Gastric Flue: 12 things we need to know
Gastrointestinal flu has received so many names in the people that they can not be counted. It is also called intestinal, and abdominal, and gastric flu, although in fact it is not even the flu at all. The real name of this disease is gastroenteritis, or rotaviroz. What do we need to know about such a popular ailment in order to recover in time and competently?
Fact number 1. In fact, gastric flu is a norovirus
Stop blaming the stomach flu in your condition, and instead learn the true name of your problem: norovirus. It belongs to a family of viruses that cause gastroenteritis, although it can also be caused by an adenovirus and an astrovirus. But rotavirus infection is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, especially in newborns, the elderly and young children.
Norovirus can spread like wildfire in any crowded place, causing outbreaks in kindergartens, schools, hospitals and offices.
Fact number 2. Vaccination against influenza in this case will not help
When people say "stomach flu", they mean the flu virus that circulates in the environment and attacks the person every year through the nose and throat. Immunizations from influenza can protect against this virus, but not from the one that causes viral gastroenteritis.
The confusion between ordinary and gastric flu can be associated with some symptoms characteristic of both diseases. For example, it may be aches and pain throughout the body, nausea, subfebrile temperature, headache and muscle pain.
But among the symptoms of ordinary flu, there is no such thing as abdominal pain (at least in adults).
Fact number 3. It's very contagious!
Gastric flu spreads "fecal-oral route," which is just as dangerous as the airborne pathway that spreads the common flu. Basically, the viruses of the gastric flu enter the body with infected feces or vomiting. Constant and thorough hand washing is the best defense against gastroenteritis.
Wash your hands especially carefully if you change diapers or clean for a sick child, and adults in the family should constantly clean up for themselves and observe personal hygiene.
Fact number 4. You can get stomach flu with food
Viral gastroenteritis is not exactly the same thing as food poisoning that can occur due to any disease, caused by industrial pollutants, including dangerous toxins of bacteria, such as salmonella. But norovirus is the number one cause among all foodborne diseases.
Viral gastroenteritis can be transmitted from person to person or from touching a contaminated surface. But you can also get viral gastroenteritis from sewage, contaminated food or water, or dishes cooked or processed by an infected person. Hence all these inscriptions "wash your hands" in the restaurants and bathrooms of the hotels.
Fact number 5. Viruses that cause gastric flu are more hardy than common flu viruses
Compared to other viruses, noroviruses can be surprisingly hardy and stay alive for several days. They remain on household surfaces even after harvesting, so they easily spread. Even small amounts of viruses can cause infection.
To avoid infection with the intestinal virus, wash your hands with soap and water, which are more effective than hand sanitizers. Avoid cooking if you are sick (you can be contagious for 3 days or more after the disappearance of flu or gastroenteritis symptoms). Wash the laundry gently, using gloves to avoid catching stomach flu through contaminated clothing and bedding.
Use detergents based on environmentally friendly substances to kill the virus on hard surfaces.
Fact number 6. Symptoms of gastric flu occur slowly
Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain will not appear in you immediately after the viruses have reached the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of gastric flu usually develop gradually, within one or two days.
But other types of food poisoning can manifest quickly and hard - just a few hours after you ate something stale. Their symptoms are usually more severe, for example, such as abrupt and prolonged vomiting and diarrhea.
Fact number 7. Gastric influenza passes by itself
Both diseases - and gastric flu, other types of food poisoning - are what doctors call "self-restraint", that is, these diseases go by themselves and rarely require treatment.
You should know that norovirus is the main cause of foodborne illness, but salmonella and other pathogens can lead to hospitalization or death.
If you have viral gastroenteritis, you should begin to feel better after two or three days of the course of the disease. And food poisoning is caused by other causes - it affects you more and faster, but it passes faster, and you can return to normal working mode in a day or two.
Fact number 8. Dehydration is the biggest risk in stomach flu
It goes without saying that if you lose a lot of fluid due to watery diarrhea and vomiting, you need to drink fluids. But, apart from the liquid, you also lose sodium, potassium and other minerals known as electrolytes, and they also need to be replenished with the right diet. To replenish the reserves of potassium in the body, you need to eat rice porridge on the water and bananas - they have a lot of potassium.
If you have severe diarrhea, you should drink oral solutions with electrolytes containing salts and sugars, as well as water. Energy drinks (especially for those who are fond of sports) are not the best choice, because they contain an incorrect mixture of salt and sugar in terms of replacing lost fluid.
Fact number 9. With gastric flu, carbonated water is not the best choice
Try to avoid drinking too much sugary soda or drinks, such as juice, which contains a lot of sugar. The exception is the orange juice shown during dehydration. The biggest mistake that people with gastric flu do is just try to drink a lot of soda water. They understand that they need to drink something to prevent themselves from dehydration, but do it wrong.
It is not advisable to consume dairy products, for example, kefir and yoghurts, milk, because the milk protein virus will convert to a toxin, and your condition will only get worse. It is also not advisable to use soda to eat bread and sweets, which are very poorly digested and digested.
If you lost a lot of water, you need to drink decoctions of chamomile, mineral water without gas, green tea, blueberry jelly.
Fact number 10. Do not treat gastric flu with antibiotics
Many mistakenly think that with gastric flu, antibiotics are always needed. But in fact there is no treatment for viral gastroenteritis other than time and relief of symptoms. Antibiotics in this case are useless, so do not be surprised if the doctor does not recommend them.
But with gastric flu, antidiarrheal drugs are shown, which can also help to ease spasms and diarrhea. But you should avoid them if you have bloody diarrhea and fever, as this can lead to worsening of symptoms.
Fact number 11. Children and the elderly, as well as pregnant women, are at greatest risk
In children of younger preschool and school age, the immune system is still weak enough to deal with viral infections, in addition, with gastric flu, children and the elderly are at greater risk of dehydration. Elderly people are more likely with viral gastroenteritis, and recovery from illness takes more time.
Anyone with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, asthma, cancer or kidney disease, people who are HIV-positive or are taking medicine, which suppress the immune system, should always consult with your doctor before taking anything from a stomach disorder.
Fact number 12. Do not rush on your way to recovery
When vomiting and diarrhea cease, you, of course, will feel very hungry. But you do not have to pounce on food, but wait a few days before arranging a banquet. Eat small portions and drink in smaller amounts. If you overload the stomach, you will too soon feel sick again. So do not include so far in the diet of fatty foods and allow time for the stomach to digest food.
When should I see a doctor if you have stomach flu?
If you see blood in a stool or vomiting, consult a doctor. Diarrhea in itself is not a cause for concern, but call your doctor if you are extremely lethargic, confused consciousness, or a change in the mental state, or lack of urine (or urine is dark and concentrated). All these are signs of severe dehydration.
In addition, you need medical help if you do not get better after three days of illness, you have a prolonged vomiting, which does not allow the use of liquid in normal portions, or if the temperature has risen above 38 degrees Celsius.
Gastrointestinal flu is a rather dangerous disease, in which it is necessary to properly treat. And then you will recover very quickly.
ilive.com.ua
How is gastric flu treated? And anyway, can you say for sure that it's him?
Answers:
In T
Gastroenteritis, or, as it is also called, gastric flu is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites, and is a type of influenza. Also, gastric flu can cause the use of dirty water or stale foods, as well as the use of lactic acid foods that can cause intolerance. The cause of gastric flu, in addition to those listed, may be poor hand washing. Gastrointestinal flu, as well as intestinal flu, is also a "family" flu, that is, if someone in the family gets sick, then it is possible that other family members will fall ill.
What are the symptoms of gastric flu?
The patient has severe acute pain in the abdomen, a strong yellowish diarrhea with a characteristic sharp unpleasant and acidic odor, vomiting up to 4 times a day, spasms in the intestine. The increase in lymph nodes, the appearance of fever and a sharp headache - can also be symptoms of gastric flu. If the gastric flu is taking place in a more complicated form, then dehydration of the human body can go, which is dangerous for human life and in this case, urgent medical care is needed.
What are the signs of dehydration?
Sunken eyes - this can be seen with dehydration of the body immediately. Also, they will be joined by the following signs - the appearance of severe dizziness, the patient complains of a strong thirst, drying of the mucous membranes of the mouth and loss of skin elasticity. If you examine the patient with gastric flu, you can see the redness of the throat, palatine douches, as well as conjunctiva of the eyes. When the body is dehydrated, the amount of urine drastically decreases. With such dehydration, the patient is recommended to eat apple puree, bananas, rice and adhere to the necessary diet, that is, you need to use those foods that are not irritants of the inflamed intestine.
More often than not, pregnant women, children of infancy, elderly people can get stomach flu. Particularly amenable to this disease are those people who have weakened the immune system. The severity of the course of gastric flu depends on the state of this immune system. During severe vomiting and diarrhea, the body loses sodium and potassium, which are so necessary. Therefore, the degree of dehydration depends on the severity of vomiting and diarrhea.
Gastric flu usually lasts from 4 to 8 days and has a benign course. If a person has had gastric flu, then it starts to develop persistent immunity, and a second disease with gastroenteritis is very rare.
What is the necessary treatment for gastric flu?
With this disease prescribe symptomatic treatment, that is, drugs for the treatment of diarrhea, antipyretic, and it is also necessary to adhere to an easily digestible diet and take enzyme preparations, such as smecta.
If the correct treatment of gastric flu is carried out, no complications of influenza after the transfer of this disease are observed. But if you do not help the patient on time and do not take the right treatment, then a bacterial intestinal infection will join the stomach flu, which will complicate the course of the disease. During the disease, it is necessary to monitor the temperature. And, if the temperature keeps above 39 degrees several days, it is necessary to take serious measures to reduce it, as this can lead to the death of brain cells.
Prevention of gastric flu is very simple. First of all, personal hygiene measures must be followed; do not drink water from open water; you can not eat dirty vegetables or fruits; should not be consumed in food poor-quality products; well, and, of course, it is necessary to isolate the patient with gastric flu so that there is no infection with the virus of people around him.
Tatyana
Yes, the neighbor is just a virus, and apparently her immunity is stronger. Go to the doctor, it is necessary to be surveyed to you.
Garik
If it's an enterovirus, it will take 3-5 days, and if it's longer, go to the doctor. Do not transfer money to "restore microflora", it must be done competently, under the guidance of a doctor.
Marina Edemskaya
intestinal flu is rotavirus. 100% of the diagnosis can be confirmed only by the analysis for this virus, it is performed in an infectious hospital, or other specialized laboratories.
it is treated symptomatically: rehydror to replace lost with diarrhea fluid, against diarrhea-enterol, or bifiform. If it is rotavirus-after a few days the symptomatology passes. if something else, and diarrhea and abdominal pain continue, then to be examined further.
yes, you can get infected from a neighbor. so that separate dishes and clean hands are the guarantee of your health
"Gastroenteritis or, as it is also called, gastric flu is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites, and is a type of influenza. "- wrote this man, far from medicine, because the flu itself is caused by the flu virus, and not by bacteria and parasites, and intestinal flu has nothing to do with ordinary flu
Joric Hixos
The flu, if treated, lasts 7 days and if not then a week. :-)
Symptoms are very similar, you can get infected and airborne.
Alexander Vishnyakov
The exact answer is only a virological analysis!
It is treated as an antiviral as other SARS.
Nastya Litunovskaya
On uzi
Gastrointestinal flu, causes, diagnosis, treatment
Gastric influenza, intestinal or rotavirus infection are all determinations of the same infectious disease. The cause of this disease is viruses that are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. A healthy person can get infected from a vector of the virus, which is physiologically healthy, but at the same time is dangerous for others. Most often, infection occurs in a large team - a child or an adult. From animals it is impossible to catch stomach flu.Did you know that gastric flu is called a disease of unwashed hands. Why? Because the disease is transmitted in the following cases:
- They visited the toilet and did not wash after the hand, then they started dinner;
- You eat unwashed vegetables and fruits;
- You drink dirty water;
- They did not look at the shelf life of the products and ate them (rotavirus infection is contained in overdue foods in large amounts);
- Long and incorrectly store food in the refrigerator and then eat them for food.
The mechanism of infection
When a virus penetrates the human body, it immediately strives to enter the gastrointestinal tract. Basically, gastric flu affects the small intestine, destroying its upper layer, in which the villi of the intestine are located. The intestinal rushes are necessary for us to split all the food we consume.
Since after the defeat of gastric flu intestine villi food is not digested in sufficient volume, and accumulates in the stomach and intestine, it leads to poisoning the body and the accumulation of a large number of salt solutions. The latter causes a person with a disorder in the form of diarrhea.
Symptoms
Gastric flue passes in the human body in 3 stages, beginning from the incubation period, ending with the process of recovery. The first symptoms are very acute. The patient complains of severe pain in the abdomen, weakness in the body, headache. The person completely disappears appetite, he feels bad. In addition, a patient with gastric flu can begin to cough, runny nose and show a sore throat.
Some patients experience symptoms of persistent nausea and vomiting. But, the defining sign of intestinal flu is profuse diarrhea, which lasts for several days and leads to dehydration.
If the disease occurs with complications, then a person can faint, his temperature rises, he begins to shiver all over his body. There is a risk of developing heart failure, which leads to death.
Important!
Mortality from gastric flu is 5%. The risk group includes people with initially weakened immunity.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of rotavirus infection includes:
- Examination by a gastroenterologist, taking into account the patient's initial complaints;
- Laboratory diagnostics, including - a general analysis of blood, urine.
The most acute manifestation of gastric flu in young children.
Attention of patients!
Gastric influenza in almost 99% of all clinical cases is accompanied by dehydration of the body. In no case should excessive loss of fluid and salts from the body be prevented. Therefore, in order to prevent dehydration, it is mandatory to use a large amount of liquid or special solutions like the Regidron (available at any pharmacy).
If there is no opportunity to purchase a solution of Regidron, then at home dissolve 1 tsp. salt in 1 liter of warm boiled water and drink 50 ml every 30 minutes.
On the temperature of the body with the flu
In no case should not lower the body temperature, which occurs with gastric flu. High temperature is necessary for the body in order to destroy by own forces rotavirus. If the temperature rises from the level of 38.5 and higher, then paracetamol and compresses are allowed.
But absorbing drugs must be taken necessarily - it is activated charcoal, festal, polysorb, smecta.
If the stomach is very sore, then do not engage in amateur and take any painkillers. Call for an ambulance and trust specialists.
Diet
With gastric flu, it is necessary, first of all, to refuse the consumption of any sour-milk products (until complete recovery). If you still eat kefir / milk / cottage cheese, then be ready for a rapid increase in diarrhea.
If the patient has an appetite, you can drink black sweet strong tea. Then, with a stronger desire to eat something, chicken broth should be used. Do not immediately attack the food, as this can provoke a vomitive reflex.
Prevention
Prevention of gastric flu is very simple in performance. This - compliance with hygiene rules, washing hands after going to the toilet, public places, and also every time you are going to eat.
Try to pay attention to the date of manufacture and the shelf life of the products you are going to eat. Keep all foods in the refrigerator in sealed containers. For drinking, use purified water, preferably pre-boiled. Carefully process vegetables and fruits before meals, especially for baby food.
Questions and answers
My daughter is 4 years old. Recently, I took her from the kindergarten with a lot of vomiting and a fever of 38 degrees. During the evening vomiting was repeated 5 times and we called an ambulance, we were taken to the hospital. The child was made an enema, put a dropper with glucose and sent home. A couple of days later, I also started vomiting and the temperature increased. Can it be that we both have gastric flu? (Tamar, 32 years old)
- Yes, with a high probability you can have gastric flu. To facilitate your well-being, take a sorbent - activated charcoal, and use a large amount of water or a solution of Regidron to avoid dehydration. Regarding the health of the child, then follow the appointment of doctors - a plentiful drink and a diet.
medportal.su
Treatment of intestinal flu in adults
Intestinal flu is a serious disease if not taken in time. It can become complicated and lead to irreversible processes in the body. A special course of treatment is not provided, the doctor prescribes therapy that will help the body actively fight infection. Treatment is symptomatic, facilitates the patient's condition.We restore the water-salt balance
The disease leads to dehydration, exhaustion of the body, so you need to drink as much fluid as possible. Pay attention to special pharmaceutical salt preparations, which contain a large number of mineral salts, such belongs to Regidron. Also recommend to drink drinking as much as possible non-carbonated mineral water, a compote of dried fruits.
Salt preparation should be diluted, as written in the instructions, you do not need to do it by sight, so as not to harm the body, salt can always attract a large amount of water. Such a mineral mixture can be tried at home, you need: a kitchen salt - a tablespoon; sugar - two tablespoons; water - one liter. Recommend to add lemon to taste. To restore cells of the intestine, the stomach, you need to take infusion with mint, chamomile.
We are treated with medicinal preparations
Intestinal flu leads to the fact that there is a failure in the development of enzymes necessary for the digestive system. It is recommended to take Festal, Mezim.
It is advised to take enterosorbents, with the help of them you can remove toxic substances, recommend using Smectoo, activated charcoal, these drugs will help to quickly remove the virus from the body.
To remove pathogenic microflora from the intestine, it is necessary to use probiotics, they include a large number of bacteria, they participate in the digestive processes.
Whether it is necessary to take antibiotics or not, the attending doctor decides. Not always these medications help to destroy viruses, some can further damage, because they get rid of useful microorganisms.
We use a diet to treat intestinal flu
It is important to pay attention to dietary nutrition, so you can quickly restore the work of the gastrointestinal tract. In the diet to include sour-milk products, the porridge should be a liquid consistency, cook it on the water. Also recommend to use tea, only without sugar, it should be strong.
It is necessary to refuse whole milk, dark bread, sugar, raw fruits, vegetables. Intestinal flu lasts no more than a week, so you need to follow all the rules and observe quarantine about two weeks so as not to infect others.
If the patient has lost his appetite, you need to eat jelly, broth, semolina, rice porridge, they are cooked on the water, butter is not necessary to add. In the diet you can include low-fat cottage cheese, only you need to grind it.
It is allowed to use boiled meat, low-fat fish, wheat bread. Salt in your diet should be as small as possible.
You can drink broths with raspberries, blueberries, currants, cocoa can be cooked on the water. When diarrhea decreases, gradually you can enter vegetarian soup, mashed potatoes, honey, carrots, buckwheat.
How to protect against intestinal flu?
1. You can not use unwashed fruits, vegetables, it is best to use them before boiling them with boiled water.
2. Before you drink milk, you must necessarily boil it.
3. Be sure to wash your hands with soap before eating.
4. If you have to contact the patient, observe the sanitary standards, you may need to take medications that improve the immune system.
5. Protect against rotavirus infection can be through vaccination.
Urgent flu emergency treatment
At the first symptoms of intestinal flu, you should consult your doctor, especially if it appears weakness, dizzy, it speaks of dehydration of the body, it can also hurt your throat. In the event that the body temperature rises, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, attention dissipation, constantly want to sleep, urgently need to call an ambulance.
Urgent medical care is needed if blood stains in vomiting and vomiting. Danger of dehydration, which dry out in the mouth, worries about thirst, difficulty urinating. Body temperature can rise to 39 degrees. Sometimes there is bloating, in the abdominal area there may be severe pain, which gives down the abdomen. You can not let vomiting and nausea last more than two days.
To accurately diagnose the disease, it is necessary to pass an analysis of stool. To prevent complications, you need to adhere to bed rest, drink as much liquid as possible, take medications that will help reduce heat.
Note that the temperature will be lost only if it is higher than 38 degrees. To treat rotovirus, you need to use folk methods, they do not harm like medications.
Intestinal spasm can be removed with No-shpa. Keep track of your health, if you become worse, worried about constant vomiting, diarrhea, you may need hospitalization, everything can end in a fatal outcome.
To get rid of diarrhea, you need to take Enterofuril. You need to drink it in the morning and in the evening, do not forget to observe the dosage. The drug can be used no more than 5 days. To restore the intestinal microflora will help Linex, Symbiot and other probiotics.
So, intestinal flu is a dangerous infectious disease. It is important to get rid of symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea in time, for this you need to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. When the disease is recommended to drink fruit drinks, broths with rose hips, mineral still water. If the disease worsens, you need to contact your doctor.
medportal.su
What are the symptoms of gastric flu?
Answers:
black Mamba
vomiting + diarrhea + fever + dizziness
julia_sweet
severe diarrhea and antibiotics do not help. Drink better smectic. Antibiotics for gastric flu will not help.
Irene
The common name of rotavirus infection is intestinal flu, gastric flu.
The disease begins acutely. The body temperature reaches 37.9 ° C and above, in severe cases - above 39 ° C. With mild forms of the disease, there is no pronounced fever. Patients report pain in the epigastric region, nausea, vomiting. An important diagnostic feature is the combination of the two leading clinical syndromes: gastroenteritis and upper respiratory tract symptoms. Catarrhal syndrome occurs in approximately 50% of patients and manifests as hyperemia and granularity of the mucous membranes soft palate, palatine arch, tongue, posterior pharyngeal wall, as well as a runny nose, stuffy nose, cough, sore throat.
On examination, reddening of the pharynx, enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes is often noted. Characteristic abundant liquid watery stools without any admixture of mucus and blood.
With an abundant fluid stool, dehydration may develop.
Specific and drugs that act on the causative agent of the disease there. Treatment is symptomatic.
In order to prevent complications, it is recommended to undergo medical treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
