There are many different health problems that can cause nausea. If it’s a stomach bug, food poisoning or the flu, you’ll usually only feel sick for a few days. If you’ve been feeling sick for weeks, there is clearly some other cause. Below are just some of the possible conditions to explore.
Chronic stress
Stress is known to cause digestive issues, which can range from diarrhoea to nausea. If you suffer from anxiety or are chronically stressed as a result of work, this could be the reason why you’re feeling sick all of the time. Finding ways to reduce stress in your life could stop you from feeling so sick.
Medication side effects
If you’ve recently started taking new medication, you may want to consider if this is a possible cause. Some people can experience side effects when taking certain types of medication such as antibiotics, antidepressants, opioid painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs – and a common side effect is nausea. By talking to your GP, you may be able to explore alternative forms of medication that don’t cause as much nausea. Unfortunately nausea cannot always be prevented with some forms of treatment (such as chemotherapy).
Food intolerance/allergy
Your body can develop intolerances and allergies to certain foods. This can result in symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, bloating and diarrhoea. Allergies tend to have more immediate symptoms, making it easier to identify exactly which foods are the cause. An allergy may also be accompanied by other symptoms like an itchy mouth, swollen lips, hives and in serious cases trouble breathing. Intolerances develop symptoms after a longer period and are typically caused by triggers like lactose, gluten, caffeine, alcohol or sulphites. Some intolerances may also cause symptoms such as joint pain and migraines.
GERD
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition that results in chronic acid reflux. This is when stomach acid keeps coming up the oesophagus instead of staying in the stomach. It’s important to look out for worsening symptoms of acid reflux such as vomiting and not being able to eat. A doctor will usually be able to prescribe medication to help you keep food down if you suffer from severe GERD. It’s also a good idea to limit certain foods and drinks that can trigger GERD like coffee, chocolate, spicy foods, alcohol, pizza and fried foods.
Labyrinthitis
If you’ve experiencing nausea and ear pain, it could be caused by an infection in part of the inner ear known as the labyrinth. This part of the ear can control not just hearing but balance. As a result, an infection here can throw people’s balance off and lead to nauseous feelings of vertigo (the whole room may feel like it’s spinning). Ringing in the ears, a temperature or a headache are other symptoms to look out for. It’s important to get this infection treated with antibiotics to prevent it spreading or causing permanent damage to your ears. A doctor will be able to prescribe you antibiotics.
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