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Nausea - definition, causes and treatment
contents
- definition
- Diseases as the main cause of nausea
- Diseases of the brain and central nervous system
- Mental illness
- Diseases of the inner ear and eyes
- Diseases of the metabolism and hormone system
- Other causes of nausea
- diagnosis
- therapy
- Naturopathic therapy
definition
By nausea is meant the badly suppressible feeling or a kind of reflex to vomit, that is, to transport its contents of the stomach to the outside in the quickest possible way. It does not always include the actual vomiting, because often it remains simply the dull feeling of "vomiting-vomiting". However, nausea is also often equated with vomiting, whereas the term nausea is used for the feeling of vomiting. Consequently, one usually reads and hears nausea and vomiting together. And the path of development for nausea and vomiting in the body is the same.
By nausea is meant the badly suppressible feeling or a kind of reflex, to vomit, that is, to want to move his stomach contents outwards as fast as possible. This is not always followed by actual vomiting. (Image: leszekglasner / fotolia.com) The starting point for nausea and vomiting is the so-called vomiting center. This is located in the brain stem (cerebral trunk) and is composed of parts of the following brain elements:
- Area postrema - This circumventricular organ is located in the brain in front of the so-called blood-brain barrier, which is a natural barrier between the circulatory system of the brain and the central nervous system. Thus, the area postrema is a brain-own device for signal conduction between blood and brain. In this context, it is the task of this organ to detect toxic substances in the blood and to forward relevant information as quickly as possible to the nerve units of the vomiting center, the so-called nucleus tractus solitarii.
- Nucleus tractus solitarii - This region of the mark brain is filled with so-called gray matter, which scientists still do not know exactly what they are doing. However, the name nucleus tractus solitarii, or simply "nucleus solitarius", which translates into "taste kernels", already suggests the function of this brain region. In the taste kernel taste fibers come together, which are not only responsible for the recognition of taste impressions, but stimulate by appropriate impulses also the salivation and the chewing and swallowing movements. Furthermore, in the nucleus tractus solitarii also impulses of the area postrema as well as of the gastrointestinal tract are interpreted, which make a nausea necessary. Anyone who has noticed a short-term increase in salivation in combination with the urge to swallow often before vomiting has observed the taste kernel at work.
- Formatio reticularis - This neuronal network extends from the extended medulla to the midbrain and coordinates a whole host of nerve-based brain mechanisms. In addition to respiration, cardiovascular system, emotional state and pain sensation, the reticular formation, also known as reticular formation, is also responsible for the coordination of nausea and vomiting.
Based on this complex process of impulses it can be seen that the nausea comes about through the interplay of many different factors. For example, different critical tastes or substances in the bloodstream may be responsible for nausea and vomiting. But even nerve impulses, such as those caused by anxiety, dizziness or an irritated gastrointestinal tract, can not be ruled out as triggers.
Nausea can be triggered not only by substances in the body - nerve impulses, such as those caused by anxiety, dizziness or an irritated gastrointestinal tract, can not be ruled out as a cause. (Image: zinkevych / fotolia.com) Diseases as the main cause of nausea
Nausea and vomiting are most commonly associated with underlying disease. Especially with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nausea is a cardinal symptom. This is especially true for
- Gastrointestinal infections,
- Food intolerances
- and food poisoning,
which are known to affect first and foremost on the digestive tract. The body tries here to protect the diseased organ system from overloading or from toxins that pass through pathogens or food toxins in the stomach and intestine or arise there. Far away from this typical, gastrointestinal-based disease trigger of nausea, there are still a few other organ systems that react in case of a disease with nausea. To mention here are in particular:
- Diseases of the brain,
- Diseases of the central nervous system,
- Diseases of the inner ear,
- Diseases of the eyes,
- Diseases of the metabolic system,
- Disorders of the hormonal system
- and mental illness.
Diseases of the brain and central nervous system
Many parents know the doctor's advice to look for nausea and vomiting when the offspring is upside down. Behind this information is the reflex vomiting as a sign of increasing intracranial pressure as a result of a cerebral swelling caused by the fall. The increased intracranial pressure causes irritation of the vomiting center through space-occupying processes, which especially affect the brain nerves. A disturbed signal line in the region of the crushing center is quite possible.
Many parents know the doctor's advice to look for nausea and vomiting when the offspring is upside down. Behind this information is the reflex vomiting as a sign of increasing intracranial pressure as a result of a cerebral swelling caused by the fall. (Image: Africa Studio / fotolia.com) There are many causes of increased intracranial pressure. For example, it is conceivable that a hemorrhage caused by a fall-related vascular injury, which then causes the disturbing pressure conditions. In this regard, brain internal vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis (arteriosclerosis) or hypertension are mentioned as possible causes of bleeding. In the worst case, these advanced-stage diseases cause life-threatening cerebral hemorrhage. Similarly, the increased intracranial pressure can occur due to a brain inflammation, a brain tumor or as a side effect of certain drugs.
Danger: If nausea and vomiting occur up to 24 hours after a fall or impact on the head, there should always be a possible complication such as: a serious concussion will be thought. In such a case, please seek immediate medical attention or call an ambulance!
Apart from an increased intracranial pressure, there are, of course, other neurological diseases that come as an originator of nausea in question. In particular, various forms of brain infections and brain inflammations, such as meningitis or encephalitis, repeatedly come to light through nausea and vomiting. Likewise, it can come in the course of a migraine or an epileptic seizure to nausea. In the latter case, this is particularly dangerous because patients have no control over their bodily functions during an acute attack and therefore they are at risk of suffocating from their vomit.
Mental illness
There are also psychological causes of nausea and vomiting, which are closely related to a disturbed impulse conduction in the brain. However, here it is often the senses that play crazy and as a result call the vomiting center onto the scene. Starting with phobias, which are all too keen on triggering exaggerated stimulation reactions in the nervous system, on eating disorders in which a morbid obsessive-compulsive disorder conditions the vomiting center, on addictions that provoke glitches in the brain by exogenous intoxicants and stimulants, there are in the field of mental illness numerous scenarios that may be responsible for the development of nausea. In most cases, this is a multifactorial event, which leads to an activation of the autonomic nervous system as a result of the increasing stress and thus also to an irritation of the vomiting center in the brain.
Phobias, which are all too keen on triggering exaggerated stimulus reactions in the nervous system, as well as eating disorders or addictions can be responsible as a psychological cause for the development of nausea. (Image: andriano_cz / fotolia.com) Diseases of the inner ear and eyes
Causes associated with disturbed signal conduction in the brain are situations where nausea occurs at a particular location. Well-known here is the so-called motion sickness (kinetosis), in which it comes during the stay on a ship or with passengers in the car, bus or plane to the onset of nausea and vomiting. In most cases, the symptoms become even more difficult if certain activities such as reading or writing are carried out during the journey.
The cause of this form of nausea is contradictory perception impressions. The sense of balance, or the equilibrium organ in the inner ear, plays a decisive role here. While the sense of balance registers a significant change in position during the journey, the eyes have the impression of a hardly to not at all changing situation, which is further intensified by a look into a book or to the wall of a ship's cabin. This leads to misperceptions in the brain, which is overstrained with the sensory stimuli and therefore reacts with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or dizziness.
Important: Even if the symptoms of motion sickness appear rather harmless and usually disappear quickly, when the person feels solid ground under their feet again, they should not be taken lightly. The body reacts in this situation as if it were in a state of intoxication and there is always the danger of a marked circulatory collapse!
Warned at this point but also from disease causes in the inner ear, which permanently affect the sense of balance. Especially an advanced inner ear infection (otitis interna) is particularly feared in this regard, since it can lead untreated to permanent damage to the structures located in the inner ear and thus also on the balance organ. In addition, malformations of the inner ear as the cause of disturbed equilibrium perceptions and resulting nausea are not to be underestimated.
In addition, nausea and vomiting are concomitant symptoms of many eye diseases in which normal vision is impaired by blurred vision. Accompanying symptoms here are next to nausea usually dizziness and headache. Typical diseases of the eyes, which are associated with appropriate complaints, are in this context:
- Ocular infarction (opticomalacia),
- Cataract (cataract),
- Green Star (glaucoma),
- Retinal inflammation (retinitis),
- Squinting (strabismus)
- and optic nerve inflammation (Neuritis nervi optici).
Causes associated with disturbed signal conduction in the brain are situations where nausea occurs at a particular location. Well known here is the so-called motion sickness. (Image: Maridav / fotolia.com) Diseases of the metabolism and hormone system
Some hormone-based diseases are also associated with nausea. Most commonly, these are processes on the hormone-producing organs of the adrenals or parathyroids. It's no secret that hormones play a crucial role in brain function. This applies in particular to the signal line in the brain stem. Examples of signal-interfering diseases would be in this regard
- adrenal insufficiency,
- Addison's disease
- and hyperparathyroidism.
But diabetes mellitus can also lead to nausea and vomiting if the blood sugar lapses.
In view of a disturbed metabolism, it is more digestive organs that induce nausea. For example, if the liver or kidneys are damaged by disease, they can no longer adequately perform their detoxification function. The result is an increased accumulation of toxins in the blood, which are then registered by the area postrema and interpreted as a reason for the triggering of nausea.
Typical diseases that can lead to a metabolic disorder in this way and in the next step to nausea and vomiting, are
- Pancreatitis (pancreatitis),
- Fatty liver (steatosis hepatis),
- cirrhosis
- and renal insufficiency.
Other causes of nausea
In addition to disease-related factors, there are a number of other factors and situations that can lead to a reflex nausea without any real disease value. These include, among others, the reflexive breaking and gagging action with which the body tries to prevent objects or pieces of food that are too large from entering the trachea by mistake. Here, the reflex arc is triggered by a pressure perception of the rear tongue area and the soft, rear palate. An illustrative example here is the choking and nausea during dental treatments.
In addition to illness-related causes, there are other factors that cause nausea. An example is the strangulation and nausea during dental treatments. (Image: JackF / fotolia.com) On the other hand, the reflective nausea should serve as a protective strategy to protect the body from (potential) poisoning. A well-known example of this is the feeling of disgust and the often associated gagging that occurs when one sees or smells rotten foods or toxic substances. This mechanism serves as a warning to the body not to absorb these substances or to remove them from the area of action in the case of toxic gases and vapors. If the poisonous substances nevertheless enter the body, the body initiates the second stage of this protection strategy, in which case the vomiting is frequently frequent.
Incidentally, this effect is also used when deliberately adding toxins to his body, for example in the form of drugs, anesthetics and excessive alcohol. The subsequent vomiting is then simply the solution of the body to get rid of the toxins as quickly as possible or to keep the amount absorbed as low as possible.
Speaking of substance Influence: Some medicines that are supposed to support the affected patients in their recovery trigger nausea, nausea and vomiting as an unwanted side effect. Well-known example is the supply with iron preparations, the oral antibiotic therapy or the use of cytostatics in cancers. And even with antidepressants such as citalopram nausea and vomiting are often listed as possible side effects. Here, in contact with the attending physician, it is essential to weigh how much the benefit of the therapy is in comparison to the undesired side effects.
Even in pregnancy, many women are tormented by recurring nausea and vomiting. This so-called pregnancy sickness is classified here under certain conditions as safe and is endured by most women with much composure. Astonishingly, the causes have not yet been conclusively explained medically. One suspects, however, an interaction of the following factors:
- altered hormone situation,
- increased odor sensitivity,
- increased pressure in the abdomen,
- decreased muscle tension in the stomach entrance
- and stress from the extra workload.
Danger: However, if the expectant mother hardly ever gets enough nutrients as a result of the pregnancy sickness and loses weight, it is absolutely advisable to discuss the problem with a doctor. Because in such a case, both the health of the expectant mother and the unborn child is at risk.
Even in pregnancy, many women are tormented by recurring nausea and vomiting. This so-called pregnancy sickness is classified here under certain conditions as safe and is endured by most women with much composure. (Image: Drobot Dean / fotolia.com) diagnosis
Of course, nausea and vomiting are first and foremost detected by the patient. When going to the doctor, a detailed questioning of the patient's concomitant symptoms and possible underlying diseases as well as dietary habits and lifestyle is important. The subsequent physical examination is then usually carried out after the exclusion process. For example, blood, urine and stool samples can be used to detect any toxins or infectious agents in the samples. In particular, blood tests reveal important details of the patient's liver and sugar levels. In case of suspected food intolerance, allergy tests are also conceivable. In the case of a possible pregnancy, of course, a pregnancy test is also relevant.
In order to assess the health of the internal organs, and in particular of the brain, imaging techniques such as ultrasound, MRI or CT can also be used. If there is reason to believe that there is an increase in intracranial pressure, urgent medical measures to reduce the brain pressure will be initiated here as well as a further blood pressure measurement to rule out vascular diseases that are associated with hypertension.
therapy
Nausea does not always require a therapeutic treatment. If nausea occurs uniquely and without vomiting and clear emotional states of distress, a previously diagnosed pregnancy or short-term cognitive disorders can be identified as the cause, one can often refrain from a therapy. On the other hand, it is different when vomiting actually starts and there is reason to believe that there is a serious health complaint. Depending on the findings, in addition to the treatment of the underlying disease, the following measures are available to cope with the onset of nausea.
Medical therapy
The medicamentous therapy of nausea occurs with so-called antiemetics. On the one hand, they can work in the gastrointestinal tract by relaxing the musculature here and thus weakening the strained muscle stimuli to the brain. On the other hand, many antiemetics also target the brain directly and affect the vomiting center, thereby reducing the nausea. Appropriate medicines are usually used in tablet form, as a suppository or lozenge.
The medicamentous treatment of nausea occurs with so-called antiemetics. Appropriate medicines are usually used in tablet form, as a suppository or lozenge. (Image: sebra / fotolia.com) home remedies
In its mild form, nausea is also easy to control with simple home remedies. In general, it is often helpful to just go for a short time to the fresh air and take a few deep breaths. When traveling sickness, it makes sense, for example, to take a short break on the fresh air. In order to reconcile the inner ear and the eyes, it can also help to close the eyes or to fix a fixed point in a quiet position.
Morning sickness can be combated with a light snack, if possible even before getting up. Biscuits, pretzel sticks or a muesli bar are ideal for this. Since nausea is often associated with a high stress potential, it is also useful in recurrent symptoms to establish stress-solving measures in the daily routine. Here meditation, yoga exercises and breathing exercises are conceivable.
As an acute measure, one can also try whether the acupressure therapy according to the approaches of Traditional Chinese Medicine provides relief. Here, certain points are stimulated by pressure from the outside with the help of the fingers and thereby positively influence the vomiting center in the brain. Striking and successful acupressure points for the treatment of nausea are located at:
- the insides of the wrists,
- below the kneecaps
- and above the eyebrows.
The pressure through the fingers can be varied, but should always be in the bearable frame.
Naturopathic therapy
From the realm of medicinal plants are also some herbs available, which can be used as tea or aromatherapy applied to reduce nausea and nausea. These include, among others:
- ginger,
- peppermint,
- chamomile,
- fennel
- and anise.
It is not without good reason that ginger names the listing because this tuber has made a name for itself in the treatment of nausea and vomiting in the past. He is also liked by pregnant women, because there are no side effects to expect. When using homeopathic preparations Nux vomica, Arsenicum album and Pulsatilla are used very successfully. (Ma)