We will look at what happens to our bodies when we vomit. Why does it occur and what can we do to feel better?
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What Causes Vomiting?
When we aresickwith an illness that leads to vomiting, the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is typically inflamed and irritated.When you try to eat or drink, you further irritate that lining, causing it to expel the contents of your stomach. Sometimes the irritation is so bad or your reflex is so sensitive that it causes the continuation of the vomiting even after your stomach is empty. You may vomitbileor you may just “dry heave.”
In adults and older children, the most common cause of vomiting is viral gastroenteritis.
What You Can Do
If you find yourself dealing with vomiting—whether it is yourself or someone you care for—there are things you should know about how to treat it. Although it is only a symptom of an illness and not an illness itself, the actions you take when you are vomiting can affect how quickly you recover and how bad it may be.
One of the most important lessons you will learn—and something that many people make the mistake of doing without knowing how much it can harm—is not to eat or drink anything immediately after vomiting.
It can be tempting to at least drink something after you throw up because your mouth now tastes horrible and you want to avoid dehydration, but eating or drinking right after vomiting often leads to more vomiting. If your stomach is emptying itself, it needs time to rest and relax before you put anything else in it.Wait at least 15 minutes before you try to eat or drink after vomiting.
There are mixed reviews about whether or not following a strictBRAT dietwill help withvomiting and/or diarrhea.In general, letting your stomach rest and eating bland starchy foods for a day or two after vomiting (or while you are recovering) isn’t going to hurt.
These foods are gentler on the stomach and less likely to irritate your GI system. If you are unable to eat foods that are included in the BRAT diet, talk with your healthcare provider or dietitian about alternatives.
How to Safely Make Yourself Throw Up
When to Seek Help
You should also seek medical attention if you arevomiting bloodor if your vomit looks like coffee grounds.If you experience a severe headache and stiff neck or neck pain with vomiting, contact your healthcare provider right away.
If you aren’t sure what to do, always contact your healthcare provider foradvice.
What Is Emetophobia? The Fear of Vomiting
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).American Academy of Family Physicians.BRAT diet: recovering from an upset stomach.Laine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, et al.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).American Academy of Family Physicians.BRAT diet: recovering from an upset stomach.Laine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, et al.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).American Academy of Family Physicians.BRAT diet: recovering from an upset stomach.Laine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, et al.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).
American Academy of Family Physicians.BRAT diet: recovering from an upset stomach.
Laine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, et al.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5
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