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Stomach flu is a commonly used term, although from a medical point of view, these ailments are called gastroenteritis. This is a viral infection of the digestive system with symptoms usually manifested by vomiting and diarrhea, most often caused by rot, adeno and noroviruses. The disease is often accompanied by fever, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite and general weakness. It is important to drink plenty of fluids in treatment.
Stomach flu – characteristics and course
The stomach flu or the intestinal flu is a viral infection of the digestive system. It is caused by rotaviruses or noroviruses or adenoviruses which, after reaching the mucosa, begin to destroy it. Stomach flu can be infected from a sick person – mainly through the alimentary and droplets. Hands and food should be washed to avoid contamination.
Young children are the most vulnerable to stomach flu. However, there are also many cases of disease among adults every year. The easiest way to get infected with an intestine is when staying in large crowds of people, e.g. in a shop or on a bus. Rotaviruses responsible for causing the disease spread very quickly and can live outside the human body for up to 2 months!
It is easy to get infected if you live or stay close to an infected person. The disease usually occurs seasonally. In cold climates, infections are most common during fall and winter. Then the human body is more weakened and therefore more susceptible to viruses. Intestinal flu is one of the most common non-bacterial infections of the digestive system. In the case of disturbing symptoms, it is worth consulting them with your primary care physician.
Symptoms of stomach flu
The best known symptoms of stomach flu are vomiting and diarrhea. They appear even 12 hours after infection. In addition, the patient may experience nausea, lack of appetite, chills and stomach pain. The patient’s body does not respond to medications. The patient’s faeces are watery and the diarrhea lasts from 2 to 3 days. Symptoms often appear suddenly and last from 4 to 9 days.
A person infected with an intestine can have a bowel movement up to 20 times a day. It is often accompanied by high fever (approx. 39 degrees Celsius), and in some cases even loss of consciousness. Check your body temperature regularly during illness. We recommend the Visiofocus Light non-contact thermometer with the function of memorizing the test results, which is characterized by high-quality measurement.
Children and the elderly are the worst to bear the disease. It is important to know that the symptoms of intestinal flu are not symptoms of infection with the flu virus. The disease arises from the general breakdown found in both diseases.
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How to recognize stomach flu in a child?
The intestinal tract in children can be mild. However, in many cases hospitalization is necessary. In addition to the aforementioned vomiting and diarrhea, a child suffering from bowel disease has chapped lips and less frequently urinates, which turns dark yellow. Sunken eye sockets are also a characteristic symptom. Moreover, a sick child does not shed tears while crying. When these symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. You can buy a home visit by a pediatrician at medonetmarket.pl
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A child with bowel disease should be given a sufficient amount of fluids. It is advisable to give plain water or still mineral water. Herbal teas will also help. Some doctors suggest giving your child probiotics as well, so that the immune system can overcome the infection faster. The high fever can be reduced with the help of appropriate medicines – if it is too high, the child may faint. We recommend the Visiofocus Mini thermometer, which measures the temperature in a non-contact manner, so the measurement can also be made while the child is sleeping.
Also read: How do antiemetics work?
Stomach flu – treatment
There is no one single medicine that can be used to treat intestinal flu. First of all, it is advisable to hydrate the body regularly. When a sick person complains of severe vomiting, he should drink plenty of cooled liquids. She should not be forced to eat. The best drink is medium-mineralized still water, mint and sage infusions, electrolytes. You can also try St. John’s wort, which is beneficial for the body suffering from digestive problems. You can also use ready-made herbal mixtures, e.g. EKO Tea for stomachs, which you can buy at a favorable price at Medonet Market. We also recommend Nettle with Mint – freeze-dried organic tea that has a positive effect on the digestive system.
Drinking a sufficient amount of fluids is necessary because the body of a person suffering from gastric flu is often dehydrated. This is especially true when the symptoms are severe. It is also helpful to use probiotics that complement the bacterial flora of the digestive tract. Dehydration of the body is especially dangerous in children and the elderly.
The best medicine for an infant with stomach flu is breast milk. In human milk there are, among others proteins, fats, carbohydrates and strains of Lactobacillus bacteria, nucleotides that increase the activity of cells against microorganisms, vitamins, microelements and mineral salts. Many doctors suggest that infants up to 6 months of age be vaccinated against rotavirus.
High temperature will help fight cold compresses on the forehead or groin. You can add a few drops of essential oil to pre-boiled water as it has a bactericidal effect. A person with stomach flu should not do strenuous work. She should not leave the house until she recovers. It is advisable to stay in a regularly ventilated and disinfected room.
Treatment of stomach flu often requires medical attention. Make an appointment for a teleconsultation with an internist to receive appropriate medications that will alleviate your ailments.
To reduce the spread of gastric flu virus, the patient’s room should be ventilated and disinfected. After treatment is completed, the patient should not eat fast food and heavy foods for at least four weeks. Instead, he should replace them with light meals that will help the intestines to function better. It is worth adding fiber-rich foods to your meals. Chia seeds and plantain shells will work great. We also recommend Good Intestinal Function JeliHerbs – a herbal blend of high-fiber plants.
Treatment of stomach flu in pregnancy
The intestine, which is also a gastrointestinal disease, can pose a threat to the baby. Then the risk of miscarriage and premature rupture of the membranes increases significantly. The child may also die or have a growth problem. To avoid these consequences, a pregnant woman should replenish fluids. When the symptoms are bothersome, it is also necessary to visit a doctor.
When a pregnant woman has bowel disease, she may use medications to help fight the fever. However, the dose of the drug should not be too high. Some medications cross the placental barrier, so frequent use may endanger the health of your baby. A fever in pregnancy can have negative consequences, so taking medication is advisable when the situation requires it. In order to reduce the risk of complications, the medications you are taking should be consulted with your gynecologist during the follow-up visit.
What diet should a person with stomach flu follow?
The menu of a person suffering from gastric flu should contain products similar to those for people suffering from any other food poisoning. The disease destroys the mucosa of the digestive system. During the first few days of the acute phase of gastric flu, it’s a good idea to give up food altogether. Instead, you should drink the aforementioned water, for example with natural Kamchatka berry juice, herbal infusions and mineral mixtures.
When the bowel symptoms start to get weaker, after about 2-3 days, you can include in the menu, for example, fresh vegetable broth, soft-boiled eggs, tender cooked turkey meat, veal and skinless chicken. The best method of heat treatment is steaming. When returning to your normal diet, you should not rush to restart individual products.
The intestine weakens the body, so when recovering from the disease, you need to provide it with the nutrients it needs. It is worth enriching the diet with, for example, boiled vegetables. A tasty addition will also be baked fruit, white cheese, yoghurt and broth, e.g. poultry and beef. When returning to a normal diet, you can also reach for barley and millet, and later for bread.
Even 3 weeks after your illness, avoid heavy foods. The intestinal mucosa will be irritated by any fried or smoked meat and fish. Any pickles, legumes and cruciferous vegetables can also be dangerous. People who have recovered from the intestines should therefore avoid, for example, pickled cucumbers, peas, beans, white and red cabbage. Vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli will also be harmful.
To support digestion, it is worth using Klimuszko Nalewka Na Trawienie, which contains water plant extracts derived from herbs that have a positive effect on the digestive system.
How to proceed when passing through the intestine?
On the first day, you should skip meals. The body should only be irrigated with water or weak tea. In the first phase of the bowel, you should drink frequently, but in small amounts. On the second day, you can start eating light dishes, white rice, rusks and crackers.
On the third day, it is advisable to include boiled meat in the diet, e.g. turkey, chicken or cottage cheese.
For drinking, we recommend Pukka Three Chamomile – chamomile tea, which helps soothe ailments of the digestive system.
How can I avoid stomach flu?
Anyone who wants to avoid viral infection should first of all wash their hands regularly. This is supposed to be the basic principle of hygiene, but not everyone follows it. Always wash your hands after leaving the toilet, after returning from the store and from work. When there is a bowel disease epidemic, it is worth having a gel and wet wipes with you and washing your hands even after greeting someone. When we do not have access to running water, you can clean your hands, also with the Smedical disinfection gel.
Infection with viral virus occurs instantly. So avoid people who have the first symptoms of the disease. People working in offices and where there are people should always wipe their tools with antibacterial wipes. If there is a viral load in your child’s school, leave him / her at home. Otherwise, the child may bring the virus and infect the household with it.
When it turns out that one of the household members has contracted viral virus, more attention should be paid to cleaning the house. The handles should be cleaned with a disinfectant every day. The toilet seat should also be cleaned with a special preparation that allows the removal of bacteria – the household members should also be alerted to always close the lid.
- Note: Infection with the intestinal flu occurs a few days before the first symptoms appear, and 100% recovery occurs when the infected cells in the intestinal mucosa exfoliate. It is recommended that you take special care of hygiene for a few days after the symptoms have disappeared.
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