Nausea & vomiting treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Yes, you can. In most cases, a doctor from Maple will be able to provide a nausea and vomiting diagnosis by observing your condition. They’ll also want to discuss any other connected symptoms or signs of nausea and vomiting that you’re currently experiencing.

The nausea and vomiting can be caused by a wide range of conditions. These symptoms range from mild and expected, to severe and requiring medical attention. Because of this, the doctor may suggest additional testing be done to check for the underlying condition, before providing a nausea and vomiting diagnosis.

If you have severe, persistent signs of nausea and vomiting, you should seek immediate medical attention.

Nausea and vomiting are actually symptoms of other conditions, rather than diseases themselves. Vomiting is often the result of having nausea, particularly if the nausea is persistent or severe.

Nausea can be described as pain in the stomach, in varying degrees of severity, ranging from uneasiness to sharp cramping pains.

Vomiting is the voluntary or involuntary emptying of stomach contents through the esophagus and mouth. This is often referred to as “throwing up”.

In most cases, nausea and vomiting are signs or symptoms of other underlying conditions. Because of this, nausea and vomiting can be considered symptoms themselves.

However, there are additional symptoms that often appear alongside nausea and vomiting, including:

• Dry mouth
• Decreased urination
• Fainting
• Rapid pulse
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Excessive sweating
• Vertigo
• Lightheadedness
• Fatigue

The most common causes of nausea and vomiting differ depending on the age of the person affected.
Children most frequently experience signs of nausea and vomiting due to causes such as:

• Allergies (particularly milk in children)
• Food poisoning
• Motion sickness
• Overeating/feeding
• Coughing
• Illness (particularly those causing high fever)
• Viral infection
• Blocked intestines or constipation

Common nausea and vomiting symptoms for adolescents and adults include:

• Seasickness
• Influenza
• Gastroenteritis
• A reaction to certain unpleasant smells
• Intense pain
• Medication-induced vomiting
• Early-stage pregnancy
• Dizziness
• Anything triggering your gag reflex
• Alcohol use
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Fever
• Emotional distress

In most cases, the doctor can offer a diagnosis for what’s causing your nausea and vomiting by evaluating your condition and discussing your symptoms.

However, because nausea and vomiting are often caused by underlying conditions, the doctor may suggest additional testing to narrow down their diagnosis.

In some cases, they may refer you to a gastroenterologist for further evaluation of your nausea and vomiting symptoms.

Because nausea and vomiting are usually caused by other conditions, the most effective long-term nausea and vomiting treatments involve treating those underlying conditions and preventing complications from prolonged vomiting.

The types of nausea and vomiting treatments your doctor recommends will depend on the diagnosed underlying cause. In some cases, that could involve prescriptions for nausea and vomiting or medications to treat the causal condition.

Most nausea and vomiting will pass on its own. However, if your nausea and vomiting symptoms become severe or persistent, you should talk to a doctor.

They will be able to suggest any additional testing that may be necessary to provide you with a clear diagnosis for your nausea and vomiting.

You may require prescription nausea and vomiting medications in order to treat your underlying condition. The doctor will also be able to refer you to a gastroenterologist, if they believe you require further evaluation.

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.