Nausea and vomiting
Nausea is an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach that is often associated with feeling sick. Vomiting is the powerful release of the stomach contents. Both can occur suddenly, for example during abdominal flu or food poisoning, but also regularly return or remain present for longer periods of time.
The cause can vary greatly. Nausea may be associated, for example, with gastrointestinal disease, pregnancy, migraine, travel sickness, medication or stress. Sometimes nausea is at the forefront, while someone hardly or not having to vomit at all.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be used to treat nausea and vomiting. Within Chinese medicine, not only the symptom is considered, but above all why the normal functioning of the stomach has been disturbed. The treatment therefore differs per person and per cause.
If food or stomach contents are returned without real nausea and vomiting, the complaint may fit better with Regurgitation .
Common causes of nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting may occur, inter alia:
- abdominal flu and other gastrointestinal infections;
- food poisoning;
- gastritis and gastric ulcers;
- delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis);
- reflux and other digestive problems;
- migraine;
- disorders of the equilibrium organ, including Ménière's disease;
- gallbladder or liver disorders;
- pregnancy;
- travel sickness;
- stress, anxiety and panic;
- certain medicines, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
In acute nausea, the cause is often temporary. In recurrent or chronic nausea, it is important to investigate why the complaint persists.
How can acupuncture help with nausea and vomiting?
Acupuncture looks at the type of nausea, possible triggering factors and other symptoms that are present at the same time. For example, nausea after heavy eating may require treatment other than nausea due to stress, pregnancy or a weakened digestion.
An important starting point is to restore the normal downward movement of Stomach-Qi. By this, Chinese medicine means the function by which the stomach transports food further through the digestive system. In case of nausea and vomiting, this function moves in the wrong direction as it were.
The treatment may include:
- Relax Stomach and reduce nausea;
- Restore the normal downward movement of the Stomach-Qi;
- reducing tension and stagnation when stress is involved;
- Dampness and Phlegm reduce when feeling heavy, full or slimy;
- support digestion when weakened;
- Treatment of cold or heat when it interferes with gastric function.
How can Chinese herbal medicine help with nausea and vomiting?
Chinese herbs can be particularly interesting when nausea comes back regularly or is part of a broader pattern of digestive problems. The composition is adapted to the underlying cause.
For one person, for example, there may be accumulation of food or fluid, while someone else has a weakened digestion. Stress, Heat, Cold and stomach dehydration can also play a role.
The treatment may include:
- reduce nausea and vomiting and decrease Stomach-Qi;
- improve the processing of accumulated food;
- Transform Dampness and Phlegm;
- Removing cold or reducing heat;
- strengthen the Spleen and Stomach in case of weak digestion;
- feeding the Stomach when prolonged complaints have led to dryness and Yin deficiency.
Acupuncture and herbs can be applied separately, but can also complement each other.
How does Chinese medicine view nausea and vomiting?
Within Chinese medicine, the Stomach organ system plays a central role. The Stomach receives food and then has to move the digested content further down. This downward movement is called the descending function of Stomach-Qi.
When this movement is blocked or weakened, Stomach-Qi can move up. This is called rebellious Stomach-Qi and may express itself as nausea, peasantry, gagging or vomiting.
Several disturbances can cause this. For example, Dampness or Phlegm can burden the stomach and hinder normal movement. Food stagnation occurs when food is not sufficiently processed and accumulates. With Liver-Qi-stagnation, tension or stress can interfere with gastric function. In addition, Cold and Heat can affect the normal functioning of the stomach.
Long-term complaints can lead to a shortage. A weak Spleen-Qi can reduce the processing of food and moisture, while a shortage of Stomach-Yin can be associated with dryness and a sensitive or irritated stomach.
More information about Qi, Yin and Yang, Dampness, Phlegm and the different organ systems can be found at TCM basics .
A TCM organ system includes more than just the anatomical organ. It describes a whole of functions and relationships within the body.
A recognizable combination of signs and symptoms is called a TCM-pattern within Chinese medicine. The pattern helps determine which treatment suits someone best.
Only some of the most common patterns for nausea and vomiting are discussed below. Other patterns are possible and multiple patterns may be present at the same time. Moreover, you do not need to have all the symptoms mentioned in a pattern. The pattern is determined based on the overall symptoms picture.
Most common TCM patterns in nausea and vomiting
Liver-Qi disturbs the Stomach
With this pattern, tension, frustration or other emotional stress disturbs the normal movement of the stomach. Nausea can increase significantly during periods of stress. If it plays for a long time, other disturbances such as Heat, Phlegm or a weakened digestion may also occur.
Common symptoms:
- recurrent nausea that gets worse during stress;
- uncommon vomiting;
- feeling full or tense in the upper abdomen or chest;
- belching, indigestion, heartburn or reflux;
- varying appetite;
- irritability, frustration or tension;
- sometimes alternating constipation and diarrhoea.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, chronic gastritis, reflux symptoms, stress-related stomach discomfort, migraine and sometimes pregnancy nausea.
Phlegm-Dampness in the Stomach
In this pattern, fluid and Phlegm accumulate in the digestive system. This hinders the normal downward movement of the stomach. The symptoms can be worse in the morning or by strong smells.
Common symptoms:
- nausea and possibly vomiting;
- feeling full or bloated in the upper abdomen;
- low appetite;
- belching or reflux;
- heavy or lame feeling;
- dizziness or sensation of blurred head;
- feeling sticky in the mouth or a lot of mucus;
- vomiting of watery or slimy material.
Examples of Western disorders: chronic gastritis, functional dyspepsia, morning nausea and symptoms involving dizziness and nausea, such as Ménière's disease.
Food stagnation
Food stagnation occurs when food is not sufficiently processed and, as it were, remains in the stomach. The pattern can occur acutely after too much or heavy eating, but also regularly come back with weaker digestion.
Common symptoms:
- nausea after eating;
- vomiting of acidic or partially undigested food;
- feeling full and swollen in stomach and abdomen;
- low appetite or aversion to food;
- strong or unpleasant belching;
- bad breath;
- abdominal pain or pressure that often decreases after vomiting;
- constipation or strong smelling, loose stools.
Examples of Western disorders: acute indigestion, functional dyspepsia and stomach discomfort after excessive or heavy eating.
Spleen- and Stomach-Qi-deficiency
When digestion is weakened, food is processed less efficiently and the normal downward movement of the stomach cannot be adequately supported. This pattern usually gives chronic or recurrent symptoms.
Common symptoms:
- recurrent, relatively mild nausea;
- uncommon vomiting after eating;
- fast fullness or bloating;
- decreased appetite;
- fatigue, especially after exercise or eating;
- loose stools;
- symptoms aggravated by raw, cold or difficult to digest food;
- Sometimes a preference for heat.
Examples of Western disorders: functional dyspepsia, chronic gastritis, food intolerances and long-term digestive weakness.
Cold in the Stomach
Cold can slow and block the normal movement of the stomach. This may occur suddenly, for example after exposure to cold or a lot of cold food, but can also occur when digestion itself has insufficient heat and strength.
Common symptoms:
- nausea and relatively easy vomiting;
- watery vomit or undigested food;
- spasming pain in the upper abdomen;
- complaints that improve through heat;
- cold hands or feet;
- low appetite;
- sometimes thin stools.
Examples of Western disorders: acute gastroenteritis, functional stomach cramps and some forms of chronic gastritis or dyspepsia.
Dampness-Heat in Stomach and Spleen
In Dampness-Heat there is both accumulation and heat in the digestive system. For example, the pattern can occur after acute gastrointestinal infection, but also during prolonged digestive disruption.
Common symptoms:
- nausea and vomiting;
- heavy and lame feeling;
- feeling full or tense in the upper abdomen;
- low appetite;
- an unpleasant or bitter taste;
- thirst, sometimes without wanting to drink much;
- dark or concentrated urine;
- sometimes diarrhoea or slow stools.
Examples of Western disorders: acute gastroenteritis, food poisoning and certain inflammatory stomach or gall bladder symptoms.
Stomach-Yin-deficiency
In case of prolonged stomach upset, the nourishing and moistening aspect of the stomach may weaken. As a result, the stomach becomes drier and more sensitive and the downward movement of Stomach-Qi can be disturbed again.
Common symptoms:
- chronic or almost continuous nausea;
- dry gagging or only small amounts of vomiting;
- nagging, burning or difficult to describe upper abdominal discomfort;
- feeling hungry without wanting to eat much;
- dry mouth and throat;
- dry stools or constipation;
- sometimes complaints in the early morning.
Examples of Western disorders: chronic or atrophic gastritis, prolonged reflux symptoms, gastric ulcers and chronic functional dyspepsia.
When is medical research important?
Nausea and vomiting are often innocent and temporary, but may also be a symptom of a condition requiring medical assessment.
Contact a doctor if you have persistent or severe vomiting, signs of dehydration, blood in the vomit, severe or increasing abdominal pain, high fever, unexplained weight loss or if you can barely keep fluid in. Even prolonged or recurrent nausea without obvious cause research is wise.
In case of severe acute complaints, acupuncture or herbal medicine is not a substitute for necessary regular medical diagnosis or treatment.
Outlook
How quickly improve nausea and vomiting strongly depends on the cause. Acute symptoms due to temporary disturbance of digestion, for example, can change relatively rapidly. In the case of chronic nausea more time is usually needed, especially when the symptoms have long existed or are associated with weakened digestion, stress, Phlegm-Dampness or Stomach-Yin deficiency.
As a directive, one treatment per week is often maintained at the beginning. In case of severe acute complaints, temporary treatment can be more frequent. As soon as the symptoms are clearly reduced, the frequency can be reduced. In addition, chronic complaints look at nutrition, lifestyle and any factors that cause the symptoms to recur.
Contact
Do you have regular nausea or vomiting and want to know if acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine can help your symptoms? Please feel free to contact us. During the first appointment we will discuss your complaints, possible causes and your general health to determine which treatment best suits your situation.