Gastroenteritis is the most common condition which is also referred to as “stomach flu”. Nearly 10 million cases of gastroenteritis are recorded per year in India. What is gastroenteritis? Gastroenteritis is the most common type of illness which is commonly called “food poisoning,” because it mainly occurs due to food and water contamination.
The illness is triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system. It is not a life-threatening condition and does not require treatment in all cases as it is self-limiting. In severe cases, it may lead to severe dehydration that ultimately results in shock or coma.
The main gastroenteritis causes include viruses, bacteria, parasites, chemicals, medications, and bacterial toxins.
Gastroenteritis is easily diagnosed based on the symptoms present, but your doctor would order some more tests to confirm the underlying cause.
The bacteria that cause gastroenteritis can spread very easily from person to person. To prevent the spread, you must avoid close contact with the person who is infected with gastroenteritis.
Prevention is always better than cure. Follow some measures to prevent gastroenteritis.
The main gastroenteritis symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, nausea, muscle cramps, and abdominal pain. Because of severe diarrhea and vomiting, you may feel exhausted and dehydrated.
| Signs of dehydration | Signs of severe dehydration | |
|---|---|---|
| In children | Dry skin, Lethargic Weakness, Sunken eyes, Passing scant urine | Pale skin, Cold limbs, Drowsiness, Increased breath |
| In adults | Tiredness, Headache, Dizziness, Sunken eyes, Muscular cramps | Coma Confusion, Weakness, Increased heart rate |
If dehydration is severe, it is considered a medical emergency and requires medical attention. So, if you experience any of the above-mentioned signs of severe dehydration, consult your doctor immediately.
The main goal of the treatment is preventing dehydration or treating the dehydration if it has developed. You must follow the tips given below:
Usually, gastroenteritis is a self-limiting condition. However, when the condition is more severe, your doctor would recommend antidiarrheal medications for the treatment of gastroenteritis. This help to reduce the frequency of the visit to the washroom.
You may also need to take paracetamol or ibuprofen as prescribed if there is a fever or a headache. If the condition is not stable after several days, then your doctor would order stool testing. These tests help your doctor to understand if there is any need for prescribing antibiotics. Antibiotics are required if gastroenteritis occurs due to bacteria. In the case of viral gastroenteritis, your doctor would not prescribe antibiotics.
Antimicrobials are generally not prescribed except for cases such as traveler’s diarrhea or if the cause of gastroenteritis is by Shigella or Campylobacter.
Your doctor would prescribe probiotics to help with diarrhea; probiotics helps replace the lost essential bacteria of the body. They help your body in coping up with diarrhea.
Gastroenteritis is a self-limiting condition, you may also need to take paracetamol or ibuprofen as prescribed if there is a fever or a headache, antibiotics are required if gastroenteritis occurs due to bacteria.
Gastroenteritis causes include viruses, bacteria, parasites, chemicals, medications, and bacterial toxins.
