Excessive Vomiting

Vomiting is nothing but an involuntary action of the body to expel stomach contents through the mouth. It may also be voluntarily induced. Vomiting can happen only from the stomach and so it must not be confused with coughing or spitting up mucus from the lungs. Vomiting may or may not be accompanied by nausea.

☞ The main concern with excessive vomiting is dehydration as it causes the body to lose substantial amount of fluids. The main symptoms of dehydration include:

• Dry mouth
• Dry lips
• Lethargy
• Reduced urination
• Rapid breathing
• Reduced perspiration
• Sunken eyes
• Sunken fontanels in infants

Another major indication of dehydration is yellow or amber urine. To prevent complications, it is essential to get rehydrated once the vomiting stops. This is more important in small children.

Fruit juices or sports drinks help in replacing electrolytes lost from the body during vomiting. Herbal teas such as agrimony tea, fennel seed tea, ginger tea, etc., are also helpful.

Some people may prefer fluids which are clear liquids. Also, during excessive vomiting, sipping fluids, instead of slurping, helps the stomach to adjust and heal. In case of children, they can be given oral rehydration solution available in most drugstores.

☞ If vomiting stops then you can start your meal with bland foods like non-buttered toast or crackers. Jell-O is considered the best post vomiting treat. As you start feeling better than before, you may go for light protein meals like chicken breast or fish. Avoid fatty, greasy foods and cream soups as they worsen vomiting.

☞ In case of cyclic vomiting syndrome (excessive vomiting that keeps recurring), there is no specific cure but treatment methods to ease the symptoms. A patient might need anti-nausea drugs, sedatives, or medicines to suppress acid. If the condition has high risk of causing dehydration, then hospitalization may be required. Some people with CVS might feel better with medicines that are formulated to treat migraines.

☞ Mostly, excessive vomiting does not indicate a severe problem. But if the same persists for more than a few days or is accompanied by symptoms of dehydration, or other symptoms such as blood in the vomit, stiff neck, slow thinking, abdominal pain, diarrhea, blurred vision, fever or fainting then it is important to get prompt medical attention.

☞ Medical conditions that are commonly associated with the problem may include:
• Gastroenteritis
• Gastroparesis
• Appendicitis
• Hydrocephalus
• Brain tumor
• Brain infarction
• Crohn's disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Traumatic brain injury

• Vertigo
• Gallbladder disease
• Motion sickness
• Ulcers
• Cancer
• Brain hemorrhage
• Food poisoning
• Meningitis
• Intestinal blockage
The severity of the vomiting would depend on how severe is its underlying cause.

For instance, meningitis is usually associated with excessive vomiting in most people. Sometimes, severe vomiting could be induced by certain medicines too.

☞ Most episodes of vomiting do not last longer than a day or two. But some people may suffer from bouts of severe vomiting that may last for hours and sometimes even for days. Such a condition is known as cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). Mostly, children between 3-7 years of age are affected by this condition.

CVS follows a particular pattern that helps distinguishing it from other similar disorders. Usually, the problem begins with nausea and vomiting which get severe with time, and this is followed by a phase when no such symptoms occur and the person becomes normal again.

☞ CVS does not have any specific or known causes. But doctors have identified factors which may contribute to the problem. These may include motion sickness, psychological stress, allergic reactions, menstruation, overeating, migraines or having family members with migraines, mutation in the mitochondrial DNA, autonomic dysfunction, and flu.

Excessive or severe vomiting is commonly associated with alcohol overdose. Alcohol is an irritant to the stomach. By inducing involuntary vomiting the gag reflex of the body works to get rid of the excess alcohol which the body is unable to process.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended in any way to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.