If vomiting has an infectious cause, such as gastroenteritis or food poisoning, it can often be managed at home, as long as you stay hydrated. Stay home to avoid passing the infection to others. Drink plenty of clear fluids or oral rehydration solution to replace lost fluids — take small sips if you feel sick.
Do not eat or drink anything for several hours after vomiting. Sip small amounts of water or suck ice chips every 15 minutes for 3-4 hours. Next, sip clear liquids every 15 minutes for 3-4 hours. Examples include water, sports drinks, flat soda, clear broth, gelatin, flavored ice, popsicles or apple juice.
Drink lots of fluids if possible, but start slowly with 1–2 sips every 5 minutes. If you become nauseated, wait 20–30 minutes and then begin again.
“Drinking too much too soon can cause the stomach to stretch out and then bounce those fluids right back out.” Instead, take small sips of water every 10 minutes. If you notice you can tolerate it, slowly increase to every few minutes.
To rehydrate, it is best to use a commercial rehydration solution, such as Gastrolyte, Pedialyte or Pediatric Electrolyte. Commercial rehydration solutions contain the ideal proportion of water, sugar and mineral salts your body needs to recover.
Allow yourself to rest. Resting propped up in a seated position with the head elevated at least twelve inches above the feet is ideal. Remain in this seated rested position for a minimum of an hour, or until you are no longer experiencing nausea. Do not lie down all the way.
A person who is experiencing nausea can have a more difficult time consuming fluids and a person who vomits will lose fluids quickly. Gauging your urine color—the lighter the more hydrated, the darker the less hydrated—is an effective way to test for dehydration.
Contrary to how yucky it may feel, it's not great to brush your teeth right after vomiting. It's best to swish water around your mouth with a touch of baking soda after vomiting. We recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing. Brushing immediately after rubs the stomach acid on teeth.
After your vomiting stops, you may feel weak and lethargic. This is quite common and happens because you haven't eaten in a while. Vomiting may also have left you dehydrated. You also lose electrolytes and salts when vomiting.
Speak to your GP if:
you've been vomiting repeatedly for more than a day or two. you're unable to keep down any fluids because you're vomiting repeatedly. you have signs of severe dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine.
If you vomit bile more than once, you could be having a medical condition responsible for the problem. Yellow bile is usually a result of changes in the body due to the underlying condition. In most cases, it's no cause for concern, especially if you vomit while your stomach is empty.
Vomiting is a symptom, not a disease or condition. Vomiting can be classed as acute (a short term isolated attack) or chronic (ongoing or recurrent). Gastroenteritis and food poisoning are the most common underlying causes of sudden vomiting and usually clear up without treatment in a couple of days.
Green or yellow vomit, also known as bile, is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. The release of bile occurs when an individual is vomiting on an empty stomach or is suffering from bile reflux.
“When you vomit, stomach acids are coming in contact with your teeth and coating them,” he says. “If you brush too soon, you're just rubbing that acid all over the hard outer shell of your teeth.” Instead, swish with water, a diluted mouth rinse or a mixture of water and 1 tsp. baking soda to help wash the acid away.
PROPERLY WASH YOUR HANDS - AND IF POSSIBLE TAKE A SHOWER AND CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES. Discard any food that may have been exposed in the affected area.
According to a 2013 review paper, vomiting may help with migraine headache symptoms, because it: changes blood flow to reduce pain or inflammation. releases chemicals that ease pain, such as endorphins.
Coughing, lifting, sneezing, laughing, straining and vomiting will all create sudden stress on the opening of the bladder, leading to leakage. These moments of bladder weakness are also called “stress incontinence.”
Sympathetic activation is a sign that your body is in distress. Your heart will beat faster and you will start to sweat. Though it might not look like much, nausea associated with both vomiting and sweating may cause dehydration.
Vomiting that causes severe dehydration can cause cold hands and skin.
If you have a bad taste in your mouth, try rinsing with a solution of baking soda, salt, and warm water before you eat. Use 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 grams) salt, and 4 cups (1 liter) warm water. Spit out after rinsing. Sit up after you eat.
If you're thirsty, you're already mildly dehydrated, and that can cause signs of dehydration like headache, fatigue, dizziness and more. Dehydration can contribute to life-threatening illnesses like heatstroke.
One of the easiest ways to tell is by checking the color of your urine. If it looks clear or pale yellow, then you're drinking enough water. But if your urine is a darker yellow or an amber color, then it's time to hydrate.