Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Nausea and vomiting are common signs and symptoms that can be caused by numerous conditions. Nausea and vomiting most often are due to viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu — or the morning sickness of early pregnancy.

Many medications or substances can also cause nausea and vomiting, including marijuana (cannabis). Rarely, nausea and vomiting may indicate a serious or even life-threatening problem.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

Dec. 07, 2023

See also

  1. Acute coronary syndrome
  2. Acute kidney injury
  3. Acute liver failure
  4. Addison's disease
  5. Adrenal fatigue: What causes it?
  6. Airplane ear
  7. Alcohol intolerance
  8. Alcohol poisoning
  9. Alcohol use disorder
  10. Alcoholic hepatitis
  11. Allergies
  12. Allergy medications: Know your options
  13. Allergy-proof your home
  14. Alpha-gal syndrome
  15. Amniotic fluid embolism
  16. Anaphylaxis
  17. Anaphylaxis: First aid
  18. Aneurysm Surgery
  19. Aneurysms
  20. Angina
  21. Anthrax
  22. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  23. Appendicitis
  24. Ascariasis
  25. Aspirin allergy
  26. Autoimmune hepatitis
  27. Beating Ovarian Cancer
  28. Bee sting
  29. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
  30. Bile reflux
  31. Bird flu (avian influenza)
  32. Blastocystis hominis
  33. Botulism
  34. Brain aneurysm
  35. Brain tumor
  36. Brain Tumor
  37. What is a brain tumor? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  38. Brain tumor FAQs
  39. How kidneys work
  40. Bump on the head: When is it a serious head injury?
  41. C. difficile infection
  42. CA 125 test: A screening test for ovarian cancer?
  43. Calcium supplements: A risk factor for heart attack?
  44. COVID-19 and vitamin D
  45. Carbon monoxide poisoning
  46. Carcinoid tumors
  47. Cardiac asthma: What causes it?
  48. Cardiogenic shock
  49. Castleman disease
  50. Celiac disease
  51. Chagas disease
  52. Chest pain
  53. Cholecystitis
  54. Cholera
  55. Choroid plexus carcinoma
  56. Chronic daily headaches
  57. Chronic granulomatous disease
  58. Chronic kidney disease
  59. Chronic kidney disease: Is a clinical trial right for me?
  60. Chronic sinusitis
  61. Churg-Strauss syndrome
  62. Cirrhosis
  63. What is cirrhosis? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  64. Cirrhosis FAQs
  65. Colon polyps
  66. Concussion
  67. Concussion in children
  68. Concussion Recovery
  69. Concussion Telemedicine
  70. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  71. Constipation in children
  72. Coronary artery spasm: Cause for concern?
  73. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  74. COVID-19: How can I protect myself?
  75. Herd immunity and coronavirus
  76. COVID-19 and pets
  77. COVID-19 and your mental health
  78. COVID-19, cold, allergies and the flu
  79. COVID-19 drugs: Are there any that work?
  80. COVID-19 in babies and children
  81. Coronavirus infection by race
  82. COVID-19 travel advice
  83. COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What you need to know
  84. COVID-19 vaccines
  85. COVID-19 variant
  86. COVID-19 vs. flu: Similarities and differences
  87. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  88. Craniopharyngioma
  89. CSF leak (Cerebrospinal fluid leak)
  90. Cyclic vomiting syndrome
  91. Debunking coronavirus myths
  92. Dengue fever
  93. Diabetes insipidus
  94. Diabetic coma
  95. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  96. Diabetic ketoacidosis
  97. Diabetic neuropathy
  98. Diabetic neuropathy and dietary supplements
  99. Types of diabetic neuropathy
  100. Different COVID-19 vaccines
  101. Digestion: How long does it take?
  102. Diverticulitis
  103. Drinking after hepatitis C cure: Is it safe?
  104. Drug allergy
  105. Dumping syndrome
  106. Dysphagia
  107. E. coli
  108. Ear infection (middle ear)
  109. Eating right for chronic kidney disease
  110. Ectopic pregnancy
  111. Egg allergy
  112. Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
  113. Encephalitis
  114. Endometriosis
  115. What is endometriosis? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  116. Endometriosis FAQs
  117. Enlarged liver
  118. Eosinophilic esophagitis
  119. Esophagitis
  120. Exercise headaches
  121. Fainting during urination (micturition syncope): What causes it?
  122. Fight coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission at home
  123. Flu masks
  124. Flu Shot Prevents Heart Attack
  125. Flu vaccine: Safe for people with egg allergy?
  126. Food allergy
  127. Food allergy or intolerance?
  128. Food poisoning
  129. Functional dyspepsia
  130. Gallbladder cancer
  131. Gallbladder polyps: Can they be cancerous?
  132. Gastritis
  133. Gastroparesis
  134. Giardia infection (giardiasis)
  135. Glaucoma
  136. Glioblastoma
  137. Glioma
  138. Guide to different tick species and the diseases they carry
  139. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
  140. H1N1 flu (swine flu)
  141. Hangovers
  142. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
  143. Headaches and hormones
  144. Headaches in children
  145. Headaches: Treatment depends on your diagnosis and symptoms
  146. Heart attack
  147. Heart attack prevention: Should I avoid secondhand smoke?
  148. Heart attack symptoms
  149. Heart Attack Timing
  150. Heart failure
  151. Heart failure and sex: Is it safe?
  152. Heat exhaustion
  153. Heatstroke
  154. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)
  155. Hemophilia
  156. Henoch-Schonlein purpura
  157. Hepatitis A
  158. Hepatitis B
  159. Hepatitis C
  160. Hepatitis C: How common is sexual transmission?
  161. Hepatitis C: What happens in end-stage liver disease?
  162. Hidden Heart Attack
  163. Hirschsprung's disease
  164. Holiday Heart
  165. How do COVID-19 antibody tests differ from diagnostic tests?
  166. How well do face masks protect against COVID-19?
  167. Hydrocele
  168. Hypercalcemia
  169. Hyperglycemia in diabetes
  170. Hyponatremia
  171. Indigestion
  172. Infant reflux
  173. Intestinal ischemia
  174. Intestinal obstruction
  175. Intracranial hematoma
  176. Intussusception
  177. Is hydroxychloroquine a treatment for COVID-19?
  178. Jellyfish stings
  179. Kawasaki disease
  180. What is kidney disease? An expert explains
  181. Kidney disease FAQs
  182. Kidney stones
  183. Krabbe disease
  184. Lactose intolerance
  185. Lead poisoning
  186. Legionnaires' disease
  187. Listeria infection
  188. Liver cancer
  189. Liver Cancer
  190. What is liver cancer? An expert explains
  191. Liver cancer FAQs
  192. Liver cysts: A cause of stomach pain?
  193. Liver disease
  194. Liver hemangioma
  195. Living with Brain Tumors
  196. Long-term effects of COVID-19
  197. Long Term Brain Cancer Survivor
  198. Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  199. Low blood sodium in older adults: A concern?
  200. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  201. Malaria
  202. Managing Headaches
  203. Managing Meningitis
  204. Marathon and the Heat
  205. Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoiding summer E. coli infection
  206. Mayo Clinic Minute: What you need to know about polyps in your colon
  207. Mayo Clinic Minute: You're washing your hands all wrong
  208. Mayo Clinic Minute: How dirty are common surfaces?
  209. Mayo Clinic Minute: Meningitis 101 for college students
  210. Mayo Clinic Minute: Prevent migraines with magnetic stimulation
  211. Mayo Clinic Minute: Weathering migraines
  212. Mayo Clinic Minute: What is an aneurysm?
  213. MCAD deficiency
  214. Measles Virus as a Cancer Fighter
  215. Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS)
  216. Meningitis
  217. Menstrual cramps
  218. Mesenteric lymphadenitis
  219. Migraine
  220. What is a migraine? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  221. Migraine medicines and antidepressants
  222. Migraine FAQs
  223. Migraine treatment: Can antidepressants help?
  224. Migraines and gastrointestinal problems: Is there a link?
  225. Migraines and Vertigo
  226. Migraines: Are they triggered by weather changes?
  227. Alleviating migraine pain
  228. Milk allergy
  229. Molar pregnancy
  230. Morning sickness
  231. MRI: Is gadolinium safe for people with kidney problems?
  232. Multiple myeloma
  233. Infographic: Multiple Myeloma
  234. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
  235. Myocardial ischemia
  236. Nasal Cleaning
  237. New Hep C Treatment
  238. New Test for Preeclampsia
  239. New Way to Fix Aneurysms
  240. Nighttime headaches: Relief
  241. Nighttime panic attacks: What causes them?
  242. Norovirus infection
  243. NSAIDs: Do they increase my risk of heart attack and stroke?
  244. He's the bravest kid I've ever seen
  245. Occipital nerve stimulation: Effective migraine treatment?
  246. Ocular migraine: When to seek help
  247. Orchitis
  248. Orthostatic hypotension (postural hypotension)
  249. Ovarian cancer
  250. Ovarian cancer: Still possible after hysterectomy?
  251. Ovarian cysts
  252. Ovarian cysts and infertility: A connection?
  253. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
  254. Pain Management
  255. Pancreatic cysts
  256. Pancreatitis
  257. Panic attacks and panic disorder
  258. Pap test: Can it detect ovarian cancer?
  259. Parvovirus infection
  260. Peanut allergy
  261. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  262. Peptic ulcer
  263. Peritonitis
  264. Pinworm infection
  265. Pituitary tumors
  266. Plague
  267. Polio
  268. Polymorphous light eruption
  269. Porphyria
  270. Postpartum preeclampsia
  271. Preeclampsia
  272. Pregnancy and COVID-19
  273. Preventing Kidney Stones
  274. Pseudomembranous colitis
  275. Pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension)
  276. Punk Guitarist Survives Brain Tumor
  277. Pyloric stenosis
  278. Radiation sickness
  279. Recurrent breast cancer
  280. Recurring strep throat: When is tonsillectomy useful?
  281. Renal diet for vegetarians
  282. Reye's syndrome
  283. Rhabdomyolysis
  284. Rotavirus
  285. Ruptured eardrum (perforated eardrum)
  286. Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
  287. Safety tips for attending school during COVID-19
  288. Salmonella infection
  289. Salt craving: A symptom of Addison's disease?
  290. SCAD 2 Social Media as a Lifesaving Link
  291. Scarlet fever
  292. Scrotal masses
  293. Self-care for the flu
  294. Sex and COVID-19
  295. Shaken baby syndrome
  296. Shellfish allergy
  297. Silent heart attack
  298. Small bowel obstruction
  299. Smallpox
  300. Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
  301. Spider bites
  302. Spinal headaches
  303. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)
  304. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)
  305. Staph infections
  306. Stomach cancer
  307. What is stomach cancer? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  308. Stomach cancer FAQs
  309. Strep throat
  310. Strep throat in young children: A common diagnosis?
  311. Sudden cardiac arrest
  312. Sudden death in young people: Heart problems often blamed
  313. Sulfa allergy
  314. Swallowing gum: Is it harmful?
  315. Symptom Checker
  316. Tapeworm infection
  317. Testicular torsion
  318. Thunderclap headaches
  319. Toxic hepatitis
  320. Toxic shock syndrome
  321. Transplants
  322. Traumatic brain injury
  323. Traumatic Brain Injury
  324. Traveler's diarrhea
  325. Treating COVID-19 at home
  326. Unusual symptoms of coronavirus
  327. Vascular rings
  328. Vasovagal syncope
  329. Ventricular fibrillation
  330. Vertigo
  331. Heart failure action plan
  332. What's the difference between H1N1 flu and influenza A?
  333. Wheat allergy
  334. Whooping cough
  335. Whooping cough
  336. Why isn't there a hepatitis C vaccine?
  337. Wilson's disease
  338. Fecal transplant treatment of C. difficile at Mayo Clinic
  339. Mayo Clinic study reporting increased incidence of C. difficile infection
  340. Effectively managing chronic kidney disease
  341. Mayo Clinic Research Finds Risk of Glaucoma Blindness Drops by Half
  342. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome