What’s going on when you throw up?
Thanks to a simulation by GutDR, we now have a look at what’s happening on the inside just before your body ejects everything into the toilet—or wherever you end up.
The video shows parts of the digestive system like the small intestine, pyloric sphincter, stomach wall, and esophagus, with a bright green liquid gathering at the bottom of the stomach.
Soon, little blobs of the same neon green make their way up through the small intestine and into the stomach, one by one, until it’s full.
The science behind vomiting
According to Science Focus, when your body detects a “threat”—like too much alcohol, stress hormones, motion sickness, or a stomach upset—these signals are picked up by the brain’s chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ).
The inner ear is sensitive to swaying motions, while the vagus nerve is more tuned in to stomach issues. When the CTZ picks up one of these signals, it sets off a chain reaction.
The first thing that happens is your mouth starts producing extra saliva to help protect your mouth and teeth from the harsh stomach acid that’s on its way.
Maybe Sober November doesn’t sound so bad after all?
