How can you tell if you have the flu or norovirus. What are the key differences between flu and stomach flu symptoms. How should you manage symptoms of flu and norovirus. When should you seek medical attention for flu-like symptoms.

Understanding the Difference Between Flu and Norovirus

As illness sweeps through Boston, many are struggling to identify whether they’re battling the flu or the notorious stomach bug known as norovirus. Both conditions share some similarities, but understanding their distinctions is crucial for proper management and recovery.

Key Characteristics of Influenza (Flu)

The flu is primarily an upper respiratory infection. Its hallmark symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Chills
• Body aches
• Runny nose
• Coughing

Distinctive Features of Norovirus

Norovirus, often referred to as the “stomach flu” or “cruise ship virus,” is a gastrointestinal illness characterized by:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea

Both conditions can lead to severe dehydration if proper fluid intake is not maintained.

The Overlap of Symptoms: When Flu Mimics Norovirus

Interestingly, this season’s predominant Type A flu strain in the Boston area has been causing some gastrointestinal symptoms typically associated with norovirus. Patients with the flu have reported:

• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• Mild diarrhea

This overlap in symptoms has made it more challenging to distinguish between the two illnesses based solely on initial presentation.

Why is there symptom overlap this year?

The symptom overlap is attributed to the particularly virulent H4N2 strain circulating this season. This strain is causing more severe flu symptoms than usual, including gastrointestinal distress.

Distinguishing Factor: Intensity of Symptoms

While both conditions may cause similar symptoms, the intensity can be a key differentiator. Norovirus typically presents with more explosive and intense vomiting and diarrhea compared to the milder gastrointestinal symptoms associated with this year’s flu strain.

Managing Symptoms: Strategies for Both Flu and Norovirus

Whether you’re dealing with the flu or norovirus, certain management strategies apply to both conditions:

1. Get plenty of rest to allow your body to fight the infection
2. Take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce fever and alleviate body aches
3. Avoid close contact with others during the first few days to prevent spread
4. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids

The Importance of Proper Hydration

Hydration is crucial when battling either the flu or norovirus. If solid food intake is limited, focus on fluids that contain both salt and sugar to maintain electrolyte balance. Good options include:

• Fruit juices
• Clear soups or broths
• Sports drinks

Bacterial Gastroenteritis: A More Severe Gastrointestinal Threat

While viral infections like norovirus are more common, bacterial gastroenteritis can cause more severe symptoms and potentially life-threatening complications. Understanding this condition is crucial for proper management and timely medical intervention.

What is bacterial gastroenteritis?

Bacterial gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by bacterial infection. Unlike its viral counterpart, bacterial gastroenteritis often results in more severe symptoms and can be fatal if left untreated.

Common Causes of Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Several bacteria can cause gastroenteritis, including:

• Salmonella
• Campylobacter
• E. coli

How does bacterial gastroenteritis spread?

Bacterial gastroenteritis typically spreads through two main routes:

1. Contaminated food or water: This occurs when food isn’t properly stored, handled, or cooked, or when food handlers don’t practice proper hygiene.
2. Fecal-oral route: Bacteria in the stool of infected individuals can spread to objects, which others may then touch and transfer to their mouths.

Recognizing Symptoms of Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis can vary depending on the specific bacteria involved. The onset of symptoms can be rapid in some cases, while in others, it may take 24 to 48 hours for symptoms to appear.

Common Symptoms of Bacterial Gastroenteritis

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea (often severe and may contain blood or mucus)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite

The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, may lead to life-threatening dehydration if not properly managed.

Diagnosing Bacterial Gastroenteritis: What to Expect

If you suspect you have bacterial gastroenteritis, your healthcare provider will take several steps to confirm the diagnosis and identify the specific bacteria causing your symptoms.

Steps in the Diagnostic Process

1. Comprehensive health history: Your provider will ask about recent travel, food consumption, and the onset of symptoms.
2. Stool sample collection: You may be asked to provide a stool sample for laboratory testing.
3. Laboratory analysis: The stool sample is examined for the presence of specific bacteria.
4. Follow-up: It’s important to check with your provider or the emergency room for test results and potential follow-up care.

Why is accurate diagnosis important?

Accurate diagnosis is crucial because different bacteria may require different treatments. Some bacterial infections may resolve on their own, while others may require specific antibiotic therapy.

Treatment Approaches for Bacterial Gastroenteritis

The treatment of bacterial gastroenteritis focuses on managing symptoms, preventing complications, and, in some cases, targeting the specific bacteria causing the infection.

Key Components of Treatment

• Fluid replacement: Rehydration is crucial to replace fluids lost through diarrhea and vomiting.
• Rest: Allowing your body to recover is an important part of the healing process.
• Dietary adjustments: Your healthcare provider may recommend certain dietary changes to aid recovery.
• Medication: In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed for specific bacterial infections.

When are antibiotics necessary?

Antibiotics are not always required for bacterial gastroenteritis. They are typically prescribed only for certain types of bacterial infections or in severe cases. Your healthcare provider will determine if antibiotics are necessary based on the specific bacteria identified and the severity of your symptoms.

Recovery Timeline

The duration of bacterial gastroenteritis can vary significantly:

• Some cases resolve within a day or two
• Others may persist for weeks
• In certain instances, it may take months for bowel function to return to normal

The recovery timeline depends on various factors, including the specific bacteria involved, the severity of the infection, and the individual’s overall health status.

Prevention Strategies for Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Preventing bacterial gastroenteritis involves practicing good hygiene and being mindful of food and water safety. Here are some key strategies to reduce your risk of infection:

Personal Hygiene Practices

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially:
  • Before preparing or eating food
  • After using the bathroom
  • After changing diapers
  • After handling pets
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available

Food Safety Measures

1. Cook foods thoroughly, especially meats and eggs
2. Avoid consuming raw or unpasteurized dairy products
3. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
4. Keep raw meats separate from other foods during storage and preparation
5. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly

Water Safety Precautions

• Drink only from safe water sources, especially when traveling
• Use bottled water or water that has been boiled or treated if you’re unsure of the water quality
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming in pools, lakes, or oceans

Travel Considerations

When traveling, especially to areas with less developed sanitation systems:

• Be cautious about consuming local water, including ice cubes
• Avoid raw or undercooked foods
• Choose hot, freshly cooked foods when eating out
• Peel fruits yourself rather than eating pre-cut fruit

By implementing these prevention strategies, you can significantly reduce your risk of contracting bacterial gastroenteritis and other foodborne illnesses.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Gastroenteritis Symptoms

While many cases of gastroenteritis, whether viral or bacterial, can be managed at home, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. Recognizing these warning signs is crucial for preventing severe complications.

Red Flags: When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider

Seek medical care if you experience any of the following:

• Persistent vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down
• Signs of severe dehydration, such as:
  • Extreme thirst
  • Dry mouth and skin
  • Little or no urine output
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Bloody stools
• High fever (over 101°F or 38.3°C)
• Severe abdominal pain
• Symptoms lasting more than 3 days without improvement

Special Considerations for High-Risk Groups

Certain individuals are at higher risk for complications from gastroenteritis and should seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms:

• Infants and young children
• Older adults
• Pregnant women
• Individuals with compromised immune systems
• People with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease

What to Expect During a Medical Evaluation

If you seek medical care for gastroenteritis symptoms, your healthcare provider may:

1. Conduct a physical examination
2. Ask detailed questions about your symptoms and recent activities
3. Order blood tests to check for signs of infection or dehydration
4. Request a stool sample for laboratory analysis
5. In severe cases, recommend hospitalization for intravenous fluid replacement and close monitoring

Remember, early intervention can prevent serious complications and ensure a smoother recovery from gastroenteritis, whether it’s caused by a virus or bacteria.

Is it the flu or norovirus? How to tell the difference

While it seems nearly everyone in Boston is sick or recovering from some kind of ailment, many are wondering what they’ve come down with and how to best manage their symptoms. Do they have the flu or the stomach flu? Is it possible to have both at once?

Dr. Joshua Kosowsky, vice chair and clinical director of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s emergency department, told me he’s seeing a lot of patients with influenza — aka the flu — and some with an intestinal bug that’s circulating called norovirus — aka the “cruise ship’’ virus.

How do you tell the difference between the two?

At first blush, it seems fairly simple. The flu is an upper respiratory infection that causes sore throat, chills, body aches, runny nose, and coughing. Norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Both can lead to severe dehydration if you don’t drink enough fluids.

“Both infectious diseases are very common and very contagious,’’ said Kosowsky. “It’s not inconceivable to get both this season.’’

Usually the body doesn’t come down with two infections at once, but it can get infected with one bug right after the other if the immune system is weakened.

Many people, though, who have been infected with this season’s Type A flu strain that’s predominant in the Boston area have developed gastrointesintal symptoms — vomiting, stomach cramps, mild diarrhea — on top of their cough and runny nose.

“There is some overlap between flu and norovirus symptoms this year,’’ said Kosowsky, and it’s probably due to the nasty h4N2 strain that’s circulating and causing more severe flu symptoms than normal.

But, he emphasized, the vomiting and diarrhea associated with norovirus tends to be more explosive and intense.

Both conditions should be managed by getting plenty of rest, taking over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce fever and aches, and avoiding close contact with others for the first few days. Drink plenty of fluids, and if you aren’t able to eat much solid food, make sure those fluids contain some salt and sugar — juice, soup, sports drinks, for example — to keep your electrolytes in balance.

Here’s more on how to manage your flu symptoms and here’s how to deal with norovirus.

Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is often called the stomach flu. It is an inflammation of the GI (gastrointestinal) tract, which includes your stomach and intestines. Most cases of gastroenteritis are caused by viruses. Bacterial gastroenteritis (caused by bacteria) often causes severe symptoms. It can even be fatal. This sheet tells you more about bacterial gastroenteritis, how it can be prevented, and how to care for it.

How does bacterial gastroenteritis spread?

• Contaminated food or water. You’re most likely to get gastroenteritis by having food or water containing harmful bacteria (such as salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli). Food can be contaminated when food handlers don’t wash their hands. Or when food isn’t stored, handled, or cooked correctly.

• Fecal-oral route. People with bacterial gastroenteritis have harmful bacteria in their stool. When they don’t wash their hands well after using the bathroom, they can spread the germs to objects. If you touch the same objects, you can pick up the germs on your hands and transfer them to your mouth.

What are the symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis?

Many kinds of bacteria cause gastroenteritis. So symptoms can vary. In some types of gastroenteritis, symptoms start quickly. In others, they don’t appear for 24 to 48 hours. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include:

How is bacterial gastroenteritis diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will take a complete health history. Be sure to mention any recent trips and what you ate before you became ill. Keep in mind that symptoms may not appear for a day or 2 after you are infected. You may be asked to give a stool sample. This is sent to a lab for testing. Don’t forget to check with your provider or hospital emergency room to learn the test results. In some cases, you will be asked to see your provider for follow-up care.

How is bacterial gastroenteritis treated?

• Bacterial gastroenteritis often goes away without treatment. In some cases, symptoms are gone in a day or 2. In others, symptoms linger for weeks. In certain cases, it can take months for your bowels to return to normal.

• Replacing fluids lost through diarrhea and vomiting is important for a full recovery. If you are very dehydrated, you may need fluids through an IV (intravenous) line in the hospital.

• Medicines that slow diarrhea may be prescribed. It depends on what your provider thinks is causing your symptoms. But these medicines can make your illness last longer.

• Your provider will prescribe antibiotics only if your symptoms are caused by certain types of bacteria or your symptoms are severe.

• You may be admitted to the hospital if your symptoms are very severe.

Easing symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis

In most cases, bacterial gastroenteritis is treated at home. To ease symptoms and prevent complications:

• Get plenty of rest.

• Drink lots of liquids to replace water lost through diarrhea and vomiting. Plain water, clear soups, and electrolyte solutions are best. (You can find electrolyte solutions in most pharmacies.) Don’t have fizzy (carbonated) drinks, alcohol, coffee, tea, colas, milk, and fruit juice. These can make symptoms worse. If nausea and vomiting make it hard for you to drink, try sucking on ice chips.

• Eat according to your healthcare provider’s instructions.

• Until the diarrhea clears up, don’t eat fruit and or any dairy except yogurt. They can make diarrhea worse.

Preventing bacterial gastroenteritis at home

• Always wash your hands well before making food and after handling raw meat and poultry.

• Wash all raw fruits and vegetables (even packaged ones) with a scrub brush or vegetable wash.

• Use 1 cutting board just for meat. Wash all cutting boards and utensils in hot, soapy water after use. Clean kitchen counters with bleach or disinfectant.

• Cook meats to a safe temperature to kill bacteria that may be present in the meat. Use a food thermometer when cooking. Follow these temperature guidelines:

  • Cook ground meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb) and meat mixtures to at least 160°F (71°C).

  • Cook fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork (steak, roasts, chops) to at least 145°F (63°C).

  • Cook poultry (including ground turkey and chicken) to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).

• Wash your hands well after changing diapers. Dispose of diapers carefully so bacteria doesn’t spread.

• Wash your hands well before and after contact with someone who is ill. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand gel containing at least 60% alcohol.

• Wear gloves when handling a sick person’s clothes, bed linens, or towels. Discard the gloves after each use. Then wash your hands well. Wash bed linens and other personal items separately in hot water with detergent and liquid bleach.

Preventing gastroenteritis in healthcare settings

Many hospitals and nursing homes take these steps to help prevent the spread of gastroenteritis:

• Handwashing. Healthcare workers wash their hands well with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner before and after touching someone. They also wash their hands after touching any surface that may be contaminated.

• Protective clothing. Healthcare workers wear gloves and sometimes gowns when working with people who have gastroenteritis. They remove these items before leaving the room.

• Private rooms. People with bacterial gastroenteritis are placed in private rooms. Or they share a room with others who have the same infection.

• Safe food handling. Kitchen workers wash their hands often, cook foods correctly, and disinfect all work surfaces.

Tips for good handwashing

Wash your hands often. Always wash them after using the bathroom, playing with pets, and before eating or making food. Clean the whole hand, under your nails, between your fingers, and up the wrists:

• Wash for at least 20 seconds with clean, warm or cold water. Don’t just wipe. Scrub well. Hum the Happy Birthday song twice if you need a timer..

• Rinse. Let the water run down your fingers, not up your wrists.

• Dry your hands well. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

Using alcohol-based hand gels

When your hands aren’t visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand gel containing at least 60% alcohol is a good choice.

• Squeeze about a tablespoon of gel into the palm of one hand.

• Rub your hands together briskly. Clean the backs of your hands, the palms, between your fingers, and up the wrists.

• Rub until the gel is gone and your hands are completely dry.

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider if you have any of the following:

• Your symptoms get worse

• Blood in your stool or your stools look black

• You have signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, intense thirst, and little or no urine

• A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your provider

Acute Pancreatitis | Cedars-Sinai

Not what you’re looking for?

What is acute pancreatitis?

Your
pancreas is a hardworking organ. It makes enzymes that help you digest food. It also
makes insulin to keep your blood sugar levels under control. Pancreatitis is an
inflammation of your pancreas. This can be very painful. You may also have nausea,
vomiting, and fever. Acute pancreatitis is an emergency that needs care right away.
Acute pancreatitis is common and becoming more common.

What causes acute pancreatitis?

Among the many possible causes of acute pancreatitis are:

• Alcohol
  consumption
• Gallstones
• Genetic
  abnormalities of the pancreas
• High
  levels of triglycerides, a type of cholesterol
• Very
  high levels of calcium
• Infections
• Medicines
• Toxins
• Trauma
  or injury

Who is at risk for acute pancreatitis?

Anyone can develop acute pancreatitis. But certain people have a higher risk:

• People who have gallbladder disease
• People who drink a lot of alcohol

What are the symptoms of acute pancreatitis?

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis are:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Pain that follows a meal
• Pain that seems to move into other parts of your body, for example, from your upper
  abdomen to your back, chest, flanks, or lower abdomen
• Pain
  that may be eased somewhat if you lean forward over your knees
• Severe
  upper abdominal pain, which may come on slowly or quickly
• Throwing up, but without feeling better afterward

How is acute pancreatitis diagnosed?

To make a diagnosis, your healthcare provider will consider:

• Your overall health and medical history
• Your
  symptoms, including where the pain is, how intense it is, and when and how it
  started
• A physical exam
• Lab
  blood tests. Enzymes from the pancreas are often higher than normal.
• The
  results of imaging tests such as abdominal CT scan, ultrasound, and MRI

How is acute pancreatitis treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend
on
how severe the condition is.

You
may need a hospital stay for acute pancreatitis. Treatment may include:

• A
  procedure to remove a gallstone that’s blocking the bile duct from the pancreas
• Counseling, treatment, and therapy to quit drinking alcohol, if needed
• Limiting food and drink through your mouth to give your pancreas a chance to get
  better
• Medicines for pain
• Oxygen
• Fluids through a catheter into your
  vein
• A feeding tube to provide
  nutrition
• Surgery
  to take out your gallbladder, if needed
• Surgery, if needed, to remove damaged tissues

What are possible complications of
acute pancreatitis?

Complications are problems caused by your condition. They may include:

• Another
  acute pancreatitis episode
• Development of a pancreatic pseudocyst (a fluid-filled sac)
• Infections
• Kidney
  failure
• Lung
  failure
• Shock
• Chronic
  (long-term) pancreatitis
• Death from multiple organs failing

Can acute pancreatitis be prevented?

Depending on the cause of your acute pancreatitis, your healthcare provider might
recommend these steps to help you prevent another event:

• Not
  drinking alcohol at all
• Making
  lifestyle changes or taking medicine to lower your triglyceride level
• Removing your gallbladder if a gallstone caused your condition

Living with acute pancreatitis

Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for taking care of yourself after
you’ve had acute pancreatitis. This might mean:

• Not
  drinking alcohol
• Stopping
  smoking
• Eating
  differently
• Reducing
  triglycerides through diet, exercise, weight loss, and medicines
• Getting
  your blood sugar levels tested regularly
• Having
  more surgery or treatment to reduce your risk

When should I call my healthcare
provider?

Seek
care right away if you have the symptoms of acute pancreatitis, especially severe
abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever.

Key points about acute
pancreatitis

• Acute pancreatitis is a medical emergency. 
• Gallstones, alcohol consumption, certain medicines, injury, infection, and genetic
  problems can cause acute pancreatitis.
• Symptoms
  include upper abdominal pain, pain after eating, nausea, and fever.
• You may
  need to be hospitalized to treat acute pancreatitis.
• Treatment includes oxygen, medicines, and possibly surgery.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your healthcare
  provider tells you.
• At the
  visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis and any new medicines, treatments, or
  tests. Also write down any new instructions your healthcare provider gives you.
• Know
  why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed and how it will help you. Also know
  what the side effects are.
• Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that
  visit.
• Know how you can contact your healthcare provider if you have questions.

Not what you’re looking for?

Gonorrhea: What You Should Know

Please note: This information was current at the time of publication. But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org, the AAFP patient education website.

Information from Your Family Doctor

Am Fam Physician. 2006 May 15;73(10):1786.

 
See related article on gonorrhea.

What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea (say: gon-or-EE-ah) is an infection caused by germs. It can affect a woman’s cervix (the opening to the womb) and a man’s penis. It also can affect the rectal area, throat, and eyes. You can get gonorrhea by having sex (vaginal, oral, or anal) with a person who has gonorrhea. Some people don’t have any symptoms, and some have serious symptoms. It may take two to six days after having sex with someone who has gonorrhea before you have symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

If you are a woman, gonorrhea can cause vaginal discharge that has no smell. You may have vaginal bleeding and pain, especially during and after sex. If the infection spreads, you may have stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, fever, chills, and sweats.

If you are a man, you may have a yellowish, thick discharge from your penis. It may also hurt to go to the bathroom.

Gonorrhea in the rectal area may itch. You may have a yellowish, thick discharge from the rectum, usually when you have a bowel movement. In severe cases, you may bleed from the rectum and have pain.

Your throat can get infected if you have oral sex with a person who has gonorrhea. You may have a sore throat with swollen glands.

What should I do if I think I have gonorrhea?

If you think you have gonorrhea or if you have had sex with someone who might have gonorrhea, go to your doctor or to the local health department. It is important to know for sure if you have gonorrhea, because the infection can cause serious problems if it is not treated.

How is gonorrhea treated?

Your doctor can give you medicine if you have gonorrhea. It is important to follow your doctor’s directions and take all of the medicine.

Your doctor may ask you who you have had sex with in the past two months so that they can be treated, too.

If you have gonorrhea, don’t have sex until your doctor says it’s okay.

How can I keep from getting it?

The only way to make sure you don’t get gonorrhea is to not have sex. If you do have sex, you can help protect yourself by using a condom and by not having sex with a lot of people.

what is gastroenteritis and why can’t I get rid of it?

We’ve all experienced the abdominal cramps and the urge to get to a toilet – quickly! When the stomach and intestinal tract become inflamed, our bodies respond with the sudden onset of diarrhoea, associated nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramping and pain.

Transmissible gastroenteritis is colourfully known as “Montezuma’s revenge”, “Delhi belly”, “stomach flu” and “viral gastro” but let’s use the term “infectious gastroenteritis”. This includes food poisoning, where bacterial toxins consumed in contaminated food rapidly cause symptoms.

Although infectious gastroenteritis usually resolves on its own, in some cases it can lead to severe consequences, chiefly through dehydration. Worldwide, 1.45 million people die from infectious gastroenteritis each year.

Symptoms can occur as soon as 30 minutes after exposure to the culprit organism or toxin. But most often, symptoms develop 12 to 72 hours after exposure.

Acute infectious gastroenteritis usually resolves within two weeks but severe cases can last several weeks.

Causes

Viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus, adenovirus and astrovirus are common causes of infectious gastroenteritis. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. Almost every child in the world will suffer at least one infection by the time they are three years old.

Norovirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis in adults. Norovirus is highly contagious and outbreaks commonly occur in residential care facilities and hospitals. Patients can remain contagious for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have disappeared.

Campylonbacter bacteria is a common cause of gastroenteritis.
Wikimedia commons, CC BY

Escherichia coli (e. coli), Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter are common causes of bacterial gastroenteritis. They are often found in contaminated foods including raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood and unpasteurised milk.

Bacterial gastroenteritis accounts for 80% of cases of traveller’s diarrhoea and is thought to affect 20% to 50% of international travellers.

Some parasites such as Giardia lamblia, entamoeba histolytica and cryptosporidium are known to cause gastroenteritis. Although usually parasitic gastroenteritis resolves without treatment, people with compromised immune systems can have prolonged symptoms.

Prevention and treatment

The use of clean water and good sanitation practices are important for reducing rates of infectious gastroenteritis. Handwashing with soap has been shown to reduce the risk of gastroenteritis by up to 47%.

Of course, avoiding contaminated foods that could harbour toxic bacteria and parasites is also important.

Vaccinations are also effective, particularly for rotavirus. The rotavirus vaccines have seen a marked decline in the rate and severity of disease in both developing and developed countries.

Oral rehydration is the cornerstone of treatment for those suffering from mild to moderate dehydration. This can be achieved through a solution containing water, salts and sugar. For severe cases of dehydration, hospitalisation and intravenous fluids may be required.

Antibiotics are generally not recommended unless the gastroenteritis is bacterial or parasitic and symptoms are severe.

Longer-term illnesses

What if the symptoms of gastroenteritis still persist months or even years into the future?

Mounting evidence links bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections with an increased risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome. One study followed patients that developed acute gastroenteritis during a large outbreak in 2000. The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome at three years was very high at 28.3%. Eight years after the outbreak it was still high at 15.4%.

The intestinal barrier allows key nutrients to enter the gut while maintaining a defence against toxins and noxious organisms. This barrier however can be damaged in acute infectious gastroenteritis. Foreign substances can then enter the deeper tissues of the gut and promote inflammation.

Handwashing with soap reduces the risk of gastroenteritis by almost 50%.
Brandon Otto/Flickr, CC BY-NC

A study examining patients who had gastroenteritis caused by Shigella found that there were increased mast cell numbers in the gut. Mast cells are known to secrete the hormone serotonin which is important for signalling in the enteric nervous system. This then may be another mechanism by which post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome can develop.

Researchers have also studied what happens, at a cellular level, in the gut after acute gastroenteritis. Interstitial cells of Cajal are known as the pacemaker cells of the gut and help digest food and move it through the gut. These cells were altered in mice that were exposed to a type of bacterial gastroenteritis.

Unanswered questions

We have a reasonably good understanding of the causes of infectious gastroenteritis and treatment. But there’s more we need to learn, especially when it comes to understanding how symptoms might persist over the long term.

We are learning to appreciate the significance of a disordered immune system for long-term gastrointestinal symptoms. This opens the possibility for selective use of anti-inflammatory drugs or immune-modifying medications in patients recovering from infectious gastroenteritis.

Mastocytosis: Symptoms and Signs | Cancer.Net

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about body changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

People with mastocytosis may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with mastocytosis do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not mastocytosis.

General symptoms of mastocytosis

• Hives

• Red, itchy rash

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Fainting

• Facial flushing or reddening of the face

• Shortness of breath

• Wheezing or trouble breathing

• Psychological changes, such as irritability or difficulty concentrating

Symptoms of urticaria pigmentosa

Symptoms of solitary mastocytoma

Symptoms of diffuse erythrodermic mastocytosis

• Thickening of the skin

• Blisters

Symptom of telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans

• Small lesions that do not itch

Symptoms of systemic mastocytosis

• Skin lesions

• Urticaria pigmentosa

• Flushed face

• Itching

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Ulcers in the stomach and duodenum (small intestine)

• Headache

• Lightheadedness

• Heart palpitations, an irregular or unusually rapid beating of the heart

• Bone pain

• Anemia, a low red blood cell count, which can cause fatigue

• Psychological changes

The symptoms of systemic mastocytosis can sometimes occur as “attacks,” where more than 1 symptom appears at the same time. Following an attack, the person may feel tired and lethargic.

If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor or a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in skin conditions. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.

If mastocytosis is diagnosed, relieving symptoms is an important part of your care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. You may use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

How to Tell If Diarrhea and Nausea Is Stress or the Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus is most often characterized by a fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing. But reports have suggested that digestive distress, including diarrhea and nausea, may also be early signs of COVID-19.

However, the stress of living in a pandemic can trigger gastrointestinal issues for other reasons, including stress.

Your gut is deeply intertwined with your central nervous system, so much so that stress can actually cause digestive issues, according to Dr. Laurie Keefer, PhD, GI psychologist and professor of medicine at Mount Sinai.

“We call the gut itself the second brain. There’s a very strong connection between the gut and brain and stress can disrupt that,” Keefer told Insider. 

Here’s how to tell the difference between gastrointestinal issues related to stress and those linked to the coronavirus.

Psychological symptoms often affect digestion 

Stress can cause abdominal cramping, diarrhea, frequent urgent need to use the bathroom, loss of appetite, and bloating. Anxiety can make you hyper-aware of those symptoms. 

In fact, your gut actually has a nervous system of its own, says Dr. Jill K. Deutsch, clinical fellow at Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine.

“There is an intimate connection between the central nervous system (the big brain in our head) and the enteric nervous system (the little brain in our gut),” Deutsch told Insider via email, referring to what’s often known as the gut-brain axis. “When stress, anxiety, or depression take hold within the central nervous system, this often causes miscommunication to the enteric nervous system, and manifests as GI distress.”

This happens for a couple of reasons.  When stressed, the body focuses its energy on fight-or-flight responses, and away from functions that aren’t immediately essential, like digestion. That state can lead to digestive issues including diarrhea, explained Keefer. 

Other responses to stress can exacerbate the problem, like eating foods you typically wouldn’t (including more comfort foods) or eating at irregular times.

Eating foods you typically wouldn’t (including more comfort foods) can exacerbate digestive issues.

Hollis Johnson

“The gut interacts with the environment almost as much as the skin so if you think of what we’re absorbing and taking in from stress and diet perspective, one of the first organs to be impacted is the gut,” Keefer said. 

Other factors that can mess with your digestion include loss of sleep and hormonal shifts, including those associated with menstruation.

People with underlying gastrointestinal issues might be particularly susceptible to these kinds of issues as a result of pandemic stress. 

If you typically have a nervous stomach, your symptoms are more likely to be stress 

The telltale sign that differentiates early or mild coronavirus infection from anxiety and stress is fever.

“If you’re a gut responder, someone whose stomach is influenced by stress, if you get get butterflies or feel nauseous when you’re nervous, what you’re experiencing right now is mostly likely to be stress, especially if there’s no fever,” Keefer said. 

However, if those symptoms are unusual for you, or escalate to include other symptoms like extreme fatigue, body aches, or difficulty breathing, it’s always best to err on the safe side and contact a medical professional if you’re uncertain. 

“Unfortunately, we just don’t know enough about the GI manifestations of COVID-19,” Deutsch said. “At this time there does not seem to be a reliable way to differentiate the GI symptoms related to COVID-19 versus from other causes.”

“Everyone should keep in mind that providers want to hear from you, no matter how minor you think your concern is,” she added.

Managing your stress can help keep digestive symptoms at bay

If you don’t have other symptoms and are just looking for ways to calm a troubled stomach, consider taking steps to manage your stress. 

“It’s just a warning sign. Your body is under wear and tear, it’s a warning sign that you need to rein in your stress and take care of yourself,” Keefer said. “The worst thing you can do is to become fixated on it.”

Instead of obsessively focusing on your digestive system, practice habits for general stress reduction, such as getting  exercise, trying to get plenty of sleep, and using deep breathing or

mindfulness
techniques to restore a sense of calm. 

“Thinking about it as a temporary thing, it can really take the edge off,” she said.  “There’s a benefit to accepting it, that what’s happening may be uncomfortable and unpleasant but it will pass.”

Read more:

Anxiety can have similar symptoms to the coronavirus. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Everything we know about masks and the coronavirus, from who should wear them to how to make one

Intermittent fasting may be a bad idea during the coronavirus pandemic, according to experts

LoadingSomething is loading.

90,000 What makes your stomach hurt? Different reasons for the same problem. Where to complain?

Abdominal pain is one of the most common human complaints. However, the causes of this frequent symptom are so varied and multifaceted that it will probably take a whole collection of works to fully describe them.

One of the most common reasons for patient visits is painful feelings in the abdomen. Painful sensations can manifest itself in completely different ways, given the location in the abdominal cavity of many organs such as: the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines and stomach, as well as the kidneys and ovaries.Each organ is accompanied by its own painful sensations, and each of them requires individual treatment.

First of all, try to make simple manipulations to determine the location and nature of the pain. It is best to palpate while lying on your back and gently pressing your fingers on the abdomen, while determining the place with the most painful sensations. The pain can be sharp, aching, dull, squeezing, bursting. It can be aggravated by tilting, coughing, moving, and also accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, etc.n. All these manifestations are important for establishing a more accurate diagnosis. Analyze when the pain started and how long it took from the onset of the pain. Pay attention to whether the painful sensations were immediately dull, sharp, or mild and then intensified, and perhaps the pain changed its location. With appendicitis, for example, pain manifests itself first in the stomach area, then descending into the lower right part of the abdomen. And if pain occurs in the navel, moving to the lower right side of the abdominal cavity, this may mean that you have an inflammation of the appendix, which usually requires surgery to remove.If you have increased sensitivity in the right lower abdomen and there is acute pain, taking into account the pain when walking, the temperature has risen, nausea or vomiting appears, an urgent visit to the doctor is required.

The appearance of painful sensations in the abdomen in the lower left side, as well as fever, chills, nausea, convulsions, vomiting and constipation can be symptoms of diverticulitis disease. This disease occurs when small, spherical capsules (diverticulums) that form in the walls of the colon become infected and inflamed.Typically, treatment includes colon cleansing, liquid and bed rest, possibly pain relievers and antibiotics. In some cases, complications require surgery and hospitalization. A high fiber diet can help prevent diverticulitis.

Acute pain, usually worsening after eating food, in the right hypochondrium is a symptom of a lesion of the gallbladder, diseases of which include cholecystitis and stones. Symptoms such as: a rapid rise in body temperature, chills and jaundice indicate the appearance of complications of the disease.You should immediately consult a doctor with regular pains appearing in the right hypochondrium. It is not uncommon for some patients to have no symptoms at all, and this is with stones contained in the gallbladder.

Pain that occurs in the abdomen, accompanied by constipation or diarrhea, and subsides after a bowel movement, may indicate the presence of irritable bowel syndrome. This is a disturbance in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, in which the walls of the intestine are compressed excessively or weakly, and sometimes excessively quickly or slowly.The first symptoms of this disease are: increased gas production, bloating, slimy stools, frequent urge to empty the bowels.

A burning sharp pain that occurs in the middle and upper abdomen may indicate an ulcer. In simple terms, it is a wound in the tissues of the stomach or the upper region of the intestine. A lot of factors can affect the occurrence of an ulcer. This is smoking, the use of acetylsalicylic acid and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Likewise, an excess of potent gastric juice.

Abdominal pain in women may be a symptom of complications with the reproductive system. Soreness in the lower abdomen may indicate pelvic inflammation (infection of the ovaries or uterus, fallopian tubes). Painful manifestations in women can also occur with uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts. The presence of a sharp stabbing and sharp pain in the abdomen, which is accompanied by vaginal bleeding, menstrual irregularities, can probably be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.

Other painful sensations in the abdominal cavity can mean the manifestation of diseases such as: food poisoning, bladder infections, allergies, kidney stones, hernia. But also quite harmless causes of abdominal pain can be factors such as overeating or emotional distress. In any case, after the first painful symptoms appear, it is imperative to seek the help of a specialist to establish an accurate diagnosis.

We do not pretend to be encyclopedic in our Internet pages and do not seek to create an analogue of Wikipedia.We strive to be as useful as possible to our reader and provide real help.

This section of the AS Medical gastronomic center website is designed to help our visitor go in the right direction, choose the right specialization of a doctor for the first consultation, and, if necessary, provide himself with first aid. Also, such rare recommendations will be given as to where exactly you can go with complaints of abdominal pain in the city of Mariupol.

To begin with, it is necessary to systematize abdominal pain according to the characteristic signs and on the questions that arise in our reader when this complaint occurs.

Abdominal pain in nature can be:

• • • persistent abdominal pain
    • paroxysmal abdominal pain
    • cramping abdominal pain
    • acute abdominal pain
    • dull abdominal pain
    • cutting pains in the abdomen

According to the area of ​​origin, it can hurt:

• • • pain throughout the abdomen
    • pain in the right hypochondrium
    • pain in the left hypochondrium
    • pain in the left side
    • pain in the right side
    • lower abdominal pain
    • pain around the navel
    • pain in the appendix
    • pain in the right lower abdomen
    • pain in the left lower abdomen

By time and reason of occurrence:

• • • Abdominal pain at night
    • abdominal pain during the day
    • fasting abdominal pain
    • abdominal pain after eating
    • abdominal pain after alcohol
    • abdominal pain after antibiotics
    • abdominal pain in case of poisoning
    • abdominal pain with constipation
    • abdominal pain with diarrhea
    • abdominal pain during menstruation
    • abdominal pain during ovulation
    • abdominal pain during pregnancy
    • abdominal pain after childbirth
    • abdominal pain when walking
    • abdominal pain lying down
    • abdominal pain after exercise

By age, stomach hurts:

• • • Newborn abdominal pain
    • abdominal pain in an infant
    • abdominal pain in a child 1-3 years old
    • abdominal pain in a child 3-6 years old
    • abdominal pain in a school-aged child
    • abdominal pain in adolescents
    • abdominal pain in an adult
    • abdominal pain in an elderly person

90,000 First aid for food poisoning

When eating poor-quality food products, improper preparation and storage, food poisoning may occur – food toxicoinfection.Low-quality products are understood to be infected with various microorganisms and their toxins. Mushroom poisoning can be distinguished into a separate group.

The most dangerous are products of animal origin (meat, fish, sausages, canned food, milk and products made from it – confectionery with cream, ice cream). Chopped meat – pates, minced meat, jellied meat – becomes especially easily infected.

The first symptoms of food poisoning may appear 2-4 hours after a meal (in some cases, even after 30 minutes), or even after 20-26 hours.This largely depends on the type and dose of the toxin and the state of the human immune system.

Typical signs of food poisoning are:

• general malaise,
• nausea,
• repeated vomiting,
• cramping abdominal pain,
• Frequent loose stools,
• pallor of the skin,
• thirst,
• lowering blood pressure,
• increased and decreased heart rate,
• pallor of the skin,
• increase in body temperature (chills may appear),
• Convulsions and fainting are sometimes possible.

First aid for food poisoning

Measures taken at the first sign of poisoning are aimed at maximizing the elimination of toxins from the body and preventing dehydration.

1. It is necessary to flush the stomach. To do this, you need to drink about two glasses of warm water at room temperature and induce vomiting. It is advisable to carry out the procedure before leaving the stomach of pure water.
2. We bind toxins (we prevent their absorption into the blood).To do this, you need to take activated charcoal (1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight) or smecta.
3. Intestinal cleansing, as a rule, occurs naturally, as the body itself strives to get rid of toxic substances. Diarrhea is the fastest and most massive elimination of toxins from the body. You cannot try to stop this process by taking medications for diarrhea. On the contrary, if emptying does not occur, you can drink a laxative.
4. It is important to remember that with the release of vomit and feces, the body loses a lot of water, it must be replenished to avoid dehydration.It is easier to control this process if after each attack of vomiting or bowel movement you drink in small sips about a glass of warm, still water.

These measures are usually sufficient to cope with the manifestations of food poisoning. But you do not know what exactly caused the attack, and it is impossible to cope with many toxins on your own at home.

Be sure to call an ambulance if:

• A child under 3 years of age, a pregnant woman or an elderly person was poisoned.
• Poisoning is accompanied by diarrhea more than 10 times a day, indomitable vomiting or increasing weakness.
• Poisoning is accompanied by uncharacteristic symptoms.

In case of severe poisoning caused by pathogens such as salmonella, shigella, botulism bacillus, etc., symptoms typical for conventional poisoning may be absent.

For example, after ingestion of food contaminated with botulism bacilli, general malaise, headache, and dizziness may appear.At the same time, the body temperature is normal, the abdomen is swollen, but there is no stool. A day later, signs of severe damage to the central nervous system appear: double vision, drooping of the upper eyelid, paralysis of the soft palate. Bloating increases and urinary retention is observed.

Providing first aid in case of botulism bacillus poisoning is also reduced to gastric lavage, taking toxin-binding drugs and laxatives. But the most important thing is the introduction of antibotulinic serum, which is possible only in stationary conditions.And, therefore, the most important thing with such poisoning is to deliver the patient to a medical institution on time.

90,000 Pain in the lower abdomen

Pain in the lower abdomen is the most common complaint in gynecological practice.
This symptom is very nonspecific, as it occurs in many diseases. Since the concentration of sensitive nerve ganglia in the pelvic region is small, pain impulses coming from the pelvic organs are poorly differentiated in the central nervous system and often the pain seems to be radiating, sometimes a woman feels pain after eliminating its cause (phantom pain).When examining a patient with complaints of pain in the lower abdomen, it is necessary to take into account both the individual perception of pain and the different threshold of pain sensitivity.

Important characteristics of lower abdominal pain are the onset (acute or gradual), localization of pain, accompanying symptoms (eg, fever, chills, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, or bleeding). It is necessary to determine whether the pain is associated with the menstrual cycle, whether it is life-threatening, whether resuscitation is required, whether there is a connection with pregnancy.

Most often, acute cystitis appears in women with pain in the lower abdomen in the middle.
At the same time, there may be frequent urination, pain at the end of urination, blood in the urine may appear. If these symptoms are absent, then it is possible that we can talk about problems with the intestines, inflammation of the appendages and a number of other diseases. In any case, there is a need to be examined by a urologist and gynecologist, or by a specialist urogynecologist.

In addition to problems with the intestines, pain in the lower abdomen on the right or left of a woman can be a sign of adnexitis – inflammation of the uterine appendages, ovarian cysts and a number of diseases of the appendages.When such pains appear, it is imperative to be examined by a gynecologist or urogynecologist as soon as possible.

Bleeding from the genital tract in combination with pain in the lower abdomen, as a rule, occurs in diseases of the reproductive system.

Fever and chills often accompany pelvic infections (gonorrhea; ureaplasmosis; mycoplasmosis; chlamydia).

Anorexia, nausea and vomiting are nonspecific symptoms that often accompany diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Syncope, vascular collapse and shock resulting from hypovolemia usually indicate intra-abdominal bleeding.

Frequent painful urination, back pain or hematuria are signs of urinary tract pathology.

A sudden onset of pain indicates an acute pathology: perforation, bleeding, rupture or torsion of the organ, the same symptoms can develop with colic of the urinary tract or gastrointestinal tract. The gradual onset of pain suggests inflammation, obstruction, or a slowly developing process.

Pulsating, rhythmic pain is characteristic of increased intracavitary pressure in the hollow organs.

Constant pain usually occurs with an inflammatory process, overstretching of the capsule of the parenchymal organ, and impaired blood supply to the organ.

Acute pain is characteristic of urinary tract obstruction, intestinal obstruction, acute pathology of the peritoneum.

Dull pain is most characteristic of the inflammatory process.

The duration and frequency of pain episodes help to establish the nature of the disease (acute or chronic).If such pains often occurred before or the pain bothers the woman for a long time, a chronic disease is most likely.

Acute attacks of pain for a long time, lasting less than 48 hours, may occur secondarily due to a chronic illness (for example, pain during ovulation).

The severity of the pain attack can be assessed by the patient’s appearance (pallor, sweating, facial expression).

Which doctors should I contact:

– Gynecologist

Stomach hurts? | Medical Center “Tet-a-Tet”

Millions of people suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and even the healthiest periodically experience discomfort in the abdomen, which are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and other disorders in the digestive system.

The main signs of stomach disease are pain, dyspeptic disorders, nausea, vomiting, belching, heartburn, impaired appetite, unpleasant taste in the mouth, stool retention, frequent loose stools, flatulence, etc. Often people do not pay any attention to these symptoms, and in fact they are the first call that you have a stomach ache, or worse, you have already acquired gastritis of the stomach. In turn, gastritis of the stomach is the first harbinger of the further occurrence of gastric ulcer.

In modern medicine, stomach diseases have a long list of names, including gastritis of the stomach, pancreatitis, gastric ulcer, stomach cancer. Often many of the diseases of the stomach are caused by the wrong way of eating, stomach overload. Studies of the stomach have shown that increased acidity of the stomach leads to a disease such as gastritis of the stomach, from which peptic ulcer disease follows.
Gastritis of the stomach is divided into several types: catarrhal gastritis, fibrinous gastritis, corrosive gastritis, phlegmonous gastritis.Also, gastritis is divided into acute and chronic. Chronic gastritis of the stomach is divided in turn into classes:

• type B (bacterial) caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria,
• type C (chemical) occurs due to the throwing of bile into the stomach,
• type A (autoimmune).

Type AB and type AC are mixed types of gastritis of the stomach, they are caused by the use of alcohol or drugs.

The consequence of gastritis of the stomach can be not only disorders of the entire gastrointestinal tract, but also arrhythmia, general irritability, neuroses, pallor, sweating, weakness and constant drowsiness.Gastritis of the stomach leads to gastric ulcer, therefore you should not start the course of this disease, and even more so let this stomach disease take its course.

If stomach pains are accompanied by weakness, dizziness, increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, fever, visible bleeding, repeated vomiting, fainting, then it is necessary to urgently contact a specialized medical institution to diagnose and identify the causes of the ailment.

Stomach diseases can be treated in a variety of ways.The main thing here is the correct diagnosis of the disease with modern medical devices.

In the study of gastric pathology, fibrogastroscopy significantly surpasses all other available diagnostic methods of research and is the leading method for early detection of stomach cancer. Fibrogastroscopy is an endoscopic examination of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (the initial part of the small intestine), which provides the most reliable information about the state of these organs … During FGS, the endoscopist examines the inner surface of these structures in order to detect inflammation, the presence of erosions, ulcers or tumors.In addition, with the help of gastroscopy, you can control the healing of the ulcerative process. In emergency conditions, FGS allows you to identify the source of bleeding, the presence of a foreign body, etc., to carry out therapeutic measures in these conditions. During the procedure, the doctor may take tissue samples (biopsy) for examination, in order to determine the cellular composition of the examined tissues to identify the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which “lives” in the stomach. If the true cause of the disease is identified, then the treatment process will be most effective and ultimately reduce the chance of complications.

It is possible to talk about specific methods of treating stomach diseases only after consultation with a specialist and a comprehensive examination. Sometimes it is quite enough to undergo a short course of treatment with the use of widespread medications or herbal infusions, but situations often arise when qualified assistance to a person will be provided exclusively in a hospital setting.

As for the prevention of stomach diseases, everything is quite simple here.Give up bad habits, go in for sports, lead a healthy lifestyle, be less nervous about trifles.

Well, if you do get sick, then do not postpone treatment, immediately consult a doctor and follow all his recommendations!

Hannanov Zaki Anvarovich – therapist, endoscopist, doctor of the highest category of the Tet-a-Tet Medical Center.

Vegetovascular dystonia: does it exist?

Vegetovascular dystonia or another term describing the same disorder – neurocirculatory dystonia, in fact, does not refer to an accurate diagnosis.This term does not reflect a specific disease. It is used if the patient has certain complaints, but the examination did not reveal anything.

Despite this fact, the autonomic nervous system exists, and it is responsible for the functioning of many internal organs. Vegetovascular dystonia refers to a complex disorder in the physiological processes in the body. ANS disorder is most often faced by adolescents, women aged 20 to 40 years.

What is VNS

The autonomic nervous system controls and regulates the work of almost all vital organs of a person: heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, kidneys, uterus in women and others.In other words, the ANS controls the digestive, reproductive and urinary functions.

The system is complex, it is in charge of the regulation of heart rate, intestinal motility, blood pressure parameters and much more, including all metabolic processes. The complexity of the structure of the ANS explains the fact that disruption of the work of one system or organ will lead to problems in the entire activity of the body.

Disorders of the VPS

Symptoms in a systemic disorder can be very different.Most common:

• dizziness and pressure changes;

• heart rhythm failures;

• increased sweating, hot flashes or chills;

• abdominal pain, indigestion;

• shaking hands, dry mouth.

Sometimes this can be manifested by impaired urination, decreased libido.In a stressful situation, the manifestations of the disorder will be clearer: it may be shortness of breath, pain in the heart and nausea. It is important to take these symptoms into account and see your doctor. At the initial stage, it is easier to carry out therapy against failures in the autonomic system than later to treat complications in the form of serious pathologies of internal organs.

Vegetovascular dystonia as a symptom

Symptoms with vague complaints in any case need a diagnosis. VSD is a preliminary conclusion that requires a more detailed examination of the patient.That is, vegetative-vascular dystonia is not a disease, but only a signal of a disease that has occurred. Complaints that may bother the patient with VSD:

• feeling of a lump in the throat, shortness of breath, shortness of breath;

• nausea, vomiting, flatulence, stomach pain, constipation, dyspepsia;

• sleep disorder, fear of communication, anxiety, irritability, phobias, etc .;

• failures and surges in heart rate, chest pains, light-headedness, fluctuations in blood pressure;

• frequent urination;

• decreased libido, impotence;

• dizziness, migraines, clouding and darkening in the eyes with a sharp change in position, imbalance, fainting;

• hot flashes or violent chills for no reason;

• numbness of the limbs, convulsions.

These symptoms can be signs of completely different diseases: arterial hypertension, anemia, hyperthyroidism, gastritis, cystitis, etc. But most often, after a detailed examination of a patient with vegetative vascular dystonia and in the absence of organic pathologies, psychogenic problems are revealed. These are depression, panic attacks, chronic fatigue syndrome. And also complaints do not always indicate a serious illness, disruptions in the activity of the ANS may be normal under certain circumstances.

Complications of vegetative-vascular dystonia

Vegetovascular dystonia can have complications without action, these include vegetative crises with several types. The first type is manifested by a panic attack and:

• adrenaline rush with increased heart rate and facial flushing;

• headache, limb numbness, anxiety and fear;

• arterial hypertension.

Typical for the second type:

• release of insulin into the blood;

• cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, decrease in blood pressure;

• darkening of the eyes, dizziness, shortness of breath.

And mixed type, which is characterized by all of the above. All of these varieties are accompanied by abdominal pain, flatulence, and loose stools are possible.

What to do in case of ANS disorder

It is always worth paying attention to the alarms sent by the body, especially if they are repeated. Initially, you need to contact a general practitioner or local doctor and tell in detail about your complaints and concerns at the reception. Further, if necessary, the doctor will refer you to narrow specialists, such as a cardiologist, neuropathologist, endocrinologist.

For a comprehensive and effective treatment of a patient, regardless of the nature of the disease, it is necessary to eliminate the factors leading to stress.Regular healthy food, departure from the metropolis to the village, a sanatorium, a health institution will also have a beneficial effect. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe medications, but preference is given to non-medication.

In case of failures in the ANS, especially for psychogenic reasons, useful:

• moderate physical activity, walks in the fresh air;

• physiotherapy, mineral baths, swimming pool;

• change of scenery;

• sea bathing, hiking;

• limitation in emotional influences;

• therapeutic massage, reflexology.

With the correct and timely approach, the autonomic nervous system returns to its normal function, and the patient is no longer worried about vegetative-vascular dystonia. Without taking measures, persistent psychosomatic disorders are formed with a significant decrease in the quality of life.

90,000 Gastritis. Full description: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining in response to irritation and damage.

There are two forms of gastritis – acute and chronic gastritis.

Causes of acute gastritis

Acute gastritis develops as a result of chemical irritants entering the stomach, eating poor-quality food contaminated with pathogens, and taking high doses of certain medicinal substances, such as aspirin. In this case, there is a sharp burning pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and weakness.

Acute gastritis requires urgent medical attention and, in severe cases, hospitalization.

After treatment, acute gastritis can turn into chronic, however, more often chronic gastritis is an independent disease. The main symptoms of acute gastritis are acute epigastric pain, nausea, increased salivation and an unpleasant taste in the mouth, as well as headache, combined with general weakness and lethargy , sometimes dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea.

Causes of chronic gastritis

One of the causes of chronic gastritis is acute gastritis that has not been treated. But there are other reasons for the appearance of chronic gastritis – infection of the gastric mucosa with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, less often, chronic gastritis appears due to autoimmune processes in the body. There are also a number of reasons that contribute to the acquisition of chronic gastritis:

• persistent eating disorders;
• love of spicy food;
• the habit of chewing food poorly;
• Quick Bites

90,035 frequent meals in fast foods;

• addiction to alcohol and carbonated drinks;
• uncontrolled medication intake;
• work in difficult conditions.
• infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori infection;
  chronic stress;
• long-term use of drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa;

90,035 smoking;

• genetic predisposition.

Can I get gastritis?

Can. Helicobacter pylori is transmitted through saliva through kissing.

An experienced gastroenterologist at the Health Clinic will help you with any form of gastritis.

Symptoms of gastritis

• aching or sharp burning pain under the “spoon”, appearing or worsening during eating or shortly after eating;

• heartburn;

• nausea, at the height of severe nausea there may be vomiting;

• flatulence;

• constant belching and heaviness in the abdomen;

• unreasonable weight loss.

• unpleasant taste in the mouth;

• heaviness, feeling of pressure;

If you have these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor! Lack of treatment can lead to stomach ulcers or even stomach cancer.

Diagnosis and treatment of gastritis

Since gastritis has different symptoms, the diagnosis of the disease must necessarily be carried out by experienced specialists using modern equipment.Our diagnostic center has such equipment. For the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases, our clinic has installed ultra-modern gastroenterological diagnostic equipment for EGDS with the determination of acidity and Helicobacter pylori infection and a breath test and laboratory diagnostics. Doctors of the Health Clinic are constantly undergoing refresher courses, so our gastroenterologists are considered one of the best in Moscow.

Only a doctor can treat gastritis! Self-medication leads to one result – chronic gastritis!

In order to relieve the patient of gastritis, our doctor develops an individual diet, prescribes a set of drugs that will help restore the acid balance, gastric mucosa and, if diagnostic tests show the patient has the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, antibiotic therapy.

Why are our gastroenterologists better than others?

• The knowledge and experience of the doctors of our clinic allow us to achieve amazing success in the treatment of gastroenterological diseases.

• The Health Clinic has the most modern diagnostic equipment, which allows an accurate diagnosis and treatment to begin.

• Location in the very center of Moscow, within walking distance from two metro stations.

• Attractive prices

• Convenient time to visit the doctor.

We are working to keep you healthy.

Make an appointment by phones: +7 (495) 961-27-67 and +7 (495) 951-39-09

90,000 7 symptoms in which you need to urgently call an ambulance

Experiencing pain, many are in no hurry to call an ambulance and try to endure it.Meanwhile, in some cases, immediate medical assistance is simply necessary. We will tell you in what situations you need to urgently call an ambulance.

Pressing chest pain

Pressing, bursting, or burning pain in the chest area may be a sign of a heart attack. In this case, the pain can be given to the lower jaw, left arm or the area in the lower part of the ribs, about which we speak “under the spoon.” Do not assume that heart attack is necessarily preceded by heart disease – in 40% of cases, myocardial infarction occurs in people who do not suffer from angina pectoris.

Acute pain in the center of the abdomen

Acute pain arises in the center of the abdomen, gradually intensifies and goes to the right side. It can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and fever. If you or someone close to you have similar symptoms, urgently seek medical help, as they may talk about acute appendicitis.

Pulmonary, gastric or intestinal bleeding

Blood in sputum, feces or vomit are very alarming symptoms.So, pulmonary bleeding can be a sign of pneumonia, tuberculosis or pulmonary embolism, gastric bleeding – a sign of exacerbation of gastritis, stomach ulcers or varicose veins, and intestinal bleeding – talk about duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis, or even cancer.

Remember: in case of profuse pulmonary or gastrointestinal bleeding, call an ambulance immediately.

Spasmodic lower back pain

Spasmodic lower back pain, which may be accompanied by nausea, is the main symptom of blockage of the urinary tract with a stone in urolithiasis.

Severe pain in the right side

Unbearable pain in the right side in combination with vomiting, loose stools and fever may indicate gallstones. In addition, any severe abdominal pain can cause acute pancreatitis or a bursting stomach or duodenal ulcer into the abdominal cavity.

Severe headache and visual impairment

An attack of dizziness, a sharp headache, impaired or complete loss of vision, numbness of the extremities on the one hand, changes in speech – all these are symptoms of a stroke.In this case, an ambulance must be called without hesitation for a minute.

Choking

Increased suffocation after a bee sting, taking a new medicine, or eating an unusual product may be a sign of anaphylactic shock. At the same time, the patient’s blood pressure drops to minimum values, the skin turns blue, the heart rate increases, nausea, dizziness and panic attacks appear, and the face and neck begin to swell. When such symptoms appear, a person needs to be urgently given an antihistamine and call an ambulance.The fact is that anaphylactic shock – a specific reaction of the body to a certain allergen – develops very quickly, so medical help is required as soon as possible.

Earlier, the news agency “In the city of N” told how it is better to measure the temperature and how to do it correctly.

Based on materials from medportal.ru.

.