Nausea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ICD-10 | R11. |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 787.0 |
Nausea (Latin: Nausea, Greek: Ναυτεία, "sea-sickness") is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit.
[edit] Causes
Nausea is not a sickness, but rather a symptom of several conditions, many of which are not related to the stomach. Nausea is often indicative of an underlying condition elsewhere in the body. Travel sickness, which is due to confusion between perceived movement and actual movement, is an example. The sense of equilibrium lies in the ear and works together with eyesight. When these two don't "agree" to what extent the body is actually moving the symptom is presented as nausea even though the stomach itself has nothing to do with the situation. The reason for the stomach's involvment is thought to be the brain concluding that one of the senses is hallucinating, and further conclude that this is due to poison ingestion. The brain then induces vomiting to clear the supposed toxin.
Nausea is also an adverse effect of many drugs, and may also be an effect of a large intake of sugary foods.
A striking fact about nausea is that it is so intensely aversive, and not just in the moment. Years after the pain of childbirth diminished from memory, mothers will vividly recall their experience of nausea; it is even a reason some mothers choose not to bear more children. One unfortunate incident with oysters or a bottle of alcohol, and people will not touch the culprit for years. In Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange, the authorities programmed Alex away from brutality by coupling his violent urges with feelings of nausea, not pain. Burgess, Anthony (1962). A Clockwork Orange. W W Norton & Co Ltd.
In medicine, nausea can be a problem during some chemotherapy regimens and following general anaesthesia. Nausea is also a common symptom of pregnancy, in which it is called "morning sickness". Mild nausea experienced during pregnancy can be normal, and should not be considered an immediate cause for alarm.
Other causes of nausea:
- Addison disease
- Amusement park rides
- Alcoholism
- Appendicitis
- Brain tumor
- Bulimia
- Cancer
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Crohn's disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Exercise induced nausea
- Flu
- Food poisoning
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Gastroparesis
- Heart attack
- Hydrocephalus
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Kidney failure
- Medications
- Migraine
- Morning sickness
- Nervousness
- Norovirus
- Pancreatitis
- Peptic ulcer
- Sleep deprivation
- Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
- Tobacco smoking and second-hand smoke
- Tullio phenomenon
- Vertigo
- Vestibular balance disorder
- Viral hepatitis
[edit] Treatment
While short-term nausea and vomiting are generally harmless, they may sometimes indicate a more serious condition, such as Coeliac disease. When associated with prolonged vomiting, it may lead to dehydration and/or dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
Symptomatic treatment for nausea and vomiting may include short-term avoidance of solid food. This is usually easy as nausea is nearly always associated with loss of appetite. Dehydration may require rehydration with oral or intravenous electrolyte solutions. If the cause is by motion sickness, sitting down in a still environment may also help.
There are several types of antiemetics, and researchers continue to look for more effective treatments. The main types used post operatively for surgical patients are ondansetron, dexamethasone, promethazine, diphenhydramine, and in small doses droperidol. Doxylamine is the drug of choice in pregnancy-related nausea. When ingested or inhaled, the chemical compound tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to reduce nausea in some users.[1] Also available are a variety of non-invasive (often untested) mechanical devices used to suppress nausea due to motion sickness.
The spices ginger and peppermint have also been used for centuries as a folk remedy to treat nausea, and recent research has supported this use.[2]
[edit] References
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