Why does throwing up hurt?

Puking, herling, tossing, or throwing up is probably one of the most unpleasant feelings. Most people experience this after a heavy overnight alcohol drinking. You’re in a sudden queasy feeling that you would not like. Your digestive system becomes violent, and everything that you have swallowed, food, and drinks come out.

Vomiting or scientifically known as “emesis” is the involuntary emptying of stomach contents through the mouth and less often through the nose. Not just the nauseous feelings, but it also causes pain inside the stomach.

According to Dr. Matthew Goldman, in throwing up, although the distress starts in the stomach, it signifies a change in the immune or nervous system that triggers the vomiting reflex. The neurochemicals travel in different pathways and activate receptors that start the vomiting process. The medulla part of your brain will pick up immune changes or the presence of toxins or drugs. It will gather relevant information from different parts of your body. Your vagus nerve, which runs from your brainstem to your GI tract, may signal that something is abnormal in your gut. The end result-your last meal rockets up and out.

There are various causes of throwing up. For pregnant women, it is a form of morning sickness or seasickness. It can also be caused by emotional stress, tension, or a psychological disorder, as in Bulimia. It may be either due to foodborne illnesses (food poisoning), infections, problems with the brain and central nervous system, and systemic (body-wide) diseases.

Some diseases do not directly involve the stomach or the gastrointestinal tract but cause nausea and vomiting. Pneumonia, heart attack, and sepsis are a few examples. Besides, vomiting may be a side effect of medications, including drugs used in cancer chemotherapy and a side effect of radiation therapy. Or maybe you have just overeaten and drunk too much. (click here for more details)

These causes vary from person to person and from varying ages. For children, it is commonly caused by a viral infection, food poisoning, milk allergy, motion sickness, overeating or feeding, coughing, or blocked intestines and illnesses in which the child has a high fever.

The time at which throwing up happens is also indicative of its cause. When appearing shortly after a meal, vomiting may be caused by food poisoning, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), an ulcer, or Bulimia. If it happens one to eight hours after a meal may also indicate food poisoning. However, certain foodborne bacteria, such as salmonella, can take longer to produce symptoms. (click here for more details)

You may experience pain when throwing up because the stomach acids travel backward through the digestive tract, irritating tissues along the way. The physical act of vomiting also may cause abdominal muscles to become sore. It is also called abdominal muscle strain, especially when you throw up succeeding several times. This muscle pull in the stomach is similar to what you will experience when you do activities like lifting or twisting or even hard coughing or sneezing. Muscles can also get strained from overuse, like from doing lots of sit-ups or crunches. (click here for more details)

You need not run to the doctor every time you vomit. Stomach upset that causes throwing up is harmless, you throw up, and immediately you feel better. However, if it becomes frequent and prolonged within 24 hours, you need to go for a checkup.

Treatment for vomiting depends on its cause. You may take plenty of fluids, a clear liquid diet to rest the stomach, and medications to control nausea. Severe dehydration caused by vomiting may require treatment with intravenous fluids. (click here for more details)

Several ways can help stop vomiting.

Eating dry crackers is a tried-and-true remedy for morning sickness. It helps absorb stomach acids. Those who have morning sickness may try eating a few crackers about 15 minutes before getting out of bed to help settle the stomach. Other bland foods are also good to eat while recovering from a stomach bug. (click here for more details)

A traditional Chinese remedy known to help is acupressure. Specific points on the body are pressed to feel relief. To relieve vomiting, apply pressure to pressure point Neiguan (P-6), a spot on the palm side of the forearm near your wrist. Place three fingers across the wrist. Put your thumb under your index finger and rub this point in a firm, circular motion for two to three minutes. Do the same process on the other wrist. (click here for more details)

It not advisable to drink a lot of fluid or water if you are vomiting a lot because drinking too much when your stomach is upset may cause more vomiting. Simply, sip the fluids slowly. Fluids like ginger ale, mint tea, lemonade, water may help keep you hydrated and may ease throwing up. You can also suck on ice chips to stay hydrated.