Which department should I go to for acute gastroenteritis?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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Acute gastroenteritis should be treated in the gastroenterology department of the hospital. Acute gastroenteritis is mostly caused by unclean food or excessive fatigue, with the main symptoms being abdominal pain and diarrhea, accompanied by signs of dehydration in the body. Treatment mainly involves the use of antibiotics to control the infection and antidiarrheal medications to treat diarrhea. It is important to promptly replenish fluids and water if there is significant dehydration. During treatment, a light diet should be maintained, eating small meals frequently, and avoiding spicy, stimulating, and greasy foods. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Can acute gastroenteritis cause shock?

Acute gastroenteritis often manifests as symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by fever, dizziness, fatigue, etc., often caused by factors such as exposure to cold or improper diet. These include what we refer to as viral enteritis and bacterial enteritis. In most cases, symptoms gradually alleviate after symptomatic treatment, and some may improve without treatment. However, a few patients, such as those with uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea, coupled with an inability to eat, may experience worsening dizziness, significant fatigue, dry mouth, poor skin elasticity, and reduced urine output. These symptoms indicate the development of hypovolemic shock, which requires attention.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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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.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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What should I do about acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis typically presents with symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and sometimes accompanied by fever and chills. In such cases, it is important to rest, keep warm, avoid cold, and follow a diet that is light and easy to digest, such as rice porridge, soft noodles, etc. It is advisable to avoid raw, greasy, spicy, and alcoholic foods. Treatment should be based on the specific cause. For viral infections causing gastroenteric flu, antiviral and antidiarrheal astringents are commonly used. For bacterial infections causing infectious diarrhea, antibacterial and antidiarrheal treatments are needed, typically involving cephalosporins or quinolones. Generally, symptoms will gradually ease.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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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.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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How long does acute gastroenteritis take to get better?

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the common diseases of the digestive system, and occurs more frequently in the summer and autumn seasons. During these seasons, the hot weather can lead to food spoilage. Additionally, people often like to eat cold drinks and use air conditioning, which can easily trigger acute gastroenteritis. It usually presents with symptoms such as intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating, and sometimes symptoms like fever and chills may also appear. In such cases, examinations like routine blood tests, stool tests, and C-reactive protein tests can be conducted to determine whether it is infectious diarrhea or a gastrointestinal type of cold, and then targeted treatment can be applied. How long it will take to recover depends on specific symptoms and the patient's medical history among other factors. Generally, for a gastrointestinal cold, symptoms typically alleviate in about 2-3 days; for bacterial gastroenteritis, recovery might take a bit longer, generally about 3-5 days. If the patient is elderly, frail, or has underlying conditions such as chronic bronchitis, heart failure, or diabetes, the recovery might take slightly longer, but generally it can still be cured.