Dorothy FarrarDiarrhea
Many people have been affected by the so-called vomiting diarrhea . Colloquially, the disease is also referred to as gastrointestinal flu . Medically, this is gastroenteritis. Symptoms usually subside within 48 hours. Noroviruses are often the cause of the disease.
What is vomiting diarrhea?
Gastroenteritis – literally translated: gastrointestinal inflammation – is the classic diarrhea with vomiting. As the name suggests, the classic symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. This is because there is inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
The vomiting diarrhea is not related to the flu ; influenza differs in important respects. The cause of vomiting diarrhea varies. The treatment itself is usually carried out with symptom-relieving drugs.
causes
Diarrhea with vomiting has different causes. Viruses or bacteria are usually responsible for the disease. The most well-known pathogen is the norovirus . The pathogens are highly contagious in the case of vomiting diarrhea. This means that the risk of infection between people is extremely high. Above all, contaminated stool, contaminated drinks or food, but also objects touched together are sufficient to transmit the pathogens.Children are often affected by vomiting diarrhea. This is primarily because they often touch each other when playing together. This means that children have a higher chance of infecting each other. The symptoms are at the same time the program. The vomiting diarrhea manifests – as the name suggests – due to vomiting and diarrhea. Both symptoms occur simultaneously and spontaneously. Many patients complain of abdominal pain and severe nausea.
Other symptoms include fever, severe headaches and body aches. The complaints last a maximum of three days. Children and older people feel the vomiting diarrhea “more intensively” – the patients often dehydrate (dry out).
When to the doctor?
A doctor should be consulted if vomiting and diarrhea occur spontaneously. In most cases, there is a viral disease that leads to a significant deterioration in general health within a few hours. If the symptoms persist for several days, it is also necessary to consult a doctor. If other symptoms appear, treatment should be initiated to prevent the disease from spreading.
Fever, nausea, exhaustion or a diffuse feeling of weakness should be presented to a doctor. In case of headache, dizziness and apathy, a visit to the doctor is necessary. Diarrhea with vomiting leads to an inability to work because the bowel movement can no longer be regulated at will. A consultation with a doctor is necessary as soon as the affected person can no longer leave the house due to the unstable condition.
Stomach pain, irritated skin on the anus and body aches occur with diarrhea and should also be clarified by a doctor. If everyday tasks can no longer be carried out as usual, it is advisable to consult a doctor. If diarrhea with vomiting persists, the person affected is also threatened with dehydration . It is important to ensure that you drink enough fluids without having to visit your doctor again, as there is a risk of a life-threatening condition. If the feeling of internal dehydration sets in, a doctor must be contacted immediately.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of vomiting diarrhea:
Diagnose
The course of vomiting diarrhea is the same in the patients. The disease breaks out a few hours after transmission by the pathogen. The disease itself is often contagious for days; Noroviruses often remain in the body for weeks and can therefore infect healthy people. However, this does not mean that the patient suffers from vomiting diarrhea for weeks; with norovirus there is even a risk of infection after the disease has subsided.
The vomiting diarrhea usually does not last longer than three days. Medical treatment is not necessary. The patient only has to pay attention to the fluid intake. Complications are the well-known “dehydration” of the patient and diseases of the kidneys. Due to the high water loss, circulatory problems are possible. If the discomfort persists, a medical visit is recommended.
complications
Diarrhea with vomiting is not only unpleasant, but can quickly take on very dangerous forms. Because the body loses large amounts of fluids through both vomiting and diarrhea, the body quickly becomes depleted of electrolytes and severe dehydration can result. However, since the patient is already struggling with the trigger of the vomiting diarrhea, these sequelae may weaken the body so much that it can no longer defend itself adequately on any front. Diarrhea with vomiting can therefore quickly become a life-threatening condition, with people usually affected by such crises who were already in poor health.
Babies and children, the elderly or people with pre-existing conditions most often suffer complications from prolonged vomiting and diarrhea. If it escapes in a very strong form and lasts for hours, a healthy adult can of course quickly develop further complications. In this country, it is usually recognized promptly that there is a need for treatment for diarrhea with vomiting, so that the necessary treatment can be initiated.
In third world countries, on the other hand, the necessary medication is often not available, so that there have been deaths due to the complications of diarrhea and vomiting. Even if this does not happen, diarrhea with vomiting causes considerable damage to the intestinal flora, which can almost completely disappear. It must then be restored by supplying it from the outside, otherwise the absorption of nutrients by the person affected is severely impaired.
treatment and therapy
Diarrhea with vomiting is one of the few diseases that the patient can also diagnose himself. Since diarrhea with vomiting is common, there are dozens of home remedies that are known. For this reason, many patients do not go to the doctor and treat the vomiting diarrhea themselves. However, this does not mean that the patient should refrain from any contact with the doctor.
In severe forms of the disease, it is important that the patient seeks medical advice. Children and the elderly should also see a doctor in good time. The doctor first makes the diagnosis based on the description of the symptoms. In order to be able to determine the pathogen, a sample of the stool is carried out. Stool testing is done when the doctor suspects norovirus. If the patient is already weak and in poor general condition, a physical examination is also carried out.
prevention
If the patient with vomiting diarrhea does not belong to the risk group (elderly person or child) and has no other underlying diseases, the doctor can usually only alleviate the symptoms during treatment. It is important that the patient drinks enough water. The body loses a lot of fluids, which the patient has to replenish; as a rule, one speaks of several liters of liquid that one should consume.
Unsweetened tea or water are suitable for hydration. The patient should refrain from heavy digestible food during the vomiting diarrhea. Light food such as rusks is advisable. Patients often complain of loss of appetite and often do not eat for a day or two. Not eating is not so bad as long as the patient is drinking enough fluids. If the disease is caused by bacteria, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics .
Doctors also prescribe medication against nausea and vomiting as well as against diarrhea. Under certain circumstances, the doctor can also prescribe inpatient admission. This is rare and only occurs when norovirus disease is present and the disease is affecting the circulatory system. The doctor recommends inpatient admission even if the fluid loss is too high.
As a rule, the patient cannot prevent the infection and illness caused by vomiting diarrhea. One possibility is to strengthen the immune system ; another is hand disinfection after the toilet.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.