Diagnostic Tests for Nausea

Diagnostic Test list for Nausea:

The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Nausea includes:

• Physical examination
  • Check hydration status by checking skin elasticity, moisture within mouth, pulse rate and blood pressure (lying and standing)
  • Check temperature
  • Look for evidence of anemia - e.g. pale skin and conjunctiva - may suggest chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, stomach cancer or renal failure.
  • Look for evidence of jaundice - e.g. yellows skin and sclera of eyes - may suggest gallstones that pass into common bile duct, cancer of the pancreas or acute viral hepatitis.
  • Observe for ataxia (lack of co-ordination of voluntary movement) which requires ruling out a brain hemorrhage
  • Abdominal examination for tenderness - e.g. tenderness in epigastric area (midline below ribs) may suggest peptic ulceration; tenderness over the right upper abdomen may suggest gall bladder disease.
  • Abdominal examination for mass which may suggest pregnancy, stomach cancer, pyloric or intestinal obstruction, pancreas cancer, acute cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder usually due to obstruction from a gallstone), Crohn's disease, abscess around the kidneys or diverticulitis
  • Examination of the central nervous system for signs of elevated intracranial pressure, acute meningitis and abnormalities of the inner ear
• Blood tests
  • Full blood count and ESR
  • Iron studies
  • Electrolytes and renal function (especially if persistent vomiting as renal failure can present with dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting)
  • Calcium (elevated calcium may cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain)
  • Fasting blood sugar
  • Liver function tests
  • Pregnancy test should be routine in women of childbearing age
  • Amylase
  • Digoxin level, if suspect digoxin toxicity
  • Helicobacter pylori serology (to test for presence of bacteria that is now accepted to cause duodenal ulcers, but does not distinguish from past or present infection)
  • Gastrin levels, if multiple peptic ulcers to help diagnose Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
  • Tumor markers including Carcinoembryonic antigen (for bowel cancer)
• Urine tests
  • Urinalysis
  • Urine drug screen
• Stool tests
  • Stool sample for microscopy and culture
  • Stool occult blood test may be positive with peptic ulcer or stomach cancer
• Radiological investigations
  • Chest X-Ray
  • Abdominal X-Ray
  • Abdominal ultrasound scan - can give information about the liver, bile ducts, pancreas, kidneys. This is the best test for gallstones.
  • CT Scan abdomen if ultrasound suggests pathology but undefined
  • HIDA scan can exclude an obstructed bile duct
  • Barium swallow and barium meal can diagnose small bowel motility disorders and obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract
  • Scintographic gastric -emptying studies may help to diagnose delayed gastric emptying e.g. in diabetes
  • ERCP, if jaundiced, which provides information about the bile ducts
  • Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) may suggest a perinephric abscess (abscess around the kidneys)
  • CT scan of brain to rule out brain tumor, brain hemorrhage
  • Angiography is useful to diagnose mesenteric artery ischemia
• Urea breath test - test of choice for following the response to treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
• Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (with biopsy of mass if found and for Helicobacter pylori) - may be required to diagnose peptic ulcers, stomach cancer.
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), if jaundiced
• Arterial blood gases (ABGs)
• Electrocardiograph (ECG)

Home Diagnostic Testing

These home medical tests may be relevant to Nausea causes:

• Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
  • Home Food Allergy Tests
  • Home Food Intolerance Testing
  • Home Water Testing
  • Home Lead Poisoning Tests
  • Home Heavy Metal Poisoning Tests
• Digestive-Related Home Testing:
  • Home Stomach Ulcer Tests
  • Home Colorectal Cancer Test Kits
  • Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Test Kits

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Nausea:

The following list of conditions have 'Nausea' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Nausea or choose View All.

Conditions listing medical complications: Nausea:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Nausea' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

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