Feel Like Vomiting But Nothing Comes Out
Feel Like Vomiting But Nothing Comes Out: You’re at an outdoor concert when suddenly someone behind you starts throwing up into their hands. You can hear it splattering on the pavement as they walk away from it and around corners. It’s pretty embarrassing for them – what if that person had been right in front of you? Imagine how much worse it would have looked!
If you’ve ever experienced this before, you know it can be uncomfortable and even frightening. If you’re lucky enough not to have done it before (or maybe once), then you might think you were dying. Your head feels light and all of sudden you start feeling nauseous and weak. Then, without warning, everything gets stuck in your throat and you start coughing violently until something comes up. What is going on here?!
The good news is that you probably don’t need to worry about having died because you just vomited. This condition is known as nonproductive emesis, which is different than other types of nausea such as morning sickness. A nonproductive emetic has no blood coming from his/her mouth during the experience. It’s more likely to occur among young children or elderly individuals. Also, it rarely happens after eating food. In fact, most cases of nonproductive emesis come from motion sickness, infections, cancer treatments, medications, or surgery.
Let’s take a look at the symptoms of nonproductive emesis, which include:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Chills
- Pain in chest area
- Shaking
As mentioned above, there are many reasons why nonproductive emesis occurs. Let’s take a closer look at some of these causes.
Causes of Nonproductive Emesis
Nonproductive emesis is caused by several factors, including:
1) Motion Sickness: When traveling by car, boat, airplane, train or bus, one can become sick with nonproductive emesis. This type of emesis can also happen when watching movies, reading books or playing video games. There are two main forms of motion sickness: seasickness and disorientation. Seasickness, sometimes referred to as sea fever, occurs when one travels across oceans. Disorientation is caused when traveling through time zones. Both types of motion sickness result from abnormal movements within the body and inner ear. These motions cause one’s eyes to move back and forth rapidly and create dizzy feelings.
2) Infections: Pneumonia, bronchitis, flu, viral infection, measles, mumps, chicken pox, herpes simplex I & II, shingles, whooping cough, pneumonia, mononucleosis, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, herpes zoster, rubella, influenza A, polio, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile Virus, tick borne diseases, tick paralysis, tick bite, cat scratch disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, tularemia, plague, tetanus, staphylococcus, scurvy, scarlet fever, syphilis, and trichinella spiralis can all cause nonproductive emesis.
3) Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancers of the ovaries, testes, brain, nervous system, breast, uterus, cervix, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myeloma, lung, kidney, prostate, colon, liver, thyroid, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and skin can produce nonproductive emesis. Radiation therapy treatment for tumors of the skull, neck, mediastinum, abdomen, pelvis, spine, eye socket, jaw, salivary glands, upper extremities, lower extremities, and facial bones may also cause nonproductive emesis.
4) Medications: Certain prescription drugs can lead to nonproductive emesis, especially those that affect the central nervous system. Drugs that fall under this category include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, carbamazepine, clofibrate, droperidol, ethchlorvynol, gabapentin, lamotrigine, lithium, methsuic acid, metronidazole, morphine, nitrazepam, phenobarbital, pimozide, procarbazine, quetiapine, rufinamide, thioridazine, topiramate, trazadone, valproic acid, vigabatrin, zonisamide, apomorphine, chlorpromazine, flunitrazepam, haloperidol, loxitrem, mesoridazine, pipothiazine, promethazine, sertindole, thiethylenbol.
5) Surgery: Any surgical procedure involving manipulation of the digestive tract, lungs, diaphragm, heart, peritoneal cavity, pleural cavity, abdominal incisions, or sternotomy can potentially cause nonproductive emesis. Examples of surgeries that could cause this problem include laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, laparotomy, thoracotomy, open heart surgery, gastroenterologic surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmic surgery, otolaryngology surgery, oral maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, pulmonary lobectomy, radical hysterectomy, radical mastectomy, transmyometrial embryo transfer, tonsillectomy, trauma, urinary surgery, urological surgery, vaginoplasty, varicocele surgery, vertebral disk removal, Whipple’s operation, and any major gastrointestinal resection.
6) Trauma: Blunt force trauma to the torso, abdomen, pelvic region, spinal cord, or head can induce nonproductive emesis. This includes severe burns or fractures. Victims of severe trauma should immediately seek medical attention.
7) Food Intolerance: Foods that contain dairy products, citrus fruits, onions, tomatoes, avocados, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, hot peppers, lima beans, mushrooms, potatoes, rice, soybeans, spinach, and sugar can trigger nonproductive emesis. Eating foods containing carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and salt should be avoided. Water intake should be limited when experiencing nonproductive emesis. Drinking fluids that contain alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, carbonated beverages, and sodas can worsen the nausea.
8) Psychological Factors: Stress, anxiety, depression, fear, panic attacks, grief, shock, confusion, lack of sleep, over consumption of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, spicy foods, and junk foods can bring on nonproductive emesis. Those suffering psychological problems should consult with a psychologist or psychiatrist.
9) Allergies: Common allergens such as pollen, dust, pet hair, smoke, chemicals, mold spores, and certain foods can make one ill. Those suffering allergies should avoid exposure to the trigger until the condition improves.
10) Gastrointestinal Disorders: Ulcers, gastritis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, reflux esophagitis, gastroparesis, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, cholecystitis, hemorrhoids, gallbladder attack, biliary pancreatitis, and colon polyps can all cause nonproductive emesis.
11) Other Medical Conditions: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use, pregnancy, dehydration, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, kidney failure, peptic ulcer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, amnesia, and dementia can all cause nonproductive emesis.
Most adults will suffer from bouts of nausea at least once in their life. However, nonproductive emesis is a serious situation that requires immediate medical attention. Seek help from your doctor so you can return to normal activities quickly. He or she can prescribe medication to relieve discomfort and provide relief from symptoms.
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