Nausea - medically known as nausea - is a disorder. It can be described as a "queasy feeling" in the stomach area or nausea. Often, but not always, nausea is accompanied by vomiting.
Nausea is not a disease in its own right, but a symptom. It can occur in connection with a variety of illnesses. Nausea is often accompanied by other symptoms such as
accompanied.
Nausea can have various physical as well as psychological causes © Goffkein | AdobeStock
Nausea occurs when the vomiting center in the brain is activated. This can have various causes. In most cases, nausea occurs as an accompanying symptom of an illness. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in particular lead to nausea, such as
Other causes that can lead to nausea are
- Infectious diseases,
- migraine,
- a concussion,
- sunstroke,
- a heart attack,
- anxiety disorders, mental agitation and nervousness,
- balance disorders,
- motion sickness,
- drugs that irritate the stomach and drugs that activate the vomiting center as a side effect (e.g. chemotherapy).
Nausea is also particularly common in women in the first trimester of pregnancy as a result of hormonal changes.
Nausea can also be a self-protective measure of the body. Nausea prevents the absorption of further harmful substances into the body and removes toxins that have already been absorbed from the body through vomiting.
Nausea is therefore caused by, among other things
- Food poisoning,
- excessive alcohol consumption and
- eating too much
too much food.
To find out the cause of the nausea, the doctor will first take a medical history. This involves asking the patient
- about their medical history (e.g. questions about known illnesses that can cause nausea),
- accompanying circumstances (e.g. questions about medication or alcohol consumption) and
- accompanying symptoms (e.g. abdominal pain, fever, dizziness).
This questioning is followed by a physical examination. Among other things, the doctor will palpate the abdomen to detect any pressure pain or a tense abdominal wall. He will also listen to the bowel and breathing sounds.
For further diagnostic clarification
can be carried out.
In most cases, nausea subsides on its own without treatment.
If this is not the case, there are various treatment options available to alleviate the nausea. In most cases, symptomatic treatment of nausea with medication or natural remedies that suppress the nausea is sufficient.
Nausea rarely lasts longer than three days. If it lasts longer or is accompanied by frequent vomiting and a poor general condition, you should consult a doctor. He or she can clarify the causes and initiate targeted treatment.
Symptomatic treatment of nausea
There are various medications available for the symptomatic treatment of nausea that are effective against nausea. These include so-called antiemetics and antihistamines.
There are also many herbal remedies that can relieve harmless nausea. These include, for example
- gentle gastrointestinal teas with chamomile, peppermint or fennel and
- preparations made from ginger rhizome.
If you suffer from nausea, you should not irritate your stomach any further. It is therefore often advisable to switch to light food and small meals.
Causal treatment of nausea
If the cause or underlying illness for the nausea is known, the doctor should target the treatment to it.
In the case of a nervous stomach, relaxation exercises, endurance sports or simply rest are recommended. If a highly acidic stomach has caused the nausea, heartburn medication can alleviate the symptoms.