Nausea and vomiting are extremely common experiences, and most people will suffer from them at some point in their lives. Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up are often signs that something isn’t quite right in your body. While these symptoms are frequently caused by minor illnesses like viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as the stomach flu, or morning sickness during early pregnancy, they can also be triggered by a wide array of other factors. You might find yourself asking, “Why can’t I keep food down?” when even the smallest sips of water or bites of bland food seem to come right back up. This article will explore the common reasons behind nausea and vomiting, when these symptoms might signal a more serious underlying condition, and what you can do to find relief and get back to feeling yourself again.
Common Reasons You Might Be Vomiting
Several everyday issues can lead to that unpleasant feeling of nausea and the act of vomiting. Often, the inability to keep food down is a direct result of your body trying to expel something harmful or irritating. Some of the most frequent culprits include:
- Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu): This highly contagious viral infection is a leading cause of nausea and vomiting, along with diarrhea. The stomach flu inflames your digestive system, making it difficult to tolerate food and liquids.
- Food Poisoning: Consuming contaminated food can introduce bacteria, viruses, or parasites into your system. Your body reacts by attempting to purge these toxins through vomiting.
- Morning Sickness: Many pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting, particularly in the first trimester. Hormonal changes are thought to be the primary driver of morning sickness.
- Medications and Substances: Numerous medications, including certain antibiotics, pain relievers, and chemotherapy drugs, can cause nausea and vomiting as side effects. Substances like alcohol and marijuana can also irritate the stomach and trigger vomiting.
- Motion Sickness: Travel by car, boat, plane, or train can induce motion sickness in susceptible individuals. This occurs when there is a conflict between what your inner ear senses about motion and what your eyes are seeing, leading to nausea and vomiting.
When Is Vomiting a Sign of Something Serious?
While most cases of nausea and vomiting are temporary and resolve on their own or with simple home care, it’s crucial to recognize when these symptoms could indicate a more serious medical problem. If you experience vomiting accompanied by any of the following warning signs, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention:
Call 911 or Seek Emergency Medical Assistance if You Experience:
- Chest pain: Vomiting alongside chest pain could be a symptom of a heart attack or other serious cardiac issue.
- Severe abdominal pain or cramping: Intense pain in your abdomen combined with vomiting might point to conditions like appendicitis, pancreatitis, or bowel obstruction.
- Blurred vision: This could indicate neurological issues or severe dehydration.
- Confusion: Changes in mental state like confusion can be a sign of serious dehydration, infection, or other critical conditions.
- High fever and stiff neck: These symptoms are classic indicators of meningitis, a serious infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
- Fecal material or fecal odor in the vomit: This is a very concerning sign of a bowel obstruction.
- Rectal bleeding: Vomiting accompanied by rectal bleeding suggests significant gastrointestinal distress and requires immediate evaluation.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention at Urgent Care or the Emergency Room if:
- Vomiting is accompanied by pain or a severe headache, especially if it’s a type of headache you’ve never experienced before. This combination could be a sign of migraines, or in rare cases, more serious conditions like bleeding in the brain.
- You have signs or symptoms of dehydration: Dehydration can quickly become dangerous, especially when you’re losing fluids through vomiting. Watch out for excessive thirst, dry mouth, infrequent urination, dark-colored urine, weakness, or dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing.
- Your vomit contains blood, resembles coffee grounds, or is green: Blood in vomit (especially if it looks like coffee grounds, which is digested blood) indicates bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Green vomit can suggest bile, which may be normal, but persistent green vomit should be checked by a doctor.
When to Schedule a Doctor’s Visit for Persistent Vomiting
If your vomiting isn’t accompanied by the emergency warning signs listed above, but it persists or recurs, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Consult your doctor if:
- Vomiting lasts more than two days for adults, 24 hours for children under age 2, or 12 hours for infants. Prolonged vomiting can lead to dehydration and may indicate an underlying issue that needs medical attention.
- You’ve had bouts of nausea and vomiting for longer than one month. Chronic or recurrent nausea and vomiting can be a symptom of various gastrointestinal disorders or other health problems.
- You’ve experienced unexplained weight loss along with nausea and vomiting. Unintentional weight loss combined with these symptoms could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition like cancer or a digestive disorder.
Self-Care Strategies to Help Keep Food Down
While waiting for a doctor’s appointment or while recovering from a bout of vomiting caused by a minor illness, you can take several self-care measures at home to ease your nausea and help you gradually keep food down:
- Take it easy and rest: Avoid strenuous activity and get plenty of rest. Overexertion can worsen nausea.
- Stay hydrated with small sips: Dehydration is a major concern with vomiting. Sip slowly and frequently on cold, clear liquids. Good choices include water, clear broths, diluted fruit juices, or electrolyte solutions like Pedialyte. Some people find carbonated beverages like ginger ale or sour drinks like lemonade helpful. Mint or ginger tea may also soothe the stomach.
- Avoid strong odors and triggers: Pay attention to things that seem to trigger your nausea and try to avoid them. Common triggers include food smells (especially cooking odors), perfumes, smoke, stuffy rooms, heat, humidity, flickering lights, and car rides.
- Start with bland foods: When you feel ready to eat, begin with easily digestible, bland foods. The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is often recommended. Other good options include plain crackers, gelatin, and clear soups. Gradually progress to cereal, rice, fruit, and salty or high-protein, high-carbohydrate foods as tolerated. Avoid fatty, greasy, or spicy foods, as these are harder to digest and can worsen nausea. Wait at least six hours after your last vomiting episode before trying solid food.
- Consider nonprescription motion sickness medicines: If your nausea is related to travel, over-the-counter motion sickness medications like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or meclizine (Bonine) can be helpful if taken before traveling. For longer trips, talk to your doctor about prescription options like scopolamine patches.
- For pregnancy-related nausea: Try eating dry crackers or toast before getting out of bed in the morning. Small, frequent meals can also help manage morning sickness.
By understanding the potential causes of “why can’t I keep food down” and recognizing when to seek medical help, you can take proactive steps to manage your symptoms and ensure your well-being. Remember to listen to your body and consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your nausea and vomiting.
Show References
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- Feldman M, et al., eds. Nausea and vomiting. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Feb. 17, 2022.
- Longstreth GF. Approach to the adult with nausea and vomiting. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 17, 2022.
- Heckroth M, et al. Nausea and vomiting in 2021: A comprehensive update. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 2021; doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000001485.
- Di Lorenzo C. Approach to the infant or child with nausea and vomiting. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 17, 2022.
- Wilkinson JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. March 2, 2022.
