What are the key differences between stomach flu and food poisoning. How long does stomach flu typically last. What are the main symptoms of food poisoning. How can you distinguish between stomach flu and food poisoning based on symptom onset.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning: Unraveling the Differences

Abdominal discomfort, fever, and gas are common symptoms that can be attributed to various conditions, including stomach flu and food poisoning. While these two ailments share similarities, they are distinct in their causes and duration. Understanding the nuances between stomach flu and food poisoning is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Stomach flu, medically known as viral gastroenteritis, is caused by a virus. In contrast, food poisoning results from consuming contaminated food or drinks, which can harbor bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The duration of these illnesses also differs significantly. Stomach flu can persist for several days, while food poisoning typically resolves within 24 to 48 hours.

Prevalence of Foodborne Illnesses

Both stomach flu and food poisoning are remarkably common. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, approximately 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur annually in the United States. This statistic translates to roughly one in six Americans experiencing a food-related illness each year.

Decoding the Stomach Flu: Symptoms and Duration

Contrary to its name, stomach flu is not related to the influenza virus that affects the respiratory system. Instead, it’s an intestinal infection that can manifest various symptoms.

Common Symptoms of Stomach Flu

• Nausea or vomiting
• Watery diarrhea
• Low-grade fever
• Abdominal pain and cramping

How quickly do stomach flu symptoms appear? Symptoms typically develop within 24 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. The illness can last up to 10 days, with most cases resolving within a few days.

Is stomach flu contagious after recovery? Yes, individuals can remain contagious for up to three days after recovery in some cases. This extended period of contagiousness underscores the importance of maintaining good hygiene practices even after symptoms subside.

Food Poisoning: A Closer Look at Symptoms and Duration

Food poisoning is a broad term encompassing illnesses caused by consuming contaminated food or drinks. The symptoms can vary depending on the specific pathogen involved.

Key Symptoms of Food Poisoning

• Bloating and gas
• Fever (seek medical attention if above 101.5°F)
• Muscle aches
• Weakness
• Abdominal pain and cramping

How quickly does food poisoning set in? Symptoms of food poisoning typically appear within 2 to 6 hours after consuming contaminated food or drinks. This rapid onset is a key distinguishing factor from stomach flu.

How long does food poisoning usually last? Most cases of food poisoning resolve within 24 to 48 hours. However, severe cases may require medical intervention and can last longer.

Distinguishing Between Stomach Flu and Food Poisoning

While stomach flu and food poisoning share several symptoms, there are key differences that can help in differentiation:

1. Incubation period: Stomach flu symptoms typically appear 24-48 hours after exposure, while food poisoning symptoms manifest within 2-6 hours of consuming contaminated food.
2. Duration: Stomach flu can last up to 10 days, whereas food poisoning usually resolves within 1-2 days.
3. Contagiousness: Stomach flu is highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person. Food poisoning, however, is not directly contagious but can spread through cross-contamination.
4. Prevalence: Food poisoning is more common than stomach flu.

The Mechanism Behind Burping After Stomach Flu

Burping, or belching, is a common occurrence during and after stomach flu. This symptom is often overlooked but can provide insights into the body’s recovery process.

Why Does Burping Occur?

Burping after stomach flu is primarily a result of excess gas in the digestive system. During the illness, the digestive tract becomes inflamed and may produce more gas than usual. Additionally, the altered gut flora due to the viral infection can lead to increased gas production.

Is frequent burping after stomach flu normal? Yes, it’s generally normal to experience increased burping as the digestive system recovers. However, if burping is excessive or accompanied by severe pain, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider.

Managing Symptoms: Strategies for Relief

Whether dealing with stomach flu or food poisoning, managing symptoms is crucial for comfort and recovery.

Hydration is Key

Both conditions can lead to significant fluid loss through vomiting and diarrhea. Maintaining proper hydration is essential to prevent complications.

• Drink clear fluids regularly in small amounts
• Consider oral rehydration solutions to replenish electrolytes
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can worsen dehydration

Dietary Considerations

What should you eat when recovering from stomach flu or food poisoning? Start with bland, easily digestible foods as your appetite returns:

• Bananas
• Rice
• Applesauce
• Toast

Gradually reintroduce other foods as your symptoms improve and you can tolerate them.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most cases of stomach flu and food poisoning resolve on their own, certain symptoms warrant medical attention:

• Persistent vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down
• Signs of severe dehydration (dark urine, dizziness, dry mouth)
• Bloody stools
• High fever (above 101.5°F)
• Symptoms lasting longer than expected

Should you take over-the-counter medications for stomach flu or food poisoning? It’s generally advisable to consult with a healthcare provider before taking any medications, as some can worsen certain conditions or mask important symptoms.

Prevention: Safeguarding Against Future Infections

While it’s not always possible to prevent stomach flu or food poisoning, certain practices can significantly reduce your risk:

Hygiene Practices

• Wash hands frequently, especially before eating and after using the bathroom
• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable
• Clean and disinfect surfaces regularly, particularly in shared spaces

Food Safety Measures

• Cook foods thoroughly, especially meats and eggs
• Refrigerate perishable foods promptly
• Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption

How effective is hand washing in preventing stomach flu? Proper hand washing can significantly reduce the risk of contracting or spreading stomach flu. It’s one of the most effective preventive measures against many infectious diseases.

The Role of Probiotics in Recovery and Prevention

Probiotics have gained attention for their potential role in supporting digestive health and immune function. These beneficial bacteria may help in both recovery from and prevention of gastrointestinal illnesses.

Benefits of Probiotics

• Restore balance to gut flora disrupted by illness
• May reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea
• Support the immune system’s function in the gut

Can probiotics prevent stomach flu or food poisoning? While probiotics cannot guarantee prevention, regular consumption may help strengthen the gut’s defenses against pathogens. However, more research is needed to fully understand their preventive potential.

Incorporating Probiotics into Your Diet

Probiotics can be found in various food sources and supplements:

• Yogurt with live cultures
• Kefir
• Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi
• Probiotic supplements (consult with a healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen)

Long-term Effects: What to Watch For

While most cases of stomach flu and food poisoning resolve without complications, some individuals may experience lingering effects or develop post-infectious conditions.

Potential Long-term Consequences

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Lactose intolerance
• Reactive arthritis (in rare cases)

How common are long-term effects after stomach flu or food poisoning? Long-term effects are relatively rare, but their occurrence depends on various factors including the specific pathogen involved, the severity of the initial illness, and individual health status.

If you experience persistent digestive issues or unusual symptoms following a bout of stomach flu or food poisoning, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and management.

Emerging Research: New Insights into Gastrointestinal Infections

The field of gastroenterology continues to evolve, with new research shedding light on the complexities of gastrointestinal infections and their impacts on human health.

Recent Findings

• Gut-brain axis: Emerging evidence suggests a strong connection between gut health and mental well-being
• Microbiome diversity: Research indicates that a diverse gut microbiome may offer better protection against gastrointestinal infections
• Novel treatment approaches: Ongoing studies are exploring new therapies, including targeted probiotics and phage therapy for antibiotic-resistant infections

How might these research developments impact future treatments for stomach flu and food poisoning? As our understanding of the gut microbiome and its interactions with pathogens grows, we may see more personalized and effective treatments for gastrointestinal infections in the future.

The Promise of Microbiome Research

Advancements in microbiome research hold potential for improved diagnostics, prevention strategies, and treatments for various gastrointestinal conditions, including stomach flu and food poisoning.

Can microbiome analysis predict susceptibility to stomach flu or food poisoning? While current research is promising, more studies are needed to determine if microbiome analysis can reliably predict an individual’s risk for these conditions. However, this area of study offers exciting possibilities for future preventive medicine approaches.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning

Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning: What’s the Difference?

Abdominal pains, fever, and gas are common signs of many conditions, including both the stomach flu and food poisoning. The two are commonly confused. The stomach flu and food poisoning are two different conditions. 

A virus causes the stomach flu, but food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, or other parasites. The former can last for days, but food poisoning usually only takes one day. Both are extremely common. The US Department of Health & Human Services estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, which equates to 1 in 6 Americans having a food-related illness.

Although they share similar symptoms, there are differences to be aware of between the two. The signs and symptoms of the stomach flu can vary greatly from person to person and naturally develop within a day or as fast as two to three hours. Understanding the differences between stomach flu vs. food poisoning can ensure you take the right steps towards recovery as well as speed up doctor visits.

What Is the Stomach Flu?

The phrase “stomach flu” does not necessarily make it the flu. It is not caused by the influenza virus, like most upper respiratory problems such as in your nose, throat, and lungs, and should not be confused with the “seasonal flu.” 

The medical term for the common stomach flu is “viral gastroenteritis.”

Stomach Flu Symptoms

Viral gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection associated with these symptoms:

• Nausea or vomiting: Your body recognizes the illness as a poison, so it reacts to the discomfort by vomiting.
• Watery diarrhea: Severe dehydration can also yield dark or decreased urine. Keep track of how long you have been having diarrhea if it has been more than three days, and see a doctor immediately if you have blood in your stool.
• Low-grade fever: A fever is the immune system’s attempt to combat illness such as viruses and bacteria infection. By heating up the body, fevers create an environment that tackles temperature-sensitive agents.
• Abdominal pain and cramping: A stomach bug can produce moderate pain.

How Long Does the Stomach Flu Last? 

The stomach flu usually starts one to three days after exposure and can take up to 10 days to fully heal. 

You may also be wondering how long the stomach flu is contagious? The stomach flu is highly contagious, and the length of that will depend on the type of virus that caused the infection. You are still contagious for up to three days after recovery in some cases. 

Read: How Long Does the Stomach Flu Last?

What Is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning is an extensive term for some type of bacteria that has affected you. 

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Your immune system induces food poisoning to expel the illness and can present the following symptoms:

• Bloating and gas: Passing gas clears gas from the digestive tract, but lingering gas stuck in the tract can cause pain.
• Fever: You should see a doctor immediately when above 101.5 F to avoid severe dehydration.
• Muscle aches: Certain bacteria such as Staphloccus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni cause muscle pains. Inflammatory responses or irregular blood supply cause these pains.
• Weakness: Your body devotes a lot of energy to fight off the illness, and the loss of calories and electrolytes can make you feel weak.
• Abdominal pain and cramping: Your illness’s primary source is in your stomach region, so this area could experience mild to moderate discomfort. Although a stomach bug is a more general discomfort, food poisoning will yield a sharp stabbing pain.

How Long Does Food Poisoning Last? 

Food poisoning has a rapid onset of symptoms, usually appearing two to six hours after eating contaminated food or drinks. It may last up to 48 hours, but can sometimes resolve itself within 24 hours. 

How Do I Know If It’s a Stomach Virus or Food Poisoning?

Although the symptoms of stomach flu and food poisoning can overlap, the primary indicator of which you have will be the timing of symptoms.  

Viral stomach flu will incubate for roughly 24-48 hours after exposure to the virus, whereas food poisoning will be much faster at 2-6 hours after eating contaminated food. Many cases of the stomach flu resolve in a few days, with more prolonged cases lasting up to 10 days. Most food poisoning cases last only for a day or two.

Read: Stomach Virus Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments

How to Prevent Food Poisoning and the Stomach Flu

Both food poisoning and stomach flu are best cured by preventative methods instead of recovery after the fact.

Preventing food poisoning can be difficult, but there are a few steps that can help. Since you are just as likely to get it from your kitchen as you are at an outside restaurant, you can take the following steps to avoid serious illnesses:

• Wash your hands, so you do not bring unnecessary agents into your kitchen and do not mix foods
• Keep your kitchen clean in case your utensils have come into contact with other foods conducive to viral growth
• Be careful of raw meat and cook it properly, so you do not get sick
• Do not consume expired food even if the food looks and smells fine, as you should respect the “use by” date to be careful of all of the harmful microscopic organisms.
• Be mindful of your leftovers in case they have been left outside of proper refrigeration for too long or have already expired

If you are dining with street food such as at food trucks, you should be mindful of exploring street food without the perils as sanitary food preparation is key to avoid food poisoning.

Since the stomach flu is contagious, you can prevent exposure to it with the following:

• Practice proper hand hygiene
• Keep your kitchen clean
• Do not prepare foods while infected
• Avoid contact with the infected

Make sure to practice these precautions even if you feel fine as you are contagious for approximately three days after recovery.

Even with safe practices and regulations in place, such as mandated hand washing and kitchen inspections, it is essential for you to recognize stomach pains and how to best take the appropriate steps for your recovery.

What to Do If You Have the Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning?

Although most cases can be treated at home with lots of fluid with electrolytes and rest, severe symptoms such as diarrhea spanning several days and high fevers should not be overlooked.

Your body is actively fighting off the causes of your pain, so take it easy while you recover. While in recovery, you should take the necessary precautions to avoid spreading the infection:

• Wash your hands in warm, soapy water for at least 20 to 30 seconds
• Avoid sharing your food or drink to prevent spreading the illness to others
• Take time off from school or work to allow the illness to heal

Stomach Flu and Food Poisoning Treatment

While your body is in recovery, you should be taking it easy. If you are keeping food down, you should follow a simple diet of bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast (sometimes called BRAT) in addition to liquids that are heavy in electrolytes such as a sports drink. It is vital for your health to maintain a good diet while in recovery mode to replace some of the calories and electrolytes you’re losing. 

Like most recoveries, you should avoid alcohol, caffeine, and dairy if you are sensitive to these groups. Similarly, like most illnesses, the pregnant, young, and elderly are more prone and should be extra careful when monitoring recovery.

Food Poisoning Remedies

Since the stomach flu is viral, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Instead, it is possible to use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to alleviate the symptoms of the stomach flu and food poisoning, such as ibuprofen and Tylenol for fevers as well as aches. These kinds of medications can be taxing on kidneys due to dehydration and should be monitored carefully with food as well as proper fluid intake to keep your body hydrated.

When to Contact a Doctor

Regarding your diagnosis of the stomach flu vs. food poisoning, a doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may also take a stool sample to check for key signs such as blood or a noticeable bacteria count.

If you exhibit any symptoms of the stomach flu or food poisoning for more than a prolonged period of time, then you should make an appointment with your doctor, who can tell you about the difference between food poisoning and stomach flu.

If you are an adult, then you should contact your doctor when you are:

• Not able to keep liquids down for more than 24 hours
• Vomiting for more than two days
• Vomiting blood
• Experiencing excess dehydration such as darker urine and a dry mouth
• Noticing blood in your stool
• Experiencing a fever above 102 °F for at least a few days

If you are a parent and feel that your child is exhibiting symptoms, you should immediately consult with your doctor. Although most cases of either illness are not fatal, extra caution should be used when examining those who are young, elderly, or pregnant.

If you experience any of the symptoms above, click here to book a virtual appointment with a top U.S. doctor at PlushCare today.

Read More About Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning

6 Symptoms Of Excessive Burping That Aren’t Normal

Sorry in advance for this truth-bomb, but: Burps are basically just farts that come out of your mouth.

Okay, they’re cuter and don’t normally smell like butt-farts do (bless up), but at the end of the day it’s all just air getting released from your stomach—and that’s generally a good thing. It keeps you comfortable and signifies that your digestive system is doing its job.

But if you’ve got excessive burping, or if your burps come with other weird symptoms, it may be a sign something’s off with your bod.

Tell me: How much burping is considered ‘excessive’?

“If you’re burping to the point where it’s bothersome and that’s happening three or more days a week, that’s when you should talk to a doctor,” says Rabia De Latour, M. D., a gastroenterologist and advanced endoscopist at NYU School of Medicine.

The first thing your doc will do is ask you about any daily habits you have that might be contributing to the problem.

“Aerophasia,” or swallowing air, is by the far the most common cause of mega-burping, De Latour says. It’s so common, in fact, that you may not even realize you’re doing it (like while drinking soda or chewing gum). All that swallowed air gets trapped in your esophagus and stomach and it has to get out somehow.

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Aerophasia doesn’t mean you’re sick; it’s a condition that you can fix by changing your behaviors (like cutting back on the soda or chewing with your mouth closed). “Burping by itself is almost never a sign of illness,” says Julia Kavanagh, M.D., an internal medicine physician with UCHealth.

But there are times when recurrent burping can signify a more serious, underlying problem—especially when it’s happening in conjunction with other symptoms, says Kavanagh.

These excessive burping symptoms should raise a red flag:

1. You start vomiting pretty suddenly.

If your burps come on quickly out of nowhere, and are accompanied with nausea and lots of vomiting, this could signal a potentially life-threatening condition, says De Latour.

“If you can’t keep anything down and your stomach is distended and painful it can mean you have a blockage or bowel obstruction,” she explains. In that case, you need to go to the emergency room immediately, she adds.

It could also be a sign of the stomach flu, an infection, or even cancer, says De Latour.

2. You feel really, super bloated.

A puffy stomach can happen from swallowing too much air, but if you’re extremely bloated and it’s painful, it can be another symptom of an obstruction. If normal methods don’t relieve it or if you start vomiting, get it checked out immediately, says De Latour.

Bloating isn’t always serious though—it can also happen with irritable bowel syndrome and lactose intolerance, two other conditions known to give people the burps, she adds.

3. You feel a really sharp pain in your ribs.

Hiatal hernias—a condition where your stomach bulges into your esophagus—can cause recurrent burping, says Kavanagh. On its own, a hiatal hernia isn’t an emergency, but it can be very uncomfortable.

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There’s also risk the hernia will become “strangulated”—when the hernia cuts off blood supply to the rest of the abdomen, according to Harvard Health Publishing. A strangulated hiatal hernia requires emergency surgery, and can be fatal if left untreated.

4. Your throat is on fire.

If you burp a lot after a meal, your burps taste like stomach acid (a.k.a. barf-flavored), and you feel a burning sensation in your chest, you may have gastroesophageal reflux, says Kavanagh.

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“Burping associated with symptoms of reflux should be attended to,” she explains. “It’s not good to have frequent acid reflux, it can be hard on your esophagus.”

5. You’re losing weight (without trying to).

Losing weight rapidly, along with burping, is another sign of a bowel blockage, says Latour.

Losing weight slowly, however, and when you’re not necessarily trying to, can mean you’re not digesting your food properly and your doc will want to check you for conditions like IBS, food allergies, or Crohn’s disease, Kavanagh says. Rarely, burping combined with weight loss can be a sign of stomach cancer, she adds.

6. Your internal plumbing isn’t working like it should.

When burping occurs with other gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, constipation, and farting, it can indicate an underlying condition like IBS, lactose intolerance, or food sensitivities, says De Latour.

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Seriously on the struggle bus? Make a complete list of all your symptoms (even the embarrassing ones!) to give your doctor when you go in for your appointment, so they can quickly identify your burping triggers

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Gastroparesis – American College of Gastroenterology

Overview

Gastroparesis is a chronic disorder which means delayed stomach emptying without a blockage. In healthy people, when the stomach is functioning normally, contractions of the stomach help to crush ingested food and then propel the pulverized food into the small intestine where further digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs.

Symptoms

Symptoms include fullness after meals, pain, nausea vomiting, weight loss, belching and bloating. Certain foods like fatty foods, or carbonation may cause symptoms. The feeling of fullness after starting a meal is very common. Weight loss may also occur.

Causes

Diabetes is one of the more common causes. Gastroparesis may also occur after stomach surgery. Other causes include bacterial and viral infections. Narcotics, antidepressants and other medications which delay stomach emptying may also cause gastroparesis. There are a group of patients with gastroparesis where there is no obvious cause.

Diagnosis

Gastric emptying study is the most commonly used test. It is a test using a tiny amount of radioactive material mixed with food. With imaging equipment, it measures the rate of emptying of the stomach after taking a meal. A delay in gastric emptying indicates gastroparesis.

13 C spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test is a non radioactive test to evaluate for gastroparesis. It is a test also using labeled food where the patient provides breath samples for analysis.

Wireless capsule system called (SmartPill®)
Is a capsule that contains a small electronic device. This device records information as it travels to your stomach and intestine. The information is transmitted to a receiver worn on the waist. The capsule is passed in your stool.

Treatment

Importance of Nutrition as Treatment in Gastroparesis

The initial treatment in patients with gastroparesis is to create a diet that will improve the symptoms. Your physician may recommend eating frequent small meals and to avoid fatty, spicy, acidy and high fiber foods. Your physician may also recommend soups or more liquid containing meals..

In addition, we always want to make sure our patients are well hydrated.

Those patients with diabetes should have good control of their sugars.

Medicines that delay stomach emptying should be avoided if possible.

Metoclopramide

Is an important medicine to treat gastroparesis. There are risks in using this medication that you need to discuss with your physician. She will help you weigh the pros and cons and help you make the best decision for your situation.

Erythromycin You may know erythromycin as an antibiotic. Erythromycin also causes stomach contractions. Your physician may consider this option if you fail to respond to metoclopramide or you wish to try something else.

Erythromycin also has side effects. It does not work after 4 weeks. Your doctor will also help you weigh the pros and cons of using this medication.

Anti Emetics (Medications to control nausea and vomiting)
Your physician may also consider the use of medications like prochlorperazine (Compro), diphenhydramine (Several brand names including Benadryl), ondansetron (Zofran). There are risks and benefits to these medications as well.

Special Treatments

G -POEM (gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy) is a specialized procedure done in those patients who have not responded to other therapies. It involves minimally invasive surgery of the stomach performed by endoscopy.

An endoscopy is a test that is performed after giving intravenous sedation. A small tube is inserted in the stomach where the surgery occurs.

There are additional experimental options that your doctor may discuss with you including surgically placing an electric stimulation device on your stomach. The electrical stimulation helps control symptoms.

There are several newer pharmacological agents on the horizon that offer promise in treating gastroparesis .

Figure 1: Gastrostomy and jejunostomy anatomy

Figure 2: Oro-jejunal feeding tube

Figure 3: Wireless Capsule Monitoring System

Figure 4: Electrical Gastric Stimulation

Author(s) and Publication Date(s)

Peter S. Buch,, MD, FACG, Frank H Netter, MD School of Medicine, North Haven, CT – Updated June 2021.

Jean Fox, MD and Amy Foxx-Orenstein, DO, FACG, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Scottsdale, AZ – Published August 2004. Updated November 2008. Updated December 2012.

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Gastroenteritis: Symptoms and Causes | Bupa UK

Treatment of gastroenteritis

Most people with gastroenteritis get better at home after a few days and don’t need any specific treatment. But, sometimes, if your symptoms are very bad or you’re dehydrated, you may need some medical help.

Self-help for gastroenteritis

If you have gastroenteritis, you can pass the infection on to other people. So stay at home and don’t go into work for at least 48 hours after your diarrhoea and sickness have stopped. If your child has the infection, they should stay off nursery or school for this length of time too.

If you take medicines regularly, you should keep taking them as usual if you have diarrhoea or sickness. But check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicines. Gastroenteritis can affect how well some medicines work, especially the contraceptive pill. If you need any advice, speak to a pharmacist.

How quickly you get better will depend on which infection you have. Some viral gastroenteritis infections last only a day or two, but other infections can last for a week or even longer.

What to eat and drink

If you have diarrhoea and sickness your body will be losing more fluid than usual. You need to make sure you replace this by keeping hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or squash.

If your baby has gastroenteritis, keep breastfeeding them or give their other milk feeds. It’s best not to give young children fruit juices or fizzy drinks while they still have symptoms.

When you feel hungry again, eat small, light meals, but don’t have anything fatty or spicy. Some research shows that eating cereals, banana, rice and toast at first may help.

Probiotics

Probiotics are supplements or foods (such as live yoghurt) that contain ‘good’ bacteria. They may help to reduce how long you have diarrhoea. See our FAQ on Can probiotics help gastroenteritis.

Oral rehydration solutions

Oral rehydration solutions come as a powder that you add to water to make a drink. Oral rehydration solutions have the right mix of sugars, minerals and salts to help you replace lost water and salt. Most people with gastroenteritis get better without needing one of these solutions. But these products may be helpful for:

• older people
• people who have other illnesses
• young children

Ask a pharmacist if an oral rehydration solution might be suitable for you.

Sports drinks don’t have the right mix of sugar, minerals and salts, so it’s best not to use them for rehydration, especially in young children.

Medicines

If you have gastroenteritis, you don’t usually need medicines that stop diarrhoea, such as loperamide (eg Imodium). But you may find these medicines useful if you need to stop your diarrhoea quickly (such as when travelling) or can’t get to a toilet easily.

You can buy loperamide from pharmacies, but this should only be taken by adults and children over 12 years, unless prescribed by a doctor. Don’t take these medicines if you have blood or mucus in your poo or a fever, as they could make you feel worse.

If you can’t stop being sick, or feel very sick, a doctor may prescribe an anti-sickness (antiemetic) medicine.
Your GP won’t usually prescribe antibiotics for gastroenteritis as these won’t help your symptoms. If they think you may have a bacterial infection, they’ll probably ask you to provide a poo sample. If this shows you have bacterial gastroenteritis, they may then prescribe antibiotics.

Hospital treatment

If you become very dehydrated or unwell, you may need to be admitted to hospital. In hospital, you can be given fluids directly into your bloodstream through a fine tube into your vein.

Norovirus infection – Symptoms and causes

Overview

Norovirus infection can cause the sudden onset of severe vomiting and diarrhea. The virus is highly contagious and commonly spread through food or water that is contaminated during preparation or through contaminated surfaces. You can also be infected through close contact with an infected person.

Diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting typically begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Norovirus symptoms usually last one to three days, and most people recover completely without treatment. However, for some people — especially infants, older adults and people with underlying disease — vomiting and diarrhea can be severely dehydrating and require medical attention.

Norovirus infection occurs most frequently in closed and crowded environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers, schools and cruise ships.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of norovirus infection include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Watery or loose diarrhea
• Feeling ill
• Low-grade fever
• Muscle pain

Signs and symptoms usually begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure to norovirus and last one to three days. You can continue to shed virus in your feces for up to two weeks after recovery. This shedding can last weeks to months if you have an underlying health condition.

Some people with norovirus infection show no signs or symptoms. However, they are still contagious and can spread the virus to others.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if you develop diarrhea that doesn’t go away within several days. Also, call your doctor if you have severe vomiting, bloody stools, stomach pain or dehydration.

Causes

Noroviruses are highly contagious and are shed in the feces of infected humans and animals. You can get norovirus by:

• Eating contaminated food
• Drinking contaminated water
• Touching your hand to your mouth after your hand has been in contact with a contaminated surface or object
• Being in close contact with a person who has a norovirus infection

Noroviruses are difficult to kill off because they can withstand hot and cold temperatures and most disinfectants.

Risk factors

Risk factors for becoming infected with norovirus include:

• Eating in a place where food is handled improperly
• Attending preschool or a child care center
• Living in close quarters, such as in nursing homes
• Staying in hotels, resorts, cruise ships or other destinations with many people in close quarters
• Having contact with someone who has norovirus infection

Complications

For most people, norovirus infection usually clears up within a few days and isn’t life-threatening. But in some people — especially children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems — norovirus infection can cause dehydration. Norovirus infection can cause severe dehydration, malnutrition and even death, especially in people who are older or immunocompromised, or in women who are pregnant.

Warning signs of dehydration include:

• Fatigue
• Dry mouth and throat
• Listlessness
• Dizziness
• Decreased urine output

Children who are dehydrated might cry with few or no tears. They might be unusually sleepy or fussy.

Prevention

Norovirus infection is highly contagious, and anyone can become infected more than once. To help prevent its spread:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet or changing a diaper.
• Avoid contaminated food and water, including food that could have been prepared by someone who was sick.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Cook seafood thoroughly.
• Dispose of vomit and fecal matter carefully to avoid spreading norovirus by air. Soak up material with disposable towels, disturbing it as little as possible, and place it in plastic disposable bags.
• Disinfect surfaces that might have been contaminated. Use a chlorine bleach solution and wear gloves.
• Stay home from work, especially if your job involves handling food. You might be contagious for as long as three days after your symptoms end. Children should stay home from school or child care.
• Avoid traveling until your signs and symptoms are gone.

Feb. 05, 2020

Norovirus | Symptoms and Treatment

What is norovirus?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that can cause infection of the gut (intestines), called gastroenteritis. Viruses are types of germs smaller than bacteria. Gastroenteritis usually causes symptoms of being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea. Norovirus is the newer name given to the group of viruses that used to be known as Norwalk-like viruses and Norwalk virus. Noroviruses are also known as small round-structured viruses (SRSVs).

How is norovirus spread?

A norovirus present in the gut (intestines) of an infected person can pass out in their diarrhoea. It is easily spread from an infected person to another by close contact. This is usually because of the virus being present on the infected person’s hands after they have been to the toilet. Surfaces or objects touched by the infected person can also allow transmission of the virus. The virus can be passed on if the infected person prepares food or if water is contaminated with norovirus.

Outbreaks of norovirus that affect many people can occur. For example, in hospitals, on cruise ships and in schools.

It usually takes 24-48 hours after first contact with norovirus before symptoms develop. This period is known as the incubation period for the virus.

How do you catch norovirus?

Norovirus is the most common virus causing infection of the gut (gastroenteritis) in adults in the UK. However, norovirus infection can occur in anyone of any age. You can get norovirus infection more than once because your body is not able to maintain immunity to norovirus infection for a long time once you have had it.

Norovirus symptoms

Feeling sick (nausea) is usually the first symptom. This is followed by diarrhoea which tends to be watery. You may also start being sick (vomiting) around the same time. Sometimes there are other symptoms such as:

• A high temperature (fever).
• A headache.
• Aching muscles in your arms and legs.

The symptoms tend to be relatively mild and short-lived, often only lasting one to two days. However, in a few people symptoms can last longer.

If symptoms are severe, lack of fluid in the body (dehydration) can occur. You should consult a doctor quickly if you suspect that you or your child are becoming dehydrated. Mild dehydration is common and is usually easily reversed by drinking lots of fluids.

Note: severe dehydration can be fatal unless quickly treated because the organs of your body need a certain amount of fluid to function.

For more information about symptoms, including dehydration, see the separate leaflets called Diarrhoea and Acute Diarrhoea in Children.

How is norovirus diagnosed?

A sample of your stool (faeces) may be sent to the laboratory for testing during an outbreak of infection of the gut (gastroenteritis). This is to help identify the type and source of the infection. However, in most cases testing is not necessary because the treatment is usually the same for many causes of gastroenteritis.

When should I seek medical advice?

Children

Most children who have infection of the gut (gastroenteritis), including gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection, have mild symptoms which will get better within a few days. The important thing is to ensure that your child has plenty to drink. In many cases, you do not need to seek medical advice. However, you should seek medical advice in the following cases (or if there are any other symptoms that you are concerned about):

• If your child is under the age of 6 months.
• If your child has an underlying medical condition (for example, heart or kidney problems, diabetes, history of premature birth).
• If your child has a high temperature (fever).
• If you suspect lack of fluid in the body (dehydration) is developing (see earlier).
• If your child appears drowsy or confused.
• If your child is being sick (vomiting) a lot and unable to keep fluids down.
• If there is blood in their diarrhoea or vomit.
• If your child has severe tummy (abdominal) pain.
• If your child has a weakened immune system because of, for example, chemotherapy treatment, long-term steroid treatment, HIV infection.
• Infections caught abroad.
• If your child has severe symptoms, or if you feel that their condition is becoming worse.
• If your child’s symptoms are not settling – for example, vomiting for more than 1-2 days, or diarrhoea that does not start to settle after 5-7 days.

Adults

Again, most adults who have gastroenteritis, including gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection, have mild symptoms which will get better within a few days. The important thing is to ensure that you have plenty to drink. In many cases, you do not need to seek medical advice. However, you should seek medical advice in the following cases (or if there are any other symptoms that you are concerned about):

• If you suspect that you are becoming dehydrated.
• If you are vomiting a lot and unable to keep fluids down.
• If you have blood in your diarrhoea or vomit.
• If you have severe abdominal pain.
• If you have severe symptoms, or if you feel that your condition is becoming worse.
• If you have a continuing high fever.
• If your symptoms are not settling – for example, vomiting for more than 1-2 days, or diarrhoea that does not start to settle after 3-4 days.
• Infections caught abroad.
• If you are elderly or have an underlying health problem such as diabetes, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease.
• If you have a weakened immune system because of, for example, chemotherapy treatment, long-term steroid treatment, HIV infection.
• If you are pregnant. 

Norovirus treatment

There is no special medication to treat norovirus. The aim is to make sure that you or your child have plenty of fluids to avoid lack of fluid in the body (dehydration) until their immune system has the time to clear the infection. Children with norovirus can usually be cared for at home. Occasionally, admission to hospital is needed if symptoms are severe, or if complications develop. For further information see the separate leaflets called Diarrhoea and Acute Diarrhoea in Children. 

Medication

Antibiotic medicines are not needed to treat norovirus. It is a viral infection so antibiotics will not be effective. See the separate leaflet called Diarrhoea Medicine for further information. 

Are there any complications?

Complications of norovirus infection are not very common. If they do occur, they can include the following:

• Lack of fluid (dehydration) and salt (electrolyte) imbalance in your body. This is the most common complication. It occurs if the water and salts that are lost in your stools (faeces), or when you have been sick (vomited), are not replaced by you drinking adequate fluids. If you can manage to drink plenty of fluids then dehydration is unlikely to occur, or is only likely to be mild and will soon recover as you drink. Severe dehydration can lead to a drop in your blood pressure. This can cause reduced blood flow to your vital organs. If dehydration is not treated, kidney failure may also develop.
• Lactose intolerance can sometimes occur for a period of time after norovirus infection. It is known as secondary or acquired lactose intolerance. Your gut (intestinal) lining can be damaged by the episode of infection of the gut (gastroenteritis). This leads to lack of an enzyme called lactase that is needed to help the body digest the milk sugar lactose. Lactose intolerance leads to bloating, tummy (abdominal) pain, wind and watery stools after drinking milk. The condition gets better when the infection is over and the intestinal lining heals.
• Irritable bowel syndrome is sometimes triggered by a bout of gastroenteritis.
• Persistent diarrhoeal syndromes may (rarely) develop.
• Reduced effectiveness of some medicines. During an episode of gastroenteritis, certain medicines that you may be taking for other conditions or reasons may not be as effective. This is because the diarrhoea and/or vomiting means that reduced amounts of the medicines are taken up (absorbed) into your body. Examples of such medicines are medicines for epilepsy, diabetes and contraception. Speak with your doctor or practice nurse if you are unsure of what to do if you are taking other medicines and have gastroenteritis.

Preventing spread of infection to others

If you or your child have norovirus infection, the following are recommended to prevent the spread of infection to others:

• Wash your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet. Ideally, use liquid soap in warm running water but any soap is better than none. Dry properly after washing. If your child wears nappies, be especially careful to wash your hands after changing nappies and before preparing, serving, or eating food.
• If a potty has to be used, wear gloves when you handle it, dispose of the contents into a toilet, then wash the potty with hot water and detergent and leave it to dry.
• Don’t share towels and flannels.
• Don’t prepare or serve food for others.
• If clothing or bedding is soiled, first remove any stools (faeces) into the toilet. Then wash in a separate wash at as high a temperature as possible.
• Regularly clean the toilets that you use, with disinfectant. Wipe the flush handle, toilet seat, taps, surfaces and door handles with hot water and detergent at least once a day. Keep a cloth just for cleaning the toilet (or use a disposable one each time).
• Stay off work, school, college, etc until until at least 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting). Avoid contact with other people as far as possible during this time.
• Food handlers: if you work with food and develop diarrhoea or vomiting, you must immediately leave the food-handling area. For most, no other measures are needed, other than staying away from work until at least 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.

Norovirus prevention

The advice given in the previous section is mainly aimed at preventing you or your child from spreading norovirus infection of the gut (gastroenteritis) to other people if you are infected. However, in general, good hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of many infections to others and to reduce your chance of picking up infections from others.

Handwashing is the most important thing that you and your child can do. In particular, always wash your hands and dry them thoroughly and teach children to wash and dry theirs:

• After going to the toilet (and after changing nappies or helping an older child to go to the toilet).
• Before preparing or touching food or drinks.
• Before eating.

If you smoke, you should also wash your hands before smoking. The simple measure of washing hands regularly and properly is known to make a big difference to the chance of developing norovirus.

Stomach Ache Symptoms | Gastroenteritis

All kids get stomach aches. It can easily occur when they eat something they don’t like or if they are upset about something and their belly starts to hurt. Recognizing the difference between what could be a simple stomach ache or something more serious, like gastroenteritis or appendicitis, can help determine treatment and urgency to seek medical attention.

A Child’s Stomach Ache Can Be Caused By:

• Indigestion
• Gastroenteritis (stomach flu or stomach bug)
• Food poisoning
• Gas
• Constipation
• Stress or anxiety
• Irritable bowel syndrome or functional abdominal pain
• Appendicitis (causes acute or sudden pain)

Does My Child Have Gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as the stomach flu or stomach bug, is much more significant than just a belly ache. This type of stomach bug can cause a variety of symptoms. If the stomach ache is accompanied by any of the symptoms below, it could be gastroenteritis.

Symptoms of Gastroenteritis Include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Irritability
• Poor appetite
• Cramps
• A low grade fever
• Headache

It’s important to be able to tell your child’s pediatrician if your child may have been exposed to someone who was sick with those symptoms as they could have contracted the virus from them and that can help expedite diagnosis. In most cases, these viruses are gone within a few days of arriving. You treat the symptoms and rest and they go away. 

Treatment for Gastroenteritis in Children

There is no specific treatment for gastroenteritis in infants or kids, or gastroenteritis remedy but you can treat the symptoms to help ease discomfort.

Drink plenty of fluids
The biggest issue for kids, especially young ones, is to avoid dehydration, particularly with vomiting. Give your child regular fluids to keep them hydrated. However, if your child takes in too many fluids at one time, they are likely going to struggle to keep them down. Small, regular amounts of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes can help to avoid dehydration.

Resume your child’s normal diet
You can resume a normal diet gradually once your child stops vomiting. Ensure to continue with plenty of fluids as well to stay hydrated. It’s best to start by introducing bland foods back into their diet slowly such as lean meats and complex carbohydrates like bananas rice and potatoes. Avoid fatty foods, dairy and sugary beverages for now. If your infant is nursing, you can resume breastfeeding immediately.

Do not give anti-diarrhea medicine
It’s important not to give your child with gastroenteritis anti-diarrhea medicine without checking with your child’s pediatrician first. The use of this medicine can prohibit the harmful bacteria from leaving the body.

Get plenty of rest
Your child’s body needs to recover from their stomach bug and rest can be the best course of action for a faster recovery. Have your child rest in bed or in a quiet, comfortable place at home until their symptoms subside. Your child should not return to school or be around others who are not in the household until their diarrhea subsides.

Determine Location of Your Child’s Stomach Ache

If the stomach ache is clearly not gastroenteritis, asking your child the location of their belly ache is important. Stomach pain symptoms can vary based on what is causing your child’s stomach ache. It’s important to determine where your child’s stomach hurts. Location, severity of pain, when it started and any activities/movement that make it worse or help relieve pain are all important questions to ask your child and be ready to tell the pediatrician so that they can diagnose the cause of your child’s stomach ache.

Stomach pain around the belly button
Stomach pain around the belly button is the most common stomach pain complaint among children. This type of pain is usually caused by stress or your child eating something that upset their stomach. Your child’s upset stomach in this area can usually be remedied by distracting them to take their mind off the discomfort until it subsides, your child having a bowel movement, expressing gas, or laying down to rest.

Stomach pain in the lower right part of the abdomen
Pain in the lower right part of the belly can sometimes indicate appendicitis. If your child is complaining of severe pain, specifically bending over in pain, in this area and it’s accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, difficulty passing gas, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, it may be appendicitis and you should seek medical attention immediately.

Stomach pain on the left side of the abdomen
Typically stomach pain on the left side of the abdomen is nothing serious. Pain in this area is usually caused by constipation or something mild. Monitor your child’s pain level and activity to ensure it is not something more serious and does not persist.

Stomach pain in the upper abdomen
If your child is complaining of pain in this area, it is usually caused by indigestion. Symptoms of indigestion include pain in the middle or upper part of the belly, nausea, bloating, burping or heartburn. Take note of what your child has eaten recently as that may be the cause.

Stomach pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
If your child is complaining of pain in the upper right side of their belly, this could indicate gallstones. Although gallstones are more common in adults, they can happen in children who are at-risk. Children who can be at-risk for gallstones are children with obesity, children with certain health conditions and children of families who have a history of gallstone disease.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Your Child’s Stomach Ache

In addition to any of the pain location indicators above for your child’s stomach issues, seek medical attention if your child is experiencing:

• Persistent vomiting, not being able to keep anything down, even water
• Constipation is becoming frequent
• Recurrent stomach pain with no clear cause
• Blood in stool
• Diarrhea
• Fever and cough
• Pain when urinating
• Unexplained weight loss
• Looks or acts sick
• Pain that is waking your child up from sleep or is starting to affect their daily lives
• Jaundice

In many cases, the stomach ache is not serious and will subside. It’s best to air on the side of caution though since stomach aches can be caused by numerous issues. Please contact your pediatrician in Jacksonville with any concerns.

90,000 symptoms and treatment “- Yandex.Q

In the cool season, in addition to colds and respiratory diseases, viral gastroenterocolitis, colloquially called intestinal flu, sometimes also called abdominal or stomach flu, is quite common.

They got this name because patients have symptoms of influenza and gastrointestinal disorders at the same time.

Stomach flu is caused by the ingestion of rotavirus in the human body.Anyone from a baby to an old man can get this disease, but most often the infection is diagnosed in children aged 6 to 12 months.

According to statistics, 40 percent of all intestinal infections in children are caused by rotavirus. Adults become infected while caring for sick children. Intestinal flu became widespread in the United States, and then it reached European countries.

How can you get infected?

Why does stomach flu occur and what is it? The virus enters the human body through the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

1. One of the types of transmission of infection is foodborne. That is, the infection enters the body through unwashed fruits, vegetables, low-quality dairy products.
2. The second route of infection is airborne. When talking loudly, sneezing, coughing, germs from a sick person spread in the air.
3. Transmission of gastric influenza by household contact is not excluded. Therefore, during an outbreak of the disease, it is recommended to use your own dishes and refuse the services of a common dining room.

Intestinal virus is destroyed only with concentrated chlorine-containing disinfectants.

Symptoms of stomach flu in adults

The average duration of the incubation period of gastric influenza of viral etiology is 5 days, but a shorter period can be observed, however, with all variants of the incubation period, clinical manifestations of the disease are completely absent.

Characteristic periods of illness:

• incubation period lasts 2-5 days;
• acute period – up to 7 days;
• recovery or convalescence – up to 5 days.

In the case of stomach flu, the symptoms are as follows:

1. After the incubation period, the body temperature rises sharply, signs of febrile syndrome appear, vomiting and diarrhea begin. Highlights can change color, sometimes

   streaks of blood appear in the stool

   …

2. Abdominal pain. Man with

   rotavirus infection

   experiences spastic abdominal pain of varying intensity.

3. Runny nose,

   sore throat

   , sneezing. Often, intestinal flu develops just before a traditional flu outbreak and can be accompanied by common signs of viral infection.

4. Loss of appetite, weakness. For 7-10 days of illness, the human body can be severely depleted, facial features sharpen, blood pressure can drop and appear

   signs of mild anemia

   …

Rotavirus infection can be easily confused with common intestinal poisoning, so you should consult a specialist for an accurate diagnosis.The symptoms of intestinal flu are dangerous to human health and life.

Prevention

To prevent infection with viruses and increase the body’s immune defenses, it is important to follow simple rules of hygiene: wash your hands thoroughly, eat only boiled water, well-cooked foods and only pasteurized dairy products.

When swimming in natural waters, do not swallow water. If a viral infection is detected, contact of patients with other people should be minimized, as well as thorough disinfection of household items and premises should be carried out.

Intestinal flu is an infectious disease that is quite acute. Gastroenteritis has vivid symptoms, but its symptoms are typical for other serious diseases, therefore, to diagnose and treat the disease, you need to seek professional help. At the same time, it is much easier to prevent infection with rotavirus, for which you need to follow basic rules of personal hygiene and minimize contact with a sick person.

Stomach flu treatment

No specific treatment has yet been developed for stomach flu.Therefore, the treatment of gastric flu in adults is purely symptomatic.

The main thing is to get rid of the intoxication of the body as soon as possible, to bring the water-salt balance back to normal, it can be disturbed during vomiting, diarrhea. A person should not be dehydrated, it is imperative to remove all toxins, normalize the work of the heart, strengthen the vascular walls, and prevent the development of a bacterial type of infection.

It is necessary to endure the acute period, despite the unpleasant symptoms.In just 5-7 days, everything will return to normal.

1. At the onset of diarrhea and vomiting, the water and salt balance should be restored – for this you need to dilute the Rehydron package in a liter of warm water and drink 1-2 small sips.
2. Take sorbents, for example, activated carbon, Sorbex, Enterosgel or others twice a day until gastrointestinal symptoms are completely eliminated.
3. If necessary, use antipyretic drugs to normalize body temperature.
4. Digestive enzymes also help – treatment with Mezim forte, Creon, Pancreatin.
5. After you have stopped the inflammatory process, you need to take care of the intestinal microflora. In this situation, it is necessary to take

   intestinal probiotics

   – Bifiform, Linex, Hilak forte.

The use of antibiotics for intestinal flu is pointless, since the infection is of a viral, not bacterial, nature.

Nutrition and diet

To speed up treatment for rotavirus infection, try to follow a gentle regimen.Should be excluded from the diet:

• fried;
• fatty foods;
• dairy products;
• juices and drinks with gas.

Of the products with stomach flu, you should eat dried bread, pasta, cereals boiled in water (semolina, rice, buckwheat), chicken eggs (boiled hard, no more than 1 egg per day).

Gradually, low-fat soups, vegetables stewed without salt and spices, mashed potatoes, grated cottage cheese, fresh fruits and berries can be gradually included in the patient’s diet.

Material provided

simptomy-lechenie.net

Diseases of the esophagus

The most common diseases of the esophagus are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The main manifestations of GERD are heartburn, belching of air or food eaten, nausea, vomiting, an unpleasant sour or bitter taste in the mouth in the morning, and difficulty swallowing. Sometimes patients complain of burning pains, discomfort in the epigastric region or behind the lower third of the sternum, which in some cases can be difficult to distinguish from the manifestations of serious cardiovascular diseases.The listed symptoms often appear after eating, are associated with a change in body position and occur when bending forward, in the supine position. Also, patients may be disturbed by such extraesophageal manifestations (disease masks), such as pain and a feeling of a lump in the throat, hoarseness, cough, destruction of tooth enamel, excessive salivation.
According to modern concepts, the main mechanism for the development of GERD is considered to be a violation of the motor activity of the esophagus and stomach. Between the stomach and the esophagus, there is a lower esophageal sphincter, consisting of circular muscle fibers; in a healthy person, this valve closes tightly, preventing the contents of the stomach from getting back into the esophagus.In patients with GERD, there is a decrease in the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter and a weakening of the ability of the esophagus to quickly evacuate the contents back into the stomach. As a result, the acidic contents of the stomach pass into the esophagus (gastroesophageal reflux), contributing to the development of inflammation of the esophageal mucosa. In the case of prolonged contact, in the absence of adequate treatment, erosions and ulcers develop at the site of inflammation, leading in some cases to cicatricial changes or bleeding, which may require surgical intervention.The risk of a precancerous change in the structure of the mucous membrane increases – Barrett’s esophagus. Bile acids, enzymes, bicarbonates, which are part of the contents of the duodenum, also have a strong damaging effect on the esophageal mucosa. When these substances are thrown into the stomach (duodenogastric reflux), their backward movement into the esophagus can be observed.
The main causes of esophageal and stomach motility disorders are dietary inaccuracies (overeating, spicy and fatty foods, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks), hiatal hernia, medication (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium channel blockers, nitrates, psychotropic drugs, progesterone, aminophylline, etc.), Obesity, neurosis, smoking, wearing tight belts, pregnancy.

In addition to motor disorders, the causes of inflammation of the esophagus can be infectious diseases (influenza, herpes, diphtheria, etc.), candidiasis (with immunodeficiency), trauma, burns.

Gastroenterologist in St. Petersburg, make an appointment

Digestive system

The organs studied by gastroenterology include:

• oral cavity;
• esophagus;
• pharynx;
• intestines thick and small;
• pancreas;
• liver.

What does a gastroenterologist treat, what are the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT)?

Gastroenterologist deals with symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Diseases of the stomach: gastric ulcer, gastritis, polyp and tumor formations.

Diseases of the gallbladder: cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia (including large-scale inflammation of the gallbladder, impairing digestive functions).

Diseases of the pancreas: pancreatitis.

Diseases of the spleen: cyst, tumor formations and other types of pathological conditions.

Bowel diseases: colitis, duodenitis, dysbiosis, enterocolitis, parasitic invasions.

Signs of gastrointestinal diseases

The main signs of diseases of the digestive system include:

• Pain of any nature in the stomach area;
• heartburn after eating;
• heaviness in the stomach after eating;
• bitterness in the mouth, unpleasant odor or belching;
• lack of appetite;
• stool disorder;
• nausea or vomiting after eating;
• drastic weight loss;
• flatulence;
• acne, pimples and rashes, poor condition of the skin, nails and hair do not go away.

One or more of these signs are characteristic of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The specialists of our gastroenterology department are always ready to help you.

Causes of gastroenterological problems

Most often, gastrointestinal diseases occur for a number of internal and external reasons.

It is customary to refer to the main reasons for the occurrence of such problems:

• improper unbalanced and irregular nutrition;
• the presence of bad habits, primarily smoking and alcohol consumption, which negatively affect the liver and stomach walls;
• the presence in the body of inflammatory processes, infections and bacteria that can irritate the walls of the stomach or intestines;
• impaired immunity: may contribute to the development of inflammation;
• intake of a number of drugs, primarily antibiotics, which disrupt the intestinal microflora.

We recommend visiting a gastroenterologist not only when you find one or more signs of gastrointestinal diseases, but also on a planned basis.

An appointment with a gastroenterologist is carried out on the website in the form of an “appointment” or by phone 8 (812) 67-97-202.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease and its treatment

For the last 15 – 20 years, reflux disease has been one of the first among diseases of the digestive system.In developed countries, this disease is detected in 20-40% of the adult population. Many foreign scientists believe that reflux disease will become the most common disease of the digestive system in the 21st century.

The urgency of the problem of this disease is explained not only by its prevalence, but also by serious complications to which it often leads. Complications of reflux disease include erosion, peptic ulcer of the esophagus, bleeding, cicatricial deformity of the esophagus and the possibility of cancer on this background.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic relapsing disease caused by the regularly repeated “throwing” of stomach contents into the esophagus. This becomes possible when the innervation of the digestive organs is disturbed, which leads to a violation of the peristalsis of the esophagus and to a decrease in the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. As a result of incomplete closure of the sphincter, the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus and the mucous membrane of the esophagus is damaged.

Disorders of the innervation of the digestive system are facilitated by such diseases as: osteochondrosis and hernia of the thoracic spine, hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm, as well as psychogenic factors.

In recent years, numerous studies have confirmed the existence of a link between the opportunistic bacterium Helicobacter pylori (HP), which lives in the stomach, and reflux disease. The total destruction of HP leads more often, approximately 2 times to the development of reflux disease and esophageal cancer.As it turned out, Helicobacter pylori prevents the development of reflux disease and its formidable complications, in addition, HP reduces acid production in the stomach.

Treatment of reflux disease

For the treatment of reflux disease, drugs that reduce the acidity of gastric juice are used.

Recently, for the treatment of this disease, the method of computer reflexology has been used, which, without the use of drug therapy, gives a pronounced and stable clinical effect.This effect is explained by the fact that computerized reflexology allows restoring the innervation of the esophagus both at the segmental level and at the central (subcortical) level. This helps to improve the peristalsis of the esophagus and normalize the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter.

As a result of treatment, the reflux of gastric contents and irritation of the esophageal mucosa are reduced and then completely stopped, the inflammatory response from the mucous membrane is reduced. Erosions and ulcers of the esophageal mucosa heal.Already in the first year, patients notice an improvement in well-being, a decrease in heartburn and belching, an improvement in mood, and restoration of sleep. The appetite improves, the diet is gradually expanded. As a result of treatment, heartburn and belching disappear completely.

Leave a contact and a consulting doctor will contact you

It is important not to miss the time when it is still possible to cure reflux disease without complications. To avoid irreversible changes in the body – do not postpone treatment, send to the registry

A consultant doctor will contact you.

The information on the site is not intended for self-diagnosis and self-medication. If unwell, do not run the disease, seek qualified medical help.

• To come for treatment to the Gavrilova Clinic from another city, do not waste time thinking how to organize all this, call 8-800-55-00-128 from Russia for free, to call from other countries dial +7 846 374-07 -08 or +7 927 725 -11-44 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram). The consultant’s assistant will promptly answer your questions and help you organize your trip as comfortably as possible.
• To make an appointment with a doctor, contact the reception by phone +7 (846) 374-07-08, or via.

Video about treatment in the clinic

Examples of treatment of various diseases

STRANGE ODOR FROM THE MOUTH: WHAT TO DO? – IPM clinic for children in Krasnoyarsk

03/17/2017

The appearance of bad breath (halitosis) should alert every parent. The reasons for the appearance of odor at any age can be caused by various diseases.When such a symptom appears, it is necessary to diagnose, determine the cause and, if possible, eliminate it.

Reasons:

• Lack of moisture in the body – leads to increased viscosity of saliva, impaired digestion, which provokes halitosis. A breastfed baby receives a sufficient amount of water; it is necessary to supplement with boiled water only in hot weather. From 4 years old, a child should receive 1.5 liters of liquid per day, most of which should be boiled water.
• Non-observance of oral hygiene – poor oral hygiene contributes to the multiplication of putrefactive microorganisms, bacteria, which leads to the appearance of bad breath. This can be especially noticeable after a child’s sleep. After cleansing the oral cavity with a brush and paste, the phenomena of halitosis disappear.
• Improper nutrition – leads to the appearance of halitosis, in the case of overeating by the child, or the predominance of fatty, fried foods with onions and garlic in the child’s food. In this case, correction of the child’s nutrition will help.
• Stressful situation – as well as strong emotional upheavals, children have a very strong effect, causing dry mouth, which causes bad breath. When a stressful situation arises, it is necessary to give the baby sour juice or water, suck on a tangerine, which helps to improve salivation and reduces bad breath.
• With acetonemic syndrome – there is a smell of acetone or a chemical solvent from the baby. If this is still accompanied by an increase in temperature, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance and solder the child with boiled water, often a teaspoon, before the ambulance arrives.A weak acetone odor occurs with kidney disease, pancreas, helminthic invasion, diabetes mellitus, and dysbiosis. In this case, you need to urgently consult a doctor.
• Diseases of the nasopharynx – ARVI, Angina, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, stomatitis, caries – provoke the appearance of an unpleasant putrid odor from the mouth, which disappears after the child recovers. If a child has a headache, a burning sensation in the nose, a white tongue, nasal congestion, a cough against the background of an infection, it is urgent to show the child to a pediatrician, dentist, otolaryngologist for examination and treatment of your baby.
• Foreign body (beads, buttons, pieces of food) in the nostril can cause a strong putrid odor against the background of profuse nasal discharge. It is necessary to consult an otolaryngologist or contact an emergency room to remove a foreign body.
• In case of inflammatory processes in the stomach, intestines, reflux – the child develops a sour odor from the mouth, which may indicate an increase in the acidity of gastric juice or its throw into the esophagus. The appearance of the smell of rotten eggs, the appearance of belching and white bloom on the tongue are manifestations of gastritis, ulcers, and liver disease.It is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist.
• In case of liver disease – (hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver), the baby has a sugary sweet smell from the mouth. Consultation of a gastroenterologist is required.
• For biliary dyskinesia – chemical smell is characteristic. With a poor outflow of bile, a bile odor appears. In this case, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs and contact a gastroenterologist.
• With increased bleeding of the gums and periodontal disease, the smell of chlorine is characteristic.In this case, you must contact your dentist.
• Smell Iodine – can speak either of an excess of iodine, after a long stay at sea, as well as in case of thyroid pathology. In children under one year old, the appearance of an iodine odor may indicate the presence of a Klebsiella infection.

Treatment of unpleasant odor

Special treatment, in most cases of halitosis, is not required. Full care of teeth, gums is necessary, from adjusting nutrition, reducing the consumption of sweets, drinking enough liquid and the unpleasant odor will disappear. If the odor persists, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician and be examined.

As a preventive measure, I recommend:

1. Observe oral hygiene – brush the child’s teeth 2 times a day, after meals, starting with the appearance of the first tooth.
2. Complete, proper nutrition, containing vegetables, fruits, dairy products.
3. Drinking enough liquid, drinking water.
4. Observation of the dentist every 6 months, otolaryngologist.
5. Eliminate sweets from the diet.

Considering the above, if a child still has bad breath, it is necessary to humidify the room where the child is in order to restore proper salivation and help moisturize the mucous membrane.

Be healthy!

WHY THERE IS A METAL TASTE IN THE MOUTH

Metallic taste in the mouth – causes of iron taste in the mouth

Contents

• Metallic taste in the mouth – Causes
• Diseases capable of causing metallic taste in the mouth
  • Anemia
  • Hypovitaminosis
  • Diseases of the digestive system
  • Diseases of the oral cavity
  • Fungal infection of ENT organs
  • Poisoning
  • Diabetes mellitus
• How to get rid of a metallic taste in your mouth

A person can taste salty, sweet, bitter and sour for no apparent reason.But, most often, people are worried about the taste of metal.

Taste of metal in the mouth in women: symptoms

• Taste of metal in the mouth in women with anemia
• Taste of metal in the mouth in women with hormonal changes
• Taste of metal in the mouth in women with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and biliary tract
• Taste of metal in the mouth in women with diseases of ENT organs
• Taste of metal in the mouth in women with diseases of the oral cavity

causes of metallic taste in the mouth

There are many reasons for the taste of iron in the mouth.A similar condition can = the use of mineral water, which contains a large amount of iron ions. Untreated tap water can have a similar effect. – poor quality of the pipes through which it passes. It’s no secret that most of them are covered with rust inside, the particles of which are often mixed with the “life-giving moisture”.

– use of cast iron or aluminum utensils for cooking. Especially if you cook foods containing acids in such containers. In this case, acids react with metals and dishes acquire a specific taste, which is subsequently felt in the mouth.

– medicines. For example, a metallic taste is a side effect of Tetracycline, Metronidazole, Lansporazole and many other drugs – a consequence of taking some dietary supplements.Accordingly, as soon as the course of treatment with them is over, the discomfort will disappear.

– Not often, but still give an iron taste, metal crowns, especially if they start to deteriorate. Under the action of acids, metal ions are formed and create a specific taste.

the use of mineral water, which contains a large amount of iron ions. Untreated tap water can have a similar effect. – poor quality of the pipes through which it passes.It’s no secret that most of them are covered with rust inside, the particles of which are often mixed with the “life-giving moisture”.

Diseases that can cause metallic taste in the mouth

. Let’s consider the most common ones.

Anemia

Oddly enough, a lack of iron in the body or anemia very often causes a metal taste in the mouth. In addition, weakness, drowsiness, dizziness and headaches, loss of strength, heart palpitations may indicate its presence, often the disease is accompanied by a violation of smell and taste.In more severe cases, severe pallor, dry skin, brittle hair and nails, a feeling of dry mouth, cracks in the corners of the lips.

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Often, gastrointestinal diseases, latent or obvious bleeding, unbalanced nutrition and an increased need for the body’s iron lead to anemia – during periods of intensive growth, breastfeeding or carrying a child.By the way, this explains why a metallic taste in the mouth so often occurs during pregnancy.

– Hypovitaminosis

Hypovitaminosis develops due to a lack of vitamins in the body. Signs of this condition are metallic taste, increased fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritability, decreased intellectual and physical abilities. In this case, the main method of treatment is taking vitamin complexes and adjusting the diet.

– Diseases of the digestive system

Problems with the digestive system are often accompanied by unpleasant tastes in the mouth, including metallic ones. Its occurrence may indicate the presence of diseases such as:

• Diseases of the gallbladder (cholangitis, dyskinesia, cholecystitis, etc.). Signs of these diseases are pain in the right hypochondrium, stool disorders, a metallic or bitter taste in the mouth.
• Most liver diseases . They are usually accompanied by nausea, decreased appetite, weight loss, changes in taste, and often a metallic taste.
• Decreased stomach acidity . In addition to the taste of iron in the mouth, low acidity is usually indicated by belching with a smell that resembles the smell of a rotten egg, bloating, dull pain after eating, constipation, or vice versa, diarrhea, heartburn.
• Bowel diseases .They are often accompanied by a plaque in the tongue.
• Stomach ulcer . This problem can be signaled by severe pain, often they occur on an empty stomach or at night, vomiting, belching, heartburn. This condition can be complemented by a metallic taste.

diseases of the oral cavity

– inflammatory disease of the tongue – glossitis, the development of which can be promoted by all kinds of injuries, too hot food, alcohol, burning spices, burns, etc.- appears due to bleeding gums . Moreover, even the most insignificant bleeding, which is not noticeable visually, can provoke it. – the cause of this phenomenon is often stomatitis , gingivitis, periodontal disease and other problems of the oral cavity.

Fungal infection of ENT organs

– Prolonged otitis media, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis or sinusitis are not always signs of malignant bacterial or viral inflammation, they are often caused by fungal infections.In addition to the metallic taste in the mouth, depending on the infection of a particular organ by the fungus, this condition may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• tickling and dry mouth , increased sensitivity of the mucous membrane to hot, salty or spicy foods, white bloom on the tonsils or oral mucosa;
• discharge from the ear, pain and hearing loss, noise and itching in the ears;
• heaviness and pain in the paranasal sinuses, nosebleeds;
• dry cough and voice changes;

A metal taste in the mouth, combined with severe abdominal pain, dizziness, increased thirst, nausea, muscle pain, is usually a symptom of metal or metal salt poisoning.For example, the ingestion of lead, arsenic, mercury, copper salts, etc., can lead to such consequences. In the presence of such signs, it is imperative to consult a doctor, since poisoning with such substances can lead to serious consequences, sometimes even death.

Diabetes mellitus

The taste of iron in the mouth, the causes of which lie in the presence of diabetes mellitus, is usually accompanied by increased dryness in the mouth and a constant feeling of thirst.These symptoms may be supplemented by deterioration of vision, increased appetite, itching of the skin. In the presence of such signs, it is necessary to pass tests as soon as possible to determine the blood sugar level.

How to get rid of the metallic taste in your mouth

If you dream that an unpleasant metallic taste will never bother you again, you need to understand the reasons that contributed to its appearance. To do this, you should visit a doctor, undergo an examination and, if necessary, start treating diseases.You can temporarily eliminate the unpleasant phenomenon using simple home methods:

• Eat a lemon wedge or rinse your mouth with slightly acidified water.
• Prepare a solution of half a glass of water and a teaspoon of salt, and then rinse your mouth with it several times.
• Spices can help get rid of the unpleasant aftertaste. Cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger work best for this. They can be simply chewed or added to teas.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.Tomatoes, grapefruits, lemons, tangerines and oranges are especially useful in combating the metallic taste in the mouth. These foods increase the production of saliva and thereby help relieve discomfort.
• For many, foods that have a sweet taste help reduce the annoying taste of iron.

Also, pay sufficient attention to oral hygiene. Try to brush your teeth every time you eat. Do not forget to cleanse your tongue as well, as it accumulates a lot of bacteria that can cause discomfort in the mouth.Also floss daily.

Causes of metallic taste in the mouth in women

It is women who often turn to the doctor with complaints of an unpleasant sensation of iron taste in the mouth. This is not surprising, since, for the most part, they more closely monitor the health and changes in the body’s reactions, and also have the strongest organoleptic sensitivity.

Usually the metal taste on the tongue appears unexpectedly and also suddenly disappears.This is often associated with unusual and new foods. Sometimes an unpleasant taste does not pass for a long time after the onset, from which the woman begins to worry, because she does not understand what this means and indicates some problems.

Various factors influence the development of iron flavor:

• hormonal changes – the changes occurring in the female body owe a lot to hormones: progesterone and estrogen;
• diet – the specificity and imbalance of the products used can cause taste changes;
• taking medications – medications entering the body (antibiotics of the tetracycline group, metronidazole, feramide and some dietary supplements) can cause side effects, one of which is a metallic taste in the mouth;
• eating sugar substitutes and sweeteners (saccharin), as well as some types of mineral water.

Taste of metal during pregnancy

Some women say that a sudden metallic taste in the mouth is a sign of pregnancy. There is no justification for this statement, however, during the period of bearing a baby, a change in taste in the oral cavity is possible, for which there are several reasons.

A couple of days after the woman finds out that she is pregnant, and up to 12-14 weeks of gestation, major changes occur in the maternal body.

1. Hormonal background – the balance of estrogen and progesterone changes, which affects the taste of the expectant mother.
2. Enhanced sense of smell – due to altered hormonal levels, a clearer and stronger perception of odors occurs, and this is known to be directly related to the perceived taste of food.
3. Vitamin complexes – prenatal vitamins can affect the taste in the mouth due to their minerals and other beneficial components.
4. Gastroesophageal reflux – frequent urge to vomit, nausea and belching of gastric contents can cause an unpleasant taste of metal.

Common causes of iron taste in the mouth in both men and women

• tap water – drinking tap water without using filters can disturb the functioning of the body, because the condition of the pipes leaves much to be desired: they are covered with rust, are rarely cleaned, additives used for water purification settle on the walls;
• aluminum cookware – cooking food in a cast iron or aluminum pan may cause a taste disturbance after eating;
• poisoning – ingestion of salts of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic compounds can cause serious disturbances.At the same time, dizziness, general weakness, signs of intoxication, nausea, severe pain in the muscles and abdomen are noted. This means that you should definitely visit a doctor, because such poisoning can be harmful to health and life-threatening;
• after a cold – having had ARVI, many patients say that when they cough, they taste iron in their mouth. You should visit a pulmonologist, since this symptom may indicate a developing inflammation of the bronchi;
• tooth-substituting structures – if there are crowns made of different types of metal in the oral cavity, this can cause oxidation of one of them, while the patient feels his tongue go numb, and also complains of a sour metallic taste;
• bleeding gums – after cleaning your teeth in the morning, a metallic taste in the mouth is possible due to blood, because it contains iron ions;
• low stomach acidity – in addition to the taste of iron, belching and pain after eating indicate a violation;
• electronic cigarettes are a popular way for men to quit nicotine, when smoking occurs vaping (steam release), and if the device is made poorly, then a metallic taste in the mouth is possible.

Why is there a metallic taste in the mouth and due to what diseases?

The arising taste of metal sometimes signals that a malfunction has occurred in the body’s work, and some kind of disease has appeared. There are a great many diseases accompanied by this unpleasant symptom. We will try to analyze in detail the most common of them:

• anemia – iron deficiency in the body can manifest itself not only with a metallic taste in the mouth.With this disease, dry skin, brittle hair and nails are observed. The patient is worried about headaches from low pressure, weakness, increased heartbeat. Often anemia occurs against the background of gastric diseases, latent bleeding, malnutrition;
• diseases of the digestive system – the gastrointestinal tract is directly connected with the oral cavity, therefore, many diseases are reflected in the change in taste sensations. With pathology of the gallbladder, there is pain in the right hypochondrium, impaired defecation, and bitterness in the mouth is also felt.If the liver is worried, then the patient has no appetite due to a feeling of nausea, which results in weight loss. In case of intestinal diseases, plaque on the back of the tongue is often added to the taste of iron. When a stomach ulcer is found in a patient, this is accompanied by severe pain, bloody vomiting is possible, which causes a violation of taste;
• hypovitaminosis – insufficient intake of vitamins affects health, with a metallic taste, a person feels tired, irritated, and mental and physical indicators decrease;
• diabetes mellitus – this pathology also contributes to the formation of a metallic taste.In addition, there is a dry mouth, severe thirst, itching of the skin, an increase in appetite and a drop in vision. If such symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor and measure the amount of sugar in your blood;
• otorhinolaryngological diseases – when a fungus of the ENT organs is affected, an unpleasant taste occurs, in addition, there is a dry mouth, as well as a violation of the perception of the taste of salty, sweet and bitter foods. There may be coughing and discomfort in the throat, as well as in the paranasal sinuses.
• uncontrolled intake of dietary supplements or weight loss drugs – exceeding the recommended dose of vitamins, dietary supplements or taking uncertified weight loss drugs can also cause body poisoning, one of the symptoms of which will be a metallic taste in the mouth;
• Prolonged dehydration – Sometimes women, in order to lose weight or get rid of edema, reduce the amount of fluid they drink, which makes them dehydrated, manifested by dry mouth, dizziness, weakness and a metallic taste in the mouth.

• prolonged wearing of metal watches , bracelets or other massive jewelry – with constant contact of the skin with metal, metal ions may enter the body, the excess of which causes the appearance of a metallic taste;
• Occupational hazards – Working with heavy metals in production or mining can cause a metallic taste in the mouth, in the absence of other signs of illness.

In addition to the above reasons, a metallic taste in the mouth can appear with the following diseases:

1. Anemia – it is the iron deficiency in the body that most often causes the taste of iron in the mouth. Iron deficiency occurs in about half of women of reproductive age, children during periods of active growth, and people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With anemia, in addition to the taste of iron, the patient’s performance decreases, weakness, headaches, dry skin and mucous membranes, brittle hair and nails appear.
   1. Diseases of the oral cavity – gingivitis, stomatitis, periodontitis, glossitis and even caries, can cause an unpleasant taste in the mouth. In addition to the metallic taste, bleeding gums, increased sensitivity of tooth enamel and bad breath are usually worried.
   2. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract – gastritis, stomach ulcers with low acidity, diseases of the intestines, gallbladder and liver are often accompanied by belching, heartburn and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
   3. ENT diseases – organs – chronic sinusitis, otitis media, pharyngitis and sinusitis can also cause a metallic taste. If the disease does not respond to traditional therapy, and in addition to the usual symptoms of the disease, the patient develops an unpleasant odor from the mouth and a metal taste in the mouth, it is necessary to exclude a fungal infection.
   4. Diabetes mellitus – a strong taste of iron that does not disappear for a long time, can be caused by an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood.Therefore, if, in addition to an unpleasant taste, the patient is worried about weakness, strong thirst, excessive sweating, a sharp increase or decrease in weight, it is urgent to do a blood test to determine the blood sugar level.
   5. Hypovitaminosis – a decrease in the concentration of B vitamins, vitamin C, E and some others, in addition to weakness, sleep disturbances, appetite and general deterioration, can also cause an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
   6. Allergic reactions – sometimes, due to inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane, taste buds stop working normally, the result of this can be a change in the taste of familiar dishes and the appearance of an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
   7. Neurological disorders – any pathology of the central nervous system or peripheral nerves can lead to a change in taste sensations, including an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
   8. Neoplasms – in some cases, a metallic taste in the mouth becomes the first symptom of a tumor growing inside the body, which the patient pays attention to. With neoplasms, patients may be concerned about weakness, decreased appetite, sudden weight loss, headaches and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

10. Heavy metal poisoning – sometimes a metallic taste in the mouth indicates a serious disruption to life that occurs when large amounts of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, vanadium and other hazardous components enter the body. If, in addition to the metal taste, symptoms such as dizziness, thirst, abdominal pain, vomiting, loss of consciousness, blurred vision or tremors are troubling, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.Poisoning with such substances can cause serious complications or even death of the patient.

But if pregnancy, neurology or other non-pathological conditions became the cause of the appearance of a metallic taste, you can try to get rid of it at home. For this you need:

• rinse your mouth more often with slightly acidified water or water with lemon juice;
• Pay more attention to oral hygiene and use dental floss after every meal;

90,015 drink tea with the addition of cinnamon, cardamom or ginger – all these spices can also be simply chewed between meals;

• adding citrus fruits to your diet – oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and lemons will help freshen the oral cavity and get rid of an unpleasant aftertaste for several hours;
• replace metal utensils with high-quality ceramics or utensils with a special coating;
• use only purified water for drinking and cooking;
• from time to time dissolve mint candies and cough drops – candies with mint or lozenges will help to quickly get rid of not only the taste, but also the bad breath, but it is, of course, not recommended to abuse such a remedy.

Taste of metal in the mouth for diseases of the digestive system

The cause of the metallic taste in the mouth is most often associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The presence of this symptom is especially characteristic for chronic gastritis with increased secretory function and gastric ulcer. At first, the disease is asymptomatic, but after a while the patient experiences discomfort in the upper abdomen, appearing or worsening during eating or shortly after eating.Sour belching, an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth, and heartburn may also be troubling. Periodically occurring heartburn suggests that the process of transition of food mass from the stomach to the duodenum is disrupted and part of the food mass is thrown into the esophagus.

With lesions of the lower part of the stomach – antrum – the disease can proceed for a long time in the form of superficial gastritis with increased secretory function. This disease can be manifested by constipation, diarrhea, increased gas production and metallic tastes in the mouth.

Often a metallic taste in the mouth appears with liver diseases – hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver. With any of these diseases, liver function can be impaired, which is accompanied by nausea, sometimes vomiting, decreased appetite and severe weakness.

Diseases of the biliary tract and gallbladder – dyskinesia, cholangitis, cholecystitis can also be accompanied by a metallic taste in the mouth and attacks of pain in the right hypochondrium.

All diseases of the digestive system require a complete examination.Only after a definitive diagnosis has been made can adequate treatment be prescribed. After the treatment and restoration of the impaired functions of these organs, the taste of metal in the mouth will disappear.

Metal taste in the mouth with iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is a blood disease in which erythrocytes contain an insufficient amount of hemoglobin, a substance that carries oxygen to tissues. At the same time, patients are worried about weakness, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, fainting, headache, drowsiness.The skin and mucous membranes become pale, dry, cracks appear on the lips, in the anus, which become the gateway for infection to enter the body. Skin appendages become dry and brittle – hair and nails, nails exfoliate, hair falls out.

The characteristic symptoms of iron deficiency anemia are taste disturbances (often such patients feel a constant metallic taste in their mouth, they develop an addiction to certain substances, for example, eat lime, chalk) and smell (enjoy the smells of gasoline, kerosene, asphalt).The advanced stages of the disease are accompanied by severe muscle weakness, lethargy, which, combined with frequent fainting, deprives patients of working capacity.

The cause of the metallic taste in the mouth in this case is iron deficiency anemia; after the treatment of the underlying disease (it is carried out with iron preparations), the metallic taste in the mouth disappears.

Gastroscopy (FGDS) | Health Clinic Diagnostic Center on Maroseyka

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS), or gastroscopy, is an examination of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Endoscopic examination of the esophagus, stomach walls, duodenum using special equipment – a gastroscope. The procedure can be both diagnostic and therapeutic.

During the study there is the possibility of taking a smear, extracting foreign bodies, resecting the tumor.

Why do gastroscopy

Indications for examination of the mucous membrane are:

• Pain in the abdomen, stomach
• Nausea, vomiting, including mixed with blood
• Heartburn after eating, frequent belching
• Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract, including vomiting with brown blood.
• Black chair – melena
• Poor passage of food when swallowing, including food stuck in the pharynx
• Sensation of being hit by a foreign body
• Suspected neoplasm
• Suspected cancer (anemia, weight loss, lack of appetite)
• Development of pancreatitis.
• Bougie (damage) of the esophagus.
• Determination of gastric acidity.
• Monitoring the condition of the mucous surface after surgery.
• The need to take material for a biopsy.

Diseases of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract, in which it is necessary to know the state of the gastric mucosa (for example, Crohn’s disease of the upper digestive tract, celiac disease, malabsorption syndrome, acute pancreatitis, etc.), diagnosis of varicose veins of the esophagus and cardiac stomach with chronic liver diseases.

Still have questions about the need for gastroscopy? Call: +7 (495) 628-22-05

Where can I get a gastroscopy

You can do a gastroscopy at our diagnostic center located in the very center of Moscow. A stone’s throw from metro “Kitay-Gorod” Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line, on Maroseyka. The clinic is equipped with the most modern endoscopic equipment.

The patients of the Diagnostic Center of the Health Clinic are provided with free parking.Reservation of a place for a car is made no later than one hour before arrival at the clinic. Call: +7 (495) 628-22-05

Preparation for procedure

The procedure is carried out strictly on an empty stomach.

It is better to schedule diagnostics in the morning. Do not eat for at least 12 hours before the procedure. Do not drink water 8 hours before the procedure.

Stop taking medications within three days in agreement with your doctor. If this is not possible, you must inform your doctor about the list of medications you are taking.

If you are taking medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin and other anticoagulants, we recommend that you refrain from taking them for a while, preferably 10 days before the gastroscopy procedure, having previously agreed with your doctor. If this is not possible, be sure to notify your doctor before the procedure.

Do not smoke or brush your teeth before the procedure.

How the procedure is carried out

The procedure is painless.The experience of our specialists allows us to reduce to a minimum, or to get rid of discomfort altogether.

In order to make the procedure comfortable, we perform local anesthesia before inserting the gastroscope.

After the anesthetic, a thin endoscope probe (probe diameter 7 mm) is gently and slowly inserted into the throat. In this case, the breathing process is not disturbed. Gradually the endoscope moves in the esophagus lumen. The gastroscope displays the resulting image. The doctor examines the condition of the mucous membrane.

Thus, infections, inflammation, foci of ulcers, tumors of various etiologies are diagnosed.

The total session time is about 15 minutes.

RECORD ON GASTROSCOPY

What happens after gastroscopy

The gastroscopy procedure is painless. Rarely there is a slight discomfort after the procedure (belching)

Immediately after EGD, you should lie down and rest a little. For relaxation, we will offer a day hospital ward. You can eat in half an hour or an hour after the procedure. Over the next day, you need to completely eliminate alcohol, and do not eat very hot and spicy food.

How often can the procedure be done

As a rule, FGDS is prescribed twice. The first time a session is needed to make a diagnosis. The secondary procedure allows you to assess the degree of effectiveness of medical therapy.

However, if there is a stomach ulcer, chronic stages of gastrointestinal diseases, malignant formations on the walls of the organ, then the examination is carried out three to four times a year to control the state of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

In the process of treating gastritis, the procedure is prescribed up to three times a year.The information content of the method is high, therefore, it is impossible to replace gastroscopy with other types of research.

The frequency of sessions is at least one month.

Safety of gastroscopy

If you follow the preparation for the procedure, then gastroscopy does not cause discomfort. Do not worry, do not worry before the procedure. Try to get a good night’s sleep before the diagnosis.

The gastroscope does not injure the mucous membrane.

The technique does not cause unpleasant consequences and complications, therefore it is used often.

Contraindications

Like any other diagnostic procedure, gastroscopy has its limitations. Before making an appointment, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Find out more by phone: +7 (495) 628-22-05

Prices for gastroscopy procedures FGDS and EGDS

Special prices are valid for patients who applied to the clinic on their own – not through the portals for finding doctors and diagnostics.

If you have not found a service in the price list, please call us at +7 (495) 961-27-67,
You will be given the necessary information.