Nausea is the sensation of an urge of you to vomit. Nausea can be acute and short-lived, or it can be prolonged. When prolonged, it’s a debilitating symptom. Nausea (as well as vomiting) can be psychological or physical in origin. It can originate from problems in the brain or organs of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder).
Nausea may also be caused by diseases of a myriad of organs outside of the gastrointestinal system. Thus, the diagnosis of the cause of prolonged nausea may not be easy. All stimuli that can cause nausea work via the vomiting center in the brain, which gives rise to the sensation of nausea and coordinates the physical act of vomiting.
Nausea symptoms are frequently a challenge for people to describe. The symptoms of nausea aren’t that painful, but it can be very uncomfortable feelings that are felt in the chest, upper abdomen or back of the throat. Furthermore, nausea can also be associated with the following:
- headache
- fever
- diarrhea
- gas
- vomiting
- dizziness
- lightheadedness
- abdominal pain
- a general feeling of being sick to one’s stomach
Other causes of nausea may include side effects from medications, pain, pregnancy and morning sickness, seasickness, viral infection, alcohol toxicity, and disease of the brain, esophagus, stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and intestine.
