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Features to be noted in vomiting

Absence of nausea is observed in CNS disorder, hysteria
Search for other upper GI symptoms  such as  Colic, distention of abdomen
Examination of other systems - CNS, renal, endocrine etc.
Examination of vomitus
1.Food material, quantity - Large in gastric outlet obstruction
2.Blood, coffee ground vomitus
3.Bilious vomitus - Absent in pyloric stenosis, increased  in intestinal obstruction.
4.Time of day  in pyloric stenosis, later part of day when large quantity of food has accumulated.
5.Mucus - Jelly like appearance is present in small quantity in most vomitus, large quantity of mucus in Catarrhal inflammation of stomach
6.Odor
  • Sour odor due to acid presence offensiveness 
  • Faeculent Odor – in intestinal obstruction and fermentation of food in pyloric obstruction.