Nausea is rarely a sign of something serious, but the associated vomiting and other symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and interfere with driving. Here are some of the most common causes.
FOOD POISONING. Raw foods such as salads and other produce are often food poisoning culprits because harmful organisms on the food aren’t destroyed by cooking. Undercooked or raw meat also can cause food poisoning.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can start within hours or be delayed for weeks. Food poisoning usually lasts from a few hours to several days.
STOMACH VIRUS. Viral gastroenteritis, sometimes called stomach flu, isn’t influenza because it’s not affecting the respiratory system. Gastroenteritis instead attacks your intestines, often causing diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain, nausea, vomiting and a low-grade fever. Symptoms can appear within one to three days after infection and last from one to 10 days.
Viral gastroenteritis is contracted most commonly through eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by sharing utensils with someone who’s infected. Dehydration is the main complication of these viruses, so drink plenty of water while sick.
GASTROPARESIS. This condition affects stomach muscles, preventing your stomach from emptying properly. Certain medications – such as opioid pain relievers, antidepressants and high blood pressure medications – also can slow gastric emptying.
Signs of gastroparesis include vomiting, nausea, acid reflux, abdominal bloating and pain, lack of appetite and more. The causes are often unclear, but a known one is damage to the vagus nerve, which controls the stomach muscles. The Mayo Clinic says this nerve can be damaged by diseases such as diabetes or by stomach or small-intestine surgery.
