Throw it up - The details of vomiting
- By Team TDO
Causes of Vomiting:
Vomiting is not a disease. It is a symptom of some underlying disease like:
- Food poisoning
- Gall bladder or liver disease
- Kidney stones
- Stomach ulcer
- Oesophageal diseases
- Peptic ulcers
- Cancers of the digestive system
- Heart attacks
- Brain tumors
- Poisoning cases
Vomiting also commonly occurs due to overeating or due to exposure to some unpleasant sight or smell. Early pregnancy is also one of the reasons for vomiting where the underlying cause is the hormonal fluctuations.
Vomiting is your body’s way of throwing out the harmful substances in the stomach; or of indicating to you of some serious underlying disease.
People who suffer from eating disorders like bulimia usually forcibly vomit out everything that they have eaten.
Seasickness and motion sickness are also frequently encountered reasons for vomiting.
The cause of vomiting differs according to age. For children, vomiting commonly occurs due to food poisoning, milk allergy, overeating or feeding, coughing, or blocked intestines and illnesses in which the child has a high fever.
If a one off event vomiting is usually harmless, but if combined with other symptoms, it can be dangerous. Some of the leading causes of sudden vomiting include meningitis, brain tumors, appendicitis and food poisoning.
The major concern due to vomiting remains dehydration. When the vomiting is severe, one tends to lose a lot of water that in turn can further complicate things. It is important that intravenous fluids are given as early as possible to be on the safer side.
Excessive vomiting during pregnancy is called as hyperemesis gravidarum where the mother may develop fluid and mineral imbalances putting her unborn child’s life in danger.
Rarely, even excessive vomiting can tear the lining of the esophagus, the phenomenon called as a Mallory-Weiss tear. If the oesophagus ruptures, it will pose a serious medical condition called as Boerhaave’s syndrome.
