Acute gastroenteritis treatment

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 30, 2024
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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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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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How to deal with acute gastroenteritis

When diagnosing acute gastroenteritis, we generally assess whether the symptoms match those of acute gastroenteritis. This typically involves examining the frequency of bowel movements, often more than ten times, with stool colors usually yellow-green. Some may appear like egg drop soup, while others have watery stools, and severe cases might include mucus, nausea, vomiting, reduced appetite, and complications like hypokalemia due to severe vomiting. Other symptoms include abdominal bloating and fever, and in severe cases, it may even lead to unconsciousness. Thus, it is important to conduct routine stool tests and check for white blood cell counts to aid in diagnosis followed by subsequent treatment. In terms of treatment, it principally includes bed rest and symptomatic relief, alongside possible antibiotic therapy. Maintaining hygiene, proper management of drinking water, and stool are essential preventive measures for such conditions.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
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Does acute gastroenteritis cause stomach pain?

Acute gastroenteritis, due to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, can cause gastric colic. Clinically, it may manifest as upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It often occurs in the summer and is directly related to improper diet. It can cause not only stomach pain but also electrolyte imbalance, intestinal perforation, and sepsis. Active use of medications should be undertaken for treatment, with attention to prevent dehydration. During the treatment period, eat a light diet, avoid spicy food, rest well, and keep the abdominal area warm.

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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.

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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.