What Causes Green Vomit? Symptoms, Treatments & When to Seek Care

What Causes Green Vomit?

Vomiting is an unpleasant yet common experience for many people. While any color vomit can be alarming, green vomit can be especially concerning. However, in most cases green vomit is not a cause for panic. Understanding the potential reasons behind green vomit can help assess when it may indicate a serious health issue versus more benign causes.

Common Causes of Green Vomit

Green vomit usually relates to the specific foods, liquids, or medications someone has ingested. Some common causes include:

• Consuming green foods and drinks: Leafy greens, green juices, frozen treats, and more may tint vomit green.
• Taking multivitamins: The iron and various supplements in multivitamins often cause temporary green discoloration if vomited up.
• Specific medications: Antibiotics and other meds can sometimes cause green vomit as a side effect.
• Consuming toxins: Exposure to toxic substances may cause intestinal irritation resulting in green emesis.
• Gallbladder issues: Gallbladder conditions can lead bile to back up, tinting vomit greenish-yellow.
• Intestinal infections: Certain bacteria and viruses irritate the GI tract, producing green vomit.

When Green Vomit May Indicate a Serious Issue

While green vomit usually results from dietary sources or medication side effects, occasionally it signals a serious medical problem requiring prompt medical care. Call a doctor if green vomit occurs alongside:

• Severe pain
• Very dark green or bright yellow color
• Presence of blood or bile
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent vomiting lasting over 24 hours
• Signs of dehydration - dizziness, weakness, dry lips/mouth

These related symptoms increase concern over dangerous conditions like intestinal blockages, gallstone complications, pancreatitis, or severe infections behind the green vomit.

What to Do When Vomiting Green

If you start throwing up green material, the best initial approach involves:

1. Stop eating/drinking until vomiting passes
2. Rinse mouth after vomiting
3. Sip small amounts of water or electrolyte drinks
4. Rest to allow your stomach to settle
5. Monitor for secondary symptoms (see above list)
6. Call doctor if vomiting lasts over 24 hours or gets worse

Typically, isolated incidents of green vomit resolve on their own. However, repeat episodes, especially with concerning secondary symptoms, warrant medical assessment for potential underlying causes.

What Conditions Can Lead to Green Vomit?

While generally harmless explanations cause most green vomit, numerous medical conditions may also produce green emesis, especially when persistent or worsening. Conditions linked to green throw up include:

Food Poisoning

Consuming contaminated food can release toxins and bacteria leading to intestinal inflammation, causing forceful greenish vomiting.

Gallstones

Gallstone blockages within bile ducts may cause bile to back up, tinting vomit green. This often causes severe upper abdominal pain as well.

Bowel Obstruction

Twisted or blocked intestines, often requiring urgent surgical intervention, can result in green vomit from backed up intestinal contents.

Pancreatitis

Pancreas inflammation interferes with enzyme/hormone production causing severe digestion issues and potential greenish vomiting if severe.

Appendicitis

An inflamed appendix may lead to intestinal irritation and green vomit. This requires rapid surgical removal of appendix to prevent rupture.

Head Injuries

Increased pressure inside the skull from concussions and traumatic brain injuries occasionally triggers green vomit.

Migraines

Severe migraine headaches cause nausea/vomiting in many patients. Associated abdominal pain can also produce bile-tinged green vomiting.

Medications

Many prescription medications list green vomit as a potential side effect, especially antibiotics, chemotherapies, opioid pain killers, and iron/multivitamin supplements.

When to Seek Emergency Care for Green Vomit

While most causes of green vomit are harmless, some require urgent medical treatment. Seek ER care if green vomit occurs with:

• Severe abdominal swelling/pain
• Fever over 101° F
• Confusion, fainting, or uncontrolled vomiting
• Significant blood or coffee ground-like material
• Jaundice (yellow skin/eyes)
• Recent abdominal trauma from falls or accidents

Rapid onset of these concerning signs alongside green emesis may indicate bowel perforation, sepsis, internal bleeding, or other dangerous conditions necessitating emergency surgery or intravenous treatment.

When to Visit Your Doctor for Green Vomit

While most causes of green vomit clear up on their own, recurrent episodes or certain high risk symptoms should prompt further medical evaluation. See your doctor if you experience:

• Weight loss or poor appetite
• Repeated green vomit over several weeks
• Underlying intestinal conditions (IBS, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis)
• Current pregnancy
• Worseningassociated symptoms - pain, nausea, fatigue
• Recent international travel with questionable food/water

Your doctor can assess clinical warning signs, order diagnostic laboratory tests, provide anti-nausea/rehydration medications, and treat any underlying digestive conditions contributing to persistent green vomit.

Diagnostic Tests Doctors Use to Evaluate Green Vomit

If green vomit continues recurring, physicians may order tests to pinpoint any underlying cause. Tests commonly used include:

• Blood tests - Checks for infections, liver issues, pancreatitis markers
• Stool analysis - Screens for blood, bacteria, parasites causing GI irritation
• Abdominal CT scan - Creates 3D images checking for intestinal blockages, organ damage
• Endoscopy - Inserts a camera tube to visually inspect the GI tract lining
• Ultrasound - Uses soundwaves to examine abdominal organs like gallbladder, pancreas, liver

These tests help identify or rule out dangerous explanations for persistent green vomit when present alongside concerning symptoms. Detecting problems early is crucial for proper treatment.

What to Eat and Avoid After Green Vomit

Returning to a normal diet after green vomiting requires a gradual reintroduction of blander foods that won’t overtax your recovering digestive system. Recommended foods after green vomit include:

• BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast
• Chicken/vegetable broth
• Boiled carrots, potatoes, or noodles
• Probiotic yogurt
• Oatmeal, crackers
• Clear juices - apple, cranberry

Avoid spicy, greasy, or complex foods in the days following green vomit until bowel movements normalize. Stick to lighter fare as tolerated for at least a few days after to allow healing.

In most cases, green vomit resolves quickly without complications. However, worsening symptoms alongside green emesis indicate potential serious illness requiring prompt medical attention. Otherwise, manage symptoms at home with fluids and bland foods while monitoring for improvement.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.