A Complete Guide To Gastroenteritis | Stomach Flu

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. 

Preventions 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 preventions. 

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.
Treatment for 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.

Take help from MH Surgery Doctors for Gastroenteritis issues 

If you are facing chronic gastroenteritis, then take help from the experts at MH Surgery. At MH Surgery Clinic, the doctors are very cooperative. In this hospital, various conveniences are available to the patient, and the doctors are highly qualified and experienced with Gastro Surgery. Each disease and each patient is treated according to multidisciplinary approaches, which have been developed specifically for them. A detailed and personalized approach is taken to each and every surgical case.

Also Read: Benefits of Robotic Stomach Surgery