Severe nausea is a symptom of a problem, not a disease, and can be caused by medication, illness, alcohol, or pregnancy. It can also be a symptom of serious medical conditions that require immediate attention. Treatment may include anti-nausea medication or surgery.
Severe nausea occurs when a person feels extremely sick in their stomach. It is typically a symptom of a problem, such as a disease, and is not a disease in and of itself. The nausea is often intolerable and is persistent. Sometimes, it can appear without warning, depending on the cause of the nausea.
Sudden and persistent nausea that appears without warning is often referred to as acute nausea. Food poisoning, appendicitis, and motion sickness are some of the reasons for severe acute nausea. Allergic reactions to food can also cause nausea classified as severe.
There are several reasons why a person may experience severe nausea. It can result from the type of medication the person is taking, an illness, alcohol, or a digestive disorder. The anesthesia that is given to a person during surgery can sometimes leave a person feeling nauseous when they wake up.
Pregnancy is a common reason for women to experience nausea. While not all women experience severe nausea during pregnancy, some do. Abnormalities in a woman’s pregnancy can make nausea worse. Being pregnant with more than one child can often cause a woman to have even stronger feelings of nausea.
A rare disorder known as hyperemesis gravidarum can occur during pregnancy and is often associated with severe nausea. Doctors believe that this happens due to the amount of hormones in a woman’s body. There are certain risk factors that can make a woman more likely to develop this disorder, such as being overweight, having experienced the disorder before, or becoming a mother for the first time.
Other symptoms may occur with severe nausea, some requiring medical attention. A person may experience fever, headache, abdominal cramps or pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness. Dehydration can occur if the person cannot hold down food or drink. If the nausea produces vomiting, the person may be losing weight. Other symptoms may also be present, depending on the severity and reason for the nausea.
Severe nausea is usually not a serious health problem. However, if you experience dehydration or extreme vomiting, you may need to see a doctor. Anti-nausea medications may be prescribed, or a doctor may recommend intravenous fluids to aid in rehydration. Some serious medical conditions that have nausea as a symptom, such as appendicitis, require immediate medical attention. Depending on the condition that is causing the severe nausea, a person may need surgery.
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