How long does acute gastroenteritis take to heal?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on October 22, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
1min 18sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
45sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
1min 3sec home-news-image

Can you eat rice with gastroenteritis?

If you have gastroenteritis, it is best to eat foods that are easy to digest. You can drink some millet porridge. It is best not to eat rice, as rice is not easily digestible, but you can drink some rice porridge, which is still a soft food and relatively easy to digest. Additionally, you should avoid greasy foods and it's best not to drink milk because dairy products can also easily lead to diarrhea. Moreover, patients who are lactose intolerant may experience worsened symptoms of gastroenteritis after consuming milk. When suffering from gastroenteritis, it is important to maintain a light diet and, if necessary, take some anti-inflammatory drugs or probiotics. Generally, recovery can be achieved in about two to three days. Also, make sure to rest in bed and avoid eating fruits, as fruits contain rough fiber that can exacerbate symptoms of diarrhea.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
1min 2sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
48sec home-news-image

How to stop diarrhea in acute gastroenteritis

First of all, start with diet and daily habits by paying attention to keeping warm and avoiding catching a cold, especially for patients with gastrointestinal-type colds. The diet should consist of light and easy-to-digest foods, such as porridge and soft noodles, with some salt added to replenish electrolytes. Avoid eating foods that are too cold or greasy and spicy. Regarding medication, different treatments should be adopted according to different causes of the disease. For patients with gastrointestinal-type colds caused by viral infections, antiviral and astringent antidiarrheal medications are generally used. If the infection is caused by improper diet, the main treatment involves anti-inflammatory medications to achieve hemostasis.