Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu) Viral Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Gastroenteritis word is further divided into three parts. “Gastro” refers to the stomach, “Enter” refers to the small intestine and “Itis” refers to inflammation. There are two types of gastroenteritis one is acute gastroenteritis and the other is chronic gastroenteritis. Acute gastroenteritis hardly lasts for a week or two, on the other hand, chronic gastroenteritis usually lasts for a longer duration. Acute gastroenteritis is generally known as stomach flu. When people suffer from acute gastroenteritis they usually depict that as the stomach flu, a stomach bug, or a stomach virus. Gastroenteritis happens due to when your intestine could not be able to digest the food you intake. The body has only two options; one is to expel that undigested food in the form of vomit or to excrete that food from the path of the anus. Because of this, the body has lost a lot of nutrition, and water due to which the body experiences dehydration.
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis There are various symptoms of gastroenteritis. So, without any further ado let’s discuss some of the symptoms of gastroenteritis. 1. Loss of appetite 2. Bloating 3. Fever (Slightly higher than normal). 4. Abdominal cramping and pain 5. Dehydration 6. Diarrhea 7. Nausea
8. Weakness
When do you need a doctor? 1. When the stools and vomit turn bloody. 2. A lot of discomfort and pain. 3. Fever above 102 degrees centigrade 4. Muscle ache and headaches
Causes of Gastroenteritis There are various causes of gastroenteritis. Some of the reasons for this are bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Shigella. One of the most common reasons for gastroenteritis is contaminated food and water. When we have a meal, which is a day old it interrupts the normal functioning of the body and causes gastroenteritis. 1. Eating a lot of spicy food. 2. Having a lot of fast food. 3. Heavy medications on an empty stomach such as antibiotics etc. 4. Seafood that has a lot of toxins.
Prevention for Gastroenteritis We are all aware of the fact that “Precautions are better than cure”. There are a lot of ways one can prevent gastroenteritis by eating healthy. Let’s discuss some of the prevention. 1. Washing hands before having a meal. 2. Washing your hands after going to the washroom. 3. Washing hands after touching pets and animals. 4. Do not leave the food open for a long time especially in summers, because food used to get rotten very soon. 5. Eat healthy food and always include salads in your meal. 6. Don’t always rely on junk food as it will make your stomach feel upset.
7. Ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked. 8. When traveling overseas to countries where sanitation is suspect, only drink bottled water. Don’t forget to brush your teeth in bottled water too. Avoid food buffets, uncooked foods or peeled fruits and vegetables, and ice in drinks.
Infectious gastroenteritis and colitis Viruses, bacteria, and parasites cause infectious gastroenteritis. In each scenario, infection occurs after the agent is swallowed, most commonly through food or drink. The following are some of the most prevalent kinds of infectious gastroenteritis: Escherichia coli Infection: This Infection with Escherichia coli is a common concern among travelers to countries with poor sanitation. Drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated raw fruits and vegetables might cause infection. Campylobacter infection is caused by germs found in animal faces (poo) and raw meat, especially chicken. Consuming contaminated food or water, eating under cooked meat (particularly chicken), and not washing your hands after touching diseased animals are all ways to become infected. Infection with Cryptosporidium – parasites that live in the intestines of people and animals. Infection is spread through contact with infected animals or by swimming in a polluted pool and drinking water. If a person is afflicted and does not wash their hands after using the restroom, the parasites might spread to food or surfaces. Giardiasis Infection- is a parasitic intestinal ailment. Infection can be spread by drinking contaminated water, handling sick animals, or not washing your hands after changing an infected baby’s nappy. Salmonellosis Infection- is caused by bacteria found in the faces of animals. Infection is spread through contaminated food or contact with diseased animals. By not washing their hands correctly, an infected individual can spread the bacterium to other people or surfaces. Shigellosis Infection- Human faces contain bacteria that cause Shigellosis. If an infected individual does not wash their hands after using the restroom, the bacteria might spread to food or surfaces.
Gastroenteritis Infection– Person-to-person contact, such as touching contaminated hands, faces, or vomit, or consuming contaminated water or food, causes viral gastroenteritis.
Treatment for Gastroenteritis Before going to the doctor for Gastroenteritis Treatment, there are some of the home remedies you can use. So let’s get started with some of the treatment. 1. Plenty of fluids Gastroenteritis makes your body feel dehydrated, as the body loses a lot of nutrition and water when suffering from stomach upset, as the body can’t be able to digest food and it used to expel food in the form of food or to excrete that food from the path of the anus. So drinking a lot of water can avoid dehydration. 2. Let your stomach settle for a while This is the best option. Let your stomach rest for a while, do not eat anything for a while and take plenty of rest and increase the intake of water. 3. Take some medications Some of the medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Unless prescribed by your doctor, don’t take anti-vomiting or anti-diarrhea medications, because these will keep the infection in your body.
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