US Medical Term · symptoms
Nausea
Náuseas
Also: Ganas de vomitar (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Nausea |
| Spanish (Español) | Náuseas |
| Chinese (中文) | 噁心 |
| Korean (한국어) | 메스꺼움 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Buồn nôn |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pagduwal |
| Portuguese (Português) | Náusea |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | คลื่นไส้ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 吐き気 |
What it means
Nausea is the unpleasant sensation of feeling like you might vomit. It can be mild and passing or severe and prolonged. Very common causes include viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu), motion sickness, food poisoning, pregnancy, side effects from medications, and migraine headaches. Nausea can also signal more serious conditions such as appendicitis, gallbladder disease, kidney stones, heart attack, or a bowel obstruction. Seek medical care if nausea is severe, lasts more than two days without improvement, is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, chest pain, fever, or signs of dehydration such as decreased urination or dizziness.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I've felt nauseous all day and can barely eat anything.
He tenido náuseas todo el día y apenas puedo comer.
The nausea comes in waves and gets worse after meals.
Las náuseas vienen en oleadas y empeoran después de comer.
I feel sick to my stomach and I'm afraid I'm going to vomit.
Siento el estómago revuelto y tengo miedo de vomitar.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R11 Nausea and vomitingRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026