Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Nausea and vomiting may occur separately or together. Common causes include:

  1. Chemotherapy
  2. Gastroparesis (a condition in which the muscles of the stomach wall don't function properly, interfering with digestion)
  3. General anesthesia
  4. Intestinal obstruction — when something blocks food or liquid from moving through the small or large intestine.
  5. Migraine
  6. Morning sickness
  7. Motion sickness: First aid
  8. Rotavirus or infections caused by other viruses.
  9. Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
  10. Vestibular neuritis

Other possible causes of nausea and vomiting include:

  1. Acute liver failure
  2. Alcohol use disorder
  3. Anaphylaxis
  4. Anorexia nervosa
  5. Appendicitis — when the appendix becomes inflamed.
  6. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
  7. Brain tumor
  8. Bulimia nervosa
  9. Cannabis (marijuana) use
  10. Cholecystitis
  11. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  12. Crohn's disease — which causes tissues in the digestive tract to become inflamed.
  13. Cyclic vomiting syndrome
  14. Depression (major depressive disorder)
  15. Diabetic ketoacidosis (in which the body has high levels of blood acids called ketones)
  16. Dizziness
  17. Ear infection (middle ear)
  18. Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
  19. Fever
  20. Food allergy (for example, cow's milk, soy or eggs)
  21. Food poisoning (foodborne illness)
  22. Gallstones
  23. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  24. Generalized anxiety disorder
  25. Heart attack
  26. Heart failure — a condition in which the heart doesn't pump blood as well as it should.
  27. Hepatitis
  28. Hiatal hernia
  29. Hydrocephalus
  30. Hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid)
  31. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
  32. Hypoparathyroidism (underactive parathyroid)
  33. Intestinal ischemia
  34. Intestinal obstruction — when something blocks food or liquid from moving through the small or large intestine.
  35. Intracranial hematoma
  36. Intussusception (in children)
  37. Irritable bowel syndrome — a group of symptoms that affect the stomach and intestines.
  38. Medications (including aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, oral contraceptives, digitalis, narcotics and antibiotics)
  39. Meniere's disease
  40. Meningitis
  41. Pancreatic cancer
  42. Pancreatitis
  43. Peptic ulcer
  44. Pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension)
  45. Pyloric stenosis (in infants)
  46. Radiation therapy
  47. Severe pain
  48. Toxic hepatitis

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

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Dec. 07, 2023

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