|
|
|
What
is stomach flu?
Stomach flu is a viral infection that affects the stomach and small
intestine. It is also called viral gastroenteritis. The illness is usually
brief, lasting 1 to 3 days.
How
does it occur?
Gastroenteritis is caused by swallowing certain viruses. The body fluids
of infected people contain the virus, sometimes even before their symptoms
begin. The virus can be spread by direct contact with an infected person
(for example, kissing or shaking hands) or by sharing food, drink, or
eating utensils.
The virus enters the stomach and intestine and inflames the lining of
these organs. As a result, the stomach and intestine are temporarily
unable to perform their usual functions. The virus can also cause food
to move more rapidly through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Some bacteria and other tiny organisms called protozoa can cause infections
that have symptoms similar to those of stomach flu.
What
are the symptoms?
When you have stomach flu, you may have one or more of the following
symptoms:
- fatigue
- chills
- loss
of appetite
- nausea
- vomiting
- stomach
cramps
- diarrhea
- low-grade
fever
- muscle
aches
The
illness may develop over a period of hours, or it may suddenly start
with stomach cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea.
How
is it diagnosed?
Your health care provider will review your symptoms. He or she may examine
you and order lab tests to rule out more serious illnesses, such as
appendicitis, and to detect complications, such as dehydration.
How
is it treated?
The most important thing to do is to rest the stomach and intestines.
You can do this by first eating nothing and drinking only clear liquids.
A little later you can eat soft bland foods that are easy to digest.
During the vomiting phase of the illness it is best to have only small,
frequent sips of liquids. Drinking too much at once, even an ounce or
two, may cause more vomiting.
Your choice of liquids is important. If water is the only liquid you
can drink without vomiting, that is okay. However, if you have been
vomiting frequently for a long time, you must replace the minerals,
sodium and potassium, that are lost when you vomit. Ask your health
care provider what sport drinks or medical products could help you replace
these minerals.
Other clear liquids you can drink are weak tea and apple juice. You
may also drink soft drinks without caffeine (such as 7-UP) after letting
them lose some of their carbonation (go flat). Chilling the liquids
may help you keep them down. Avoid liquids that are acidic (such as
orange juice) or caffeinated (such as coffee) or have a lot of carbonation.
Do not drink milk until you no longer have diarrhea.
You may start eating soft bland foods when you have not vomited for
several hours and are able to drink clear liquids without further upset.
Soda crackers, toast, noodles, applesauce, and bananas are good first
choices. Avoid foods that are acidic, spicy, fatty, or fibrous (meats,
coarse grains, vegetables) and dairy products. You may start eating
these foods again in 3 days or so, when all signs of illness have passed.
Sometimes treatment includes prescription medicine to prevent nausea
and vomiting or diarrhea. Non-prescription medicine is available for
the treatment of diarrhea and is very effective. If you use it, make
sure you use the dose recommended on the package. Before you use any
medicine for diarrhea, always check with your health care provider first.
If you have been vomiting for more than a day or have had diarrhea for
over 3 days, call your health care provider. You may need to have a
physical exam to rule out more serious problems and to check for dehydration.
You may also need to have lab tests to determine whether bacteria or
protozoa are causing your illness.
Dehydration is a potentially serious complication of stomach flu. It
can occur if your body loses too much fluid because you keep vomiting
or having diarrhea. If you are severely dehydrated, you may need to
be given fluids intravenously (IV). In children and the elderly, dehydration
can quickly become life threatening.
How
long do the effects last?
Stomach flu rarely lasts longer than 1 to 3 days. However, it may be
1 to 2 weeks before your bowel habits return completely to normal.
Call
your health care provider if:
- You
continue to have severe symptoms for more than 2 or 3 days
- Minor
symptoms persist for several days (for example, loss of appetite,
nausea, diarrhea)
- You
develop symptoms that are not usually caused by stomach flu, such
as blood in your vomit, bloody diarrhea, or severe abdominal pain
How
can I take care of myself?
Rest your stomach and intestines by following the guidelines above,
but make sure you prevent dehydration by drinking enough liquids. Drink
just small amounts frequently during the vomiting phase of your illness.
What
can I do to help prevent stomach flu?
The single, most helpful way to prevent the spread of stomach flu is
frequent, thorough hand washing. Also, avoid contact with the body fluids
of an infected person, including saliva. Don't share food with someone
who has stomach flu.
|
|
