Overview
Nausea is a queasy, unsettled feeling in the stomach or body that may come before vomiting, but vomiting does not always happen. It can be brief and mild or more persistent and disruptive. Because nausea is a symptom rather than a diagnosis, healthcare professionals look for the underlying cause.
Key Symptoms
People describe nausea in different ways, such as feeling sick to the stomach, queasy, unsettled, or like they might vomit. It may happen along with vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, bloating, dizziness, sweating, or increased saliva. Some people also feel weak or unable to eat and drink normally.
Causes and Risk Factors
Common causes include viral stomach illness, food poisoning, motion sickness, pregnancy, anxiety, migraine, indigestion, and side effects from medicines. Nausea can also happen with dehydration, alcohol use, pain, heat illness, or after surgery. Less commonly, it may be linked to more serious problems such as bowel blockage, head injury, heart problems, severe infection, or conditions affecting the liver, kidneys, or brain.
Who Is Affected
Nausea can affect people of any age. Some groups may experience it more often, including pregnant people, children with stomach infections, people receiving certain medical treatments, and people who are prone to motion sickness or migraines. Older adults may be at higher risk of complications such as dehydration if nausea leads to poor fluid intake.
Prevention
Prevention depends on the cause. Helpful steps may include good hand hygiene to reduce infections, food safety practices, avoiding known food or motion triggers, limiting alcohol, and taking medicines only as directed by a healthcare professional. If a medicine seems to trigger nausea, speak with a clinician before making changes.
Diagnosis and Tests
A healthcare professional will usually ask when the nausea started, what makes it better or worse, and whether there is vomiting, pain, fever, pregnancy, recent travel, or new medicines. They may examine the abdomen and check for signs of dehydration or other illness. Depending on the situation, tests may include blood tests, urine tests, pregnancy testing, stool tests, or imaging.
Treatment Categories
Treatment focuses on the cause and on preventing dehydration. Care may include resting the stomach, replacing fluids, treating infection when appropriate, adjusting a medicine that may be contributing, or managing conditions such as migraine or motion sickness. Persistent or severe nausea may require medical evaluation and supervised treatment.
Diet and Lifestyle
Small sips of fluid can be easier to tolerate than large amounts at once, especially if vomiting is also present. Some people find it helpful to avoid greasy, spicy, or strong-smelling foods until symptoms ease and to try small, plain meals when able. Resting, getting fresh air, and avoiding sudden movement may also help some people feel less queasy.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if nausea lasts more than a day or two, keeps coming back, or makes it hard to drink enough fluids. Also get medical advice if there is weight loss, signs of dehydration, severe headache, pregnancy with frequent vomiting, recent head injury, or concern that a medicine is causing the problem. Children, older adults, and people with long-term health conditions may need earlier assessment.
When It May Be an Emergency
Get urgent medical help right away if nausea happens with chest pain, trouble breathing, severe or worsening abdominal pain, confusion, fainting, seizures, a stiff neck, or signs of stroke. Emergency care is also needed for vomiting blood, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, severe dehydration, or inability to keep down any fluids. These symptoms can point to a serious underlying condition.