To treat vomiting, it's important to avoid exacerbating the situation by trying to make the affected individual continue eating. A better choice is to stop solid food until the vomiting has had a chance to settle down. To keep the person hydrated, allowing them to drink clear fluids or some flat cola may help. If the individual is taking any oral medications, it should be stopped until the vomiting episode has concluded.
Attempting to treat vomiting by trying to continue on as normal is not the best strategy. Throwing up takes a lot of energy, and the patient is not getting the nutrition from the food he or she is ingesting during this time. Taking time off from work or school is what is required as long as the vomiting continues and probably for some time afterwards.
To guard against dehydration, treat vomiting by introducing small amounts of fluids. Wait in between drinks to see if the amount ingested will stay down. Plain water can be used for this purpose, but flat cola or ginger ale are also good choices. To take the carbonation out of the cola quickly, pour it into a glass and stir with a spoon. Drinking ginger ale will help to ease nausea, and may help to stop the cycle of vomiting.
Medications being taken by mouth don't generally help when it comes to trying to treat vomiting. They may be irritating the individual's stomach and adding to the problem. The person who is throwing up is also not getting the benefit of the medication, since it may not have time to be introduced properly into the patient's system.After the episodes of vomiting slow down and eventually stop, introducing solid food again should be attempted slowly. Toast or other bland foods should be tried first. Rice and bananas are also good choices at this point.
If the bland foods stay down without triggering another episode of vomiting, other foods can be added over the next few days. It's a good idea for the person who is being treated to eat small meals more often than to try to consume regular quantities of food right away. Once he or she is eating normally, regular activities can be resumed.
Hopefully, most episodes of upset stomach and vomiting will resolve themselves without medical attention, but there are times when a doctor should be consulted. If brown vomit that looks like coffee grounds is observed, a trip to the closest emergency room is needed. The brown appearance is an indication of blood, and medical attention will be needed to treat vomiting in this instance.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-best-ways-to-treat-vomiting.htm
When should a doctor be consulted?
The timing of the nausea or vomiting can indicate the cause. When it appears shortly after a meal, nausea or vomiting may indicate a mental disorder or a peptic ulcer. Nausea or vomiting one to eight hours after a meal may indicate food poisoning. Foodborne diseases, such as Salmonella, may take longer to produce symptoms because of the incubation time.
A person who is experiencing nausea should consult a physician if it lasts more than one week, and if there is a possibility of pregnancy. Vomiting usually subsides within 6 to 24 hours, and may be treated at home.
You should see your doctor if home treatment is not working, dehydration is present, or a known injury (such as head injury or infection) is causing the vomiting.
Take your infant or a child under six years old to the doctor if:
- vomiting lasts more than a few hours;
- diarrhea is also present;
- signs of dehydration occur;
- there is a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit; or
- the child hasn't urinated for six hours.
Take your child over six years old to the doctor if:
- vomiting lasts one day;
- diarrhea combined with vomiting lasts for more than 24 hours;
- there are signs of dehydration;
- there is a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit; or
- the child hasn't urinated for six hours.
Adults should consult a doctor if vomiting occurs for more than one day, if diarrhea and vomiting last more than 24 hours, and if there are signs of moderate dehydration.
You should see a doctor immediately if the following signs or symptoms occur:
- blood in the vomit ("coffee grounds" appearance)
- severe headache or stiff neck
- lethargy
- confusion
- decreased alertness
- severe abdominal pain
- vomiting with fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
- vomiting and diarrhea are both present
- rapid breathing or pulse
What can be done to control or relieve nausea and vomiting?
There are several ways to control or relieve nausea; however, if these techniques do not seem to ease the queasiness, consult your doctor.
When trying to control nausea:
- Drink clear or ice-cold drinks.
- Eat light, bland foods (such as saltine crackers or plain bread).
- Avoid fried, greasy, or sweet foods.
- Eat slowly and eat smaller, more frequent meals.
- Do not mix hot and cold foods.
- Drink beverages slowly.
- Avoid activity after eating.
- Avoid brushing your teeth after eating.
- Choose foods from all the food groups as you can tolerate them to get adequate nutrition.
Treatment for vomiting (regardless of age or cause) includes: drinking gradually larger amounts of clear liquids; avoiding solid food until the vomiting episode has passed; resting; and temporarily discontinuing all oral medications, which can irritate the stomach and make vomiting worse. If vomiting and diarrhea last more than 24 hours, an oral rehydrating solution should be used to prevent and treat dehydration.
Vomiting associated with surgery, radiation therapy, anticancer drugs, alcohol, and morphine can often be treated with another type of drug therapy. There are also prescription and nonprescription drugs that can be used to control vomiting associated with pregnancy, motion sickness, and vertigo. However, you should consult with your health care provider before using these treatments.
Are there complications from prolonged nausea or vomiting?
Persistent vomiting combined with diarrhea can result in dehydration. More aggressive treatment may be necessary for younger children or anyone with severe dehydration.
How can you prevent nausea?
Nausea can be prevented by: eating small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals; eating slowly; avoiding hard-to-digest foods; and consuming foods that are cold or at room temperature to avoid becoming nauseated from the smell of hot or warm foods. Resting after eating and keeping your head elevated about 12 inches above your feet helps reduce nausea.
If you feel nauseated when you wake up in the morning, eat some crackers before getting out of bed or eat a high protein snack (lean meat or cheese) before going to bed. Drink liquids between (instead of during) meals, and drink at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration. Try to eat when you feel less nauseated.
Once you feel nauseated, how do you prevent vomiting?
Vomiting can be prevented by consuming small amounts of clear, sweetened liquids such as soda pop, fruit juices (except orange and grapefruit because these are too acidic) and popsicles. Drinks containing sugar calm the stomach better than other liquids. Rest either in a sitting position or in a propped lying position. Activity may worsen nausea and may lead to vomiting.
For children, control persistent coughs and fever with over-the-counter medicines. To treat motion sickness in a car, seat your child so that he or she faces the front windshield (watching fast movement out the side windows can make the nausea worse). Limit snacks, and do not serve sweet snacks with regular soda pop. Don't let your kids eat and play at the same time. Encourage them to take a break during their snack time.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/symptoms/Nausea/hic_Nausea_and_Vomiting.aspx
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