help regulate your breathing and heart rate – which may be elevated due to your anxiety – enabling the nausea-inducing emotion to pass quickly.
So what else can you do to help your nausea disappear? We’re glad you asked.
Things That May Help You Stop Feeling Nausea
You can use numerous strategies to reduce or even halt your nausea in its tracks. We’ll cover some do’s and don’ts.
Do
To reduce your nausea, do:
- Get plenty of fresh air. Going outside or opening a window can help reduce the feeling of nausea.
- Distract yourself with activities like listening to music or watching a film. Taking your mind off your feelings may help ease them.
- Take regular sips of a cold non-carbonated drink like water.
- Drink ginger, chamomile, or peppermint tea, as they are thought to have anti-nausea effects and can be soothing on an upset stomach.
- Add a small amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water.
- Eat foods containing ginger because it is thought to help reduce nausea, especially when taken in small doses throughout the day.
- Consume smaller, more frequent meals instead of large ones. Eating smaller portions can be easier on an upset stomach.
There are also things you shouldn’t do if you want to avoid an upset stomach.
Don’t
To avoid suffering from nausea, or to stop it after it begins, don’t:
- Eat or cook strong-smelling foods.
- Have hot, fried, or greasy food.
- Eat too quickly.
- Drink a lot of liquids with meals.
- Lie down soon after eating.
- Wear clothes that are tight around your waist or tummy area.
- Drink alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks, as they can all aggravate nausea.
- Move around too much or do strenuous activities.
Hopefully, by applying these do’s and don’ts during your next bout of nausea, you’ll reduce the time you have to deal with its unpleasant side effects. But what happens if your nausea doesn’t want to go away? When is it time to seek out medical advice?
When to Visit the Urgent Care for Nausea
If you’re dealing with nausea, it’s important to know when it’s time to visit the urgent care for a checkup. Here are some cues that indicate you should head to the doctor:
- You’ve been vomiting for more than two days straight
- You’ve experienced periods of nausea and vomiting for longer than a month
- You’ve noticed unexplained weight loss
- You feel fatigued
- Your nausea is accompanied by a severe headache or stomach pains
- You’ve recently experienced a fever, rash, or changes in your vision
- You’re pregnant and experiencing persistent bouts of nausea and vomiting
If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is essential. Don’t take matters into your own hands – visit the urgent care for a checkup and get the help you need.
In addition, when you visit a provider at Centers Urgent Care they can prescribe Zofran to help with the nausea and an IV drip to keep you hydrated.
Summing it All Up
Nausea is a common experience ranging from mildly annoying to severely debilitating. While it is generally caused by something as simple as eating too quickly or having an upset stomach, there are some more serious causes, like food poisoning or infection.
The takeaway here is that while most cases of nausea are harmless and resolve on their own, they can also be a sign of something more serious. If you’ve been feeling nauseous for longer than a few days, have lost your appetite or are experiencing other worrying symptoms, don’t hesitate to get in touch with urgent care to find out what is happening.
Urgent care centers provide quality medical attention for any type of problem and can help diagnose the cause of your nausea if necessary. Taking action now could save you from bigger issues down the line.
Centers Urgent Care is here for all your medical needs. Our experienced providers are ready to help. Find a location closest to you here.