Persistent hiccups after chemotherapy. How to get rid of hiccups and prevent it. Categories of persons who are more vulnerable

Which are the most feared. But taking chemotherapy doesn't mean you have to experience nausea and vomiting.

Main

Nausea and vomiting can be alleviated and even prevented. The best treatment plan is the one established by you and your team of doctors based on your specific needs and feelings. You know best how good you feel and how bad your nausea is.

Modern antiemetics are very good at preventing and relieving nausea and vomiting. Your doctor should choose a drug that will be effective in your case.

Prevent nausea. If you or your doctor anticipate that your treatment may cause you severe nausea, it may be best to start antiemetic medication early.

There are several other ways to get relief and feel better before and after chemotherapy treatment.

What causes nausea and vomiting?

Scientists do not know for certain why some chemotherapy drugs cause nausea and vomiting. They believe this could happen for several reasons. Some drugs can affect areas of the spinal cord or nervous system that cause nausea and vomiting. Some drugs can cause nausea and vomiting by irritating the lining of the digestive tract. Sometimes if you had nausea when you took chemo before, your brain remembers this and expects you to get sick the next time you take chemo.

Chemotherapy drugs are classified according to how often they cause nausea and vomiting. Some of them cause mild side effects. Also, some people are more likely to experience nausea. Your doctor will take many facts about you, your treatment, and type of cancer into account to decide if you are at risk for nausea.

You are more likely to experience chemotherapy-induced nausea if you:

• Under 50 years old.

  You ride in transport.

  Have experienced nausea or vomiting during previous cancer treatment.

  You have a large tumor.

The occurrence of nausea and vomiting may also depend on:

Type of chemotherapy drugs used. Some drugs are more likely than others to cause nausea and vomiting.

Dose values. Large doses are more likely to cause nausea and vomiting.

Timing and frequency of chemotherapy. If the time between treatments is short, your body has less time to recover from nausea and vomiting before taking your next dose.

Method of delivery of the drug to the body. A drug given by vein (using a drip) may cause nausea and vomiting faster than a pill because your body will absorb the drug given through a drip more quickly.

individual differences. Not everyone reacts the same way to the same drug.

An antiemetic drug you are taking. If it doesn't work for you, try another drug.

You may experience nausea immediately after starting chemotherapy. Nausea may also appear after one or two days. She may not show up at all. As soon as nausea appears, tell your doctor about it.

Many people begin to experience nausea even before treatment begins. This is called expected nausea and vomiting. Anything can cause nausea - the smell of an alcohol-soaked swab, the sight of a nurse's coat, the sounds of a treatment room. This usually does not happen until the third or fourth treatment session. It is important to know how to deal with anticipated nausea and vomiting, as it can make the nausea and vomiting worse when chemotherapy actually starts.

People who feel good are better able to fight cancer and live happier lives. Your body needs to rest, recharge, and deal with the stress of cancer and its treatment.

If you do not fight them, nausea and vomiting cause the following phenomena:

Depression.

Inability to fight disease.

Fatigue.

Voltage.

Inability to sleep.

Anxiety.

Angry.

Lack of interest in food.

Dehydration.

Nausea and vomiting relief can help you:

Be active.

• Better to cope with cancer and its treatment.

  Enjoy socializing with family and friends.

  Eat with pleasure.

How can I relieve nausea and vomiting?

The best way to deal with nausea and vomiting is to start treatment before you start taking it. Talk to your doctor about your treatment plan. Find out if the cancer drug you are taking is likely to make you sick. Ask your doctor what medicines are available to prevent nausea and vomiting. Talk about what's bothering you, no matter how insignificant it may seem. The more you know about a treatment, the more you feel in control of it, and the easier it will be to talk about it with doctors and nurses.

Antiemetics

Antiemetic drugs are usually taken on a daily schedule while chemotherapy continues. Sometimes you may be asked to take an antiemetic drug "only as needed." You may be prescribed more than one antiemetic drug. Medicines that relieve nausea include Zofran, Compazine, and Ativan.

Antiemetics can be given as tablets, intravenously by drip, or by injection. Some medications are available as suppositories, capsules that melt in your mouth, or patches that you stick to your skin.

When taking antiemetic drugs, it is important to follow your doctor's instructions and report how well they work.

If you experience nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy despite taking antiemetics, tell your doctor right away. Another antiemetic drug may be the solution. The chemotherapy drug may also be changed.

Marijuana

Marijuana, whether natural or synthetic, relieves nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Although it worked better than many of the antiemetics that were available 15 years ago, it is believed that it does not work as well as current drugs. In addition, marijuana can cause unpleasant side effects, including dry mouth, low blood pressure, and dizziness, especially in older people and those who have not used it before. In addition, the legality of medical use of marijuana in many countries is still in question. Some doctors still use a synthetic form of marijuana to treat nausea and vomiting. These drugs are not as effective as other drugs currently available, but they may help some people.

Complementary Therapy

Although drugs are the main treatment for nausea and vomiting, there are other treatments that work well. They involve the help of a qualified therapist who can teach you how to use your mind and body to deal with nausea and vomiting. These techniques help stop the expected nausea and vomiting. They work by relaxing you, diverting your attention, helping you feel in control and feel less powerless.

These types of treatments include:

Self-hypnosis. A therapist can teach you how to hypnotize yourself. Some people are able to learn this from books.

Progressive muscle relaxation. With this technique, you will learn how to relax by alternately tensing and relaxing different muscle groups.

Biofeedback. Biofeedback uses the mind to control bodily functions that the body normally controls on its own—skin temperature, muscle tension, or heart rate.

Controlled mental images. This is a series of thoughts and directions that direct your imagination to a relaxed, concentrated state. This technique can help you mentally block out nausea and vomiting.

Abstraction. For example, children who are taking chemotherapy may use video games to distract themselves from what is happening. It can also help mentally block out nausea and vomiting.

Acupuncture

Studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Your doctor may refer you to a qualified acupuncturist. You can also try acupressure. To prevent or reduce nausea, constant pressure is applied to the P6 point. Point P6 is located on the inside of the hand, in line with the middle finger. It is located closer to the wrist, one-sixth of the distance between the wrist and the elbow. You can apply pressure to the point with your thumb or other finger, or wear bracelets (such as Sea-Band bracelets) whose plastic disk presses on the P6 point on each hand.

Food

Good nutrition may seem like a strange way to treat nausea and vomiting, but it is very important. As a cancer patient, you need nutritious food to make you feel better, maintain strength and energy, maintain weight, and be able to fight infection and recover as quickly as possible.

Eat little and often. Indulge yourself by choosing your favorite products.

Make the most of those days when you have a good appetite.

Ask friends and family to help you shop and prepare meals. You can eat home-delivered meals or dine in a community or nursing home.

Nutritional supplements are convenient and can give you the extra calories and protein you need. Try several supplements to see which works best. Your doctor, nurse, or dietitian can help you choose, and they may have samples of nutritional supplements.

Is there a period of time during the day when you are able to eat more? Many people have found that breakfast is the best time to eat. Try to eat more during the times of the day when you can.

Report your symptoms to your doctor

If you have nausea, it is important to tell your doctor or nurses. Sometimes people worry about disturbing the doctor or nurse. Sometimes they think that nothing can be done, and therefore it is not worth raising the issue. Be honest about your fears and how you feel nauseated, no matter how mild. You may need a different medicine for nausea a few days after your chemotherapy treatment than the one you used right after.

To help you and your healthcare team deal with nausea and vomiting, you can track how you feel. You can use this symptom diary to record how you feel. Take the diary with you every time you visit the doctor.

Hiccups are a harmless, but unpleasant phenomenon. Most often it starts and ends on its own. It would be possible not to pay attention to the constant bouncing of the diaphragm, if not for serious meetings, negotiations or public speaking on stage.

hiccups after eating

Most often, children hiccup after eating, but sometimes this happens in adults. Hiccups after eating can start due to insufficient chewing of food, rapid swallowing, or poor absorption of certain foods.

Most people eat in front of the TV, computer or newspaper. Reading has a negative effect on digestion. Not only does a person eat more, and this leads to obesity, so even hiccups can begin.

The cause of hiccups can be a nervous tic. The phrenic nerve transmits excitation to the muscles of the chest and diaphragm, resulting in an uncontrolled contraction. After eating food, people with kidney failure have persistent hiccups.

hiccups after feeding

In normal mode, the diaphragm works quietly. When irritated, she begins to move jerkily. Hiccups occur after drinking carbonated drinks, a heavy meal, stress, and for many other reasons. Most often, this unpleasant phenomenon disappears after fifteen minutes.

Hiccups after feeding a newborn will pass if you hold the baby in an upright position. Excess food and air will come out and the cat will stop.

Hiccups after spitting up

The body of a newborn child is far from perfect. He experiences difficulties associated with digestion, the baby is worried about colic, frequent regurgitation, constipation and even vomiting.

Spitting up is a type of vomiting. True, when spitting up, the child does not feel bad, on the contrary, after he gets rid of the excess, his mood rises, and he feels great. Hiccups may begin after spitting up. In this case, the mother needs to press the baby to her chest and wrap him with a blanket. The child will feel warm and comfortable, his breathing will even out and the hiccups will stop.

Binge drinking is a psychological problem characterized by excessive craving for alcohol. If a person refuses alcohol, he begins to feel weak and very unwell.

Getting out of binge is a difficult process that is best done together with a specialist. The heart rate changes, the pressure rises, there is not much left before a heart attack or stroke. Breathing is disturbed, and this leads to the fact that hiccups begin after drinking. In order to get rid of hiccups, you need to swallow a piece of sugar or hold your breath. Although in the case of hard drinking, this is unlikely to help.

hiccups after smoking

There are people who hiccup during and after smoking. As soon as they drag on, the hiccups begin.

What to do? The answer is simple: don't smoke. Hiccups after smoking spoils the whole process and causes laughter and bewilderment among others. Why, one wonders, to smoke, if the body no longer knows how else to signal that it is ill and uncomfortable.

hiccups after laughing

Hiccups can start anywhere. Laughter, cold, food, stress - all this can cause hiccups. During laughter, the muscles of the diaphragm move, and a person may begin to hiccup. Hiccups after laughing are normal and should not be feared. It will pass by itself when the diaphragm calms down.

hiccups after stroke

A stroke has a large number of complications. A person undergoing rehabilitation must undergo a course of massage, heat therapy and medication.

Speech rehabilitation should be carried out in conjunction with a neuropsychologist or speech therapist-afsiologist. And you need to deal not only with a specialist, but also on your own at home. If a person is alone and is subject to speech isolation, then his speech may never recover.

Hiccups after a stroke are not uncommon. Violations in the brain can lead to various unpredictable consequences.

hiccups after surgery

Shortly after the operation, the anesthesia wears off. A person comes to his senses and most often for a long time he cannot think normally, eat and function. Vomiting may begin, because the mucous membrane of the stomach was exposed to narcotic substances. Food can be given only three hours after the person regains consciousness.

Hiccups after surgery can also lead to vomiting. In a person in the postoperative period, blood circulation, respiration and digestion are disturbed. In order to recover, it is necessary to undergo a rehabilitation course.

hiccups after chemotherapy

After chemotherapy, a large number of complications usually appear. But a person has to choose: either cancer, or life and the side effects of chemistry.

During chemotherapy, a person often experiences nausea, and even vomiting. Since anticancer drugs adversely affect the gastric mucosa. For the same reasons, hiccups can begin after chemotherapy. The only good news is that when these procedures are over, everything will pass without leaving any complications.

hiccup- This is an innate reflex that is given to us by nature. This is the reaction of the body to external (cold) or internal (pressure of food on the walls of the esophagus and stomach) stimuli. In hiccups, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles try to take a deep breath. But at the same time there is a spasm in the larynx, and the airways overlap. A characteristic sound occurs on inspiration at the time of spasm of the vocal cords.

Each of the innate reflexes helps a person to survive. Coughing, for example, clears the lungs, and pulling the hand away from a hot object momentarily helps to avoid burns.

But why do we need hiccups?
This time, the opinions of scientists differed. Let's dwell on the two most plausible versions.

Version one. Hiccups help release the vagus nerve, which is pinched at the hiatal opening of the diaphragm. This nerve is very important, since its proper functioning ensures the functioning of vital organs: the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines. So, hiccups are an attempt to protect the vagus nerve from irritation.

Version two. Hiccups are a defense mechanism that keeps fluid circulating in the lungs of the fetus. In the future, this reflex becomes unnecessary and slowly fades away, but its appearance is periodically provoked by various factors.

Interesting Hiccup Facts

• Several centuries ago, hiccups were considered a sign of the evil eye and corruption.
• The Germans from hiccups put a paper cross made with their own hands to their foreheads. And the British baptize their left foot with their right hand.
• The longest bout of hiccups lasted 68 years.
• Men are more likely to suffer from hiccups than women.
• Stopping hiccups is easier before you hiccup 5-10 times. If the moment is missed, then you will hiccup about 60 more times.
• In the Arkhangelsk region once there was a whole epidemic. Women caught hiccups from each other. This phenomenon is called "Pinezhsky hiccups". But there was no explanation for him.

Causes of hiccups

Let's remember the anatomy to make it clearer what happens to our body during hiccups. The diaphragm is a broad muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. In a calm state, it resembles a dome. When a muscle is tensed, it becomes flat. At the same time, it stretches the lungs and increases their volume. This happens with every breath. The intercostal muscles lift the ribs to further increase the volume of the chest.

During hiccups, this process occurs very quickly, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract convulsively. But the vocal cords close, air is blocked by the epiglottis, and instead of a full breath, we get hiccups.

We figured out how the characteristic "hic" occurs. But the muscles of the body do not work on their own. They are always controlled by the nervous system. But in this case, she does it against our will.

Hiccups occur when irritants act on the vagus nerve - a thick fiber of nerve endings covered with a protective sheath that runs from the skull to the internal organs. The irritation signal immediately gets to the “hiccup centers”. The intermediate is located in the cervical spinal cord, and the central stem section of the brain. These structures are responsible for analyzing the signal and making decisions about aperture reduction. A command from the brain in the form of a nerve impulse descends to the diaphragm and intercostal muscles and causes them to contract sharply.

The path that a nerve impulse takes is called a reflex arc. Its components: diaphragm, vagus nerve, brain, vagus nerve, phrenic nerve, diaphragm muscles. If you open this circuit and stop the transmission of the nerve impulse, then the hiccups will stop. This will happen when the respiratory center, which is normally responsible for the functioning of the lungs, will again take over the function of controlling the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles.

The mechanism of hiccups is closely related to the respiratory, nervous system and digestive organs (esophagus and stomach). Changes in the organs for which the vagus nerve is responsible can cause hiccups.

Let's take a closer look at what can cause hiccups. These factors are usually divided into two groups.

To the first we will attribute the “harmless” causes that cause short bouts of banal hiccups that last from 5 to 20 minutes and pass on their own.
To the second a group of causes include diseases that lead to hiccups. If hiccups are associated with pathology and attacks last more than 2 days, then this is long-term persistent hiccups. Her attacks are repeated often, and it is much more difficult to cope with them.

1. Pathologies of the digestive system
   • esophagitis
   • peptic ulcer of the stomach or intestines
   Inflammation of the esophagus, stomach, intestines and glands, which are considered "subordinate" to the vagus nerve, causes malfunctions in its work. Inflammation from nearby organs affects the vagus and phrenic nerves and the diaphragmatic muscle. Any impact on the nerve endings turns into a nerve impulse that travels along the reflex arc and ends with a convulsive contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm.
2. Diseases of the respiratory system The vagus nerve provides the muscles of the pharynx and palate, so any inflammation of the upper respiratory tract disrupts its work. This is facilitated by intoxication and compression of surrounding tissues as a result of edema. But if in the upper sections the nerve is protected by sheaths of the neurovascular bundle, then when it enters the chest, it breaks up into a number of small branches. They are more vulnerable and sensitive to inflammation of the bronchi and lungs. And, as you understand, any impact on the vagus nerve can result in hiccups.
3. Disorders of the nervous system
   • concussion
   • occlusion of the nerve by the vertebral hernia
   Injuries or inflammatory diseases, brain damage due to poor vascular function or poisoning by toxins show a variety of symptoms. Among them, persistent prolonged hiccups are also found. In this case, spasms of the diaphragm are caused by compression of a section of the brainstem by the surrounding edematous tissues.
4. Pathologies of the cardiovascular system
   • myocardial infarction
   • aortic aneurysm
   • artificial pacemaker
   Since the heart lies in close proximity to the vagus nerve, serious interruptions in its work can be transmitted to the nerve trunk. Through it, excitation spreads to the "center of hiccups."
5. Body intoxication
   • chemotherapy
   • drugs (dexamethasone)
   • drugs for general anesthesia
   Intoxications caused by microorganisms that enter the bloodstream during an illness or drugs poison the nervous system. They have a toxic effect on both the brain and peripheral nerves. This causes abnormal nerve impulses that cause the diaphragm to contract.
6. Tumors

   This, of course, is a very rare cause of hiccups, but it is quite likely. Benign or malignant tumors can occur in any organ. Hiccups are associated with those tumors that are located in the brain, along the path of the vagus nerve or on the diaphragm itself. The tumor tissue compresses the nerve endings, causing a nervous tic - hiccups.

Hiccups in newborns

Hiccups in newborns are frequent rhythmic twitches of the diaphragm, the muscular septum that separates the lungs from the digestive organs. It can last from 5 minutes to an hour.

Causes of hiccups in newborns

After birth, this reflex becomes unnecessary, but it fades slowly. Therefore, any external influence can provoke it.

Mechanism of hiccups in newborns. An impulse occurs in the nerve endings of the vagus nerve. It appears if there is a spasm of the diaphragm, it is squeezed by a swollen tummy or after irritation of the esophagus. The impulse goes up to the brain. There is a special section there that controls the movements of the diaphragm. He gives a command that, in the form of a nerve impulse, goes down and causes the diaphragm to shudder. The following reasons can cause contractions of the vagus nerve:

1. hypothermia. A normal child reacts to cold air with strong muscle tension. At the same time, the abdominal muscles contract, and the internal organs support the diaphragm. Hiccups, in this case, are an attempt to relax the muscles of the diaphragm so that it would be easier for the lungs to breathe.
2. After vomiting. During regurgitation, air and a portion of food quickly pass through the esophagus, irritating nearby nerve endings.
3. Full stomach. Incorrect attachment to the breast, when the child gasps for air with every sip, or rapid sucking often ends in hiccups. The stomach, overflowing with milk and air, presses on the diaphragm from below, causing hiccups.
4. Bloating. Gases that have formed in the intestines cause pain. The baby's tummy becomes swollen and hard. The kid tenses up, twists his legs and thereby squeezes the diaphragm even more, lifting it up to the lungs. In response to this, the sensitive muscular septum begins to twitch.
5. Scream. During crying, the child strongly strains all the muscles and gains a large amount of air, which enters not only the lungs, but also the stomach. It enlarges and stretches the vagus nerve, which runs along the surface of the stomach.
6. Fright. You took the baby with cold hands, turned on a bright light or heard a loud sound next to him - this can frighten the child. Stress is always accompanied by contraction of the muscles of the body, and sometimes hiccups.
7. Immaturity of internal organs. The internal organs of a small person continue to form even after birth, especially for babies who were born prematurely. The nervous system and digestive organs are very sensitive to various stimuli. They are just learning how to do it right. Therefore, spasms often occur, and hiccups are already their consequence.
8. Diseases. In rare cases, increased intracranial pressure can cause hiccups - the center of the hiccups is compressed and sends impulses to the diaphragm. Another reason is pneumonia. In this case, inflammatory processes disrupt the conduction of signals along the vagus and phrenic nerves.

How does hiccups appear in newborns

Most often, hiccups do not cause much concern in newborns. But it prevents some babies from falling asleep, then the child becomes capricious and whiny.

Treatment

What should not be done?

Treatments for hiccups that can be tried on an adult are absolutely not suitable for a newborn baby. Hiccups themselves will not do as much harm as some attempts to get rid of hiccups.

1. Don't scare the baby. Clapping, shouting and throwing up will only cause an attack of crying and will cause a sleepless night. Try to distract the child with more civilized methods: show toys, carry them in your arms.
2. Don't wrap. Hiccups are not a reason to put winter clothes on a child. If the temperature in the newborn's room is normal (22 ° C), then a blouse and sliders are enough. Remember that overheating a newborn is worse than hypothermia. If, nevertheless, the baby has cold hands and nose, then wrap it in a warm diaper or pick it up.
3. Don't give water. According to WHO breastfeeding experts, newborns need only mother's milk. And a bottle of water can cause a baby to not want to breastfeed.
4. Do not eat foods that cause gas. The menu of a nursing mother is of great importance. The use of cabbage, legumes, peanuts, tomatoes causes bloating in infants and can cause hiccups.

Medication treatment

Remember, it is forbidden to give a newborn child any medicines without a doctor's prescription. Even the most harmless, from your point of view, medicine or dietary supplement can cause irreparable harm to a child. Allergic reactions, palpitations, digestive disorders are just a few of the possible consequences. Therefore, before treating hiccups in a newborn with drugs, consult a pediatrician and a neurologist.

Tell your pediatrician about these cases of hiccups:

• hiccups last more than 2 hours after you have eliminated the possible causes of its occurrence;
• attacks appear regularly several times a day for 2 weeks or more.

Hiccups in children

Another thing is prolonged hiccups. It can go on for hours. Due to the large number of contractions of the diaphragm, the child experiences discomfort. The fact is that each “hic” is a powerful and quick breath. But it is defective, because the glottis sharply narrows and does not allow air to enter the lungs. Therefore, during prolonged hiccups, the child may experience oxygen deficiency. It is necessary to examine the baby to detect pathologies that cause hiccups. These can be worms, gastritis, disorders of the liver, brain or spinal cord,

Causes and mechanism of hiccups in children

What can cause hiccups?

1. Full stomach. Your baby ate more than usual or drank a lot of liquid. The stomach stretches and presses on the diaphragm, lifting it up. This triggers a response in the brain, and it causes the diaphragm muscles to contract.
2. Irritation of the esophagus. Perhaps the child chewed food poorly and swallowed large pieces. This is especially true for dry products: crackers, bagels. This happens when the child is in a hurry, or his baby teeth are loose and it hurts to chew. Large pieces of food stretch the wall of the esophagus and irritate the branches of the vagus nerve.
3. hypothermia. Wet feet, a wet diaper, or general hypothermia cause contraction of the skeletal muscles and diaphragm. Thus, the body tries to keep warm. A compressed diaphragm is discomfort for the nerves, and hence the hiccups.
4. Swallowing air (aerophagia). This can happen during laughter, crying, when the child excitedly tells you something or chews chewing gum. Aerophagia is often observed during diseases that are accompanied by a sore throat. Air, like food, inflates the stomach and, with the help of diaphragmatic contractions, the body tries to reduce pressure.
5. Nervous tension, fear. In stressful situations, a lot of adrenaline enters the bloodstream. This substance causes muscle contraction, including the diaphragm. And we already know what the consequences are. In addition, there is a malfunction in the nervous system. Foci of excitation arise in the "hiccup center", and he takes control of the respiratory muscles.
6. Uncomfortable position. If the baby has been in one position for a long time, for example, sitting stooped, then the abdominal organs press on the diaphragm. This can cause her muscles to spasm.
7. Taking medicines. Sulfanilamide drugs, which are often prescribed to children to fight bacteria, muscle relaxants that are used before surgery, and other drugs can cause intoxication. Damage to the nervous system can manifest itself in the form of prolonged bouts of hiccups.

Inflammation is rarely limited to a small area. It almost always affects the surrounding tissue. They swell, the nerve endings in them are clamped. Hiccups are caused by those diseases in which the organs located along the vagus and phrenic nerves are affected. And it doesn't matter if there are disorders in the brain or in the abdominal cavity. The signal enters the "hiccup center", and there an impulse is formed that makes the child hiccup.

1. Inflammation of different parts of the respiratory system
   • inflammation of the pharynx
   • inflammation of the trachea and bronchi
   • pneumonia
2. Diseases of the digestive system
   • inflammation or distension of the esophagus
   • inflammation or peptic ulcer of the stomach, intestines
   • liver pathology
3. Pathologies of the nervous system
   • brain and spinal cord injuries
   • dysfunction of the peripheral nervous system,
   • nerve damage
   • cysts and tumors
4. • inflammation of the membranes of the heart
   • aortic aneurysm

Treatment of hiccups in children

There is something for everyone, there are no universal recipes. Most of the methods are quite safe and children perceive them as a fun game. But among the recipes for hiccups, there are those that can be harmful, especially with frequent use.

What should not be done?

1. Do not grease the root of the tongue with strong mustard. Another variation on this theme is to mix mustard with vinegar and grease the tip of the tongue. In children, such a procedure can cause not only allergies, but also a spasm of the muscles of the larynx and bronchi, then the child will begin to choke.
2. Do not swallow a teaspoon of salt. Remember that the daily salt intake for a child is less than one gram, and 5 grams are placed in a teaspoon. Therefore, such a treatment for hiccups can disrupt the water and electrolyte balance in the body.
3. Don't scare the child. Fright is unlikely to relieve hiccups, it will rather aggravate the situation. In addition, it can cause other unpleasant phenomena, such as stuttering and enuresis.
4. Don't induce a gag reflex. Pressing on the root of the tongue helps some adults, but in a child this procedure will cause a lot of discomfort and every bout of hiccups will be associated with psychological trauma. Believe me, there are many more pleasant and no less effective ways to treat hiccups.
5. Do not drip corvalol on sugar. This method helps many adults, but is completely unsuitable for children. Their body may behave unpredictably in response to the medication. Side effects are tachycardia, drowsiness and dizziness.

1. Learn to eat slowly. When the baby chews food thoroughly and swallows it in small portions, he will not swallow the air that causes hiccups. By eating slowly, he will have time to understand that he is full and is less likely to overeat. This habit will help to avoid the occurrence of hiccups associated with overeating and swallowing air.
2. Retention of breath. Ask the child to take a deep breath, hold the breath as far as possible and draw in the stomach. Another option is to breathe in the air that is in the paper bag. At the same time, the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood rises, and the brain begins to feel a lack of oxygen. When the body is faced with such a serious problem, it "forgets" about the hiccups caused by irritation of the vagus and phrenic nerves. From an excess of carbon dioxide, the respiratory center is rebooted, which is responsible for the proper functioning of the diaphragm and lungs.
3. Drinking water. It is necessary to hold your breath and drink 12 small sips of water during this time. Another way: put a glass on a chair and drink water through a straw, bending over it. At this time, the hands should be clasped into the castle and laid as high as possible. Drinking poda helps to relax the esophagus and diaphragm and interrupts the nerve impulse that causes hiccups.
4. Stretch your diaphragm. Ask the child to take the deepest possible breath and hold the breath for 30 seconds. Then you can fold your lips with a tube and exhale slowly and smoothly. Repeat 5-6 times. Stretching the diaphragm and normalizing breathing restore proper muscle function. This method helps if hiccups are associated with a long stay in one position or muscle spasm after fright and hypothermia.
5. Unusual tastes. An experiment conducted by British scientists showed that in 19 cases out of 20, hiccups in children stopped after they were offered to dissolve a teaspoon of granulated sugar. If you are not at home, sugar can be replaced with M&M's sweets, they must be chewed. American children are treated with a spoonful of peanut butter. A slice of lemon also helps. The fact is that foods with a sharp taste irritate the taste buds, switching the attention of the nervous system to this problem and distracting from hiccups.This method works in almost all cases.
6. Massage hard palate. Massage of the hard palate (this is the area of ​​the mouth behind the upper teeth) is a distraction for the vagus nerve. The sky can be tickled with the tip of the tongue or massaged with a finger. Tactile stimulation of the palate receptors helps to relieve the excitation of the vagus nerve caused by laughter or swallowing air.
7. Dip your face in cool water. Fill a basin with cool water and invite the child to dip his face for a few seconds. It is necessary to hold your breath, and then slowly release the air. The leaning position, holding the breath, and the unusual sensation of "diving" into cool water will relax the diaphragm and interrupt the transmission of commands from the "hiccup center" to the diaphragm.
8. Physical exercises.
   • While inhaling, raise your arms up and stretch. As you exhale, bend down and relax.
   • Sit your child in a chair and ask them to snuggle up against the back and take a deep breath. After that, lean forward, clasp your knees and hold your breath for 5-10 seconds. Now you can exhale slowly.
   Such exercises help to relax the muscles of the diaphragm, and holding the breath is needed to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. under such conditions, the respiratory center takes control of the work of the respiratory muscles.
9. Chamomile tea. This drink helps calm the nervous system and relax the muscles. If you drink tea in small sips, you can influence the nerve endings of the vagus nerve in the pharynx and esophagus.

Medical treatment for hiccups in children

Hiccups in adults

Causes and mechanism of hiccups in adults

1. Full stomach. If you sat down more than usual, then the stomach increases significantly in volume. It presses on the diaphragm located above it and on the vagus nerve. Overfilling is often preceded by spasm of the sphincters. These are special circular muscles that are located at the entrance and exit from the stomach. If they are compressed, then food cannot go into the intestines, and air can not come out in the form of belching. In this case, we feel an unpleasant heaviness that precedes the hiccups.
2. Hot or cold food, dry food, spicy food. Passing through the esophagus, food irritates its membrane. This irritation is transmitted to the nearby vagus nerve, and through it to the brain. The response to the stimulus is a sharp contraction of the diaphragm
3. Alcohol. Strong alcoholic drinks burn the mucous membrane of the pharynx and esophagus, and then cause intoxication (poisoning) by disrupting the functioning of the nerves, including the vagus and diaphragmatic. That is why hiccups so often accompanies plentiful feasts.
4. Drug intoxication. In this case, hiccups in adults are a side effect of medications. Their components disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. More often than others, sulfanilamide drugs, muscle relaxants, and anesthetics are to blame for the appearance of hiccups.
5. Stress, fear, hysteria - this is a load on the central nervous system. Stress disrupts the transmission of signals from the centers in the brain to the executive organs. In the center responsible for the contraction of the diaphragm, there is an excitation that is transmitted to its muscles.
6. Hypothermia. When we are cold, we shiver. This is a convulsive contraction of the muscles aimed at keeping warm, and we feel the trembling of the diaphragm as hiccups.
7. Laugh. When laughing, a deep breath is followed by a series of sharp exhalations. This disrupts the work of the respiratory center, and the “hiccup center” receives control over the diaphragm.

Persistent prolonged hiccups in adults can be caused by various diseases:

1. Nervous System Damage Pathologies of the nervous system are accompanied by swelling of the nervous tissue, while some cells die and the signal transmission paths from the brain to the diaphragm are disrupted. This causes her convulsive contraction.

   Diseases of other organs cause irritation not of the central section, but of the peripheral nerves - the vagus and diaphragmatic. If the focus of inflammation is located next to them, then there is a failure in the nervous regulation of the diaphragm. Here is a list of diseases that may be accompanied by hiccups:

   • inflammation of the brain
   • concussions and bruises
   • multiple sclerosis
   • tumors
   • herniated disc that compresses nerves
2. Diseases of the digestive system
   • heartburn and enlargement of the esophagus
   • peptic ulcer of the stomach and small intestine
3. Diseases of the cardiovascular system
   • aortic aneurysm
   • myocardial infarction
4. Diseases of the respiratory system
   • pneumonia
   • pleurisy
   • tumors

Treatment

What should not be done?

You should not use extreme methods to combat hiccups, which, although they will stop hiccups, can also be harmful to your health.

1. Rectal massage. American Francis Fesmire, together with Israeli scientists, received the Ig Nobel Prize in 2006 for this method. They have proven that digital rectal massage is a good cure for hiccups. But this method has not gained wide acceptance.
2. Fright. Attempts to scare a hiccuping person can cause serious neurological disorders. It is especially dangerous if a person has heart problems.
3. Lubricate the root of the tongue with strong mustard. This seasoning can cause spasm of the larynx. In addition, mustard, getting into the esophagus, will burn it, which can cause increased hiccups.

1. Drinking water. There are several exotic ways to drink water that help with hiccups. The fact is that cool water acts on receptors in the throat, which distract the vagus nerve from transmitting commands to the diaphragm. As the water travels down the esophagus, it relaxes the esophagus and pushes out trapped food that can irritate the diaphragm. In addition, focusing on counting the throats puts the nervous system in order.
   • Hold your breath and take 12 sips;
   • Drink water from the opposite side of the glass;
   • Clamp the pencil with your teeth, it should be placed horizontally between your teeth. Try to take a few sips.
   • Throw half of a wooden toothpick into the glass. Drink water, being careful not to put the toothpick in your mouth.
   • Drink water while leaning forward. You can drink from the tap or from a glass on the table. At the same time, hands should be clasped behind the back in the castle. Raise them as high as possible.
2. Retention of breath. When you hold your breath, your blood is enriched with carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a signal for the respiratory center to take control of the diaphragm. It forces the muscle to work only to ventilate the lungs. The method helps to get rid of hiccups caused by nerves and as a result of muscle spasm.
   • Breathe slowly into the paper bag. Polyethylene for these purposes cannot be used - you can suffocate.
   • Take a deep breath, then a few more, until you feel that your lungs are full. Now tilt your head down and hold your breath for 30 seconds. After that, slowly, without effort, exhale. This method allows you to cause oxygen deficiency and relax the muscles of the diaphragm.
   • Valsalva reception. Take a deep breath, hold your breath and tense your muscles strongly, strain. Stay in this state for 10-15 seconds.
3. Salt and sugar. Irritation of the taste buds located in the mouth helps to improve the functioning of the vagus nerve if the hiccups come from cold or irritation of the nerve when swallowing. It is recommended to dissolve, a teaspoon of granulated sugar or salt. For the same purposes, you can use a slice of lemon or a piece of candied honey, a few dragees of ascorbic acid.
4. Physical exercises. Exercise, combined with even breathing, helps control the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. This method helps eliminate neurogenic hiccups and those associated with swallowing air.
   • Stretch, standing on your toes and raising your hands up. This exercise is done while inhaling. Lean forward while exhaling.
   • Sit on a chair, leaning against its back, take a deep breath. Lean forward and wrap your arms around yourself like you would during an emergency landing on an airplane. Hold this for 10-30 seconds, then exhale smoothly.
   • Do a handstand or lie on your back and hang your head off the bed so that it is below your diaphragm.
5. Vomiting reflex. Tickle the root of the tongue with your fingers (no need to bring it up to vomiting). This stimulates your gag reflex. The vagus nerve is also responsible for it. Since the gag reflex is stronger than hiccups, the body switches to this task. This method of struggle copes with hiccups that have arisen for any reason.
6. Induce a burp. If hiccups are caused by swallowing air or drinking carbonated drinks, then it is necessary to empty the stomach of the air bubble. To do this, swallow the air several times, lean forward a little and tighten your abdominal muscles.
7. Water with mint drops. Peppermint tincture helps relax the esophageal sphincter, the muscular ring that separates the esophagus from the stomach. This will let the excess air out of it. This method is suitable if you hiccup after overeating, drinking carbonated drinks or laughing.
8. Impact on reflex zones. Press on the biologically active points where the receptors of the nervous system are located. This causes excitation of the respiratory center, from which the diaphragm is controlled.

   Reflexology helps well with hiccups in adults of a neurogenic nature.

   • Sit down, close your eyes and lightly press on the eyeballs;
   • Intensively massage the back of the hands from the hand to the elbow;
   • Massage the upper palate with your finger or the tip of your tongue.
   • Pull your earlobes or apply something cold to them.

Medical treatment for hiccups in adults

• hiccups appear regularly;
• the attack lasts more than 48 hours;
• during hiccups, heartburn and chest pain appear;
• hiccups are associated with various diseases.

Inhalations with carbon dioxide(5-7% carbon dioxide and 93-95% oxygen). Carbon dioxide is an irritant of the respiratory center. This procedure activates his work and makes you breathe deeply. At the same time, the lungs, diaphragm, and intercostal muscles work smoothly and without unnecessary contractions.

Intranasal catheter insertion to a depth of 10-12 cm. The catheter is a thin flexible tube. It is injected through the nose into the respiratory tract. It irritates the nerve endings of the vagus nerve. The procedure itself is not particularly pleasant. Medical manipulations make you quickly forget about hiccups and switch to your own feelings.

Novocaine blockade of the vagus nerve. 40-50 ml of a 0.25% solution of novocaine is injected with a needle at the posterior edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Thus, the work of the vagus and phrenic nerves is blocked. This method is used in extreme cases, when hiccups are associated with inflammatory processes in the chest.

Medical treatment

hiccups during pregnancy

Let's hasten to reassure expectant mothers - hiccups in your condition are absolutely safe. It doesn't harm you or your baby. In addition, your unborn child hiccups regularly. He does this starting from the 6th week, but you will feel rhythmic tremors only at the 26-28th week of pregnancy. Hiccups for the fetus and massage of the internal organs, and exercises for the muscles, and the prevention of stagnation of fluid in the lungs - in general, a solid benefit. But there are also less pleasant cases. The baby may experience oxygen starvation. In this case, hiccups are the result of excitation of the respiratory center. Therefore, if you are in doubt, then tell your gynecologist about your fears. Cardiotocography, ultrasound, listening to the fetal heartbeat and counting its movements will tell you about the baby's condition.

Causes and mechanism of hiccups during pregnancy

1. hypothermia. When the temperature drops, your body reflexively tries to keep warm around the baby and internal organs. And the muscles are contracting. This contraction of the diaphragm leads to the simulation of the nerve endings of the phrenic nerve. This excitation is transmitted to the brain stem. There, a command is formed to relax the diaphragm and the body does this with the help of hiccups.
2. Full stomach. Expectant mothers often eat for two to meet the increased needs of the body. In this case, the stomach increases in size more than usual. It presses from below on the diaphragm, pinching the vagus nerve and preventing the lungs from fully relaxing. The body tries to eliminate this with the help of sharp and rhythmic contractions of the diaphragm.
3. Drinking carbonated drinks. Bubbles of carbon dioxide are released from the liquid and collect in the upper part of the stomach. The gas bubble inflates the stomach. In this case, the fibers of the vagus nerve, which pass along its surface, are irritated. In response, the brain causes hiccups to free the stomach from the air bubble. Therefore, hiccups stop after belching.
4. Irritation of the esophagus. Badly chewed food, hot, cold or spicy dishes can irritate the walls of the esophagus. Also, irritation causes the contents of the stomach, mixed with digestive juice, which rises during belching. In this case, you feel heartburn. The vagus nerve, which wraps around the esophagus, is very sensitive to such stimuli.
5. Big fruit. By the third trimester of pregnancy, your baby is getting big enough that the uterus takes up a lot of space in your belly. The remaining internal organs are shifted upward, closer to the lungs. This increases the pressure on the diaphragm. The phrenic nerve endings get pinched and send signals of discomfort to the "diaphragm control center" that makes you hiccup.
6. Experiences. Stress, anxiety, and experiences are inseparable from pregnancy, such is the peculiarity of the work of the nervous system during this period. But such loads prevent the brain from properly managing internal organs. The diaphragm, instead of making smooth respiratory movements, begins to contract rapidly.

• Pathologies of the nervous system: concussion, meningitis, encephalitis, tumors. Hernias of the cervical spine. Such diseases disrupt the respiratory center and can cause prolonged bouts of hiccups.
• Respiratory diseases: laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia. When the vagus and phrenic nerves pass through areas of inflammation, they are compressed and irritated. This leads to a distortion of the signals coming from the brain.
• Diseases of the digestive system: inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach. Peptic ulcer, stones in the bile ducts. Such pathologies irritate the sensitive endings of the nerves, activating hiccups.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system: infarction, myocarditis. In severe cases, swelling and inflammation is transmitted to the heart on the vagus nerve. Violating the innervation of the diaphragm.

Treatment of hiccups in pregnant women

What should not be done?

1. No need to scare a pregnant woman. This dubious way to deal with hiccups can cause involuntary termination of pregnancy, in other words, miscarriage.
2. Don't get carried away with exercise. Rocking the press and push-ups help to forget about hiccups, but in your position you should not do strength exercises.
3. Breath holding is especially contraindicated those women who have a threat of premature termination of pregnancy. By holding your breath, you tense your abdominal muscles and increase the tone of the uterus. And repeated holding of the breath reduces the level of oxygen in the blood, and the baby may experience oxygen starvation.
4. Do not overeat or drink carbonated drinks. This rule helps prevent hiccups.
5. Give up alcohol. Even low-alcohol drinks can harm the fetus and cause intoxication, which is considered one of the causes of hiccups.

1. Have a cup of tea. It should be moderately warm and sweet. Slow drinking in small sips works well on the vagus nerve, which is closely adjacent to the esophagus. If you make tea from chamomile, mint or lemon balm, then such a drink will help calm the nerves and relax smooth muscles. Suitable for the treatment of hiccups after stress.
2. Drink some water. Hold your breath and drink 12 small sips of water at a time. Having experienced a lack of oxygen, the respiratory center will quickly take control of the diaphragm. And drinking water helps to improve the function of the vagus nerve. If you add a few ice cubes to the water, then cold water will stimulate the temperature receptors of the pharynx and esophagus, which also has a positive effect on the work of the vagus nerve. This method helps to cope with hiccups caused by irritation of nerve fibers.
3. Cover the glass with a tissue paper. Try drinking water through a cloth. For this you will have to make an effort. Such a distracting maneuver helps to break the passage of the signal along the reflex arc.
4. Sing a rhythmic cheerful song. Singing performs several tasks at once: it normalizes breathing and soothes. In addition, the baby is pleased to hear your voice.
5. Sugar or refined sugar. Dissolve sugar without drinking. The sweet taste and hard sugar crystals irritate the receptors in the mouth and help neutralize irritation in the lower vagus nerve.
6. Eat small meals. Fractional nutrition helps to avoid overfilling the stomach and its pressure on the diaphragm.

Medical treatment for hiccups during pregnancy

During pregnancy, drugs are prescribed not for hiccups, but to combat diseases that can cause prolonged attacks. In this case, the doctor will select the drugs allowed for expectant mothers and determine the required dosage.

How to stop hiccups?

• Fill your mouth with water and try to swallow it without closing your mouth.
• Take a deep breath, strongly tighten the abdominal muscles and freeze in this position for 15 seconds. To enhance the effect, you can sit down, wrapping your arms around yourself under the ribs.
• Take a deep breath. Close your ears with your thumbs, placing them on the cartilaginous protrusion in front of the auricle. Close your nostrils with your little fingers. Close your eyes. Try not to breathe for as long as possible.
• Tea from gray hiccups will soothe long-term hiccups of nervous origin. Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable raw materials with a glass of boiling water. Infuse for 10 minutes, drink a tablespoon every half hour.

Why does hiccups occur after eating?

• Spicy or hot food irritates the stomach;
• With portions of food, you swallow a little air;
• You have eaten more than normal and the stomach is full.

Through the sensory fibers that make up the vagus nerve, these impulses enter the "hiccup centers". One of them is located in the cervical spinal cord, the other in the brain stem. Here another nerve impulse is formed - a command to contract for the diaphragmatic muscle. This impulse is transmitted from top to bottom along the motor fibers of the vagus nerve.

The diaphragm receives a command from the nervous system and contracts. The hiccups continue until the full stomach irritates the sensory endings of the vagus nerve.

Remember, hiccups are your body's attempt to protect your nerves. Therefore, even if the hiccups caught you in the most inappropriate place, treat it with gratitude, and the situation with humor!

Hiccups: causes

Hiccups are usually completely harmless, although terribly annoying. The causes of hiccups can be different and some of them may indicate a serious health disorder.

What happens during hiccups? Hiccups are caused by irritation of the diaphragm. Most of the time, our diaphragm works quietly, going down when we inhale to let air into our lungs, and going up again to push air out of our lungs when a person exhales. If the diaphragm is irritated, it begins to move in jerks, as a result of which a sharp stream of air enters the throat. When this happens, air is pushed onto the vocal cords, which causes the characteristic sound.

Common causes of hiccups are drinking carbonated drinks, eating too much lunch or dinner (that is, eating too much in general), excessive alcohol consumption, emotional stress, excitement, and sudden changes in temperature. Ordinary hiccups pass very quickly - within five to twenty minutes. Hiccups that last longer than 48 hours can be a sign of a serious illness. The cause of such hiccups may be irritation or damage to the vagus or phrenic nerve, or a medical condition such as laryngitis. Long-term hiccups can also be caused by drug side effects, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and central nervous system disorders such as traumatic brain injury or meningitis.

How is the cause of prolonged hiccups diagnosed?

If hiccups continue for several days, you need to see a doctor to rule out the possibility of damage to the body due to serious diseases. The doctor prescribes a series of tests to the patient. For example, laboratory tests check a patient's blood for kidney disease, infection, or diabetes. Endoscopic tests look for possible problems in the windpipe or esophagus using a special camera located at the end of a flexible, thin tube that is passed down the throat and into the esophagus. Fluoroscopy can detect possible problems in the diaphragm, as well as damage to the vagus and phrenic nerves. These tests include CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and chest x-rays.

Frequent hiccups

As we have already mentioned, frequent hiccups can result from damage or irritation to the nerves that affect the diaphragm muscles. Nerve damage can occur as a result of pleurisy or pneumonia. Pleurisy is a disease in which the mucous membranes of the lungs and chest become infected and inflamed, making breathing very difficult. Pneumonia develops when bacteria and viruses enter the lungs through the nose or mouth. Symptoms of pneumonia include fever, chills, and a cough that produces green or yellow mucus, which may sometimes contain blood droplets.

Frequent hiccups can occur as a result of disruption of the central nervous system. When the central nervous system is damaged as a result of a tumor, infection, or injury, our "hiccup" reflex also fails. What diseases can affect the nervous system so that it causes chronic hiccups?

• Stroke;
• Multiple sclerosis;
• Meningitis;
• Encephalitis,
• Traumatic brain injury and some others.

Familiar names, nothing exotic. Meningitis, for example, also called spinal meningitis, causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms of meningitis include mostly severe headaches, neck pain, and high fever. And encephalitis causes swelling of the brain, and its symptoms are similar to those of a cold or flu.

Frequent hiccups, among other things, can be caused by chemotherapy. Cancer patients who have gone through several stages of chemotherapy often begin to hiccup due to the fact that their body is exposed to several powerful drugs at once. More than 30 percent of cancer patients experience bouts of frequent hiccups during chemotherapy. One of the causes of hiccups during chemotherapy is the action of the drug dexamethasone. In addition to frequent hiccups, dexamethasone also causes nausea, vomiting, and muscle weakness.

The risk of frequent hiccups is also increased by surgery and the effects of anesthesia. After the surgeon inserts breathing tubes into the trachea to perform procedures on the abdominal cavity, and also displaces the internal organs during the operation, the risk of frequent hiccups increases significantly. Hiccups overtake a person after abdominal surgery due to the accumulation of air and gases in the internal cavities.

How to get rid of hiccups

There are several very effective home remedies that help get rid of hiccups in both children and adults.

The first remedy to help get rid of hiccups is to swallow a tablespoon of sugar. This remedy was popular in the middle of the 20th century and is often used to treat hiccups in children. It is not yet known why sugar helps in curing hiccups, but it does help.

Another popular remedy for hiccups is holding your breath. Holding your breath, you need to try to squeeze the diaphragm with the muscles of the chest as much as possible. The longer you can hold your diaphragm in this position, the more likely you will be to stop the hiccups. When you squeeze it in this way, it relaxes and stops contracting.

Another tip - drink water in small sips, while healing your nose. You should take sips again and again, without interruption, until you feel that soon the water may start to come out of your nose. After about 25 sips, the hiccups usually stop.

The advice is not for everyone - try to stand on your hands. Or just lie down on the bed in such a way that your head is very low. The idea is to get your head below your diaphragm. This often stops the hiccups.

Finally, another popular remedy that helps get rid of hiccups is chamomile tea. The drink must be brewed for at least half an hour. The substances contained in chamomile have muscle relaxant properties, they can also stop diaphragmatic contractions that cause hiccups.

hiccups after eating

There are two reasons why we have hiccups after eating. We either eat too fast or too much.

When we eat in a hurry, the diaphragm becomes irritated and we begin to hiccup. Hiccups are especially common after eating, when we quickly eat dry foods - bread, bagels and buns.

By overeating, we also earn hiccups. The fact is that when we eat too much, the swollen stomach touches the diaphragm, causing it to become irritated. Therefore, in order not to hiccup, as soon as we feel that the stomach is full, we need to stop eating.

If you want to read all the most interesting about beauty and health, subscribe to the newsletter!

Did you like the material? We will be grateful for the reposts

Nausea after chemotherapy

After chemotherapy, most patients experience nausea - a constant or intermittent painful sensation that is localized in the epigastric region and the mouth. At the same time, such symptoms are accompanied by weakness, sweating, "lightheadedness", strong salivation, chills and pallor of the skin. Sometimes nausea occurs as a reaction to certain odors, such as the aroma of food being cooked.

The cause of nausea after chemotherapy is the effect of drugs on the vomiting center located in the brain. Also, the causes of nausea include the release of toxins by the tumor, which can affect the aforementioned vomiting center.

Specialists prescribe after the end of treatment the intake of drugs that remove the symptoms of nausea. These will be discussed below in the section on vomiting after chemotherapy.

To avoid the manifestation of nausea, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of fatty, fried and spicy foods, as well as salty and sweet foods. Eating should be frequent and fractional, in small portions five to six times a day.

Treating Nausea After Chemotherapy

Drinking water is a good remedy for nausea after chemotherapy. If it is not possible to overpower a whole glass, you need to drink water in small sips, but often.

For persistent nausea, it is good to include the following foods and drinks in your diet:

clear broths from vegetables and chicken, boiled and baked skinless chicken, oatmeal, semolina, rice cereal and white rice, boiled potatoes, noodles and pasta, crackers and biscuits, bananas, canned fruits, which include peaches and pears, as well as applesauce, natural yoghurts, kissels, cranberry and grape juices, fruit ice and sherbet, sparkling water. Vomiting after chemotherapy

Vomiting after chemotherapy is an act of a reflex nature, which leads to a sharp emptying of the contents of the stomach, and sometimes the intestines, in the opposite direction, through the mouth. Sometimes vomiting can also occur through the nose.

Vomiting after chemotherapy occurs as a result of the effect of drugs on the vomiting center located in the brain. Vomiting can also be observed as a consequence of the production of toxins by the tumor, affecting the above vomiting center.

The vomiting center is an area in the brain that is responsible for nausea and vomiting. The cells of this center react to the presence of toxins, chemical drugs and other substances in the body. A similar reaction is expressed in the protective function of the vomiting center to the above substances dangerous to human life. Therefore, a command is sent from the brain to the digestive system to get rid of such agents by triggering the mechanism of eruption of these substances to the outside, if these agents are present in the stomach or intestines.

During the first days after the end of the course of chemotherapy, patients develop symptoms of acute vomiting. After the end of the first day in patients who have undergone treatment, symptoms of delayed vomiting are observed.

Chemotherapy drugs have a certain property called emetogenicity, that is, "nausea". This property is expressed in the ability of the drug to provoke the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy drugs, according to the level of emetogenicity, are divided into low, medium and high levels.

Most often, vomiting after chemotherapy occurs in patients of the following groups:

In patients who have not received antiemetic treatment. In female patients. In young patients. In patients who suffer from excessive alcohol consumption. Treatment of vomiting after chemotherapy

Medications of the phenothiazine group - procloperazine and ethylperazine. Drugs of the butyrphenone group - haloperidol and droperidol. Medicines of the benzodiazepine group - lorazepam. Medicines of the cannabinoid group - dronabinol and marinol. The group of corticosteroids is dexamethasone and methylprednisolone. Drugs of the metocloproamide group - raglan. A group of serotonin receptor antagonists - ondansetron, granisetron, kytril, tropisetron, novoban, palosetron. A group of neurokinin receptor antagonists are emend and aprepitant.

To help relieve the condition after chemotherapy and reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, the following recommendations should be followed:

Before the start of the session of the introduction of chemotherapy drugs, you need to eat and drink a little. During the course of treatment, food is consumed in small portions, but often. Highly salty and spicy foods are excluded from the patient's diet. Food should be at a moderate temperature - not hot. Chilled food helps to reduce the symptoms of nausea. You can eat cold meat, cottage cheese and fruits, as well as foods with a sour taste - frozen lemon slices, cranberries, plum slices. Fried, fatty and sweet foods are excluded. You need to eat food at a slow pace, chewing thoroughly and in small quantities. It is necessary to ask relatives to prepare food for the patient, since the smells of the food being prepared can provoke a vomiting reaction. You should not be in places with strong odors, especially cooking, smoke from tobacco products, perfumes and household chemicals. The presence of foreign objects in the mouth provokes symptoms of vomiting. Dental prostheses must be removed during treatment. The room in which the patient is located after chemotherapy should be well ventilated, with fresh and cool air. Heartburn after chemotherapy

After undergoing chemotherapy sessions and the entire course of treatment, many patients experience symptoms of heartburn. Heartburn is a sensation of burning or discomfort behind the sternum, starting from the projection of the stomach and extending up to the neck.

Treatment of heartburn after chemotherapy

Antacids help to cope well with heartburn - Maalox, Alka-Seltzer, Almagel, Phosphalugel, Vikalin and so on.

Between courses of chemotherapy, you need to take the drug Laseprolol for three weeks. Instead, you can use drugs - quaatel, ranitidine, omeprazole.

From folk remedies, you need to use kissels that you can drink in large quantities. It is also good to drink a decoction of oats, which can be taken two liters per day.

The use of low-fat 10% milk cream also helps - during an attack of heartburn, one or two sips should be taken. Attacks are also well removed with two to three tablespoons of fresh potato juice. A long course of treatment with potato juice consists in drinking a quarter cup of the drink three to four times a day, fifteen to twenty minutes before meals. In this case, it is necessary to treat within two to three weeks.

Traditional medicine also suggests using buckwheat to eliminate heartburn. Buckwheat is overcooked in a dry frying pan until a dark brown color appears, after which it is ground into powder. It is taken one - two grams three - four times a day.

Prolonged manifestations of heartburn are well stopped by the powder of calamus rhizomes. One third of a teaspoon of powder is washed down with half a glass of water. It is taken three times a day for one month.

Helps with heartburn and infusion of flaxseed. It is prepared as follows: two tablespoons of seeds are poured with half a glass of boiling water. After that, the infusion is left in a thermos for two hours and filtered. The drink should be taken warm. It is taken half a glass three times a day (including before going to bed).

It is good to use decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs:

Take plantain leaves - twenty grams, St. John's wort - twenty grams, cudweed grass - twenty grams, mix everything thoroughly. One tablespoon of the mixture is poured into a glass of boiling water, insisted for half an hour. Take half a glass three to four times a day. Yarrow herb is taken - twenty grams, St. John's wort - twenty grams, cudweed grass - twenty grams. Three tablespoons of the mixture are poured with one glass of boiling water and left to cool. After that, the infusion is filtered and taken in half a glass four to five times a day. Take plantain leaves, crushed marshmallow root, oregano herb, St. John's wort, caraway fruits in equal amounts. One tablespoon of the mixture is poured with one glass of water and brought to a boil over low heat, after which it is boiled for fifteen minutes. The decoction is taken two tablespoons four times a day fifteen minutes before meals. It is used for reduced gastric secretion. Ten grams of crushed licorice root and six grams of crushed orange peels are taken. The mixture is poured with two glasses of water and evaporated to half the disappearance of the liquid over low heat. After that, it cools to a warm temperature, and sixty grams of honey is added to the drink. A decoction is taken three times a day ten to fifteen minutes before eating. The drink should be drunk within a month. The decoction is useful for hyperacidity of the stomach. hiccups after chemotherapy

Hiccups after chemotherapy is a spasm of the diaphragmatic muscle of an involuntary nature. Usually, hiccups last for a few minutes and can be easily eliminated. But it happens that the attacks of hiccups do not stop for two or three hours, and here we can already say that the patient is worried about chronic hiccups (or protracted). In some cases, hiccups do not stop for a month or more, then this phenomenon is called an ongoing attack.

Thirty percent of patients after chemotherapy observe the appearance of persistent hiccups. At the same time, men complain of this symptom more often than women. Hiccups after chemotherapy can last so long that it makes it difficult for the patient to eat and speak.

One of the causes of chronic hiccups after chemotherapy is damage to the nerve fibers of the peripheral nervous system. Hiccups can be caused by electrical impulses that travel along the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain stem to the abdomen. The function of this nerve is to control the activity of the heart, the level of gastric juice, the functioning of the intestines, the work of the throat muscles and other body functions.

Sometimes the cause of chronic hiccups is considered to be constant irritation of the thoracic nerve, which controls the contractile function of the diaphragm, as well as the respiratory rhythm.

Bitterness in the mouth after chemotherapy

In some patients, after a course of chemotherapy, there is a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. These sensations indicate a violation of the liver, which has experienced damage by the toxic effect of drugs. In addition to bitterness, the patient will also experience pain in the right hypochondrium.

In case of liver damage, specialists prescribe the appropriate treatment, which was mentioned in the section on the state of the liver after chemotherapy.

Bitterness in the mouth after chemotherapy also indicates a malfunction of the gallbladder. Similar taste sensations in the mouth are associated with the release of bile into the esophagus. In this case, it is necessary to establish the state of the biliary tract by conducting an examination. After that, the specialist can prescribe the use of choleretic drugs.

Bitterness in the mouth is often associated with the appearance of inflammatory processes in the digestive organs. To summarize all the possible cases of bitterness in the mouth, here is a list of diseases in which this phenomenon can be observed:

Biliary dyskinesia. Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Gastritis is an inflammatory and degenerative process that occurs in the mucous membrane of the stomach. Liver failure.

It should be recalled that these diseases can occur (or worsen) after the introduction of chemotherapy drugs into the patient's body, which have a strong toxic and destructive effect on internal organs.

Treatment of bitterness in the mouth after chemotherapy

With existing problems with digestion or liver function, when there is bitterness in the mouth, you can try to normalize the patient's condition with the help of traditional medicine:

It is necessary to grind flaxseed and boil jelly from it. After that, the drink is taken in a glass in the morning and evening. Ten grams of calendula is taken and brewed in a glass of boiling water, infused for half an hour, filtered and drunk. You need to drink four such glasses per day. You can grate horseradish and make a mixture of one part horseradish and ten parts milk. After that, the whole mass is slightly heated, then removed from the heat, left to infuse for fifteen minutes and filtered. The healing drink is taken one sip five or six times a day for three days. Chamomile has a good anti-inflammatory effect. One tablespoon of dried flowers is taken and brewed in a glass of boiling water. After that, the drink is infused for an hour and drunk in half a glass three to four times a day twenty minutes before meals in a warm form.

Nausea is one of the side effects of chemotherapy treatments in most cancer patients. Nausea after chemotherapy causes vomiting and aversion to food, leads to loss of contents in the stomach and intestines, provokes the development of malnutrition and other serious conditions. Prevention of nausea is an important goal in the treatment of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy sessions. Currently, there are many drugs and methods that successfully solve this problem.

The reasons

There is no exact data on why there is a feeling of nausea after the use of chemotherapeutic agents. It is assumed that the most likely causes of this disorder are as follows:

The effect of certain types of drugs on areas of the central nervous system or spinal cord that cause nausea. The effect of some anti-cancer drugs on the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, irritating it, and causing nausea. Psychological factor in which the brain remembers the previous state after previous chemotherapy. A side effect of a chemotherapy drug that can cause nausea.

Risk factors

The feeling of nausea after chemotherapy depends on the following factors:

The type of chemotherapeutic agent used. Some drugs are stronger than others to cause this sensation. Frequency and timing of chemotherapy sessions: With a short period of time, the body has less opportunity to recover from side effects before the next dose of the drug. The method of introducing a drug into the body. Intravenous administration causes sensation more quickly than a tablet, since in the first case, the absorption of the drug takes much less time. Dose value. A large dose of the drug is more likely to cause nausea. Individual characteristics of the organism. All people react differently to the use of the same drug.

Categories of persons who are more vulnerable

Women under the age of 50. Women who experienced the sensation during pregnancy. Persons with a weak vestibular apparatus. People who are addicted to alcohol. Patients treated with chemotherapy who experienced the indicated side effect. People with high levels of anxiety.

What to do?

The best way to combat nausea is to prevent it from occurring before starting chemotherapy sessions. To do this, a consultation is held with the attending physician in order to clarify the treatment plan, information about the drugs that will be used, and their ability to cause nausea. After that, measures to counteract the unpleasant sensation and the selection of the necessary medications are agreed upon.

Although there are many remedies and methods for treating nausea after chemotherapy, there are other methods of exposure that have a noticeable positive effect. Thus, a qualified psychotherapist is able to teach how to use the mind and will to deal with an unpleasant sensation.

The use of various techniques of mental influence can relax, divert attention, help to feel in control and get rid of feelings of helplessness.

How to get rid of?

If you experience unwanted side effects after chemotherapy, including nausea, you need to follow certain rules:

Limit daily food intake to moderate amounts. Eat at short intervals and avoid fasting. Toast, crackers, and other dry grain foods should be consumed without liquid, especially in the morning. Before a chemotherapy session, try to eliminate fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods from the diet. After eating, you should not lie down for 2 hours. Try to rest while sitting or in a reclining position, raising your head. Provide access to fresh air in the room, especially after eating. Try to avoid strong odors. After the session, relax, you can listen to your favorite music. If nausea occurs, try to breathe through your mouth. Maintain oral hygiene and rinse your mouth with lemon water.

Power corrections

A good way to combat nausea after chemotherapy is to drink water. You can immediately drink a glass, but if it is not possible to overpower so much at once, they drink it infrequently in small sips. Meals should be carried out in small portions, and all heavy food for digestion is excluded from the menu. You can reduce the sensation by doing the following:

Before breakfast, eat a piece of frozen lemon, ice, or sour plums. On an empty stomach, eat crackers, chips, dryers, cookies, toast and other dry foods. Avoid food with a strong smell and specific taste. Exclude fatty and fried foods, milk and milk sauces. Do not eat very sweet, salty and hot foods. Do not drink liquids while eating, so as not to cause stomach overflow. The liquid can be drunk after meals using cold unsweetened drinks. Try not to cook your own food.

With a constant feeling of nausea, the following foods are included in the diet:

Clear chicken or vegetable broth. Chicken without skin, baked or boiled. White rice in the form of cereals or cereals, oatmeal, semolina. Pasta. Boiled potatoes. Canned pears, peaches, applesauce. Sherbet and popsicles. Cracker. Kissel and natural yogurt. Cranberry and grape sec. Bananas. Sparkling water.

Good nutrition seems like a strange way to deal with nausea after chemotherapy, but it is very important. A cancer patient needs nutritious food to improve well-being, maintain strength, and prevent weight loss. Properly formulated diet will help to resist infections and speed up recovery.

Medicines

To reduce the feeling of nausea after a course of chemotherapy, you can use the following medications:

Purpose: suppression of vomiting and normalization of the tone of the digestive tract;

Contraindications: with individual intolerance, bronchial asthma, intestinal obstruction and perforation, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, epilepsy, convulsions, prolactin-dependent tumors;

Price: 122-245 rubles.

Purpose: antiemetic, eliminates nausea and vomiting of any etiology;

Contraindications: for bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, perforation of the stomach or intestines, glaucoma, epilepsy, overdose of antipsychotics, suspected pheochromocytoma, muscle dyskinesia and vomiting during therapeutic measures;

Price: 140-135 rubles.

Purpose: for nausea of ​​various origins, gagging, heartburn, flatulence;

Contraindications: individual intolerance, bleeding and perforation in the gastrointestinal tract, prolactinoma, pregnancy and lactation, age up to 1 year;

Price: 95-176 rubles.

Purpose: nausea and vomiting, vestibular disorders, dizziness;

Contraindications: individual intolerance, acute glaucoma, coma, pregnancy and lactation, age up to 15 years;

Price: 190-470 rubles.

Purpose: blocking nausea and gag reflex, use in certain forms of psychotic diseases;

Contraindications: damage to the liver and kidneys, disruption of the hematopoietic organs, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, unconsciousness or coma;

Price: 130-235 rubles

Purpose: nausea and vomiting of various origins, including after radiation therapy and cytostatics;

Contraindications: hypersensitivity to the drug, intestinal obstruction, perforation of the intestine or stomach, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, glaucoma, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, prolactin-dependent tumors and age up to 2 years;

Price: 23-85 rubles.

Anti-nausea medications work in different ways: some affect certain chemicals in the brain that control vomiting, while others relieve swelling in the area of ​​the brain responsible for feeling sick. Also, drugs that slow down the work of the nervous system are used.

Prevention

Preventive measures to prevent nausea after chemotherapy are as follows:

Preliminary consultation with a doctor about the nature of the effects of chemotherapy drugs and planning to minimize possible side effects, including nausea. Application of nutritional rules before and after the procedure, as well as the use of a special diet. The use of special drugs and techniques that reduce nausea after chemotherapy procedures. Compliance with sleep and wakefulness, ensuring maximum access to fresh air in the room.

You can also watch the following video

If unpleasant symptoms appear after the end of chemotherapy sessions, it is important to notify the nurses or doctor about this, regardless of the severity of their manifestation. But in some cases, nausea and vomiting are not associated with the use of chemotherapy, and then they resort to the help of a doctor in the following cases:

With ongoing attacks despite taking anti-nausea medications. Nausea that interferes with eating. When vomiting 4-5 times in an interval of 24 hours. In the presence of swelling and pain in the abdomen.

Many people who are treated for cancer experience nausea. What to do when an unpleasant sensation occurs is one of the most pressing questions for patients after the procedures. The patient should notify the attending physician about the onset of nausea and vomiting, who will select drugs and prescribe other methods that alleviate symptoms and contribute to faster recovery after chemotherapeutic exposure.

Note!

The presence of symptoms such as:

bad breath stomach pain heartburn diarrhea constipation nausea, vomiting belching increased flatulence (flatulence)

If you have at least 2 of these symptoms, then this indicates a developing

gastritis or stomach ulcer.

These diseases are dangerous for the development of serious complications (penetration, gastric bleeding, etc.), many of which can lead to

LETHAL

exodus. Treatment needs to start now.

Read an article about how a woman got rid of these symptoms by defeating their root cause. Read the material ...

Unfortunately, some chemotherapy drugs can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting. If nausea and vomiting occur after chemotherapy, the oncologist will tell you what to do. Fortunately, there are many medications a doctor can prescribe to help prevent or reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. These drugs are called anti-nausea and anti-emetic pills. They are a group of medicines that can be used to control nausea and vomiting and can be taken in a variety of ways.

Nausea after chemotherapy

Nausea is an unpleasant sensation and the need to vomit. Nausea and vomiting can be caused by various cancer treatments listed below.

Radiation therapy, which is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is the use of various drugs to kill cancer cells. Targeted therapy, which is a treatment that targets specific cancer genes, proteins, or malignant tissues that promote cancer growth.

Not all patients receiving these procedures will have symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Patients who have vomited after a previous cancer treatment are likely to experience similar symptoms next time. It happens that anticipatory vomiting occurs before the start of treatment in patients who previously felt sick or vomited after treatment.

Prevention and treatment of anticipatory vomiting depends on the patient himself. You must tell your doctor if you have experienced vomiting after a previous treatment. Your doctor may recommend medication or behavioral therapy to help reduce nausea.

Risk of nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy

Some drugs used to treat cancer cause nausea and vomiting to varying degrees. Table: chemotherapy nausea (before use, be sure to consult your doctor)

Vomiting after chemotherapy

Vomiting is the forced release of the contents of the stomach through the mouth, caused by strong contractions of the abdominal muscles. There is a large selection of medications that can prevent vomiting. These medicines also prevent nausea. However, some patients may still experience nausea even if they do not vomit. In this case, more research is needed to understand which drugs prevent nausea and vomiting in this particular case.

Medicines to prevent vomiting should be taken as prescribed prior to starting treatment. And they should be continued after treatment, because the risk of vomiting may continue for several days after the patient has these symptoms, even if he is taking medication as prescribed by the doctor.

Your doctor may recommend other medications to reduce nausea and vomiting and help prevent these symptoms during future cycles of chemotherapy. Call or see your doctor if you are unable to eat or drink water due to severe nausea and vomiting. This can lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

Other measures

Side effects can be controlled with preventive medications and other measures to help you feel more comfortable with your next treatment.

Nausea and vomiting as a result of chemotherapy depends on:

medications you are taking; other treatments such as radiation; memories of nausea and vomiting in the past; chemotherapy drugs that cause nausea and vomiting; the dose you are receiving.

Factors

There are factors that increase nausea and vomiting:

if the patient is a woman; under 50 years old; high level of anxiety; if the patient abused alcohol; if the patient is in anticipation of these symptoms, according to his recollections.

How to prevent nausea and vomiting

Most people undergoing chemotherapy receive anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medications. These drugs are given alone or in combination. They can be taken as tablets or given through a vein. Medications used to prevent nausea and vomiting include:

Aprepitant Dexamethasone Diphenhydramine Dolasetron Dronabinol Droperidol Granisetron Haloperidol Lorazepam Methylprednisolone Metoclopramide Midazolam Olanzapine Ondansetron Palonosetron Prochlorperazine Promethazine Scopolamine

You can take one or four medicines and experiment with which medicine works best for the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, depending on the situation. The doctor will recommend some medications before chemotherapy and then instruct you which medications to take on a regular basis for a few days after chemotherapy and which medications to take only when you feel nauseated.

What additional measures can be taken to prevent nausea and vomiting

You can take steps to reduce your risk of nausea and vomiting:

Eat less, but more often. If possible, do not skip meals. Eat light meals before chemotherapy. Eat what you want, avoiding sugary, fried or fatty foods. Eat cold foods, they emit less annoying odors. Prepare food that makes you feel good. Drink plenty of fluids (drink at least two liters of fluid a day). Drink unsweetened fruit juices, green tea with ginger. Drink small amounts throughout the day, not large and infrequent. Avoid unpleasant odors (pay attention to which odors make you sick and limit your exposure to those odors). Get outdoors more often and ventilate the room more often. It is recommended to rest after eating, but do not lie down for several hours. Use relaxation techniques, including meditation, calm music, and deep breathing. Eat until you get a strong feeling of hunger. Exercising after meals can slow down digestion and increase discomfort. Relax and try to keep your thoughts away from chemotherapy.

These self-help measures can help you prevent nausea and vomiting, but they cannot take the place of anti-nausea medications.

If you begin to feel nauseous despite taking the medicine, see your doctor.

Treatment may include additional medications, although your individual treatment will depend on what is causing your signs and symptoms.

If you are vomiting, stop eating. After the vomiting stops, start eating slowly again. Start with small amounts of liquids such as broth, juices, and sparkling water. Then move on to light, soft foods like jellies, bananas, rice. Gradually return to solid foods. Avoid caffeine and smoking. Suck on caramel. Take medicine for nausea and vomiting as prescribed by your doctor. Tell your nurse or doctor if you feel nauseous during chemotherapy.

Medicines for nausea after chemotherapy that may be prescribed by your doctor:

Aprepitant Dolasetron Granisetron Ondansetron Palonosetron Prochlorperazine Promethazine Lorazepam Metoclopramide Dexamethasone Famotidine Ranitidine

They may be given during and/or after chemotherapy. As you can see, there are many different medications available to help control these symptoms. You can try different medicines before finding the right one for you. From folk remedies, it helps to eliminate the symptoms of infusion of chamomile officinalis.

When to Call Your Doctor or Oncologist if You're at Home and Feel Nauseous and Throwing

If you continue to experience nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy despite taking anti-nausea medication. Nausea prevents eating. Vomiting 4-5 times in a 24 hour period. Pain or bloated abdomen before nausea and vomiting occurs. If you are concerned about the side effects of your medications.

Informative video

A course of chemotherapy is often associated with bouts of nausea and sometimes vomiting. This condition is provoked by the influence of certain anticancer drugs. For some people, discomfort occurs soon after a treatment session. Other's nausea after chemotherapy may appear within 48 hours.

Depending on the likelihood of side effects in the form of nausea or vomiting, drugs for anticancer therapy are divided into 4 categories: high level of possible complications, medium, low or minimal.

Nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy: causes

Doctors don't really know why anti-cancer drugs make you feel bad and make you feel sick. Some cancer treatments affect the nervous system. Others irritate the stomach lining.

A low dose does not usually cause nausea, but it is not effective in controlling the disease. Therefore, a higher dose is required to kill and prevent cancer cells from dividing.

Risk factors:

The use of other methods of treatment, especially radiation during chemotherapy, contributes to the occurrence of complications from the brain and central nervous system.

Cancer can be treated with different drugs. There are more than 100 different drugs for the treatment of cancer. Some are more likely to cause nausea and vomiting than others. Therefore, you need to consult a doctor to choose the most gentle method of therapy.

More vulnerable to nausea and vomiting are:

women, especially those under 50; people who have used chemotherapy and had these side effects; patients with high levels of anxiety; women who experienced nausea and vomiting during pregnancy; people with a weak vestibular apparatus; patients who are addicted to alcohol. Nausea after chemotherapy: what to do? First of all, you need to find out from the doctor about the supplier of medicines and ask him about possible side effects. If these side effects include nausea and/or vomiting, you should find out how long these conditions usually last. Get information about a possible treatment for nausea and vomiting. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day (water and juice). After chemotherapy, you need to drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day. In addition, if nausea and vomiting have already occurred after chemotherapy, it is necessary to replace the lost fluid loss. But while eating, it is better to refrain from drinking water. How to get rid of nausea after chemotherapy?

If chemotherapy causes unwanted side effects, you should follow some simple rules of nutrition and life:

do not take too much food during the day; eat at short intervals, that is, avoid hunger strikes; eat dry foods such as cereals, toast, dry crackers, especially in the morning; avoid heavy meals high in fat and carbohydrates before chemotherapy; avoid strong odors; at least do not lie down for two hours after eating. You need to rest sitting or reclining with your head raised; provide access to a sufficient amount of fresh air, especially after eating; relax after chemotherapy, you can turn on your favorite soothing music. Nausea pills after chemotherapy

In the presence of side effects, it is advisable to use drug treatment that prevents nausea and vomiting. These products usually come in the form of tablets, but may also be in the form of a patch that is applied to the skin.

The most common drugs for nausea and vomiting include:

aprepitant; dexamethasone; dimenhydrant; dolasetron; granisetron; ondasetron; promethazine; lorazepam; metoclopramide; famotidine; olanzapine.

Possible side effects:

Cancer must be treated with a course of chemotherapy. Therefore, the doctor may recommend taking drugs before, during, or after chemotherapy. However, these drugs can also cause a number of side effects:

drowsiness or confusion; headache; diarrhea or constipation; general malaise and fatigue; muscle spasms.

Not all drugs affect patients equally, so you may need to try several drugs with the least noticeable side effects.

Pharmacological action of drugs for nausea and vomiting

Medicines for nausea and vomiting work in different ways. Oncology foresees a mandatory course of chemotherapy, so you should be aware of all the possible problems associated with it. Some block chemicals in the brain that control vomiting. Others reduce swelling in the part of the brain responsible for nausea. There are drugs that slow down the work of the central nervous system.

When should you see a doctor?

Sometimes nausea and vomiting in cancer may be unrelated to chemotherapy. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following phenomena:

seizures continue despite taking anti-nausea and anti-emetic medications; nausea that interferes with eating; vomiting 4-5 times within 24 hours; pain and swelling of the abdomen.