Understanding Nausea and Vomiting after Surgery

jennifernavarro292
Sep 4
3 min read

Jennifer Navarro MSN, RN, NPD-BC

A Simple Guide for Patients

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why you might feel sick to your stomach or want to vomit after surgery? You’re not alone—these feelings, called postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), are common and can make recovering from surgery less comfortable.

Nausea means feeling like you might vomit. Sometimes, you might also gag or retch, which is when your body tries to vomit but nothing comes out. Vomiting is the expulsion of stomach contents, typically through the mouth and sometimes the nose. After surgery, these things can happen without warning and don’t always come together—you might feel sick without vomiting or you might vomit suddenly. This can occur anywhere from minutes to the first 24 hours after surgery. Around 22% to 38% of people experience nausea after surgery, and approximately 12% to 26% will vomit.

What Causes Nausea and Vomiting After Surgery?

There are several reasons why you might feel sick after an operation. Two main parts of your brain are involved: the vomiting center (VC) and the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ).

The VC is a small part of your brain that can be activated by things like a full or irritated stomach, pain, stress, anxiety, or even strong smells and sights.

The CTZ is another area of your brain that reacts to changes in your blood, such as certain medicines (especially anesthesia or pain medications), hormones, or other chemicals. When blood flow or chemicals in your body change, this can make you feel sick.

Who Is at Higher Risk?

Some people have a higher chance of feeling nauseous or vomiting after surgery. You might be at higher risk if:

You are a woman or girl between puberty and age 50
You have felt sick or vomited after surgery in the past
You often feel motion sickness (like in cars or boats)
You don’t usually smoke cigarettes (nicotine helps metabolize anesthesia quicker)
You need to take strong pain medicines (like opioids) after surgery
Your surgery is expected to take a long time or involves certain types of anesthesia

What Can Be Done to Help?

The good news is there are ways to help prevent and treat nausea and vomiting after surgery:

If you know you have risk factors, tell your doctor or nurse so they can plan ahead for you.
Your healthcare team may give you medications before, during, or after surgery to help prevent or reduce nausea (these are called anti-nausea or antiemetic medicines)
After surgery, try to rest and avoid sudden movements. Sit up slowly if you need to get out of bed.
Start drinking clear fluids and eating light foods slowly, as directed by your healthcare team
If you start to feel queasy, let your nurse or doctor know right away—they can give you medicine or tips to help you feel better that can include:
- Aromatherapy with ginger or peppermint essential oils when nausea occurs
- Lavender inhalation therapy when nausea occurs
- Isopropyl alcohol pads to the nostrils when nausea occurs

Remember, it’s normal to feel a little sick after surgery, and your healthcare team is there to help you feel as comfortable as possible while you recover. If you’re worried about feeling nauseous or vomiting after surgery, talk to your healthcare team. There are ways to help prevent or treat these symptoms, so your recovery is as comfortable as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, always speak up!

References

Pang, J., et al. (2024). Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, Perioperative management of patients with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) risks, 25(8), 555–559. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1472029924001528

The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN). (2024). Mosby’s Orientation to Perianesthesia Nursing. Elsevier. 2024 https://prod-content.elsevierperformancemanager.com/images/mopan/MOPAN%20Full%20Course%20Notebook%202024.pdf

Shaikh, S. I., Nagarekha, D., Hegade, G., & Marutheesh, M. (2016). Postoperative nausea and vomiting: A simple yet complex problem. Anesthesia: Essays and Researches, 10(3), 388–396. https://journals.lww.com/anar/fulltext/2016/10030/postoperative_nausea_and_vomiting__a_simple_yet.3.aspx

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