Home Care:

It is important to stay hydrated. Try frequent, small amounts of clear liquids, such as electrolyte solutions. Other clear liquids -- such as water, ginger ale, or fruit juices -- also work unless the vomiting is severe or it is a baby who is vomiting.

For breast-fed babies, breast milk is usually best. Formula-fed babies usually need clear liquids.

Don't drink too much at one time. Stretching the stomach can make nausea and vomiting worse. Avoid solid foods until there has been no vomiting for six hours, and then work slowly back to a normal diet.

An over-the-counter bismuth stomach remedy like Pepto-Bismol is effective for upset stomach, nausea, indigestion, and diarrhea. Because it contains aspirin-like salicylates, it should NOT be used in children or teenagers who might have (or recently had) chickenpox or the flu.

Most vomiting comes from mild viral or food-related illnesses. Nevertheless, if you suspect the vomiting is from something serious, the person may need to be seen immediately by a medical professional.

If you have morning sickness during pregnancy, ask your doctor about the many possible treatments.

The following may help treat motion sickness:

• Lying down
• Over-the-counter antihistamines (such as Dramamine)
• Scopolamine prescription skin patches (such as Transderm Scop) are useful for extended trips, such as an ocean voyage. Place the patch 4 - 12 hours before setting sail. Scopolamine is effective but may produce dry mouth, blurred vision, and some drowsiness. Scopolamine is for adults only. It should NOT be given to children.

Call your health care provider if:

Call 911 or go to an emergency room if you think vomiting is from poisoning or a child has taken aspirin.

Call a health care provider if the person has:

• Been vomiting for longer than 24 hours
• Blood or bile in the vomit
• Severe abdominal pain
• Headache and stiff neck
• Signs of dehydration

Signs of dehydration include:

• Increased thirst
• Infrequent urination or dark yellow urine
• Dry mouth
• Eyes that appear sunken
• Crying without tears
• Loss of normal skin elasticity (if you touch or squeeze the skin, it doesn't bounce back the way it usually does)

You should also call if:

• A young child is lethargic or has marked irritability.
• An infant vomits repeatedly.
• A child is unable to retain any fluids for 8 hours or more.
• Vomiting is recurrent.
• An adult is unable to retain any fluids for 12 hours or more.
• There is a decrease in urination (including a baby who is not wetting the normal amount of diapers).
• Nausea persists for a prolonged period of time (in a person who is not pregnant).

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, particularly to look for signs of dehydration.

To help diagnose the cause of the nausea or vomiting, your health care provider will ask medical history questions, such as:

• When did the vomiting begin? How long has it lasted?
• Does it occur several hours after meals?
• What other symptoms are present -- abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, poor skin turgor, other signs of dehydration, abdominal swelling, headaches?
• Are you vomiting fresh blood? Do you have repeated episodes of vomiting blood?
• Are you vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds?
• Are you vomiting undigested food?
• Are you vomiting greenish material?
• Is the nausea or vomiting severe enough to cause unintentional weight loss?
• Is the vomiting self-induced?
• Have you been traveling? Where?
• What medications do you take?
• Did other people that ate at the same location as you have the same symptoms?
• Are you pregnant or could you be pregnant?

The following diagnostic tests may be performed:

• Blood tests (such as CBC with differential, blood electrolyte levels, and liver function tests)
• Urinalysis
• X-rays of the abdomen

If dehydration is severe, you may need intravenous fluids. This may require hospitalization, although it can often be done in a doctor's office. Antivomiting drugs (anti-emetics) may be helpful but they should be used only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks.

Prevention:

A number of medicines are effective at preventing vomiting. In some situations, preventing the vomiting makes life much better.