How many days to rest for acute gastroenteritis?

Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
Updated on April 01, 2025
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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 Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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How to treat acute gastroenteritis?

The main principles of treating acute gastroenteritis clinically are to stop vomiting, stop diarrhea, relieve spasms, replenish fluids, and rest in bed symptomatically. For mild cases, oral intake of dilute salt water can be used to replenish lost body fluids. If there is frequent vomiting or obvious dehydration, intravenous fluids are necessary to maintain water and electrolyte balance. Sensitive antibiotics should be used to treat intestinal inflammation, but it is important to prevent antibiotic abuse. With active treatment, the prognosis for acute gastroenteritis is generally good. After treatment, attention should also be paid to diet; avoid eating unclean food, and consume less raw, cold, and spicy foods, while also paying attention to personal prevention.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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How to deal with acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis is primarily caused by unsanitary eating habits or exposure to cold, spicy, and other irritants, leading to acute inflammation. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or fever, and a routine blood test may show elevated white blood cells and neutrophils. If these symptoms appear, it is advisable to visit a hospital promptly for a routine blood test. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, doctors will treat with anti-inflammatory fluids, antiemetics, antidiarrheals, etc. Generally, mild acute gastroenteritis can be cured within two to three days of treatment. However, some patients may experience severe vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration, electrolyte disorders, and even shock, which would extend the required treatment duration.

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Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
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How to thoroughly treat acute gastroenteritis?

The main treatment methods for acute gastroenteritis are as follows. Firstly, the patient should rest in bed. If the patient has persistent vomiting, or shows signs of dehydration caused by vomiting, it is necessary to promptly rehydrate the patient. Regarding the diet, it is advisable for the patient to consume liquid or semi-liquid foods, such as porridge and rice soup, to prevent dehydration. Secondly, it is crucial to treat the symptoms. If the patient has uncontrollable vomiting, we can administer antiemetic medications to alleviate this symptom. Thirdly, in the case of antimicrobial treatment, common gastroenteritis may involve bacterial infections, which require antibiotics for targeted treatment of infectious diarrhea. However, it is important to avoid overuse or misuse of these antimicrobial drugs. Furthermore, attention must be paid to dietary habits. It is essential to wash hands before meals and after using the toilet, and to properly disinfect raw vegetables, fruits, and meats, which should be thoroughly cooked before consumption, to effectively prevent the occurrence of gastroenteritis.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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How long does acute gastroenteritis take to heal?

The natural course of acute gastroenteritis is about one to two weeks, so it is recommended that patients undergo regular treatment. Acute gastroenteritis is commonly seen in clinical practice, with patients generally presenting with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and abnormal stools. The main manifestation of stool abnormalities is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, appearing as diarrhea, with the stools being watery. Additionally, patients may experience some fever and chills. Given the symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and its short duration, it is generally considered to be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Therefore, treatment can involve the use of anti-infective medications in small doses, especially when the patient has a fever. Other medications can include acid suppressants, mucosal protectants, antidiarrheals, and those affecting the intestinal flora, so the treatment generally has a good effect. Patients need not worry too much, and we adhere to a 1-2 week treatment period. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Can you smoke with gastroenteritis?

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.