Yes, you can just throw up once with a stomach bug (gastroenteritis), especially with norovirus, where vomiting might be brief but diarrhea can follow, or sometimes the vomiting stops quickly while diarrhea continues, but it's also common to have more frequent vomiting, especially in kids, and vomiting can last a day or two before improving. The key is that symptoms vary, and while many recover quickly, staying hydrated is crucial.
Norovirus, often referred to as the “stomach flu,” is a highly contagious virus known for causing gastrointestinal distress. While vomiting is one of the hallmark symptoms, not everyone infected with norovirus experiences it.
Diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting typically begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Norovirus infection symptoms usually last 1 to 3 days.
Watery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you have a different, more severe infection. Nausea, vomiting or both. Stomach cramps and pain. Occasional muscle aches or headache.
Technically, it's not possible to choose to vomit or not — vomiting is a reflexive mechanism. But I don't recommend trying to hold it in if you're in a safe place to vomit. And it's true that if you're vomiting because of nausea, you may feel better afterward.
If you want your sickness to pass quickly, you need to give your body plenty of rest. Sleep as much as you can and take it easy throughout the day. While you have a stomach bug, you should be lying or sitting down as much as possible. Take it easy and give your body time to rest.
Vomiting is the forceful ejection of the contents of your stomach and upper digestive system through your mouth. It's also known as throwing up or being sick. Vomiting is a reflex that helps your body get rid of substances that may be harmful.
Gastroenteritis is often mistaken for stomach flu although it is actually an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever and chills. Most people recover with no treatment.
Signs of food poisoning can kick in within two to six hours after you ingest contaminated food or liquids. But it depends on the germ you get. Some types need more time in your body before they become harmful. Symptoms tend to go away quickly, too.
Causes of Vomiting with Diarrhea
GI infection from a virus is the most common cause. A common agent is the Rotavirus. The illness starts with vomiting. Watery loose stools follow within 12-24 hours.
Six common signs of norovirus include sudden vomiting, watery diarrhea, stomach pain/cramps, nausea, headache, and muscle aches, often appearing 12-48 hours after exposure and lasting 1-3 days, leading to potential dehydration.
The number of vomiting events ranged from 1 to 7, with 32% of subjects only vomiting once.
The Worst Foods for Your Gastrointestinal System
Stomach flu and stomach bug are informal terms for viral gastroenteritis, a sickness in which a viral infection causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines.
This unpleasant bug starts with the sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea, usually accompanied by intense belly pain. Sometimes there can be fever and body aches as well. It's tough on everyone, but watching our kids go through it is especially difficult.
The 4 C's of preventing food poisoning are Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill, fundamental food safety practices to stop germs from spreading and multiplying, ensuring food remains safe to eat by washing hands/surfaces, keeping raw foods apart, heating food to the right temperature, and refrigerating promptly.
Bile is a greenish-yellow type of special digestive liquid that causes your vomit to change colour when there is no presence of food in the stomach. Therefore, this causes your vomit to present as a green or yellow colour.
All bivalve shellfish such as clams, geoducks, mussels, scallops, and oysters can transmit norovirus. Illness outbreaks are most often linked to oysters because they are commonly eaten raw.
Certain medical conditions can mimic food poisoning symptoms. For example, appendicitis can cause severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. If you have pre-existing health concerns and experience food poisoning-like symptoms, consult your doctor to rule out any underlying issues.
Third, the vomiting process releases chemicals in your body to make you feel better. So that “I feel better” feeling after throwing up is not just your imagination — it's your biology working.
The vomiting reflex is mediated by both the autonomic and somatic systems, and consists of two phases:
At first thought, you might think that purging immediately after eating can get rid of all the calories you consumed. However, science says otherwise. Vomiting can only remove up to 50% of the calories you consume, and most of the time, it's less than half [2].