# Nausea and Vomiting: Causes and When to See a Doctor > Nausea and vomiting can come from a gut infection, gastritis, pregnancy, migraine and more. Here is what to do, why dehydration is the main risk and when not to wait. ## When to see a doctor urgently - Vomiting blood or material like coffee grounds, black stools - Green or yellow-green vomit - Sudden severe belly pain, or chest pain spreading to the arm, back or jaw - Vomiting after a blow to the head, severe headache, stiff neck or confusion - Unable to keep even water down for over a day, or signs of dehydration: dry mouth, rare urination, weakness - Vomiting in a baby, a child refusing to drink, drowsiness, crying without tears - Vomiting lasting more than 2 days or coming back regularly - Nausea with yellow skin or eyes, dark urine and a high fever If you have any of these signs, call 112 or go to emergency care. ## Which doctor to see - Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/gastroenterologist - General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/general-practitioner ## What nausea and vomiting are and where they come from Nausea is an unpleasant feeling in the upper belly or throat, the sense that you are about to throw up. Vomiting is the involuntary emptying of the stomach. Neither is a disease: they are signals from the stomach and intestines, the inner ear or the brain, and from medicines, alcohol, pregnancy and stress. Most often the cause is harmless and passes in a day or two, as with a gut infection. The main danger of vomiting is losing fluid, so it helps to know when it is no longer just a stomach bug. ## Nausea in the morning Morning nausea is often an early sign of pregnancy, but not always. An empty stomach, poor sleep, [heartburn](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/heartburn), [gastritis](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/gastritis) and some medicines can cause it too. If pregnancy is possible, take a test. If morning nausea keeps returning for weeks and you are not pregnant, see a general practitioner or a gastroenterologist. ## Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy In the first months nausea is very common and usually eases gradually. Small, frequent meals and small sips of fluid help. But if you vomit many times a day, cannot keep even water down, lose weight quickly or feel dizzy and weak, do not wait: see a gynecologist. ## Nausea and vomiting with diarrhea and fever Vomiting together with loose stools and a fever most often points to a gut infection or [food poisoning](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/food-poisoning). In children it is often [rotavirus infection](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/rotavirus). Vomiting usually settles within one or two days, while stools take longer to return to normal. If nausea comes with yellow skin, dark urine and weakness, it may be [hepatitis A](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/hepatitis-a), which is a reason to see a doctor. For related symptoms, see [Diarrhea](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/diarrhea) and [Fever](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/fever). ## Nausea after eating and with abdominal pain Nausea after meals, heaviness and burning in the upper belly are typical of [gastritis](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/gastritis), reflux and indigestion. If the pain is sharp and building, especially in the lower right, it belongs on the page [Abdominal pain](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/abdominal-pain): severe pain with vomiting needs urgent assessment. ## Nausea with headache and dizziness Nausea with a headache is typical of migraine, and with dizziness of inner-ear problems or blood pressure swings. See [Headache](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/headache) and [Dizziness](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/dizziness). But a sudden headache that is the worst of your life, a stiff neck, confusion, or vomiting after a blow to the head is a reason to call 112. ## Nausea and vomiting in a child In children vomiting is mostly infectious, but they get dehydrated faster than adults. Warning signs are refusing to drink, passing urine much less often, a dry mouth, crying without tears, and drowsiness. Show the child to a pediatrician the same day, and a baby with repeated vomiting urgently. If the baby is breastfed, keep feeding, more often and in smaller amounts. ## What you can do before the visit - Drink often and in small sips: water, weak tea, or oral rehydration solutions from a pharmacy. A large amount at once can bring on more vomiting. - Do not eat for the first hours after vomiting, then return to light food in small portions, avoiding fatty, spicy and fried dishes. - Rest, air the room, and do not lie down right after a meal. - Do not take anti-nausea or anti-diarrhea medicines just in case while the cause is unclear, and do not give them to children without a doctor. - Wash your hands after the toilet and before eating: gut infections are contagious. - Note when it began, how many times you vomited, what you ate, whether you have a fever and how often you pass urine. The doctor will ask. ## How a doctor finds the cause The doctor asks about the onset, food, medicines, pregnancy and other symptoms, examines the belly and looks for signs of dehydration. Blood, urine and stool tests may follow, an abdominal ultrasound, a gastroscopy, and for head symptoms a neurologist's examination. Treatment depends on the cause; with dehydration a drip may be needed. ## Doctors - Sofiko Tsitskarava — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofiko-cickarava (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofiko-cickarava.md) - Nino Vacheishvili — Gastroenterologist, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/nino-vaceisvili (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/nino-vaceisvili.md) - Temur Qvelidze — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/temur-kvelidze (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/temur-kvelidze.md) - Karina — Dietitian, Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/karina-1 (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/karina-1.md) - Tamari Antelava — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/tamari-antelava (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/tamari-antelava.md) - Mariia — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/mariia (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/mariia.md) - Sofiia Volchkova — Neurologist, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofia-volckova (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofia-volckova.md) - Giorgi Basheleishvili — Pediatrician, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/giorgi-basheleishvili (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/giorgi-basheleishvili.md) - Anna Biriukova — General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/anna-biriukova (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/anna-biriukova.md) - Ekaterine shonia — Dental Surgeon, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/ekaterine-sonia (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/ekaterine-sonia.md) ## Frequently asked questions ### Which doctor should I see for nausea and vomiting? An adult can see a general practitioner or a gastroenterologist, a child a pediatrician, and a pregnant woman a gynecologist. For vomiting blood, sudden severe pain or after a head injury, call 112. ### How long can vomiting last with food poisoning? Vomiting from a gut infection usually settles within one or two days, while stools take longer to recover. If it lasts over two days or you cannot keep water down, see a doctor. ### What if I feel sick in the morning but am not pregnant? An empty stomach, heartburn, gastritis, poor sleep or medicines can all be behind it. If it keeps returning for weeks, see a general practitioner or a gastroenterologist. ### How can I tell a child is dehydrated? The child refuses to drink, passes urine much less often, has a dry mouth, cries without tears and seems drowsy. With these signs, show the child to a pediatrician the same day. ### Can I take an anti-nausea pill right away? While the cause is unclear it is better not to, especially for children. Start with small sips of fluid; a doctor or pharmacist should choose any medicine and how to take it. ## Related articles - Abdominal Pain After Eating: Causes and Which Doctor to See: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/abdominal-pain-after-eating-causes-and-which-doctor-to-see (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/abdominal-pain-after-eating-causes-and-which-doctor-to-see.md) - Pain in the Lower Right Abdomen: Causes and Signs of Appendicitis: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/pain-in-the-lower-right-abdomen-causes-and-signs-of-appendicitis (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/pain-in-the-lower-right-abdomen-causes-and-signs-of-appendicitis.md) - Food Poisoning in Georgia: What to Do, Where to Seek Help, and How to Get Assistance: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/food-poisoning-georgia (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/food-poisoning-georgia.md) ## Possible Causes - Food Poisoning: https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/food-poisoning - Gastritis: https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/gastritis - Rotavirus: https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/rotavirus - Hepatitis A: https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/hepatitis-a --- Canonical: https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/nausea-vomiting Country: Georgia (GE), the country in the South Caucasus Updated: 2026-10-04T21:13:51+04:00