How to alleviate acute gastroenteritis

Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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For acute gastroenteritis, the first step is to provide general treatment, which is to have the patient rest in bed as much as possible. For mild cases, oral rehydration solutions can be used to replenish lost fluids. If the patient has persistent vomiting or noticeable dehydration, they need to replenish with glucose-salt water or other relevant electrolytes. Patients should try to eat a light diet, consisting of semi-liquid foods, to prevent dehydration. Secondly, symptomatic treatment should be administered if necessary, including injections of antiemetic and antispasmodic medications, as well as antidiarrheal drugs. Thirdly, antimicrobial treatment, which is mainly targeted at infectious diarrhea, should involve the appropriate use of targeted antibiotics, but it is important to prevent their misuse.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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How many days to rest for acute gastroenteritis?

Patients with acute gastroenteritis experience rapid onset of symptoms but can recover quickly with proper and standard treatment after diagnosis. Acute gastroenteritis generally involves simultaneous infection of the intestinal and gastric mucosa by bacteria or viruses. With appropriate treatment, using anti-inflammatory medications or probiotics, the disease can be rapidly resolved without any problems, typically healing within two to three days. Therefore, when suffering from acute gastroenteritis, it is important to rest, preferably by staying in bed without engaging in strenuous activities to avoid exacerbating the condition. Usually, taking two to three days off from work is completely sufficient.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Does acute gastroenteritis hurt?

When suffering from acute gastroenteritis, the inflammation can cause irregular and accelerated intestinal peristalsis, which may lead to intestinal spasms and colic. In such cases, the first step should be proactive anti-inflammatory symptomatic treatment. Then, applying a heat pack on the stomach and drinking more hot water can help alleviate the symptoms. If the pain is severe, and the patient is sweating profusely, looks pale, and has cold hands and feet, going to the hospital for an intramuscular injection of Scopolamine Butylbromide can relieve smooth muscle spasms and relax the muscles, thereby easing the pain. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to dietary hygiene. It is crucial to thoroughly heat or cook food taken out from the refrigerator before eating, as prevention is more important than treatment.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Acute gastroenteritis treatment

The treatment of acute gastroenteritis should be based on the specific cause. For those cases caused by exposure to the cold or other reasons leading to gastrointestinal flu, the main treatment is antiviral and antidiarrheal. For infectious diarrhea caused by improper diet and other reasons, the treatment generally focuses on antibacterial and antidiarrheal measures. Generally, patients with mild acute gastroenteritis can still eat on their own, and other symptoms are not very severe, so they can be treated by taking oral medications. In more severe cases, such as significant vomiting and diarrhea, where the patient cannot eat, intravenous therapy may be necessary. In cases with severe symptoms such as dehydration, dry mouth, reduced urine output, and poor skin elasticity, hospitalization may be required.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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How to reduce fever in acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis generally manifests as fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. If the fever does not exceed 38.5°C, antipyretic medications can be used, along with physical cooling methods such as wiping the patient's forehead, palms, and soles with a warm towel to facilitate heat dissipation through evaporation. If the fever exceeds 38.5°C, muscular injection of antipyretic drugs should be chosen, along with combined infusion therapy to prevent signs of physical collapse caused by high temperatures. At the same time, active use of antibiotics and antidiarrheal medications is advised. During treatment, a regular diet should be maintained, adopting the principle of eating small and frequent meals. Rest is important, and excessive fatigue should be avoided. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhai Guo Dong
Gastroenterology
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Do you have a fever with gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis mainly presents symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea, with an increased frequency of bowel movements, ten times or even more than ten times, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. There may be irregular fevers, such as low-grade fever, and severe cases can develop high fever. Subsequently, the symptoms of the patient become more severe, manifesting restlessness and lethargy, even confusion or coma. Therefore, we must pay special attention and not take it lightly.