Can you smoke with gastroenteritis?

Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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If suffering from gastroenteritis, the main clinical symptoms usually include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or fever. If these symptoms occur, it is best to test the stool and blood to determine whether the infection is bacterial or viral, and then treat accordingly. It is not recommended for patients with gastroenteritis to smoke, as smoking primarily harms the lungs, easily causing chronic bronchitis, asthma, or even allergies. Furthermore, smoking can affect the blood concentration of medications, thus during the treatment of gastroenteritis with oral medications or intravenous infusions, smoking can affect the efficacy of the treatment. Therefore, patients with gastroenteritis should not smoke.

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Acute gastroenteritis anti-inflammatory drugs

For acute gastroenteritis, if there is a bacterial infection, antibiotics can be used. Empirical use primarily involves quinolones or cephalosporins. If stool bacterial culture is possible, antibiotics sensitive to the results of the test should be chosen. However, it is important to note that if acute gastroenteritis is caused by a viral infection, the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs is very limited. Therefore, it is advisable to diagnose which bacteria are more sensitive based on the stool sample, and then select the appropriate antibiotic. This approach is more targeted, and also less harmful to the body. The specific medication should still be primarily based on the diagnosis of the clinical doctor.

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What should pregnant women do about gastroenteritis?

During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman experiences gastrointestinal inflammation, it can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea, mostly due to unhygienic dietary habits during pregnancy. For example, aside from avoiding raw, hard, or moldy foods, attention should be paid to adjusting the diet to include foods that are bland and easier to digest and absorb. For instance, consuming porridge such as millet porridge, soft noodles, etc., and moderately increasing the intake of fresh vegetables and fruits to enhance physical health. If the gastrointestinal inflammation leads to severe abdominal pain or diarrhea, it is necessary to go to the hospital promptly. After examination by a doctor, guided medication treatment should be carried out.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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The difference between a stomach cold and gastroenteritis

Gastrointestinal colds and gastroenteritis generally have similar symptoms. Gastrointestinal colds are caused by viral infections or heatstroke, causing mild fever, runny nose, mild nausea, diarrhea, etc., typically without substantive white blood cells or pathogens in the stool. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, involves actual pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract, such as from Helicobacter pylori or E. coli infections, and usually does not cause fever, runny nose, or other complications. Typical symptoms include intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and other digestive system symptoms.

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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 Li Ying
Gastroenterology
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How is acute gastroenteritis caused?

Acute gastroenteritis primarily has two main causes. The first is infection by bacteria and toxins, with Salmonella and Vibrio parahaemolyticus being the most common infections, and staphylococcal toxins, especially from Staphylococcus aureus, being frequently seen. Viruses can also cause outbreaks, often occurring in groups or within families. Additionally, consuming contaminated meat from poultry, fish, or other livestock, as well as seafood like snails grown in the wild, can trigger the disease. Contaminated leftovers infected by Staphylococcus aureus can also induce illness. The second cause involves physical and chemical factors, such as eating cold foods, some antibiotics, or accidentally consuming strong acids, alkalis, or pesticides, all of which can lead to this disease.