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Nausea and IBS

Nausea can be a symptom of IBS and may even be the primary symptom reported by some people when seeking help for symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

What exactly is nausea?

Nausea can be described as a queasiness or a feeling that one is about to vomit (be sick) or the sensation of the urge to vomit. Vomiting occurs when the contents of the gut are actually forced up and out through the mouth.

What causes nausea in IBS?

Finding the exact cause and treating nausea in IBS isn’t easy because any upset in any part of the digestive system can result in nausea. IBS is a functional disorder of the digestive system meaning that the process of digestion doesn’t work as well as it should and there is no single identifiable cause or reason for the symptoms. On saying that, there are some indications as to why nausea might occur.

Some people develop symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome after an intestinal infection such as gastroenteritis of which nausea and vomiting are symptoms. Even after the infection has cleared up it might be that the balance of bacteria in the gut has been upset and nausea can still persist.

Sometimes nausea eases off after a bowel movement, particularly if constipation is a predominant feature of IBS as delayed evacuation can make some people feel nauseous.

Certain foods and drinks can cause nausea in some individuals who are sensitive or allergic to these foods or who cannot tolerate them very well.

Other possible reasons for feelings of nausea and sickness can include certain medications, viral or bacterial infections, pregnancy, over indulgence in alcohol, migraines or other types of headaches, food poisoning or eating disorders.

Treating nausea and vomiting

Treatment very much depends on what is causing the symptoms but this can be problematic because first of all you have to identify the cause, which isn’t always obvious, and then what works for one person as a treatment won’t necessarily work for someone else.

However, regardless of the cause, it is important that sufficient fluids are taken, particularly if vomiting occurs. The main concern with vomiting is the risk of becoming dehydrated, particularly if the individual concerned is also suffering with diarrhoea predominant IBS.

To obtain relief and settle the digestive system you could try ginger in hot water or peppermint tea but then again, these may also trigger symptoms in some people. There are also numerous anti-nausea drugs available to treat nausea or anti-emetic drugs that can stop vomiting, however, it’s important to note that any drugs used to combat nausea and vomiting are treating the symptoms of nausea and vomiting and not the root cause of them.

It may be tempting for an individual to attribute all bouts of nausea and sickness to their IBS symptoms but this may not be the case so other possible reasons have to be investigated too, particularly if the nausea and/or vomiting is prolonged or severe.

If nausea or vomiting are a persistent feature of your IBS then speak to your doctor for professional advice.