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This is termed ‘Rebellious Stomach Qi’
in Chinese medicine. Normally stomach energy descends and food &
fluids pass through to the duodenum and small intestines. Nausea
and vomiting occur when the stomach energy goes up instead of down!
Chinese medicine looks at causes for this disruption in stomach
energy.
Causes of nausea and vomiting
This is not an exhaustive list, however I will
highlight some conditions that I see in the clinic.
- The Liver organ ensures the smooth circulation
of energy throughout the body. When the Liver is affected by
stress, this can upset the movement of qi in
the stomach.
- Food poisioning will upset the stomach’s
qi. This often passes after 24 hours.
- Food stagnation in the stomach is a common
cause of vomiting and nausea. This is especially the case with
babies and toddlers as their digestive system is working flat
out and can easily become overtaxed.
- Pregnancy often causes morning sickness (please
refer to the discussion on morning
sickness in ‘conditions treated’). In this
case, the growing foetus disrupts the normal movement of stomach
qi.
- Excessive heat in the stomach can lead to
vomiting & nausea. This may be caused by eating too much
hot & spicy food, drinking excessive alcohol, medications,
or long-term stress. Normally there is a burning sensation in
the stomach and bad breath.
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