When is throwing up bile dangerous

Check with your pharmacist or GP before using ginger supplements. Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Vomiting in adults. Vomiting in adults. About vomiting in adults Nausea and vomiting in adults isn't usually a sign of anything serious and tends to only last 1 or 2 days. Vomiting self-help guide Complete this guide to assess your symptoms, and find out what to do if your condition worsens.

When to contact your GP Contact your GP if: you've been vomiting repeatedly for more than a day or two you're unable to keep down any fluids because you are vomiting repeatedly your vomit is green this could mean you are bringing up a fluid called bile, which suggests you may have a blockage in your bowel — see below you have signs of severe dehydration , such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine you've lost a lot of weight since you became ill you experience episodes of vomiting frequently Your GP may want to investigate the cause of your vomiting or prescribe treatment.

When to seek emergency medical help Occasionally, vomiting can be a sign of a more serious problem. Common causes of vomiting in adults Gastroenteritis If you have diarrhoea as well as vomiting, it's likely you have gastroenteritis. Pregnancy Pregnant women typically experience repeated episodes of nausea and vomiting, particularly during the early stages of pregnancy.

Migraines If you have recurrent episodes of vomiting along with intense, throbbing headaches that last for a few hours to days at a time, you may be experiencing migraines.

Labyrinthitis If your vomiting is accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of spinning vertigo , it may be caused by an inner ear infection called labyrinthitis. Motion sickness Nausea and vomiting associated with travelling could be a sign of motion sickness. Appendicitis As well as vomiting, appendicitis can cause severe pain in your abdomen tummy. Other causes of vomiting in adults Vomiting in adults can also be caused by a number of other things, including: certain medicines, such as antibiotics and opioid painkillers drinking too much alcohol kidney infections and kidney stones a blockage in your bowel, which may be caused by a hernia or gallstones chemotherapy and radiotherapy acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder Clink on the links above for more information about these conditions and treatments.

Gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD , offers some advice, saying GI issues like vomiting are common with wide ranges in causes. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.

We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. However, if the vomiting fails to improve or resolve, you may need to seek medical help, as it could be a sign of other issues.

A doctor can diagnose an intestinal blockage or obstruction by a physical exam and additional tests. Tests used to diagnose the cause of vomiting bile include:. For children under 3 years of age, the most common cause of intestinal blockage is a serious condition known as intussusception.

Intussusception happens when one part of the intestine slides into an adjacent section, similarly to the retraction of a telescope. The condition causes pain that comes and goes at first before turning constant. The child may look very pale, tired, and limp, and may be vomiting.

Throwing up bile may not require medical attention if it has a clear cause and resolves with conservative methods, such as rest and rehydration.

However, anyone who is persistently throwing up bile should see a doctor. Similarly, people who are throwing up bile and have signs of dehydration should seek emergency medical care. People should also see a doctor if they experience any of the following symptoms in addition to throwing up bile:. Carers of a child under 3 years of age should seek immediate medical attention if the child has any of the following symptoms and is throwing up bile:.

Infants can become dehydrated very quickly and may need medical intervention to rehydrate much sooner than adults. Surgery may be recommended if medication is not effective enough. The treatment for vomiting bile will vary, depending on the cause.

In cases of binge drinking or food poisoning, intravenous fluids in the hospital may be sufficient to treat the symptoms and prevent further complications. In minor cases, resting and rehydrating with water and fluids containing electrolytes may be sufficient to relieve symptoms. In cases of bile reflux, a doctor may prescribe medication to control the reflux.

Two common types include:. If medications are not enough, a doctor may recommend surgical options, such as gastric bypass surgery. In this procedure, a new opening is created to the small intestine that prevents a buildup of bile in the stomach. You've thrown up the contents of your stomach, but continue to retch. You're convinced there can't be anything left to vomit, yet here you are: hunched over the loo, expelling a bitter-tasting and filmy mucous. What you're experiencing -- vomiting bile -- typically comes at the tail end of a major puke session.

And most of the time, it's nothing to worry about. It's just the result of throwing up on an empty stomach. Thick and sticky with a greenish-yellow hue, bile is produced by the liver , then secreted and stored in the gallbladder.

The gallbladder meters out bile while you eat, releasing it in the duodenum -- the first and smallest segment of the small intestine -- to digest fat. Bile also helps eliminate bilirubin, a waste product of red blood cells [source: Merck ].

If there's bile in your vomit, it's because bile from the small intestine has entered the stomach. Normally, the contents of the stomach travel through the pyloric valve, a ring-shaped muscle in the stomach, and into the small intestine where they mix with bile.

The pyloric valve usually opens about one-eighth of an inch, releases an ounce 3. However, there are instances when the pyloric valve does not fully close, allowing bile to flow upstream from the small intestine into the stomach.