Here is a list of some of the ways in which palliative patients have tried to describe their nausea.

• Sick to the stomach
• Squeamish
• I feel queasy.
• I keep getting biliousness.
• Food just turns my stomach.
• I feel repulsed by the thought of eating.

As you can see from these phrases, the person is often trying to convey a vague and unpleasant feeling. A more standard definition of nausea is, "a wave like sensation at the back of the throat which is difficult to suppress."

Vomiting is clearer to define. It is the, "forceful ejection of stomach or intestinal contents through the mouth."

(Glaetzer et al 2011)

Consider some of the following factors.

• Is it nausea alone or nausea and vomiting together that is troubling the person? It is important that patients use their own words to describe the sensation if possible, rather than relying on relatives or staff members who may interpret incorrectly.
• Is it constant or does it come and go?
• Are there any factors that make it better or worse, such as food, medications, smells, time of day, location, coughing, etc?
• How frequent is it?
• Is the patient suffering from any other symptoms at the same time such as constipation, anxiety or pain?
• Are they having any palliative treatment if they have cancer such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy?