vomiting – Hello Doctor

Nauseous after eating? Here’s why

July 16th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

You’ve just finished a delicious meal and while it’s hit the spot, you’re starting to feel sick. Urgh. Why are you feeling nauseous?

Your digestive system is a collection of organs that work together to break down what you eat or drink. When you eat, the food is digested and the nutrients are turned into energy. The process begins in your mouth when you chew and the food is broken down to be swallowed. Food travels down your food pipe and then to the stomach and intestines.

Any problems during these processes may cause nausea after eating.

Food poisoning

If you eat food that’s past its expiry date or hasn’t been properly stored or refrigerated, it can attract bacteria and parasites that can make you sick. Besides nausea, food poisoning may also cause vomiting and diarrhoea, usually within a few hours after eating.

Acid reflux

GERD, commonly known as acid reflux, happens when the muscular valve between your oesophagus and stomach breaks down. This causes stomach acid to leak into your oesophagus. The main symptom of acid reflux is heartburn, but it may also bring on nausea.

Stomach virus

Commonly known as the stomach flu, a stomach virus infects your intestines and gives you nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. You can catch the stomach flu by being around someone who has it, or eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Anxiety and stress

Not only does stress mess with your emotions, it can harm your physical health. Negative emotions like stress or anxiety can make you lose your appetite or feel sick after eating. The symptoms should stop once you calm down.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation. Nausea after eating is one of the most common symptoms of IBS.

Motion sickness

If you’re sensitive to movement, the motion of a moving vehicle can make you feel sick. Eating before or after going for a ride can cause or make nausea worse.

When to see your doctor

Experiencing nausea after eating every now and then isn’t cause for alarm, but if it doesn’t go away within a week you should see your doctor.

See your doctor if you experience more serious symptoms with nausea, like:

Blood in your vomit or stools
Chest pain
Confusion
Diarrhoea that lasts for more than a few days
Extreme thirst, and signs of dehydration like struggling to urinate, weakness, and dizziness
A fever
Intense pain in the abdomen
Rapid heartbeat
Severe vomiting
Trouble keeping food down

Minimise your risk of feeling sick after eating:

Avoid or limit having greasy, fried or spicy foods
Eat smaller meals frequently, rather than three big meals
Suck on ice cubes or crushed ice
Relax and sit still after eating to help your food digest
Eat and drink slowly
Have foods at room temperature or cold if the smell of cooked food makes you feel queasy

References:

How to find out if you have ulcers

October 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

How easy is it to get an ulcer? Do they just affect older people? Well, the answers are ‘easier than you think’, and ‘no’, but let’s look at the details.

What are ulcers?

Basically, an ulcer is an open wound. The most common kind are peptic ulcers which form in the stomach or the upper part of the small intestine.

What causes ulcers?

Previously, people used to believe that ulcers were caused by spicy food, alcohol or stress. Today we know that most peptic ulcers are caused by:

1. A certain group of bacteria. H. pylori is a group of bacteria that lives in the stomach and small intestine. This bacteria can cause an infection that leads to ulcers. They live and grow in the stomach, but not everyone with the bacteria gets ulcers. It seems that a combination of H. pylori infection and the level of acid in the stomach may be the cause.

2. Medications. Certain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) painkillers (aspirin or ibuprofen) used to fight inflammation. If these are taken in high daily doses over a long period of time, they can cause ulcers in some people.

3. Smoking: Smoking increases ulcer risk because nicotine causes the stomach to produce more acid. Drinking a lot of alcohol each day for a period of time can also increase your chances of getting an ulcer. The reason? Over time alcohol can wear down the lining of the stomach and intestines.

4. Stress: In certain circumstances stress can help cause ulcers, but usually it’s the kind of stress triggered by serious illness.

How do I know if I have an ulcer?

Stomach pain is the most common symptom of an ulcer. It can feel like a series of sharp aches between your breastbone and belly button. While the pain often comes a few hours after eating, it can also happen during the night or early morning, when your stomach is empty. Taking an antacid medication or eating something may ease the pain for a while. Other symptoms of ulcers can include:

loss of appetite and weight loss
sudden, sharp stomach pains
nausea, frequent burping or bouts of hiccups
vomiting (if blood is in the vomit or the vomit looks like coffee grounds, call your doctor immediately)
bloody or blackish stool (this could indicate a serious problem, so see your doctor right away)

If you think you have an ulcer, see your doctor without delay. If left untreated, an ulcer can go from being a discomfort to becoming a serious problem.

How to avoid getting sick while traveling

May 17th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Love to travel, but afraid you may get sick en route? Don’t be. Enjoy the journey with these tips.

Taking the train

Sit face forward. When you’re seated against the direction of travel, you could have motion sickness. Motion sickness is when one part of your balance-sensing system (your inner ear, eyes, and sensory nerves) sense that your body is moving, but the other parts don’t. This can cause you to feel dizzy or nauseous. If all the forward-facing seats are taken, ask someone to swap with you. You can also ask the train conductor for help.
Look ahead. Try to look forward along the length of the train as much as possible. It may also help if you close your eyes and try to move with the motion of the train. Just be careful you don’t miss your stop!
Stay in your seat. Walking through and between the carriages can bring on nausea. Stay seated until you reach your destination.
Open a window. Fresh air can keep sickness at bay. You can also stand by the train doors at station stops for a bit of fresh air.
Tune out. Plug in your headphones and listen to some soothing music. This may help take your mind off getting sick.

If you become nauseous and can’t bear to stay in your seat, get off at the next station and wait for the next train to arrive. Hopefully you’ll feel better by then.

Boarding a bus

Sit right in front, as close to the driver as possible. Engine fumes are the worst at the back of the bus, and may cause nausea.
Watch your gaze. Stay seated face forward, looking out through the front windshield. Follow the route with your eyes, anticipating any bends and bus stops in the road.
Have a mint. When you feel ill, suck on a mint candy or chew a piece of mint gum. Mint naturally soothes the stomach and helps relieve symptoms of nausea.
Air it out. Open a nearby window, if possible. If the bus has air vents, turn it to direct the air onto your face.
Don’t read. Reading may trigger sickness.

Keep a paper bag handy for when you simply can’t control your nausea and need to vomit.

Flying

Sit near the front. The back of the plane gives the bumpiest ride. Book a seat towards the front. If you couldn’t manage to get a front seat, ask someone to switch or get the airline staff to help.
Drink up. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times, and sip it regularly. Make use of the drinks service. Order cold drinks like ginger ale or tonic water. Ginger can help stop nausea, and tonic water can fight stomach pain, cramps and dizziness. Skip the alcohol and drinks with caffeine as these will just dehydrate you further and make you feel worse.
Wear comfortable clothes. Anything constricting, especially around the throat or waist may make you feel uncomfortable. Go for loose-fitting clothing made from breathable material like cotton.
Rest up. Get enough sleep before and during your flight. Put your head against the headrest and use the footrest to help you settle and relax. Being tired, stressed or anxious can lead to air sickness.
Bring snacks. Airline food isn’t always the best. In case you can’t stand anything the airline serves, bring your own nibbles on board.

If you aren’t feeling well, don’t panic. There should be air waste bags and paper towels on hand for cleaning up. If all else fails, ask the airline staff to help. They are usually obliging and sympathetic.

For more info on why you get motion sickness, see: Why do I get motion sickness?

References:

Swatting the stomach bug

February 26th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

Guard your stomachs everyone, the bug is back. That’s right, it’s the season of the stomach bug, that one virus that can force you to become best frenemies with your porcelain throne for a day. If you don’t want to spend your valuable time hugging or sitting on the loo, then follow these rules. Continue reading “Swatting the stomach bug”

Nausea! Feeling sick? This is what you can do

December 27th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Nausea is just the worst. No matter who you are, there’s simply no cool way to do nausea. The warning signs are a queasy feeling in the stomach, and sudden flow of saliva (see, already uncool). How can you make it stop, make it go away? Continue reading “Nausea! Feeling sick? This is what you can do”