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Frequent vomiting and constant feeling of nausea is very unpleasant. Such symptoms can be observed in patients after chemotherapy, after surgery, during the first trimester of pregnancy, etc. An emetologist will help to cope with these uncomfortable symptoms with the help of medications. In his practice, the emetologist uses drugs in tablet form or infusion therapy.
Specialist Competence
Emetologist is a new specialty in the medical field, which is a separate area. The doctor studies the causes of the development of symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, and selects effective methods to eliminate them. The competence of a specialist includes: a comprehensive survey of the patient; a complete study of various factors and diseases that affect the manifestation of nausea; the appointment of a series of tests: biochemistry, a comprehensive blood test and urine analysis; the appointment of additional studies, such as duodenoscopy and gastroscopy; selection of complex treatment, starting from the patient’s concomitant diseases; monitoring the condition of a patient who has undergone surgery on the gastrointestinal tract; providing advisory assistance to neurosurgeons in the treatment of patients with formations in the brain or operations on the skull; selection of effective drugs; for patients during the period of cancer treatment, the selection of preventive methods to prevent the occurrence of vomiting and nausea.
The emetologist works closely with the oncologist. This is due to the fact that cancer patients are subjected to heavy chemotherapy courses. It should be noted that this treatment does not pass without a negative impact on the state of the whole organism. After the first chemotherapy, patients experience fatigue, weakness, severe nausea, vomiting, and are often prescribed antiemetics.
The emetologist helps post-surgery patients cope with bouts of nausea and vomiting in order to avoid further complications of the operation, such as dehiscence of sutures, etc.
Organs and parts of the body that the emetologist works with
There is no one specific body with which the specialist works. Discomfort can appear for a variety of reasons and develop gradually, gaining strength. The doctor knows better how to prevent the appearance of uncomfortable sensations and prevent the serious consequences of vomiting, as he relies on the testimony of studies and on the results of the tests.
In his work, the doctor selects therapy, acting on the following organs:
- small intestine;
- gall bladder;
- stomach;
- in the brain hypothalamus;
- BDS;
- DP Kishka;
- esophagus;
- GM is the central cause of discomfort.
All drugs and methods prescribed by the doctor are aimed at suppressing the activity of the hypothalamus, neurons and dopamines. Medicines increase intestinal peristalsis, therefore, the likelihood of the release of food from the stomach into the esophagus decreases.
Nausea is a subjective feeling, usually accompanied by vomiting. Patients in the postoperative period often feel nausea, as there is a violation of the intestines and stomach, and patients with cancer feel nausea as a result of exposure to chemicals.
Symptoms that need to be seen by an emetologist
An emetologist provides consultations in large clinics, and it is recommended to contact him if you have the following complaints:
- severe severe nausea;
- gradually increasing vomiting;
- heaviness and pain in the umbilical region;
- constant thirst;
- aching and twitching pain in the wound after the operation;
- frequent bouts of dizziness;
- constant feeling of malaise and weakness;
- severe flatulence;
- migraine attacks;
- vomiting with blood streaks;
- vomiting with remnants of bile;
- belching;
- severe diarrhea.
Important: patients undergo chemotherapy during the period of cancer treatment. During this period, it is important to prescribe the correct and effective antiemetic therapy. Discomfort in cancer patients during the treatment period is observed due to the large accumulation of anti-cancer drugs in the body, the liver and kidneys do not have time to remove them from the body, and the gastrointestinal tract takes over part of this function, as a result of which the aforementioned uncomfortable sensations are observed.
Diseases that need the help of an emetologist
The specialist usually prescribes conservative treatment. In this case, a thorough examination of the patient, his questioning and a number of specific studies. It is important to choose the most effective method of treatment.
A doctor can sometimes not only prescribe antiemetic drugs, but also prescribe infusion therapy to remove toxins from the body. A specialist is involved in the treatment of the following pathologies and diseases.
An increased amount of acetone in the blood – the condition belongs to the category of pathological, its development directly depends on the high level of fat breakdown products in the blood. It is very often observed when switching to a gluten-free diet, eating a large amount of fatty foods in the diet, with diabetes, during starvation, while being on a strict protein or fat diet. Often you can observe an increased level of acetone in the blood in childhood. The symptom is accompanied by nausea, severe vomiting with a characteristic acetone odor.
Adverse reactions to drug therapies – most often manifested in the selection of low-quality or expired drugs. After using the drug for a short period of time, the patient experiences severe attacks of nausea of an increasing type and vomiting, sometimes with impurities of bile and blood.
The period after operations – surgical interventions regarding the digestive organs significantly slow down their work, and as a result, attacks of nausea and sometimes vomiting are observed.
Tumors in any areas of the gastrointestinal tract – formations prevent the easy passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, provoke the manifestation of pain, flatulence, nausea and vomiting.
Treatment of oncological diseases – after chemotherapy, the patient has weakness, headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Serious head injuries – with concussions of varying degrees, bouts of nausea and sometimes vomiting are observed (it all depends on the complexity of the injury).
Brain tumor – accompanied by sudden and severe headaches, dizziness, constant feeling of nausea and frequent urge to vomit.
The emetologist carefully examines each case and prescribes competent treatment to suppress adverse and uncomfortable symptoms. In order to suppress attacks of nausea and the urge to vomit, the doctor often prescribes GIK, Xylate, Ringer-Locke solution, etc. All of these drugs are infusion and must be injected into a vein 2 times a day for several days in a row. Medicines remove toxins from the body.
Among the anti-nausea drugs, it is worth noting: Sturgeon, Zofran, etc. These solutions are injected into a vein or intramuscularly at 4 milliliters up to a maximum of 4 times a day. The course of therapy is carried out until the discomfort symptoms completely disappear.
Research methods used by a specialist
The first thing an emetologist relies on before prescribing treatment is laboratory tests (indicators of the results of urine and blood tests). It is these studies that fully demonstrate the state of the patient’s internal organs and the level of the body’s ability to fight intoxication.
During the research period, the doctor draws attention to the following test results: thymol test, creatinine, glycemic profile, urine acetone, ALT and AST, bilirubin, urea, blood glucose, OAC and OAM.
In order to fully assess the picture, a number of additional examinations are prescribed and carried out. Among the most popular: colonoscopy, ultrasound, MRI, gastroduodenoscopy, X-ray, CT.
Properly prescribed studies show the cause of discomfort to the emetologist and contribute to the selection of effective therapy. And yes, if a neoplasm in the brain is found during the study, then not antinausea drugs will be prescribed, but radiation therapy and surgery.