Patient's question:
Ate half of the meal and then vomited, sometimes vomited after eating well, and sometimes vomited after exercise. This has been happening for the past one or two months. Previous treatment and effectiveness: Haven't seen a doctor. What kind of assistance is needed: Just understand what the actual cause might be...Doctor's answer:
Reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus and expulsion through the mouth is a reflex action. It can be divided into three stages: nausea, retching, and vomiting, although some retching may occur without prior nausea or vomiting. Retching can expel harmful substances swallowed into the stomach, serving as a protective reflex mechanism with certain defensive effects. However, the majority of cases are not caused by this, and frequent or severe retching can lead to complications such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.Mild retching does not significantly interfere with health and does not require treatment. Severe retching not only expels large amounts of fluid but also loses electrolytes, leading to symptoms of dehydration and acid-base imbalance, which require emergency intervention.
(1) Fasting for 6–8 hours. Mild or moderate dehydration can be treated with oral rehydration salts (ORS), taken in small, frequent doses. Most children can correct dehydration and acidosis. If this cannot be corrected or if the child cannot tolerate ORS, the best approach is intravenous fluid correction based on blood tests.
(2) Treating the underlying cause. For surgical obstructions, the obstructed segment should be removed via surgery. For medical retching, the underlying condition should be treated.
(3) Administering antiemetic medication. The safest and most effective drug is metoclopramide. The dosage is 0.3 mg per kg of body weight, taken three times daily, 15–30 minutes before meals.
(4) During fasting, the patient can drink small, frequent sips of cool or ice water. Drinking warm water may trigger further retching.