Symptoms

Accompanying symptoms of bile vomiting can indicate the causal clinical picture or additional, accompanying clinical pictures. In the case of an obstruction of the small intestine, which can lead to bilious vomiting, severe pain in the abdominal area is very typical. Furthermore, nausea, stool, wind and cramp-like pain can occur.

Accompanying diseases of the gallbladder such as gallstones or an inflammation of the gallbladder can lead to right-sided pain in the upper abdomen, which radiates into the shoulder. Diarrhea is rather not a typical accompanying symptom of real, bilious vomiting. In most cases, an intestinal obstruction is the cause of vomiting.

However, such an intestinal obstruction would rather result in stool retention than diarrhea. However, in the context of a gastrointestinal infection accompanied by severe vomiting and diarrhoea, vomiting of “empty”, thin stomach contents may occur. Fever is a possible accompanying symptom.

It may indicate a systemic inflammation or infection. An accompanying inflammation of the gallbladder can, for example, lead to fever. Temperature rises can also occur in liver diseases, such as alcohol-toxic liver damage or hepatitis.

Gallic vomiting can be a symptom of many diseases. For example, the bile accumulates in the stomach if the food cannot be transported further in the intestines. This can lead to unspecific abdominal pain and vomiting of bile.Excessive production of bile acids, diseases of the gallbladder and gallstones can also cause vomiting of bile.

This often causes colicky pain in the upper abdomen. These can also radiate into the right shoulder. Bloody vomiting can indicate various concomitant diseases.

Bright red blood in the vomit can indicate tears in the mucous membranes of the esophagus (the so-called Mallory-Weiss syndrome) or in the mouth, which are also common in chronic alcohol consumption. In general, hematemesis is an indication of bleeding in the upper digestive tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Tumors in the duodenum or stomach can also lead to blood admixture in the vomit.

Tumors of the duodenum, which lead to an obstruction in the intestine and bleeding, as well as a backlog of bile, can be a reason for bilious vomiting with blood admixture. Heartburn is typically a symptom of stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus (reflux). The high acidity causes burning pain in the esophagus.

These are usually felt immediately behind the chest. Heartburn is particularly pronounced after large meals. Heartburn can also occur when you are lying down.

If heartburn occurs in connection with the vomiting of bile, this indicates that intestinal contents are returning from the duodenum to the stomach and from there to the esophagus. The color of the bile is due to the bile dyes it contains. Among other things, these are formed as decomposition products of the blood pigment (haemoglobin) and other so-called porphyrins, which are also contained in vitamin B12, for example.

Bilirubin and biliverdin make up the main part of the coloration. Depending on its composition, the color varies between a yellowish and a rather greenish tone. Vomited bile can therefore vary in color.