ghostman suffers a bout of Nausea and vomiting

Introduction 

Nausea and vomiting in adults isn't usually a sign of anything serious and tends to only last one or two days.

Vomiting is the body’s way of ridding itself of harmful substances from the stomach, or it may be a reaction to something that has irritated the gut.

One of the most common causes of vomiting in adults isgastroenteritis. This is an infection of the gut usually caused by bacteria or a virus, which will normally improve within a few days.

However, vomiting can occasionally be a sign of something more serious, such as appendicitis, so if you are feeling very unwell or are worried about your vomiting, trust your instincts and call your GP.

There is a separate topic on vomiting in children and babies.

When to contact your GP

Contact your GP if:

• you've been vomiting repeatedly for more than a day or two
• you're unable to keep down any fluids because you are vomiting repeatedly
• your vomit is green (this could mean you are bringing up a fluid called bile, which suggests you may have a blockage in your bowel – see below)
• you have signs of severe dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine
• you've lost a lot of weight since you became ill
• you experience episodes of vomiting frequently

Your GP may want to investigate the cause of your vomiting or prescribe treatment.

You should also see your GP if you have diabetes and have been vomiting persistently, particularly if you need to take insulin. This is because prolonged vomiting can affect your blood sugar level.-read more