In most cases, the appearance of black vomiting is preceded by an overdose of drugs, which include substances that color the food mass in the stomach in the corresponding color (a similar phenomenon is often observed with uncontrolled intake of activated carbon). As a rule, after stopping the drug that caused black vomiting, nausea stops and the state of the digestive system stabilizes without intervention from a doctor.
It should be noted that the occurrence of black vomiting is not always associated with the use of medications. Intestinal obstruction, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage, hemorrhoids, cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation or trauma of the abdominal organs, cholelithiasis, cancer can provoke vomiting with a characteristic dark shade of secreted masses. Only a specialist can determine the exact reason why vomit is stained black, so if black vomit occurs, it is recommended to visit your doctor and undergo a full examination of the body or call emergency help.
Causes of black vomit, why does black vomit appear?
Black vomiting (hematemesis) is often accompanied by a change in the color, consistency and composition of feces: they acquire viscosity, as well as a characteristic black or dark brown tint. If you look closely, you can see foreign inclusions in the substance released during defecation - an admixture of fresh blood or clots of coagulated blood (melena). Most often, such changes are observed with gastrointestinal bleeding: if it has opened in the esophagus or stomach, then the vomit, as a rule, has a reddish or brown tint; if in the intestines, then the vomit and feces take on a shade close to black.
The following can also cause vomit and stool to turn black:
1 consumption of products containing natural dyes of dark shades (chocolate, natural coffee, chokeberry, beets, etc.);
2 uncontrolled use of medications with high iron content;
3 systematic use of alcohol and/or drugs;
4 injury to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract by foreign objects that entered the body along with food (fragments of bones, oyster shells, mussels, crayfish shells, lobsters, crabs, fragments of glass, porcelain (if there are cracks and chips on the dishes), small pebbles, fruit and berry seeds, etc.).
If vomit is mixed with foam, then the possibility of pulmonary hemorrhage should not be ruled out. In this case, it is necessary to call emergency help: if the diagnosis is confirmed, the victim will be hospitalized to provide the necessary assistance.
Treatment of vomiting blood
Usually doctors immediately assess the situation and possible pathologies. Upon admission to the emergency room, the doctor analyzes the situation, takes an anamnesis, and measures pulse and blood pressure. First of all, a dropper is placed, which will help eliminate intoxication and relieve unpleasant consequences.
If there are traces of blood in the vomit, drugs are added to the IV solution to help stop bleeding and increase blood volume. Sometimes an oxygen mask may be recommended. After severe symptoms have resolved, the patient is referred for further treatment to the intensive care unit or surgery.
Sometimes treatment involves surgery. The most commonly used method is gastroscopy. Through a special tube, which is previously inserted into the esophagus, a gastroscope is inserted and the surface of the mucous membranes of the stomach and esophagus is examined. This will help identify the source of bleeding. The procedure is quite unpleasant, often causing new bouts of vomiting.
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After the bleeding stops, the patient undergoes further treatment in the hospital for some time. In critical cases, care is provided in the intensive care unit. If there is significant blood loss, a blood transfusion will be required. After the condition has stabilized, treatment continues. After this, the patient is recommended to diet, undergo rehabilitation, and completely abstain from alcoholic beverages. This will help restore the gastric mucosa.
Traditional medicine to help fight alcoholism
Having felt relief after treatment, a person may have a desire to return to drinking. But if bleeding occurs once, subsequent bouts of vomiting can trigger a relapse. Traditional medicine has many years of experience and hundreds of recipes that will help a person get rid of a bad habit. Relatives should help in this difficult struggle. Sometimes a person resists and does not want to get rid of alcoholism. Therefore, there are recipes that help induce an aversion to alcohol without the knowledge of the patient.
- Lovage root. You need a plant that is at least one year old. Wash the root, chop it, add a glass of vodka, 2 bay leaves and place the mixture in a dark place. After two weeks, strain and add 1-2 teaspoons to any drinks. This will not affect the taste.
- Aloe. You will need a plant that is already 3 years old. The course of treatment involves a fairly large volume of raw materials, about 1.5 kilograms of fresh leaves, 2.5 liters of natural wine (Cahors) and 2.5 kilograms of honey. Grind the leaf in a blender or through a meat grinder. Add honey and wine. It is best to store everything in a tightly closed container in a dark place. Shake the container periodically. After 5 days the medicine will be ready. Take a teaspoon one hour before meals. The course of treatment is 3 months.
- White cabbage juice. You will need 2 glasses, add apple cider vinegar (6%) to the liquid, bring to a boil, cool and take 1 tablespoon before meals.
- Herbal mixture of wormwood, mint and yarrow. Dry herbs are mixed in one container. The mixture will need 1 tbsp. spoon. Add the roots of calamus, angelica and juniper berries crushed into powder (1 tablespoon each). Everything is poured with boiling water (400 ml). You can use a thermos. In 15 minutes the product will be ready. The entire volume must be drunk in small portions per day. The course of treatment is long - 2.5-5 months with regular breaks every 10 days.
Do not ignore the help of professional psychologists. Sometimes they help cope with addiction in one or two visits. With your joint efforts, you will definitely help your loved one and save him from a bad habit, which already poses a serious danger not only to health, but also to life.
Black vomit in infants and children under one year of age
Infants and children under one year of age may gag several times a day, usually after feeding. Air swallowed when sucking a breast or pacifier provokes bloating and a gag reflex, which disappears after regurgitation of a small amount of previously consumed food. If after vomiting the child feels good, alert and active, then there is no reason to worry. If vomiting is accompanied by fever, stool upset, abdominal pain, lethargy, chills, pale skin, rapid pulse, breathing problems, and foreign inclusions (mucus, bile or blood) are observed in the vomit and feces, you should call emergency help: even slight blood loss can provoke a sharp deterioration in the baby’s condition, followed by death. While waiting for the doctors to arrive, the child must be given warm boiled water periodically to avoid dehydration.
It should be noted that black vomiting is often observed in newborns: it occurs due to involuntary swallowing of blood during the process of moving along the birth canal. If a woman gives birth in the presence of qualified obstetricians, then bloody vomiting does not pose a danger to the child, since specialists take timely measures to stabilize the baby’s condition and eliminate the potential threat to his life and health.
What other reasons could there be for vomiting black vomit?
During the process of vomiting, some of the contents in the digestive tract are released through the mouth or nose (rarely). Vomit of a dark red color (almost black) is a consequence of the formation of hydrochloric acid hematin due to the interaction of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice with the blood.
Vomiting with black discharge may indicate the following pathologies:
- stomach or intestinal bleeding,
- neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract,
- damage to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract of the ulcerative type,
- injuries to internal organs,
- alcoholism.
In addition to the above reasons, vomiting can be provoked by medications that are taken without measure simultaneously with drugs or potent herbs. Sometimes the black color of vomit depends on the amount of foods consumed the day before or the content of coloring substances in them (dark berries, chocolate, etc.).
Often, vomiting of black masses is accompanied by other signs, namely: weakness, indifference to everything that is happening, pale skin color, dizziness, a blue tint to the mucous membranes, and black-colored bowel movements. In case of intestinal obstruction, vomit changes color. At the first stages, they contain foods that have not been digested by the stomach. Over time, the vomit turns yellow-green in color due to the presence of bile. It then turns dark green and eventually brown-black with a fecal odor.
What diseases cause blood vomiting?
Determining a person’s serious condition is quite simple. It's not just the fact that he constantly goes to the toilet to burp. It is not difficult to guess poisoning by its appearance. The skin turns pale, sweat appears on the forehead, and tremors are observed in the hands. But not everyone can admit that black vomit appears after drinking alcohol.
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The presence of a drinking person in the house always causes irritation among loved ones. But if it is noticeable that he has been poisoned, then it is better to take care so that he does not have to regret the lost time later. Bleeding is not the only thing that poses a threat to life. Sudden surges in pressure can provoke a hypertensive crisis.
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Pathology manifests itself as a result of damage to the walls of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum. People with peptic ulcers and chronic gastritis are most susceptible to such damage. The presence of alcohol causes irritation of the mucous membranes, which leads to possible damage to blood vessels.
If this happens, then the person vomits blood after drinking alcohol, the vomit is abundant and has a characteristic dark, almost black color. This is explained by the fact that hydrochloric acid is present in the stomach, which, when in contact with blood, causes it to clot.
Mallory-Weiss disease (syndrome)
This is a pathology that damages the integrity of the mucous membrane of the abdominal (lower) part of the esophagus and the cardiac (upper) gastric part. The syndrome occurs with prolonged vomiting. The mass has a bright red, even scarlet color. Sometimes such vomiting with blood clots appears.
With frequent bouts of vomiting, damage in the form of cracks and tears increases, provoking even more bleeding. Sometimes this phenomenon occurs if drinking was accompanied by a fight, and there was a blunt blow to the abdominal area. If medical assistance is provided in a timely manner, the consequences can be eliminated conservatively, without resorting to surgical intervention. Therefore, if vomiting occurs after drinking alcohol, you should not decide for a long time what to do. Only medical help will help here.
Alcoholic internal varicose veins
Red bloody vomiting often occurs, the causes of which lie in gastric bleeding. This is a consequence of varicose veins inside the stomach. During an attack of vomiting, the blood vessels inside the stomach cannot withstand the tension and burst. The blood is red, but signs of bleeding stop quickly.
The situation is not particularly dangerous, but medical attention is necessary. A more serious situation occurs when the blood impurities are dark. This indicates severe bleeding. No one can predict how long this will last. There is only one way out - to deliver the person to a medical facility as soon as possible.
Cirrhosis and stomach ulcers
People with chronic ulcers or cirrhosis should generally refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages. With such diseases, even a small dose of alcohol can cause severe bleeding. Not only the patient himself, but also his relatives should remember this, offering to drink one or two glasses.
A chronic ulcer may react with heavy bleeding. And cirrhosis of the liver will be fatal after drinking drinks. If a peptic ulcer worsens, you can still count on the help of doctors. If the bleeding is caused by cirrhosis, you can die before the ambulance arrives.
Diagnosis, how to determine the cause of black vomit?
If black vomiting occurs, the victim is urgently examined by a gastroenterologist. Such an unpleasant procedure as FGDS (gastroscopy), carried out as part of the examination, will determine the degree of damage to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract: if vomiting is caused by injury or disease of the digestive organs, the device will identify the source of the problem in a matter of minutes.
The next stage of the examination includes laboratory analysis of vomit and feces for smell, color, consistency, and foreign inclusions (blood, bile, mucus, pus). Ultrasound and radiography of the abdominal cavity and chest, and an electrocardiogram can be used as additional diagnostic measures.
Diagnosis, how to determine the causes of black vomit?
Dark brown (almost black) vomit can be caused by various reasons. In this regard, if blood impurities are detected in them, it is imperative to consult with a gastroenterologist, who, during the examination of the patient, will perform an initial examination of the vomit. The smell, color, quantity, consistency and nature of the inclusions are taken into account. A gastroscopy of the digestive tract is urgently prescribed to identify the defective area. Without this procedure, no doctor will be able to diagnose and eliminate the cause of the pathology.
Black vomit caused by a bleeding open ulcer requires surgical intervention.
In addition to gastroscopy, the doctor may prescribe the following diagnostic measures:
- ultrasound examination of the peritoneal cavity,
- X-ray examination of the abdominal region and sternum,
- electrocardiography,
- blood testing in laboratory conditions.
After collecting all the patient’s examination indicators, the doctor makes a diagnosis.
Causes
Vomiting can be caused by both external and internal factors. From this we can conclude that the causes of its occurrence may be physiological or pathological.
The main reasons for vomiting syndrome:
- seasickness;
- parasites;
- excessive consumption of fatty, salty, smoked, sweet foods;
- alcohol abuse;
- smoking;
- psychological problems;
- hormonal disbalance;
- overeating, fasting, snacking on the move;
- migraine;
- changes associated with age.
What to do if black vomit occurs?
If black vomiting occurs due to the use of medications, you should stop taking them and consult a doctor. Experts recommend placing some of the vomit in a container and taking it to the hospital for laboratory analysis: this measure will help identify the cause of the change in color of the vomit as quickly as possible.
If black vomit is caused by food or alcohol poisoning, the victim should rinse the stomach. To do this, you need to drink warm boiled water and press on the root of the tongue with your fingers, causing artificial vomiting. The procedure must be repeated until the stomach is completely cleared of previously eaten foods or liquids drunk.
If the appearance of black vomit is not associated with alcohol/food/drug poisoning or the use of medications, then the victim should call an ambulance. Before doctors arrive, the patient must be laid on a flat, hard surface, his head turned to the side to prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract, and the belt of his trousers or dress should be loosened in order to reduce pressure on the abdominal cavity.
In case of black vomit of unknown etiology, the victim is prohibited from:
1 drink and eat (swallowed food and drunk liquid can increase bleeding, and certain drinks and foods can even cause death);
2 bend over (a change in body position is fraught with a sharp deterioration in the condition and loss of consciousness);
3 apply a heating pad with hot water to your stomach;
4 rinse the stomach or give cleansing enemas;
5 take any medications.
