The healthcare provider may ask other questions, which can help narrow the list of possible causes. Any illness can cause vomiting, especially in infants. For instance, ear infections are a common cause of vomiting in infants. The flu can also cause vomiting. Sometimes, no cause can be found.
Prevention depends on the cause.
For instance, avoiding alcohol can prevent vomiting due to alcohol. Avoiding extreme exercise can prevent vomiting due to exercise. In most settings, vomiting cannot be avoided, but can often be treated. First, the healthcare provider will take the person's health history and do a physical exam. This may be all that is needed to figure out the cause.