Vomiting: Causes, Symptoms and Cure

Vomiting is usually a beneficial process to help protect a person from injury or even death. The body reacts quickly and violently to rid the stomach of any harmful material. In children vomiting is most often due to an abdominal infection but in adults the reasons may vary from a simple stomach upset to a 'morning sickness' in pregnant women. Good news is that in most cases, the treatment can be done with the help of some simple home remedies.

Here are some tips to help contain vomiting in children.

First and foremost, avoid solid food.

You can take liquids but in small, frequent amounts. Allow enough time intervals between one intake and the other. Don't get too excited or tempted to give more quantity.

Begin by offering a small amount of liquids: only half an ounce every 15 minutes. If your child can keep down half an ounce two or three times, offer an ounce every 15 minutes. After a few one-ounce servings have been kept down, go to two ounces every half hour. Gradually increase the servings as they are tolerated.

If the child also has associated diarrhoea which is often the case in tropical countries, use of Oral Rehydration Salt is highly recommended. These are especially made formulations which replace the electrolytes lost by the body during vomiting
and diarrhea.

If sips of water are not tolerated then it is advised to consult your doctor.

Coconut water, sweetened lime juice in water with ice (shikanji) can be given. Avoid using milk, milk products and carbonated drinks.

Start giving foods gradually. Wait for the child to ask for food and you can give the child lentil gruel and plain rice with curd. Avoid spicy foods.

When to call a doctor?



The greatest risk of vomiting due to gastroenteritis is dehydration. Young children as compared to adults have little capacity to bear the loss of water and lectrolytes from the body. Call your doctor if your child shows following signs of dehydration.

The child has diarrhea and refuses fluids.

The child is not urinating.

He cries without tears.

He has a dry mouth or seems confused.

You should also call the doctor if vomiting persists for more than two days, which increases the risk of dehydration.

The following symptoms may indicate a condition more serious than gastroenteritis and requires immediate medical attention.

Projectile vomiting in an infant- forceful vomiting. In this the vomit is thrown at a distance.

Vomiting accompanied by fever.

Repeated vomiting of green or yellow bile.

Vomit resembles coffee grounds.

Vomiting blood.

Vomiting following head injury.

Specially in tropical countries dehydration can come very quickly and also the amount of fluid.

More tips for containing Vomiting in Adults



Lime juice is an effective remedy for vomiting. Take a glass of chilled limejuice and sip slowly.

Drinking Ginger tea helps a bit in stopping vomiting.

In 1 glass water, add some honey and drink sip by sip.


Prevention and general remedies:-

— Wash your hands, cutting boards and outer tops frequently. After handling raw meat, wash your hands and utensils before preparing other foods. Do not eat meat, dressing salads or other foods that have been kept for more than two hours between
34 degree Centigrade and 40 degree Centigrade.

— Keep party foods on ice. Do not eat raw eggs or sauces made with raw eggs.

— Discard any cans or jars with bulging lids or leaks.

— When you eat out, avoid rare and uncooked meat. Eat salad bar and deli items before they get warm.

— The most important thing to remember in treating food poisoning is that an inflamed stomach tends to go into spasm when stretched, resulting in vomiting. Consequently, if you are vomiting and take anything by mouth, it should be in very small quantities at frequent intervals.

— Do not consume any milk or dairy products during and for at least 72 hours after an episode of food poisoning. Take frequent small sips of barley or rice water, salted lime juice. Once you feel ready to eat, start slowly with easily digested
foods such as mashed bananas, bread toast and diluted juices.

— Take ginger tea thrice daily. It helps to stop nausea and cleanse the digestive tract as well as providing fluids.

— When reheating soups, sauces and gravies, bring them to a rapid boil, if possible, cook for at least four minutes.

— Take Lavanbhaskar powder 1 tablespoon, twice daily with lime water.


Hope all or at least some of the above tips, helps you in the hour of need. Please feel free to leave any tips, if you know of,that we have might have missed to mention it here.