Is It Normal to Feel Nauseous Every Day? Here's What Experts Say
Woman experiencing chronic nausea
It’s impossible to go through your days as your best self when you feel nauseous. The worry that you’re going to be sick at any time distracts from enjoying moments with others and pulls your attention away from work that needs to be done.
If you are experiencing chronic nausea, it’s worth it to get to the bottom of why it is happening. Here, doctors share the most common reasons for constant nausea, what to do when it hits and when to see a doctor.
Related: Bring On the Watermelon and Ginger Chews! Here Are the 18 Best Foods to Eat When You're Nauseous
Common Reasons for Recurring Nausea
First, it’s important to understand what nausea actually is. Nausea is an uneasiness in your stomach or an uncomfortable feeling in the back of your throat. Often, someone experiencing nausea feels dizzy, lightheaded and has trouble swallowing. It sometimes leads to vomiting, but doesn’t always. It’s important to know that it isn’t normal to experience nausea every day. No one is meant to go through life feeling nauseous.
Dr. William Queale, MD, MS, MHS, an internal medicine doctor and author of Dying to Save You, says that there are many reasons why someone may be feeling nauseous every day. Dr. Cecily Havert, MD, a physician at Northern Virginia Practice, agrees, saying, “There are a lot of reasons why this may be and it will take a lot of good history taking and detective work to understand it more.” Both doctors share the most common reasons for recurring nausea below:
Pregnancy: “First off, don’t miss pregnancy,” Dr. Queale says. If you are a sexually active premenopausal woman and experiencing nausea every day, it could be because you’re pregnant. Between 70% and 80% of pregnant women experience nausea. Though pregnancy-related nausea is often referred to as “morning sickness,” pregnancy nausea typically happens throughout the day; only 2% of pregnant women experience nausea in the morning.
A side effect of medication: Both doctors say that nausea is a common side effect of many medications. Dr. Havert says that hormonal birth control, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) can cause nausea in some people. Dr. Queale says that individuals who are experiencing withdrawal from opioids can also experience nausea.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Dr. Queale and Dr. Havert both say that nausea can be a symptom of GERD—especially in the morning. Some people with GERD experience nausea after eating.
Gastroparesis: Dr. Havert explains that gastroparesis is the slowing of gastric emptying and can lead to experiencing nausea after eating. “This condition can result from some neurological conditions, medications and also diabetes,” she adds.
Anxiety: Scientific research shows that individuals with anxiety are significantly more likely to experience nausea.
Other medical conditions: Both doctors say that medical conditions including stomach ulcers, peptic ulcer disease, cancer, migraines or vertigo can also cause recurring nausea.
Related: Is Nausea a Sign of COVID? Here's What Doctors Have to Say
How to Manage Chronic Nausea
As you can see, there is a wide range of reasons for recurring nausea. For this reason, it’s important to see a healthcare provider to find out what is causing it to happen to you. This is especially important because some of the reasons for nausea require medical treatment.
If nausea is a side effect of a medication you are taking, it’s worth it to tell your doctor because there is very likely an alternative medication you can take that won’t make you feel nauseous.
“Anytime nausea is impacting your ability to function in life on a regular basis is a good time to see your doctor. Nausea is a very common symptom that can be a sign of many benign but also more dangerous conditions,” Dr. Havert says.
Related: I'm Not Pregnant or Hungover—So Why Am I Nauseous?
Both doctors say there are some ways to make nausea less likely or to treat it when it happens. If anxiety is causing your nausea, Dr. Queale says that deep breathing exercises could help. Scientific research shows that deep breathing can also help with nausea from motion sickness. The reason why deep breathing can help with nausea in these instances is because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows heart rate and helps the body relax.
When nausea occurs, Dr. Havert recommends taking small sips of water. She also explains that eating small portions of food and avoiding larger portions could help decrease nausea, as well as chewing gum. “Saliva is a great natural antacid,” she explains. If you are experiencing nausea as a symptom of GERD, Dr. Havert says to make sure to stop eating at least three hours before you go to bed.
Dr. Queale says that over-the-counter antacids can help with nausea. However, they should still be considered a temporary solution and it’s still important to identify and address the root cause of your nausea.
If experiencing constant nausea is impacting your quality of life, see a healthcare provider. That way, you can get to the root cause and work toward a solution together.
Next up, find out if allergies can cause an upset stomach.
Sources
Dr. William Queale, MD, MS, MHS, internal medicine doctor
Dr. Cecily Havert, MD, physician at Northern Virginia Practice
