Why does nausea occur after meals, and what to do about it?

Nausea after meals is a discomforting state, usually localized in the upper abdomen, closely to the diaphragm. Feelings of nausea often provoke vomiting, freeing the stomach from the entire contents. If nausea is present after meals, it can be a single symptom, but repetitive, regular nausea is a quite clear signal about the dysfunction of the digestive system. Such diseases include:

• Ulcerative processes in the gastrointestinal tract, gastroduodenitis;
• Diseases of gallbladder, cholecystitis;
• Inflammatory process of pancreas, pancreatitis;
• Infectious diseases, including intestinal ones;
• Cardiac pathologies, including heart attack;
• Endocrine diseases.
• Hemicrania (migraine).

Somatic causes of nausea after meals, requiring medical care:

• If nausea is present after meals, and these feelings are supplemented with heartburn, epigastric pain, belching, it is probably a sign of gastric dysfunction.
• Liver, gallbladder, in case of inflammatory processes in them, indicate about problems with nausea during food-intake. Also, in these cases pain in the right upper abdomen, sensation of a bitter taste in the mouth, sensation of fullness of the stomach manifest, meteorism is possible.
• Inflammation of appendix can manifest as nausea after meals, vomiting. Abdominal pain is not always localized in the right part, it can be uncertain, but after a time when the body temperature increases, it moves to the right lower area of the epigastrium.
• Pancreatitis manifests the typical pain that surrounds the body in the area of the diaphragm; in the presence of pancreatitis nausea after meals is not always present, however, the acute stage of pancreatitis is characterized by nausea and vomiting. Bloating is often observed.
• If the cause of nausea is an infectious disease, colon bacillus Escherichia coli, as a rule, discomfort sensations begin after one hour or one hour and a half after food-intake. Nausea is exacerbated and ended by vomiting. Infectious diseases of the digestive tract are always accompanied by diarrhea, increased body temperature, pain in the region of the navel.
• If nausea is present after meals for a long time, sometimes during all day, even when a person does not eat, it can indicate about developing myocardial infarction. These symptoms should not be ignored, it is necessary to call an emergency.
• Renal insufficiency is often manifested by early clinical symptoms as nausea after meals, but the most characteristic feature is nausea which is not caused by diet. Kidney pathologies are accompanied by aching or shooting pain in the lumbar region, chill.
• Hypertension can be accompanied by nausea after meals, especially this sign is typical for the morning time of the day. Body swells, dizziness can be felt.
• Hypothyroidism can manifest itself in periodic mild nausea feeling after meals, human weakens, he/she has decreased appetite, however, body weight does not reduce, sometimes even increases. If nausea is present after meals, and flabbiness, vomiting and drowsiness are observed, it is a characteristic symptom of developing hypothyroidism.

Physiological causes of nausea after meals with which it is possible manage on one’s own:

• An excessive amount of fatty, fried foods in the diet, overeating;
• Eating of low-quality products with an expired sell-by date;
• Disturbance of apparatus functioning which is not a disease, but rather a syndrome. Nausea after meals in case of vestibular disorders is quite often occurred, also, nausea can occur in the presence of orthostatic syndrome, when body position changes dramatically. Such symptoms are accompanied by sensory changes as dizziness, nystagmus (slipping sight, inability to concentrate).
• Excessive physical activity immediately after food ingestion (a stomach presses on the diaphragm);
• Predictable side effects after certain types of medication administration;
• Psychogenic factors, such as fear, anxiety;
• Pregnancy;
• Helminthic invasion.

What can be done, if nausea is present after meals?

If there is a suspicion for ulcer pathology, gastritis, it is necessary to immediately pass on to the sparing diet, and at the first opportunity to visit a gastroenterologist. Examinations will be prescribed, including gastroscopy, laboratory blood tests, an ultrasound examination of peritoneum organs. Treatment of ulcerative processes is successful in case of timely diagnosis. Stopping symptoms, healing of erosive lesions of digestive system organs, medications are prescribed. Also, administered during a protracted course, enzyme therapy is effective.Pathologies of gallbladder and bile ducts also require medical care. It is possible to pass on only to the fractional clinical nutrition. Ultrasound is the main method, confirming diseases of bile ducts. If the examination reveals concrements, except the symptomatic therapy, surgical intervention can be indicated.

If nausea is present after meals, and vast circular pain constricts an abdominal region, it is probably a sign of pancreatitis, which is treated by either an outpatient or inpatient way. The main treatment is the fermentation and breakdown of food, anti-inflammatory drugs and a strict diet will also be prescribed. Independent actions must be maximally careful: it is not allowed to warm the abdomen, or to try to cure yourself by phototherapy. In addition to visit to a doctor, the basic rules of pancreatitis treatment are hunger, cold and rest.

Appendicitis undoubtedly requires an urgent medical aid. While waiting for the doctor, it is not desirable painkiller administration in order not to disturb clinical manifestations of appendicitis, as far as possible to limit drinking and to exclude food-intake.

Intestinal intoxication by food products. The standard method which can be applied at home, is vomiting. It is caused by hearty drinking. Also, it is necessary to administer adsorbing drugs, such as Enterosgel, activated carbon. If nausea does not pass during two hours, it is necessary to call an emergency.

Vestibular apparatus functioning disturbance is supervised by vestibular trainings or treated by a neurologist. Medications, eliminating dizziness and nausea, can be metoclopramide, Betaserc.

Hypertension, when a person has nausea after meals, is treated only with the help of a doctor. Antihypertensive drug administration should be regular, often whole-life, it reduces the risk of strokes.

Cardiac pathology is one of the most serious and life-threatening causes for a patient. In case of first suspicions of heart failure, which manifests itself by symptoms as pale skin, pain in the left half of the body, feelings of pressure or stuffiness, except the nausea, it is necessary immediately to call an emergency.

Endocrine diseases are not treated independently. If hypothyroidism is diagnosed, a regular administration of drugs, regulating hormonal balance, is needed.

Kidney pathologies, accompanied by nausea after meals, are treated by urologist. After a comprehensive examination, during which calculi or sand can be identified, doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory treatment, physical therapy, with the help of which some kinds of calculi can be split up, or surgery. Independent actions can become drawing up of a strict diet that excludes spicy and salty food, bed regime compliance and responsible attitude to doctor’s orders.

In all other cases, when nausea is present after meals, symptomatic therapy helps.

Migraine manifestations of nausea are eliminated by drugs of triptane group, such as Sumatriptan and metoclopramide. Products, containing tyramine, for example, hard cheese varieties, wine, chocolate, certain kinds of fish should also be excluded from the menu.

Nausea in pregnancy is a quite common symptom, usually occurring in the second third. In more severe cases, state supervision by a doctor or hospitalization of a pregnant woman are prescribed.

Nausea after meals is a symptom, having variety of reasons, some of which can be managed independently, but persistent and prolonged nausea is a signal of trouble of internal organ and system state. This is a sign, requiring the aid of the doctor.