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Enteritis
What to avoid eating with gastroenteritis
Patients with gastroenteritis need to pay special attention to their diet, especially avoiding spicy, greasy, and irritating foods. They should also avoid strong tea and coffee, as these are necessary to abstain from. It is advisable to consume more bland or easily digestible foods, such as noodles, egg custard, and rice soup. Under strict dietary control, if symptoms do not improve, medication may be necessary. Common medications include those that suppress gastric acid secretion and protect the gastric mucosa, as well as antibiotics. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)
Is gastroenteritis contagious?
There are many causes of gastroenteritis, and whether it can be contagious depends mainly on the pathogen involved. For example, if gastroenteritis is caused by an infection with bacterial dysentery leading to gastrointestinal symptoms, this situation can be spread via the digestive tract and is contagious. However, if the gastroenteritis symptoms arise from exposure to air conditioning and getting a chill, this situation is not contagious. Therefore, patients with gastroenteritis must undergo routine blood and stool tests to identify the cause of the infection.
What should I do about acute enteritis?
What should be done if one suffers from acute gastroenteritis? In general treatment, the first step is to eliminate the cause, discarding some unclean food that led to the illness; Secondly, rest appropriately according to the condition, with bed rest for severe cases; Thirdly, patients with severe vomiting and diarrhea should temporarily fast, and gradually introduce some light, easy-to-digest foods as the condition improves; Fourthly, it is advocated to use oral rehydration and salt supplementation to replenish the body fluids lost due to vomiting and diarrhea. Fifthly, keep the abdomen moderately warm; record the frequency and characteristics of the stool; accurately record the amount of urine, paying attention to these aspects. In terms of medication treatment: This includes controlling intra- and extra-intestinal infections and medications that protect the gastric mucosa, as well as treatments involving microecological preparations. The third aspect is to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalance: during the initial stages of diarrhea, at home, one can use some rice soup, or add a bit of sugar and salt, alternating with plain water and sugar to prevent dehydration. For mild or moderate dehydration, if the patient does not have vomiting or abdominal distension, oral rehydration solutions may be sufficient. In cases of severe dehydration or when the overall condition is poor, indicating potassium, sodium, chloride electrolyte imbalances, and acidosis, intravenous fluid therapy in a hospital is necessary. It is also important to note that both oral rehydration solutions and oral medications should be used correctly under the guidance of a doctor, and should not be taken without professional advice.
Symptoms of enteritis
So, what are the typical clinical symptoms of proctitis? Since the rectum is close to the anus, the symptoms mainly include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. Some patients experience alternating constipation and diarrhea. Generally, stools may contain mucus or blood, and there is often a burning sensation in the anus during bowel movements. Additionally, the irritation from rectal secretions can lead to eczema and itching around the anus. Diagnosing proctitis is relatively easier compared to pan-colitis. Diagnosis is usually made through proctoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, and sometimes confirmatory diagnosis requires these biopsies.
What to do about enteritis in a one-year-old baby
Most cases of enteritis are due to viral infections. The principles of treatment primarily involve diet adjustment, prevention and correction of dehydration, rational use of medication and enhanced nursing care, and preventing complications such as dehydration. Treatment of diarrhea varies with different stages; during the acute phase, it is important to maintain a balance of water and electrolytes, while prolonged and chronic diarrhea requires attention to intestinal flora imbalance and dietary adjustments. A minority of diarrhea cases are caused by bacterial infections, and if there is clear evidence of bacterial infection, appropriate antimicrobial drugs should be used.
What to do with infant enteritis?
When an infant has enteritis and frequently diarrhea, it is essential to treat this condition. First, you should administer appropriate anti-inflammatory medication. Additionally, medications that stop diarrhea and regulate intestinal flora are needed. If the infant has numerous bouts of diarrhea, followed by reduced urine output or cries without tears, it indicates dehydration. In such cases, it's important to replenish fluids, possibly through oral rehydration salts. If the infant shows significant restlessness or cries without any tears at all, or if there is a noticeable decrease in urine output, fluid replenishment therapy is necessary.
Symptoms of acute enteritis
What are the symptoms of acute enteritis? The symptoms of acute enteritis can manifest in terms of gastrointestinal symptoms and systemic symptoms. The most common symptom in the gastrointestinal tract is diarrhea, which is the main symptom, varying in intensity, typically occurring several times a day or even more than 10 times. The stools are often yellowish watery diarrhea and may include mucous or bloody stools. In severe cases, it can also contain pus and blood. The second symptom is abdominal pain: The location of the abdominal pain is usually around the navel, and if the colon is affected, there can be pain on both sides of the abdomen. Abdominal pain can also be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Severe pain is generally caused by intestinal spasms, often accompanied by different degrees of abdominal tenderness. Other gastrointestinal symptoms include vomiting, nausea, or discomfort in the upper abdomen. Systemic symptoms: Generally, the body temperature of patients with enteritis is normal; however, if caused by an invasive pathogen or virus, there can be moderate fever. If high fever occurs, it should be distinguished from other diseases. Additionally, acute enteritis can also accompany symptoms like dizziness, headache, and weakness in limbs, among other signs of systemic infection. Frequent vomiting or severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, disruption of acid-base balance, and in severe cases, a drop in blood pressure or even shock.
Will enteritis cause stomach pain?
Patients with enteritis mostly experience symptoms of abdominal pain, mostly manifesting as mild to moderate abdominal pain. Spasmodic pain in the lower left abdomen or lower abdomen is more common, and sometimes it can involve the entire abdomen. Some patients also have these symptoms where urgency and severe straining follow a bowel movement, and abdominal pain relieves after defecation. In cases with milder conditions, the pain is only a discomfort in the abdomen or mild obscure pain. Moderate cases may have mild tenderness in the lower left abdomen, and sometimes doctors can also feel a spasming colon. In severe cases, such as those complicated by toxic megacolon or when inflammation spreads to the peritoneum, there can be persistent severe abdominal pain.
Symptoms of newborn enteritis
Neonatal enteritis can present with diarrhea and bloody stools, initially as watery stools, and in severe cases, may appear as bloody stools, resembling fresh blood, jam-like consistency, and black feces. The affected infants often exhibit vomiting, with the vomitus appearing coffee-colored or containing bile. Neonatal enteritis can also present with abdominal distension, or reduced bowel sounds, initially characterized by delayed gastric emptying and gastric retention, followed by abdominal bloating. In severe cases, the abdomen may become drum-like with diminished or even absent bowel sounds. Enteritis may also be accompanied by systemic symptoms, often presenting as poor responsiveness, lethargy, refusal to eat, and in severe cases, pale or grayish complexion, cold limbs, shock, acidosis, and worsening jaundice.
How to treat gastroenteritis?
The treatment of gastroenteritis primarily depends on the cause and specific symptoms to determine the treatment plan. Exposure to cold or improper diet may cause acute gastroenteritis. In such cases, it is recommended to first check routine blood tests, C-reactive protein, stool routine, etc., to identify the cause. Gastroenteric flu can be treated with antiviral drugs and astringent antidiarrheal medications to achieve satisfactory results. Infectious diarrhea caused by bacterial infection generally uses antimicrobial drugs combined with antidiarrheal medications to also achieve satisfactory effects. Commonly used drugs include cephalosporins or quinolones anti-inflammatory. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to a light and easily digestible diet, and if diarrhea is severe, infusion treatment may be necessary to prevent dehydration.