Frequent vomiting is a symptom that signals the presence of any pathology. Consider vomiting as a separate disease is impossible. What are the causes of frequent vomiting in an adult or child? What are the accompanying symptoms of the disease? How is their treatment going?
Mechanism of occurrence
Despite the fact that outwardly vomiting seems to be a simple emptying of the contents of the stomach, in fact, much more organs are involved in this process. The condition occurs due to the excitation of the activity of the vomiting center in the brain. The presence of such a reflex in a person is caused by the ability of the body to urgently emit toxic and poisonous substances.
Frequent vomiting cannot be ignored, as it is the result of any disturbance in the body. This condition can occur with a large number of diseases, among which all sorts of food and chemical poisonings occupy a separate place.
Classification
By the type of exposure, the following types of vomiting are distinguished:
- Gastric, which occurs with direct irritation of the walls of the stomach with medications, poor-quality food, or other factors.
- Central when caused by non-gastric causes. It comes suddenly, without nausea, it can be difficult to stop it.
According to the factors of origin, frequent vomiting can be divided into the following categories:
- Conditionally reflex. It occurs with mechanical irritation of the soft palate, the root of the tongue, and the abdominal cavity.
- Brain It is the result of increased intracranial pressure.
- Toxic Occurs in case of poisoning.
- Medication. Appears when certain drugs act on the vomiting center in the brain.
In addition, you should pay attention to the structure and smell of vomit. They may contain impurities that have led to poisoning. If vomiting is caused by other conditions, then this information is not of particular value.
Why arises
The causes of frequent vomiting in both adults and children can be as follows:
- Acute conditions such as peritonitis, appendicitis, acute pancreatitis, acute intestinal obstruction, bleeding in the abdominal cavity or gastrointestinal tract.
- Such chronic diseases: gastritis, duodenitis, cholelithiasis, stomach ulcers or duodenal ulcers.
- Anomalies in the development of certain organs of the gastrointestinal tract, such as infection of the gastrointestinal tract, narrowing of the pylorus. Also, some defects in the development of the pancreas can lead to vomiting.
- Infectious diseases, such as helminth infections, food intoxication, some viral diseases.
- The presence of foreign bodies in the abdominal cavity, gastrointestinal tract.
- Some disorders that are characterized by a decrease or impaired motor function of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Benign or malignant neoplasms.
- Brain injuries.
- Infectious diseases of the brain, such as meningitis or encephalitis.
- Increased intracranial pressure.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Acute heart failure.
- Diabetes mellitus and diseases that develop against its background, for example, ketoacidosis.
- Hormonal disorders, as well as malfunctions in metabolic reactions.
- Situations of a psychogenic nature, such as acute stress, fear, anxiety, hysterical conditions.
Vomiting is characteristic of toxicosis during the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as during motion sickness while traveling in vehicles.
Types of Vomit
According to the characteristic of frequent vomiting in an adult or a child, the cause of its occurrence can be assumed. Indication of this fact during the examination provides additional information to the doctor and may affect the final diagnosis and treatment. Frequent vomiting can be of the following types:
- With impurities of bile. It is characteristic of poisoning, exacerbation of gastritis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, stress, nervous tension. Vomiting with impurities of bile can be determined by the characteristic bitter aftertaste remaining in the mouth and a greenish tint. Also, this condition is characteristic of severe intoxication, when at first a person is sick of being eaten, and then bile.
- Vomiting blood. It can occur with such pathological conditions: peptic ulcer of the stomach or intestines, cirrhosis of the liver, injuries of the digestive tract. Frequent vomiting and diarrhea in an adult can also occur with poisoning, intoxication, and infection.
- Masses that resemble clotted milk often occur in infants by swallowing a large amount of air, as well as with bowel obstruction. Such vomiting also has a sour smell.
- The presence of mucus indicates rotavirus, damage to the gastric mucosa, problems with the central nervous system, appendicitis, gastritis, intestinal obstruction. Such vomit is also characteristic of alcoholics and heavy smokers.
In rare cases, the so-called "fecal vomiting" may occur, when the masses in color and smell resemble digestive waste. This pathological condition is characteristic of the fistula between the wall of the stomach and the transverse colon.
Associated symptoms
The causes of frequent vomiting in a child or adult can also be determined by the symptoms that accompany this unpleasant condition. These include the following:
- Nausea that occurs before vomiting. This sensation may appear due to irritation of the celiac and vagus nerve. It should be remembered that nausea preceding the release of vomit does not always occur.
- Frequent vomiting in a child, which is accompanied by loose stools, may be evidence of food poisoning, irritation of the intestinal or stomach walls, and inflammation in the digestive organs. With this symptom, a person loses a fairly large amount of fluid, so there are risks of developing dehydration.
- Frequent vomiting and fever, which in some cases reaches 39 degrees, may be a manifestation of some infectious diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus.
- Pain and cramping may indicate acute attacks of cholecystitis, appendicitis, peritonitis. In addition, such a symptom can develop against the background of mechanical damage to internal organs that is caused by injuries to the abdomen, chest, or head.
- Indomitable vomiting, which hardly stops even after the administration of medications, can be caused by cerebral edema or severe intoxication of the body.
In addition, bloating, headache, dizziness, and fever are also associated symptoms.
Diagnostics
If the child has frequent vomiting, what should I do? If this process is repeated several times, you must call the ambulance. In cases where vomiting was single, and the general condition of the child is satisfactory, you should make an appointment with the pediatrician. At home, you can give your baby a little warm tea, soothe. The doctor will examine the child and prescribe the following laboratory tests to make the correct diagnosis:
- A general and biochemical blood test, which can show the presence of an inflammatory process in the body or identify infectious diseases.
- Fibrogastroduodenoscopy to assess the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
- X-ray of the gastrointestinal tract with the use of contrast fluid to identify affected areas.
In addition, computed, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound diagnostics may be prescribed.
Smell
To determine the exact diagnosis, it is important to pay attention to any little things, for example, the smell of vomit. It may be as follows:
- Sour (with obvious problems with the formation of acid in the digestive tract).
- Rotten (with stagnation of food in the stomach).
- The smell of feces (with intestinal obstruction).
- It smells like acetone in diabetes and a number of other pathologies.
- The characteristic smell of ammonia occurs in renal failure.
In case of poisoning with alcohol or other chemicals, vomiting will have a pronounced chemical or alcohol smell.
First aid
What should be done if vomiting begins? If poisoning is suspected, do not try to stop it. Thus, the intestine tries to cleanse itself of toxins that have been ingested. In addition, it is recommended to drink a large amount of water, slightly tinted with potassium permanganate, and cause vomiting. This is necessary to clean the stomach.
Frequent vomiting in a child is always an occasion for calling an ambulance. This symptom cannot be ignored, as it can be a sign of a more serious condition requiring surgical intervention.
If vomiting is single (for example, caused by a headache, but not associated with eating any food), a person should be given a drink of clean water or tea, laid in bed, covered, and rest. It is better not to give painkillers, as they can cause a new attack of nausea. You can put a compress on your forehead, spread whiskey and the back of your head with an asterisk. You also need to measure the patient's blood pressure, because a significant deviation of his indicators from the norm can cause headache and vomiting.
Bowel disease
Frequent vomiting without fever in a child or adult can be caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They require such treatment:
- Appendicitis is subject to surgical therapy with the removal of the inflamed organ.
- Gastritis can be treated with a strict diet, as well as the use of enveloping agents to restore the mucosa, antispasmodics, cytoprotectors, enzymes and hormonal drugs.
- With cholelithiasis, surgery is performed or the problem is solved with medications that dissolve the stones. In addition, hardware-based laser or ultrasound treatments can be used. Also, the patient is shown a diet.
Anomalies in the development of the digestive tract are most often resolved surgically.
Infectious Disease Treatment
If vomiting is a symptom of an infectious disease, then such conditions require immediate medical attention:
- With meningitis, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antihistamines, diuretics are prescribed (with the development of cerebral edema).
- Encephalitis is treated with antipyretic drugs, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsants, antibiotics, detoxification therapy.
In case of food poisoning, gastric lavage is indicated to cleanse it of the remnants of poor-quality food, take sorbents, and also restore the water-salt balance.
Trauma therapy
With various kinds of mechanical damage to the head or abdominal cavity, vomiting can occur. If peritoneal injuries are accompanied by profuse internal blood loss, then the task of doctors is to stop it, as well as thorough washing of the internal organs and staging the drainage system.
For head injuries (concussion or brain injury), which are also accompanied by severe vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms, bed rest, analgesics, sedatives, diuretics, and anti-dizziness drugs are recommended.
Heart problems treatment
Myocardial infarction or acute heart failure can be very dangerous for humans. They require treatment according to the following scheme: relief of pain, restoration of heart rhythm, reduction of the necrosis zone. It is also important to avoid unpleasant consequences. For this, a person is prescribed antipsychotics, diuretics, anticoagulants, cardiac glycosides, as well as antispasmodics and painkillers.
Treatment of hormonal disorders
If vomiting is a sign of pathologies that are considered complications of diabetes mellitus, then such therapy is prescribed:
- In diabetic ketoacidosis, insulin therapy, correction of acid-base balance, the introduction of anticoagulants, and infusion therapy are necessary.
- With thyrotoxicosis, surgical methods of treatment, the use of radioactive iodine are used, as well as treatment aimed at normalizing the level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
- In case of insufficient adrenal function, hormone replacement therapy is necessary. The acute condition needs urgent resuscitation.
To avoid these problems, you need to carefully monitor your health, and also do not ignore the therapy that was prescribed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, against which side diseases occur.
Stress treatment
Vomiting, which is caused by strong nervous tension, fear or anxiety, needs treatment, which consists in stopping the symptoms, as well as in revising the lifestyle, allocating time for a good rest, talking with a psychologist and psychotherapist, and physical activity. In some cases, sedatives are indicated.