Have the stomach flu? Discover 4 proven ways to treat the symptoms at home, including managing fluids, eating the right foods, avoiding heavy foods, and getting plenty of rest.

Understanding the Stomach Flu

The stomach flu, also known as viral gastroenteritis, is a common and highly contagious condition caused by a variety of viruses, primarily norovirus. The main symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, often accompanied by a low-grade fever, chills, and muscle aches.

Unlike the influenza virus that causes the flu, the stomach flu is not prevented by the flu shot. The illness is typically spread through the fecal-oral route, meaning the viruses from infected feces or vomit can find their way into the mouth, either by touching a contaminated surface and then touching the face or by consuming contaminated foods or water.

Distinguishing the Stomach Flu from Food Poisoning

The symptoms of the stomach flu and food poisoning can overlap, making it challenging to determine the underlying cause. However, there are some key differences. If the symptoms occur within hours of consuming a questionable food item, and others who ate the same food also experience similar issues, it’s likely food poisoning. On the other hand, if you’re the only one affected and the symptoms appear more gradually, it’s more likely the stomach flu.

Differentiating the Stomach Flu from COVID-19

Adding to the confusion, some individuals with COVID-19 also experience gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, these symptoms typically develop in the first couple of days and are often followed by other respiratory or cold-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, cough, and fatigue.

If you experience nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, it’s important to monitor for the development of additional symptoms and consider getting tested for COVID-19, especially if you notice a progression in your illness.

Treating the Stomach Flu at Home

While there is no specific medical treatment for viral gastroenteritis, there are several effective self-care steps you can take to manage the symptoms and aid in recovery:

1. Keep Drinking the Right Fluids

Maintaining proper hydration is crucial to prevent dehydration. In addition to water, older children and adults can drink sports drinks, while babies and young children can have an oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte. If your child is vomiting, try giving them a few teaspoons of fluid every few minutes. Breastfeeding babies can continue to breastfeed. Avoid sugary drinks like juices or sodas, as they can worsen diarrhea.

2. Eat the Right Foods

If you don’t have much of an appetite, start with liquid-only intake for a short period. When you’re ready to eat, stick to boiled starches (potatoes, noodles, rice, wheat, and oats) and plain cereals with salt, which can help with watery diarrhea. You can also try crackers, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables.

3. Avoid Heavy Foods

Until you’re feeling better, steer clear of dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly-seasoned foods, as these can exacerbate your symptoms.

4. Get Plenty of Rest

The illness and dehydration can be draining, so make sure to get plenty of rest to aid in your recovery.

For adults under 65 with a new bout of diarrhea, no fever, and no blood in their bowel movements, over-the-counter medications like loperamide (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) may provide temporary relief for one to two days. However, children and adults over 65 should consult their healthcare provider before taking these medications.

Seeking Medical Attention

While the stomach flu typically resolves within a week or two, it’s important to watch for signs of dehydration, such as excessive thirst, dizziness, or decreased urination. If these symptoms persist or worsen, or if you experience severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, or high fever, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly.

Remember, the most important steps in managing the stomach flu at home are to stay hydrated, eat the right foods, avoid heavy or problematic items, and get plenty of rest. By following these guidelines, you can help your body recover and get back to feeling your best.

Have the Stomach Flu? 4 Ways to Treat Symptoms at Home

There’s almost nothing worse than being bent over a toilet throwing up. And, sadly, it can be hard to know what caused you to be there in the first place. Kelli Miller, ANP, UnityPoint Health, lists the symptoms of the stomach flu and how long it lasts, plus ways to feel better, so you can get out of the bathroom and get back to normal.

Stomach Flu Symptoms

Miller says it’s easy to get confused about the difference between influenza, or “the flu,” and gastroenteritis, better known as “the stomach flu.” The stomach flu is caused by a number of viruses, mainly norovirus, which accounts for more than 50 percent of all cases, and others, like rotavirus. Bacteria, such salmonella and E. coli, can also be to blame. Getting the flu shot does not prevent you from getting the stomach flu, but it does prevent you from getting influenza.

“Stomach flu symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” Miller says. “A low-grade fever, chills and muscle aches aren’t uncommon to experience as well. Symptoms can start as little as 12 hours after exposure.”

These symptoms can last anywhere from one to 14 days, and unfortunately, the stomach flu is extremely contagious.

“The stomach flu is spread by the fecal-oral route, which means the viruses from infected feces or vomit find their way into our mouths from either touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face or eating/drinking contaminated foods and/or water. Compared to other viruses, noroviruses can live for days on household surfaces, which is why they spread easily,” Miller says.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning

Miller says the clinical symptoms of the stomach flu and food poisoning overlap quite a bit, as you can have vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and fever with either one. She says the easiest way to determine the cause of your discomfort is to look back at your recent history.

“If your symptoms are caused by food poisoning, they tend to occur within hours after eating something. If you can recall eating something questionable, or if others who ate the same thing as you and have similar symptoms, you probably have food poisoning. If you are the only one who got sick, you more than likely picked up a viral illness,” Miller says. 

Stomach Flu vs. COVID-19

To make matters even more confusing, some people with COVID-19 (about 20% according to studies) experience stomach issues including nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Most people with those symptoms usually report developing them in the first couple of days and then go on to experience other respiratory or cold-like symptoms like fever, headache, cough and fatigue.

If you experience nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, keep an eye out for other symptoms that may follow. If you notice a progression in the illness, talk with your doctor about getting tested for COVID-19. Remember, if you’re feeling sick, stay home and continue to wash your hands frequently.

How to Treat the Stomach Flu at Home

Miller says there’s often no specific medical treatment for viral gastroenteritis. Antibiotics aren’t effective against viruses and overusing them can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. She recommends treating the stomach flu with the following self-care steps:

• Keep drinking the right fluids. You’ll need to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration. In addition to water, older children and adults can drink sports drinks, like Gatorade, Power Aid, while babies and young children can have an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte. If your child is vomiting, you can try to give your child a few teaspoons of fluid every few minutes. Babies who breastfeed can continue to breastfeed. But, you should avoid drinks with increased sugar content, such as juices or sodas, which can make diarrhea worse.
• Eat the right foods. If you don’t have an appetite, you should resort to drinking only liquids for a short period of time. Boiled starches (potatoes, noodles, rice, wheat and oats) and plain cereals with salt are recommended, if you have watery diarrhea. You may also try crackers, bananas, soup and boiled vegetables.
• Avoid heavy foods. On the other hand, you should avoid certain foods until you are feeling better. These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and fatty or highly-seasoned foods.
• Get plenty of rest. The illness or dehydration can make you feel tired.

“Adults under 65 years old with a new bout of diarrhea, with no fever or blood in bowel movements, can take medicine to stop diarrhea, such as loparmide (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicyclate (Pepto Bismal) for one to two days, if they’re not allergic to these medications. Children and adults over the age of 65 should check with their health care provider before taking any over-the-counter medicines,” Miller says.

As contagious as it is, keeping your family from catching the stomach flu can be tricky. Miller offers these tips to protect against the viral infections that cause gastroenteritis:

• Immunize little ones. Infants can be immunized with the rotavirus vaccine. This is offered at 2, 4 and 6 months old during well-child visits.
• Simply wash your hands. Wash your hands often to stop the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer works after being in public as well.
• Give your home the once-over. Use household cleaning products to disinfect surfaces and objects, like countertops, doorknobs, handles, sinks, toilets, computer keyboards and phones.
• Separate your laundry loads. Wash laundry of those recovering from the stomach flu in different loads than the rest of your family.
• Keep your distance. Try to keep your children, especially newborns, away from anyone who is sick. If someone in your family is sick, stay home and do not go to work, school or day care. You should be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.

When the Stomach Flu Requires a Doctor

While most stomach illnesses pass on their own, there are cases when medical attention is necessary. Miller recommends watching for signs of severe dehydration:

• Increased thirst
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Confusion
• Increased heart rate over 100 beats per minute
• Increased breathing rate
• Dizziness, including when standing from a sitting or laying position
• Passing out
• Fatigue
• Dark yellow or amber colored urine
• No urination within the past six to eight hours (during the day)

In addition to severe dehydration, Miller also says the following are causes for concern, and if you experience these, contact your provider:

• Bloody stool/rectal bleeding or blood in vomit
• Vomiting for more than 24 hours
• Fever greater than 104 degrees
• Weight loss
• Severe abdominal pain
• Prolonged symptoms lasting more than a week
• Are currently pregnant

Lastly, call your baby’s doctor right away if your baby:

• Has vomiting lasting several hours
• Hasn’t had a wet diaper in six hours
• Has bloody stools or severe diarrhea
• Has a sunken soft spot (fontanel) on the top of his or her head
• Has a dry mouth or cries without tears
• Is unusually sleepy, drowsy or unresponsive

If any of these symptoms are present, evaluation by a health care professional is needed right away, and IV hydration may need to be administered or possible admission to the hospital.

Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu): Symptoms and Treatment

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Viral gastroenteritis can cause nausea and vomiting. You can get the virus that causes it from other people or through contaminated foods, drinks, or surfaces. Washing your hands often may help prevent it.

Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation and irritation of your intestines caused by one of a number of viruses, most commonly norovirus or rotavirus. This illness is also known as the stomach flu.

This highly contagious illness spreads through close contact with people who have the virus or through contaminated food or water.

It can easily spread in close quarters, such as:

• childcare facilities
• schools
• nursing homes
• cruise ships

This article will help you understand more about viral gastroenteritis including symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention.

Symptoms of gastroenteritis usually begin shortly after infection. For example, symptoms caused by norovirus typically develop within 12 to 48 hours. Symptoms from adenoviruses may be delayed 3 to 10 days after contact.

Depending on which type of virus you’ve contracted, symptoms can last anywhere from 1 to 14 days. Symptoms often start suddenly over the course of 1 or 2 hours.

Symptoms can include:

• loose, watery diarrhea more than 3 times per day
• fever or chills
• nausea and vomiting
• headache, muscle aches, or joint aches
• sweating or clammy skin
• abdominal cramps and pain
• loss of appetite

Diarrhea caused by viral gastroenteritis isn’t usually bloody. Blood in your stool could be a sign of a more severe infection.

You should seek emergency medical treatment if:

• diarrhea has lasted for 2 days or more without getting less frequent
• your infant develops diarrhea
• blood is present in your diarrhea
• you show or see signs of dehydration, such as dry lips or dizziness

In addition to the above symptoms, you should seek emergency attention for your child if they have the appearance of sunken eyes or if they aren’t making tears when they cry.

Viral gastroenteritis is caused by a number of different viruses. It’s easy for these viruses to spread in group situations. Some of the ways the virus is transmitted include:

• eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water
• being in close contact with someone who has the virus
• sharing utensils or other items with someone who has the virus
• touching contaminated surfaces
• not washing hands properly, especially food handlers

Viral gastroenteritis affects people of all ages all over the world. But some factors can increase the risk of contracting viral gastroenteritis. People who are at a higher risk include:

• children under the age of 5
• older adults, especially those who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities
• people with a compromised or weakened immune system
• those who are often in group settings, such as schools, dormitories, day care, religious gatherings, and other indoor group settings

Other factors that may increase the risk of becoming ill with viral gastroenteritis include:

• being malnourished, especially low levels of vitamin A or zinc
• recent travel to developing countries
• antibiotic or antacid use
• anal intercourse

Several different types of viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis. The most common include:

• norovirus
• rotavirus
• adenovirus
• astrovirus

Let’s look at each of these viruses in more detail.

Norovirus

Norovirus is highly contagious and can affect anyone at any age. It spreads through contaminated food, water, and surfaces, or by people who have the virus. Norovirus is common in crowded spaces.

Norovirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the United States and worldwide. Most outbreaks in the United States occur between November and April.

Symptoms include:

• nausea
• diarrhea
• fever
• body aches

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people who become ill with norovirus start to feel better within 1 to 3 days of symptom onset.

Rotavirus

Rotavirus commonly affects infants and young children. Those who contract it can then pass the virus to other children and adults. It’s usually contracted and transmitted via the mouth.

Symptoms typically appear within 2 days of infection and include:

• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• watery diarrhea that lasts anywhere from 3 to 8 days

A rotavirus vaccine was approved for infants in 2006. Early vaccination is recommended to prevent severe rotavirus illnesses in infants and small children.

Adenovirus

The adenovirus affects people of all ages. It can cause several types of illness, including gastroenteritis. The adenovirus can also cause common cold-like symptoms, bronchitis, pneumonia, and pink eye (conjunctivitis).

Children in daycare, especially those under 2 years of age, are more likely to get adenovirus.

Adenovirus is passed through the air via sneezing and coughing, by touching contaminated objects, or by touching the hands of someone with the virus.

Symptoms associated with adenovirus include:

• sore throat
• pink eye
• fever
• coughing
• runny nose

Most children will feel better within a few days of experiencing adenovirus symptoms. However, symptoms such as pink eye may last longer than a few days.

Astrovirus

Astrovirus is another virus that commonly causes gastroenteritis in children. Symptoms associated with astrovirus include:

• diarrhea
• headache
• mild dehydration
• stomach pain

The virus most often affects people in late winter and early spring. It’s transmitted through contact with a person who has the virus or via an infected surface or food.

Symptoms usually appear within 2 to 3 days after initial exposure, and the virus will usually go away within 1 to 4 days.

The main complication of viral gastroenteritis is dehydration, which can be quite severe in babies and young children. Viral gastroenteritis accounts for over 200,000 childhood deaths worldwide per year.

Other complications of viral gastroenteritis include:

• nutritional imbalances
• body weakness or fatigue
• muscle weakness

Dehydration can be life threatening. Call your doctor if you or your child have these symptoms:

• diarrhea lasting more than a few days
• blood in the stool
• confusion or lethargy
• dizziness or feeling like you’re going to faint
• nausea
• dry mouth
• an inability to produce tears
• no urine for more than 8 hours or urine that is dark yellow or brown
• sunken eyes
• sunken fontanel on an infant’s head

Dehydration that accompanies viral gastroenteritis can lead to several complications of its own. These include:

• brain swelling
• coma
• hypovolemic shock, a condition that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough fluid or blood
• kidney failure
• seizures

To prevent complications, get immediate medical attention if you or your child have symptoms of dehydration.

Most of the time, your medical history and physical exam are the basis for diagnosis, especially if there’s evidence that the virus is spreading through your community.

Your doctor may also order a stool sample to test for the type of virus, or to find out if your illness is caused by a parasitic or bacterial infection.

The main focus of treatment is to prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids. In severe cases, hospitalization and intravenous fluids may be necessary.

Over-the-counter oral rehydration solutions (OHS), such as Pedialyte, can be helpful in mild cases. These solutions are easy on your child’s stomach, and contain a balanced mixture of water and salts to replenish essential fluids and electrolytes.

These solutions are available at local pharmacies and don’t require a prescription. However, you should follow the instructions carefully.

Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. Check with your physician before taking any over-the-counter medications.

Shop online for oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte and oral electrolyte products.

Treating diarrhea and vomiting

Diarrhea can be treated in adults with over-the-counter medications such as loperamide (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

Your doctor may also prescribe probiotics to replace the healthy bacteria that’s lost during diarrhea or they may prescribe medications to treat severe vomiting.

What to eat and what to avoid

As you start to feel better and reintroduce foods into your diet, it’s best to opt for bland foods, such as:

• rice
• potatoes
• toast
• bananas
• applesauce

These foods are easier to digest and less likely to cause further stomach upset. Until you’re feeling better, you may want to avoid some types of foods, such as:

• fatty or fried foods
• caffeine
• alcohol
• sugary foods
• dairy products

Self-care steps

If you have viral gastroenteritis, consider these self-care measures to help ease your symptoms and prevent dehydration:

• Drink extra fluids with and between meals. If you have difficulty, try drinking very small amounts of water or sucking on ice chips.
• Avoid fruit juices. These don’t replace the minerals that you’ve lost and can actually increase diarrhea.
• Electrolytes. Children and adults can consume sports drinks to replenish electrolytes. Younger children and infants should use products formulated for children, such as OHS.
• Limit portion sizes. Try to eat food in smaller amounts to help your stomach recover.
• Get lots of rest. Prioritize getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Don’t exert yourself until you feel that you have your usual level of energy and strength.
• Medications. Check with your doctor before taking medications or giving them to children. Never give aspirin to children or teenagers with a viral illness. This can cause Reye’s syndrome, a potentially life threatening condition.

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In addition to rehydrating and resting, there are some natural and home remedies that may help you relieve the symptoms of viral gastroenteritis.

Heating pad or heat pack

If you have abdominal pain, try applying a low-temperature heating pad or a warm heat pack to your stomach. Cover the heating pad with a cloth and don’t leave it on for more than 15 minutes at a time.

The heat can help relax the muscles in your digestive tract and keep them from spasming.

Shop online for heating pads and heat packs.

Brown rice water

Some parents serve rice water to their children. This is the water that remains after boiling brown rice. It’s high in electrolytes and can help with rehydration.

To make rice water:

1. Boil 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water for about 10 minutes until the water becomes cloudy.
2. Strain the rice and keep the water.
3. Cool the rice water before serving.

Ginger

Products containing ginger, such as ginger ale or ginger tea, may help soothe an upset stomach.

A 2019 review of studies found that a divided daily dose of 1,500 milligrams of ginger taken in two parts throughout the day may help reduce nausea. More research needs to be done on ginger’s ability to treat other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Shop online for ginger ale and ginger tea.

Mint

Mint may also have anti-nausea properties similar to those of ginger. Sipping a soothing mint tea may help you feel better.

Studies have found that peppermint oil may help relax the muscles in your gut. It also has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Shop online for mint tea.

Yogurt or kefir

Although dairy products should be avoided when you have your most acute symptoms, eating unflavored yogurt with live active cultures or drinking kefir may help restore your body’s natural bacterial balance after illness.

Shop online for plain yogurt and kefir.

Viral gastroenteritis can spread easily. However, there are some steps you can take to lower your risk of contracting the virus or passing it to others.

Prevention tips

• Wash your hands often, especially after using the bathroom and before food preparation. If necessary, use hand sanitizer until you can access soap and water.
• Don’t share kitchen utensils, plates, or towels if someone in your household is sick.
• Don’t eat raw or undercooked foods.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• Take special precautions to avoid contaminated water and food when traveling. Avoid ice cubes and use bottled water whenever possible.
• Ask your doctor if you should have your infant vaccinated against rotavirus. There are two vaccines, and they’re generally started around 2 months old.

Was this helpful?

Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation and irritation of your intestines caused by one of several types of viruses.

Vomiting and diarrhea are among the most common symptoms. You can get viral gastroenteritis from other people or through contaminated foods, drinks, or surfaces.

Generally, viral gastroenteritis symptoms come on suddenly and pass quickly. If diarrhea lasts longer than 48 hours, be sure to follow up with your doctor.

It’s also a good idea to get medical attention if your infant or young child develops diarrhea because it can lead to serious complications due to dehydration.

causes, what to do, how to treat

Causes of stomach pain

Stomach pain and diarrhea are caused by different factors. The disease depends on the frequency and intensity of pain, on their nature. Diarrhea is associated with a lack of essential digestive enzymes in the body

Diagnosis of causes of pain

To determine the diagnosis, patients are referred for testing. We advise you to use the diagnostic services of the private medical clinic “KDS Clinic”. Specialists will conduct an initial consultation and examinations that will help diagnose diseases in the early stages. All examinations are carried out on modern equipment. Clinic experts are ready to help you at any time

Stomach pain symptoms

Severe stomach pain is considered a clear sign that you have problems with your gastrointestinal tract. In addition to diarrhea, patients have accompanying symptoms:

1. Gastrointestinal tract disorder

   Many begin with diarrhea, among the people – diarrhea, which indicates a violation of digestion. Diarrhea is caused by various factors. Intestinal upset continues several times a day. If this process lasts more than two days, then the patient has chronic diarrhea

2. Nausea and vomiting

   Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by bloody discharge. The patient feels cutting sharp pains in the stomach area

3. Fever

   In an infection that affects the body, patients have a fever. This indicates a serious infectious pathology

4. Lack of appetite

   This symptom is caused by gastritis and ulcers. With such diagnoses, the patient feels a cutting pain in the stomach

5. Bad breath

   This symptom indicates problems with the liver. It is necessary to enter a plentiful drink. A nutritionist will prescribe you an individual diet to stabilize your body

6. Abdominal bloating or flatulence

   Indicates gastrointestinal disturbances

What else do severe cutting pains in the stomach indicate?

Pain in the stomach indicates a malfunction of the esophagus. Among them: liver disease, hepatitis, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, inflammation of the gallbladder. If the localization of pain cannot be determined, then the symptoms are associated with neoplasms.

When the first complaints appear, we advise you to consult a gastroenterologist. The doctor will help to cure the body as quickly as possible. An accurate diagnosis is established after passing examinations and passing tests. Self-diagnosis at home is not possible.

Causes of abdominal pain and diarrhea

Experts categorize a number of underlying causes that cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.

1. Gastritis

   Diarrhea and cutting pains in the stomach are observed on an empty stomach or after taking food, and patients also suffer from vomiting and heartburn. These symptoms are indicative of gastritis. If you start this process and do not go to the clinic on time, then gastritis can turn into a duodenal ulcer. They qualify gastritis with low acidity and gastritis with high acidity. The disease is established only with the help of tests and diagnostic examinations. Therefore, in order to avoid pain and worsening of the condition, contact a medical professional who will prescribe the right treatment for you and select a diet. Endoscopist and gastroenterologist will help to establish an accurate diagnosis

2. Low immunity

   When immunity is weakened, a person begins to have problems with the stomach and other body systems. These processes occur most often in spring and autumn, when the immune system is weakened, and the body is susceptible to colds and diseases. Patients suffer from avitaminosis. An immunocompromised patient needs regular visits to an immunologist. He will prescribe treatment, a suitable diet that will improve the gastrointestinal tract. Patients are prescribed homeopathic treatment. It is efficient

3. Malnutrition

   Stomach pain is caused by the food you eat. At the first manifestations of pain syndromes, you need to change your menu. It is necessary to pay attention to the relationship of pain with food intake and the nature of the food taken. You should add fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, as well as foods rich in vitamins and minerals to your diet. You will save your stomach from diseases and strengthen the whole body.

4. Duodenal ulcer

   This is one of the possible causes of diarrhea, flatulence and stomach pain. This disease appears with malnutrition, with the use of alcohol, fried, fatty and starchy foods. Unpleasant sensations and heartburn during an ulcer occur some time after eating. Pain syndrome occurs no later than one and a half hours after eating

5. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract

   In this condition, a person has severe pain. To understand all the possible causes, it is necessary to establish the intensity of pain in the stomach, their frequency and nature. These data will help to establish accurate diagnoses and exclude other diseases

6. Emotional trauma and stress

   All emotional stress negatively affects the functionality of other organs, and the stomach is no exception. From stress and anxiety, many people get upset and have diarrhea

7. Excessive physical exertion

   Strong physical exertion, overwork and lack of proper sleep will immediately affect the gastrointestinal tract, complexion and other organs

8. Cholecystitis

   Cutting pain in the right hypochondrium indicates inflammation of the gallbladder

Diagnosis of stomach pain and diarrhea

An examination is individually selected for each patient. The patient is sent for testing, which will show the level of indicators in the body. The patient should give:

1. Complete blood count
2. Urinalysis
3. Fecal analysis

Patients are then sent for ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and MRI. Medical specialists in the private clinic “KDS Clinic” will select the treatment for your disease. To make an appointment with a doctor, you can leave an electronic application on the website or call by phone.

Doctors Gastroenterologists

Nagornykh Irina Alexandrovna

Gastroenterologist

Work experience: 33 years

3 000 900 05 Enroll

Prices for services of ultrasound diagnostics (ultrasound)

90 118

Enteroviral infection

09/18/2017

Enterovirus infection is a multiple group of acute infectious diseases that can affect children and adults when infected with viruses of the Enterovirus genus. The insidiousness of the causative agents of enterovirus infection is that they can cause various forms of clinical manifestations, from mild malaise to serious damage to the central nervous system. With the development of an enterovirus infection, the symptoms are characterized by a feverish state and a wide variety of other signs caused by damage to the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, central nervous system and other organs.

How the infection spreads:

The main route of transmission of enterovirus infection is considered fecal-oral .
Household contact , through household items, contaminated hands, if personal hygiene is not observed.
Airborne if the pathogen multiplies in the respiratory tract, when coughing, sneezing.
Waterway – infection can occur when vegetables and fruits are watered with contaminated sewage, as well as when swimming in open contaminated water bodies, according to some reports, even water in coolers is a source of enterovirus infection.
If a pregnant woman is infected with an enterovirus infection, a vertical route of the pathogen’s transmission to the child is also possible.

Enterovirus infection is characterized by summer-autumn seasonality, a person has a very high natural susceptibility, and after the illness, type-specific immunity is maintained for several years.
The incubation period of any enteroviral infections is no more than 2-7 days.

All diseases that can be caused by enteroviruses according to the severity of the inflammatory process can be conditionally divided into 2 groups:0215 Serious diseases
These include acute paralysis, hepatitis, serous meningitis in children and adults, pericarditis, myocarditis, neonatal septic-like diseases, any chronic infections in HIV-infected people (HIV infection: symptoms, stages).
Less severe illness
Conjunctivitis, three-day fever without rash or with rash, herpangina, vesicular pharyngitis, pleurodynia, uveitis, gastroenteritis. Enterovirus D68 can occur with severe cough and bronchopulmonary obstruction.

Symptoms:

Signs of SARS . Children develop perspiration, sore throat, sometimes runny nose, cough, fever. The temperature is high at the first stages, then decreases and after 2-3 days it jumps sharply again. This phenomenon is called “enterovirus fever”. It lasts, as a rule, 3 days, the child will feel unwell. During this period, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea sometimes appear, which can stop abruptly.

Rash . This manifestation of the disease is called “exanthema”. A rash appears on the second day after the temperature rises. As a rule, it is localized on the neck, legs, arms, face, back, chest. Outwardly, it looks like small red dots on the skin, identical to the manifestation of measles. Sometimes the rash is localized in the mouth, throat, looks like bubbles filled with liquid, which then turn into sores.

Muscle pain . Enterovirus infection in some cases affects muscle tissue. It is localized more often in the chest, abdomen, much less often in the back, arms, legs. Deterioration of the condition is manifested by movement, the pain has a paroxysmal character. The duration can be several minutes and up to half an hour. If you do not start timely therapy, muscle pain will become chronic.

Diarrhea, vomiting. Often manifested in children under 2 years of age when the body is affected by an enterovirus infection. Sometimes the symptom is accompanied by bloating, pain. Diarrhea can last for several days. The main task of parents during this period is to restore fluid deficiency in time.

Additional symptoms of enterovirus infection:
drowsiness, lethargy;
abdominal pain;
loss of appetite;
swelling of the extremities;
general malaise;
dehydration;
conjunctivitis, redness of the eyes, lacrimation;
enlargement of the lymph nodes.

In healthy adults with strong immunity, enterovirus infection cannot develop to severe pathological processes, and most often it is completely asymptomatic, which cannot be said about young children, especially newborns and adults weakened by other diseases, such as HIV infection, cancer, tuberculosis.

To prevent the disease of enterovirus infection, it is necessary to observe preventive measures:

Use guaranteed safe water and drinks (boiled water and drinks in factory packaging).
Eat foods that have been heat treated.
Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables with safe water and then rinse with boiling water.
When swimming in ponds and pools, do not allow water to enter the oral cavity.
Follow the basic rules of personal hygiene.
You should avoid visiting mass events, places with a large number of people (public transport, cinemas, etc.).
Wet cleaning of residential premises is recommended at least 2 times a day, ventilation of premises.