Whether it is something you ate or some unpleasant smell that has been bothering you, your body might react to it in an equally unpleasant way by making you feel nauseous. Nausea is an unpleasant sensation and is often followed by vomiting. Nausea is characterized by a pronounced discomfort of the stomach which induces the need to vomit. There are instances when an you simply feels nauseous and this sensation subsides after some time, but usually, it subsides only after the you vomit.
A variety of reasons can cause nausea. Some people are sensitive to certain types of foods or smells, it can be a side-effect of a medication, or it can be caused by certain medical conditions. There are certain triggers of nausea and to ensure that you do not have to undergo the unpleasant sensation, it is advisable to avoid the following triggers or seek appropriate treatment for the same.
Diet
The overall health and wellbeing of your body is determined by what you eat. So, when you eat something that doesn’t suit you, your stomach will react to it. Overeating or eating certain types of foods like high-fat foods or spicy food can upset the stomach, and this, in turn, can trigger nausea. Also, eating food that you are allergic to can cause nausea.
Motion sickness or seasickness
The triggers of nausea can be divided into factors that irritate the brain and the factors that irritate the gut. So, motion sickness and seasickness fall into the former category as the unnatural movement can interfere with the messages being transmitted to the brain and prevent them from syncing up with the senses. This can lead to dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.
Medications
At times, nausea is induced by certain medications. For instance, cancer treatments like chemotherapy can upset the stomach and trigger nausea. There are other medications that can trigger nausea as a side-effect. It is imperative that you read the medical information carefully and consult the doctor before you take any medications. You can even ask the physician to prescribe medications that can reduce the impact of medication-related nausea.
Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Heartburn which is one of gastroesophageal reflux disease’s (GERD) major symptoms can trigger nausea. GERD occurs when the stomach acid enters the esophagus. This causes a burning sensation which leads to nausea. Treating nausea caused by GERD involves dealing with the primary condition, and nausea will subside on its own.
Infection or virus
The “stomach bug” or bacteria and viruses can trigger nausea, eventually causing the you to vomit. Food-borne bacteria that affects the stomach and causes food poisoning can trigger nausea as well. Moreover, other viral infections also have the ability to cause nausea. Treating nausea in such cases involves eating right and taking antibiotics to clear the infection.
Pain
There are instances when intense pain can give rise to symptoms of nausea. Painful conditions like gallbladder stones, kidney stones, and pancreatitis can cause nausea.
Ulcers
Other major causes of nausea are ulcers or sores in the stomach or in the lining of the small intestine. So, whenever you eat something, the ulcer can cause a sudden burning sensation and nausea.
Other medical conditions
In addition to these causes, there are certain other medical conditions which trigger nausea. They are meningitis, migraine headaches, intestinal blockages, liver failure or liver cancer, heart attack, ear infection, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
