Dry heaving, otherwise also known as retching, can simply be understood as the urge to vomit without actually throwing out. There are many conditions associated with retching besides pregnancy. These includes:
- Motion sickness
- Any local disturbance in the ear or throat
- Upset stomach or gastric flu
- Anxiety or panic attack
- Strenuous exercises and even overeating.
In some cases, there may be a known trigger such as brushing teeth or gurgling antiseptic mouth wash. For others, the retching simply appears periodically without any known reason. A typical example is retching associated with cyclical vomiting.
If your symptoms do not improve over time or with a simple home remedy, consider paying your family doctor a visit to get some medicine which can be very useful. If you also experience a ringing sound in your ears or hearing loss associated with the retching, you may need to see your ENT specialist for a detailed assessment.