Enteritis – causes, symptoms & therapy

When to the doctor?

Enteritis is an inflammation of the intestines, so typical side effects such as fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting occur in this context. Of course, such a gastrointestinal infection does not always have to be treated directly by a doctor. Affected people can fall back on their own medicine chest at the first sign of such an infection. However, if the medication you have taken has no effect, you should see a doctor after three days at the latest.

In such a case, a doctor can prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs that effectively fight the existing infection. However, if you do not seek treatment from a doctor if you have enteritis, you are exposing yourself to great danger. If left untreated, the individual symptoms will become significantly worse, causing the affected person to suffer from significant fluid loss. Adequate fluid intake must therefore be ensured.

The following therefore applies: If the above-mentioned complications occur for no apparent reason, then there is a high probability of an infection in the intestinal area. Especially acute diarrhea and vomiting are extremely reliable signs of this disease. However, if you consult a doctor early on, you can achieve rapid improvement by taking appropriate medication.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of enteritis:

• Diarrhea

• nausea

• Vomit

• stomach pain

• Fever

• loss of appetite

• dizziness

Typical symptoms of enteritis include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal and stomach pain, fever, dizziness, loss of appetite and a general feeling of weakness. The individual symptoms of enteritis always appear depending on the cause and the physical condition of the patient. The duration and the strength are very different.

The most classic complaints are probably nausea, which is often accompanied by vomiting and cramping pains in the intestines and abdomen. The pain is usually paired with diarrhea, which is always a sign of intestinal inflammation. Patients may also suffer from fever and a general feeling of weakness as the disease progresses.

Due to the high loss of fluids , enteritis is often accompanied by circulatory problems due to what is known as dehydration . Therefore, the treatment of enteritis is very important, since otherwise a circulatory collapse with life-threatening conditions is possible. In the case of weakened patients (e.g. AIDS patients) as well as the elderly and children, rapid treatment of the symptoms is particularly important.

complications

In most cases, enteritis is associated with very unpleasant complaints and symptoms. If left untreated, it can also lead to various complications and greatly reduce the quality of life of those affected. The patients suffer from severe diarrhea and vomiting.

It is not uncommon for abdominal pain and nausea to occur, although the stomach can also be affected by the pain. With enteritis, the pain can spread to other parts of the body. If the pain also occurs at night, this can lead to sleep problems and thus significantly reduce the quality of life of the person concerned.

The patient becomes generally exhausted and weak, and fever and loss of appetite occur. Malnutrition and dehydration can also lead to circulatory problems and loss of consciousness.

Enteritis can be treated relatively well with antibiotics. The symptoms disappear after a few days. However, the affected person must follow a light diet in order to speed up the treatment. No other complications arise. As a rule, most people get enteritis several times in their lives.

treatment and therapy

The diagnosis of enteritis is based on anamnesis of the previous course of the disease and the symptoms. Under certain circumstances, the doctor will also take a stool sample to check which pathogen is responsible for the disease. Examination of the passed stool is usually carried out by a laboratory.

The symptoms of enteritis usually last only a few days, so that it can be difficult to determine the exact cause. Therefore, it can also be useful if information about the food consumed or possible trips abroad can be given. A certain type of pathogen can usually be ruled out from the outset.

When treating enteritis, the most important thing is to relieve the symptoms. As a rule, medication – usually corresponding antibiotics – is used for this. However, an appropriate diet and the intake of liquids containing minerals also help to heal quickly. It is also useful to use medication to relieve diarrhea.

An infusion of electrolyte solutions is often necessary, especially for patients who are so weak due to persistent vomiting and severe diarrhea that they can neither eat nor drink. In some cases, stabilizing medication must also be administered for circulatory problems . Thrombosis or embolism should also be prevented if possible with appropriate medication.

In patients suffering from Crohn’s disease – i.e. chronic enteritis – the symptoms that occur in phases are alleviated with appropriate therapy. Medication as well as a simultaneous diet come into question. The renunciation of certain foods can also become necessary during therapy.

prevention

There are many preventive measures for enteritis that help to avoid diarrhea and vomiting. Hygiene measures are particularly important. This not only applies to going to the toilet, but also in connection with the possible infestation of food by fungi and other microorganisms.Anyone who has had contact with a sick person should observe the general hygiene measures and also comply with special regulations for disinfection. Proper food handling is also important to prevent enteritis. Here it should be ensured that special foods such as raw meat or raw fish in particular do not come into contact with food contaminated with germs and are used up as quickly as possible after purchase. Anyone who follows the most important hygiene measures can protect themselves well against enteritis and its consequences.