I keep vomiting: what should I know?

Gastroenteritis and food poisoning can cause vomiting with nausea, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea. Migraine may bring vomiting with a severe headache or sensitivity to light. Gallstones or pancreatitis can cause upper abdominal pain, while meningitis may involve severe headache, fever, stiff neck, or confusion. Rotavirus infection is another possible cause, particularly in children. These conditions can overlap, so the pattern, pain, fever, recent food, medicines, and other symptoms help a clinician assess the cause.

Take small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration drink if you can keep fluids down. Rest, and return gradually to bland foods after vomiting settles. Avoid alcohol and heavy meals until you are recovering. Keep track of urine, dizziness, abdominal pain, fever, and what you have vomited. Do not take anti-vomiting medicines without checking that they are suitable, particularly for a child, during pregnancy, or with other medicines.

Seek emergency care for blood or coffee-ground material in vomit, green vomit, severe or worsening abdominal pain, a stiff neck, confusion, fainting, chest pain, or difficulty breathing. Get urgent advice if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, feel faint when standing, or show signs of severe dehydration. Children, older adults, and people with significant medical conditions may need earlier assessment.

When did vomiting begin, and how often is it happening? Can you keep any fluid down? Is there abdominal pain, diarrhoea, headache, fever, or blood? What food, medicines, travel, or sick contacts came before it?