Feeling nauseous is absolutely awful and can be quite humiliating. You’re dizzy, lightheaded, clammy, and have an urgent need to dash to the bathroom to throw up.
Nausea, the sensation of needing to vomit, is not a medical condition on its own, as per Stanford Medicine. Instead, it’s a symptom of something else, such as an illness or lifestyle change.
“I like to break down nausea into acute and chronic duration,” says Kamal Amer, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey. Acute nausea lasts less than a month and chronic lasts more than a month. Both acute and chronic nausea can be caused by a broad range of factors.
You can usually manage instances of acute nausea yourself, with rest, drinking liquids, or taking over-the-counter medications, he says. For chronic cases, doctors may need to run some tests to check for medical conditions, like GI diseases, diabetes, or a heart condition.
“If you find yourself frequently experiencing nausea that persists, you should get it checked out to get to the root of the problem,” says Christine Lee, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
You should also see a doctor if your nausea is accompanied by vomiting blood, an inability to keep any foods or drinks down, high fever, intense pain, and shortness of breath, Dr. Lee says.
Doctors will ask a variety of questions about how intense the nausea is, how often it happens, and how long you’ve been experiencing it to find out what’s causing it, Dr. Amer says.
Even if you never actually vomit, there are several reasons that you might still feel nauseous. Here’s an overview of potential causes and when you should call a doctor.
Why Am I Feeling Nauseous?
There are a number of reasons that you may often feel nauseous, doctors say. The factors can range from mild to serious.
You have a stomach bug or food poisoning.
Foodborne illness or a viral or bacterial infection are common causes of nausea, Dr. Amer says.
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If your friends, family members, or other close contacts have had similar symptoms, it likely means you have a stomach bug. You might have food poisoning if you start feeling nauseous after eating something.
Usually, your nausea will resolve in a day or two. If it doesn’t or gets worse, see your doctor.
You started taking a new medication.
Nausea can sometimes be a side effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen, so consult your doctor if this is the case and to see if switching to another painkiller or anti-inflammatory might be a safer bet for you, Dr. Lee says.
You have an alcohol or substance abuse disorder.
Drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs like opioids can irritate the stomach lining,