Chronic Nausea and Vomiting
摘要
Nausea is an unpleasant sensation of impending vomiting, while vomiting is a reflex that results in the oral expulsion of gastrointestinal contents. Around half of pregnant women experience this pathology during their gestation period, as well as approximately one third of subjects receiving chemotherapy for tumor processes. However, nausea and vomiting can have many other multiple causes such as diabetes, achalasia, or gastroenteritis. This pathology will be mainly secondary to other diseases, so it will be important to pay attention to the patient’s clinical history and associated symptoms, the most common being abdominal pain, early satiety, and abdominal distension. The diagnosis of chronic nausea and vomiting focuses on determining the cause; therefore, correct anamnesis, physical examination, imaging, and laboratory tests are helpful tools. Conventional treatment is based on pharmacologic drugs (antiemetics), a low-fat diet, and a high fluid intake. Physiotherapy is carried out by means of electrotherapy with gastrointestinal stimulation and spinal cord stimulation, massage therapy, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of acupuncture points.