Nausea is not a disease itself but is a symptom that tells something is wrong with your digestive tract, your brain, or your nervous system. If you suddenly become nauseous, it is likely a short-term problem, such as a stomach virus or food poisoning.
But If this nausea persists for weeks, without a clear cause, then it is something different and it needs a serious evalutaion.
Chronic nausea is described as nausea that has been present for more than a few weeks, that occurs frequently without any clear cause. It’s more prevalent than many realize. Chronic nausea belongs to the medical category of chronic gastroduodenal disorders, which is a common condition affecting 10% of the world population and accounts for up to 30% of referrals to gastroenterology clinics.
What is Chronic Nausea?
Chronic nausea is a persistent need to vomit, which lasts four weeks or more. Doctors generally use these categories to describe nausea based on how long it lasts:
- Acute nausea: This is sudden and often related to a definite cause like food poisoning, stomach virus, motion sickness and is of short duration, typically a few days.
- Sudden nausea: This nausea occurs out of the blue, without warning, and may or may not have a known cause
- Chronic nausea: Nausea that lasts for weeks or months, comes back often, or for which there is no obvious cause. Your stomach and brain are connected directly via the vagus nerve, which means that the cause is not necessarily stomach-related. It may be caused by hormonal or neurological dysfunction, or by systemic inflammation.
Common Chronic Nausea Causes
But before you assume that something is wrong, let’s examine the most common, everyday causes of digestive upset:
1. Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a condition where the stomach empties its contents into the small intestine much more slowly than normal, without any physical blockage. It is one of the common chronic nausea causes. Its common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, bloating, and early satiety with abdominal pain.
Over 50% of gastroparesis cases are idiopathic, meaning they don’t have a known cause. The other common causes of gastroparesis are:
- Diabetes (both type 1 and type 2)
- History of any previous abdominal/gastric surgery
- Viral infections that damage the nerves controlling the stomach
- Some medicines, such as opioid pain killers and certain diabetes medications
2. Functional Dyspepsia
Functional dyspepsia is a frequent benign digestive disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal discomfort, early fullness, and bloating in the absence of any structural abnormality identified by imaging or endoscopy. It is one of the most prevalent digestive problems and is experienced by more than 20% of the population.
The nausea is typically a secondary symptom in this case, with early feelings of fullness, bloating, and burning pain in the upper stomach region being the primary complaints.
3. Gut Dysbiosis and SIBO
Your stomach and intestines need a delicate balance of good bacteria. If you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your small intestine (SIBO), those bacteria ferment your food and produce large amounts of gas. This gas causes intense pressure and results in chronic nausea.
4. Acid Reflux and GERD
These are other common causes of chronic nausea. Gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs when stomach acid regularly flows back up into your esophagus. Chronic exposure to acid can also cause constant nausea, a sour taste in the mouth, and discomfort when lying down or bending over.
5. Medication Side Effects
Many everyday medications mention nausea as a side effect, and once used repeatedly, it can be a persistent and daily nuisance.
The following are some of the medications that may cause nausea:
- Opioid pain medications
- Certain antibiotics
- Antidepressants and some psychiatric medications
- Antidiabetic drugs, such as metformin, GLP-1 agonists
- Iron supplements
- Chemotherapy and other cancer therapy treatments
- NSAIDs, particularly when taken on a regular basis over a long period of time
If you’ve developed nausea or it has become worse since you started taking a new medicine, this is the first thing you should discuss with your provider.
6. Food Intolerances
Unlike food allergies, which produce an immediate reaction, some food intolerances, such as gluten or dairy, may cause a slow, inflammatory reaction that may occur over days and result in an ongoing feeling of nausea. It is among the common chronic nausea causes that may be missed often.
7. Anxiety & Stress
Long-term psychological stress and anxiety are known causes of chronic nausea. The gut-brain axis is very real. When you’re constantly stressed, your body remains in fight or flight mode and diverts blood and energy away from your digestive system. This results in chronic nausea.
8. Hormonal and Endocrine Causes
The following hormone-related disorders are known causes of chronic nausea:
- Thyroid Imbalance: Both under and overactive thyroid conditions can cause constant nausea, fatigue, weight gain, and weight loss, and gastrointestinal issues
- Adrenal insufficiency: Nausea is one of the very first and most frequent symptoms of adrenal insufficiency (AS). It happens when your adrenal glands are not producing enough cortisol.
- Diabetes-related gastroparesis: Poorly controlled blood sugar over time is one of the most common causes of chronic nausea in adults with diabetes.
Sometimes, subtle hormonal imbalances are not detected by standard testing, which may cause everyday nausea. This is why you should have a comprehensive thyroid panel and adrenal check for a complete diagnosis.
9. Pregnancy
Many women experience nausea, which may be mild or quite intense and can last for a long time, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. This can last for a much longer period in some instances.
Increased levels of the hormones hCG and estrogen are thought to play a significant role, although the exact mechanism is still being investigated.
A pregnancy test should be a part of the initial evaluation for chronic nausea if pregnancy is considered a possibility.
Ongoing nausea can have many possible causes. Our functional care team can help you work through the possibilities and find the right next step
Can Chronic Pain Cause Nausea?
Yes. Chronic pain and nausea are linked together, and this is one of the most understated reasons for chronic, persistent nausea.
Pain is processed in your central nervous system. If you’re in constant pain, you can’t keep your nervous system under control. Because the vagus nerve connects your brain to your stomach, this neurological overload directly triggers a nausea response. In addition, chronic pain keeps your cortisol levels high, which slows down the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel physically sick even when your stomach is empty.
If you have chronic pain and also have had constant nausea for quite some time, then these two are definitely connected, and treatment of one without the other is unlikely to offer you complete relief.
Is Chronic Nausea a Cancer Symptom?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions, and it must have a clear and straightforward answer.
Chronic nausea is rarely due to cancer. Chronic nausea is usually caused by gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, reflux, medication side effects, hormonal problems, and stress.
However, certain cancers can directly cause chronic nausea. Gastrointestinal cancers, such as stomach, pancreatic, or colon cancer, physically block the digestive tract or change the way the stomach empties, resulting in long-term nausea.
Brain tumors may cause pressure in the skull, which can lead to a constant sense of illness. Sometimes, gynecological cancers can even compress the digestive organs, causing nausea.
You should seek immediate medical evaluation if your chronic nausea is accompanied by these red flag symptoms:
- Unexplained weight loss without trying
- Vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
- Dark urine
- Black, tarry stools
- Unexplained back or upper abdominal pain
- Difficulty swallowing
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Itchy skin without a rash
- Extreme fatigue
- Diabetes after the age of 50, particularly if there is no family history of diabetes
Having nausea alone, even chronic nausea, does not mean you have cancer. But if your nausea is accompanied by some of the above symptoms, especially weight loss and jaundice, it is a combination that should not be overlooked or self-treated.
Functional Medicine Tests to Find the Root Cause
Regular doctors prescribe the anti-nausea drugs such as Zofran that are effective at blocking the brain’s vomiting response. In our Texas clinic, we use functional medicine to determine the exact reason why your brain is triggering that reflex in the first place.
To find the real chronic nausea causes, we use advanced testing:
- SIBO Breath Testing: To see if excess gas production in your small intestine is driving your symptoms.
- Stool Testing: To assess stomach acidosis, parasites, or gut inflammation.
- Food Sensitivity Panels: To determine foods that inflame you without you even realizing it.
- Full Thyroid and Metabolic Panel: To exclude thyroid problems or frequent low blood sugar reactions that can be confused with nausea.
How to Get Rid of Nausea Fast?
If you’re feeling nauseous, try these quick, physical remedies:
- Peppermint: Smell pure peppermint essential oil or drink strong peppermint tea. Peppermint is a natural antispasmodic that relaxes the muscles of the stomach.
- Acupressure: Apply pressure to the inside of your wrist 2 inches below your palm (P6 acupressure point). Hold for 2 minutes. This directly breaks the link between the nausea signals traveling to your brain.
- Fresh, cool air: Sitting near a opened window or going outside can help a lot with nausea.
- Deep Breathing: Slowly inhale on the count of 4, pause on the count of 4, and exhale on the count of 6. This triggers a parasympathetic response in your brain, so that you feel safe, and the “fight or flight” nausea response is turned off.
How to Make Nausea Go Away Long-Term?
To stop the cycle from coming back, you must change your daily habits:
- Avoid drinking water at mealtimes: This is because it will reduce the concentration of stomach acid, making it extremely difficult for the stomach to digest food. Drink water before or after 30 minutes of eating.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals: Eating three massive meals forces your digestive system to work too hard. The best way is to eat 4-5 small meals to maintain a steady blood sugar level and a light stomach.
- Try Ginger: Ginger has been clinically shown to accelerate the emptying of the stomach. Use a good-quality ginger capsule or have some ginger tea before eating.
- Medicines: Make sure that you review all medicines that are currently being used with your provider to determine and change any medicine that is causing your nausea.
- Sit up straight for 30 – 60 minutes after meals.
We Are Here to Help You Find the Root Cause
There are many chronic nausea causes and identifying them can help you get long-term relief. Nausea can be temporary and caused by a simple stomach issue. But sometimes it is caused by a more complicated cause, such as nerve dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, or structural inflammation.
Some special tests should be done to find the exact root cause of your chronic nausea. These include a thorough bloodwork panel, complete blood count (CBC), and a thyroid panel to test your metabolism. You may also need a gastric emptying test to exclude gastroparesis, an upper endoscopy to examine the stomach ulcers, or a CT scan to obtain a detailed view of the organs in your abdomen.
At Kairos Health and Wellness in Texas, Lola, one of our functional nurse practitioners, guides you to the right test to manage this condition effectively. She looks at your overall health history, so you don’t need to experience trial and error for endless periods of time.
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us today!