Gastroenteritis is a common condition that triggers diarrhoea, sickness and tummy pain. It’s usually caused by an infection and most people get better after a few days.
Gastroenteritis makes the lining of your tummy or bowel sore and swollen (inflamed) so it doesn’t work properly. It’s usually caused by either a viral or bacterial infection. Some people refer to it as a tummy bug, food poisoning and traveller's diarrhoea.
Around one in five people gets gastroenteritis each year. You can get gastroenteritis if you eat or drink anything containing bacteria, viruses or parasites. You can also catch it from someone who has the infection, or by touching objects and surfaces that they’ve touched before you.
If you have gastroenteritis, you may have a mild tummy upset that you can treat at home. But some people, including those with underlying health conditions, babies and older people, can develop very bad diarrhoea and sickness. This can lead to dehydration, which may need medical treatment.
It can take up to three days for your gastroenteritis symptoms to appear after you’ve caught the infection. Your symptoms may include:
You may also:
In adults, these gastroenteritis symptoms can last for up to a week. But see your doctor if they’re not getting any better (or get worse) after two days. You should always seek medical advice if you notice blood in your motions in case there’s a more serious underlying cause, such as bowel cancer.
If your symptoms last for a long time, there may be another cause, such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, such as Chron's disease. Diarrhoea and vomiting may also be side-effects of medicines you’re taking. Always seek medical advice if you’re taking any medicines.
If your child has diarrhoea, this usually lasts for up to a week or, occasionally, two weeks. If they’re being sick, this usually lasts for two to three days. If your child’s symptoms are very bad or not getting any better, or if they seem generally unwell, call your Doctor.
Most people with gastroenteritis don’t need to see a Doctor, as their symptoms get better on their own. But if you’re worried about your symptoms, call your doctor. It’s not recommended to see your Doctor in person unless you’re asked to. This is because you may spread it to other people. You may have a telephone consultation instead.
Your Doctor may ask:
Your Doctor may check your temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and how quickly you’re breathing. They’ll check whether your tummy feels sore and look for signs of dehydration. See our FAQ on How can I tell if my child is dehydrated?
Occasionally, your Doctor will send a sample of your motion to a laboratory for testing. This may be because you’ve had symptoms for a while, you’re very unwell or there’s blood in your poo. They may also send a sample for testing if you’ve travelled abroad recently.
Most people with gastroenteritis get better at home after a few days and don’t need any specific treatment. But, sometimes, if your symptoms are very bad or you’re dehydrated, you may need some medical help.
If you have gastroenteritis, you can pass the infection on to other people. So stay at home and don’t go into work for at least 48 hours after your diarrhoea and sickness have stopped. If your child has the infection, they should stay off nursery or school for this length of time too.
If you take medicines regularly, you should keep taking them as usual if you have diarrhoea or sickness. But check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicines. Gastroenteritis can affect how well some medicines work, especially the contraceptive pill. If you need any advice, speak to Doctor.
How quickly you get better will depend on which infection you have. Some viral gastroenteritis infections last only a day or two, but other infections can last for a week or even longer.
If you have diarrhoea and sickness your body will be losing more fluid than usual. You need to make sure you replace this by keeping hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or squash.
If your baby has gastroenteritis, keep breastfeeding them or give their other milk feeds. It’s best not to give young children fruit juices or fizzy drinks while they still have symptoms.
When you feel hungry again, eat small, light meals, but don't have anything fatty or spicy. Some research shows that eating cereals, banana, rice and toast at first may help.
Probiotics are supplements or foods (such as live yoghurt) that contain ‘good’ bacteria. They may help to reduce how long you have diarrhoea. See our FAQ on Can probiotics help gastroenteritis.
Oral rehydration solutions come as a powder that you add to water to make a drink. Oral rehydration solutions have the right mix of sugars, minerals and salts to help you replace lost water and salt. Most people with gastroenteritis get better without needing one of these solutions. But these products may be helpful for:
1. older people
2. people who have other illnesses
3. young children
Sports drinks don’t have the right mix of sugar, minerals and salts, so it’s best not to use them for rehydration, especially in young children.
If you have gastroenteritis, you don’t usually need medicines that stop diarrhoea, such as loperamide (eg Imodium). But you may find these medicines useful if you need to stop your diarrhoea quickly (such as when travelling) or can’t get to a toilet easily.
You can buy loperamide from pharmacies, but this should only be taken by adults and children over 12 years, unless prescribed by a doctor. Don’t take these medicines if you have blood or mucus in your motion or a fever, as they could make you feel worse.
If you can’t stop being sick, or feel very sick, a doctor may prescribe an anti-sickness (antiemetic) medicine.
Your Doctor won’t usually prescribe antibiotics for gastroenteritis as these won’t help your symptoms. If they think you may have a bacterial infection, they’ll probably ask you to provide a poo sample. If this shows you have bacterial gastroenteritis, they may then prescribe antibiotics.
If you become very dehydrated or unwell, you may need to be admitted to hospital. In hospital, you can be given fluids directly into your bloodstream through a fine tube into your vein.
Gastroenteritis has lots of different causes. It may be an infection due to:
Occasionally, gastroenteritis can be triggered by:
If diarrhoea or sickness is very bad, this can cause dehydration, especially in children. This happens when you’re losing lots of fluid and you don’t drink enough fluid to make up for it. Sickness and diarrhoea can also make the salts and minerals in your body get out of balance. Being very dehydrated can be dangerous. See our FAQ on How can I tell if my child is dehydrated?
Gastroenteritis can also cause:
Complications mainly affect:
Most people with gastroenteritis get better at home without seeing a doctor. But contact your Doctor if you:
It’s important to seek medical help if you think a child with gastroenteritis is dehydrated. See our FAQ on How can I tell if my child is dehydrated?
Before travelling to another country, check which precautions you should take at www.travelhealthpro.org.uk. You may need vaccinations or to drink bottled water, for example.
If you have gastroenteritis, you probably won’t feel like eating. But it’s important to keep your fluids up. If you have diarrhoea and sickness your body will be losing more fluid than usual. Make sure you replace this by keeping hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or squash.
When you feel hungry again, eat small, light meals, but don't have anything fatty or spicy. Some research shows that eating cereals, banana, rice and toast at first may help.
Infections can be picked up from contaminated food and water on holiday. So, when you’re abroad, be careful by:
· eating at restaurants with a good hygiene reputation
· being careful about eating food from street vendors and buffets
· choosing food that’s served very hot
· avoiding raw vegetables or food that’s been left out
· only eating fruit that you’ve peeled yourself
· avoiding ice (unless you know it’s made from clean water)
· drinking water and other drinks from bottles only (with an intact seal); boiling or chemically purifying water after using a reliable filter
Always pack some medicines just in case you get ill. You may wish to pack oral hydration solutions or medicines to treat diarrhoea. Ask a pharmacist for advice before you travel.
Also make sure you get any travel vaccinations that you need. Book an appointment at your Doctor or a travel clinic before you go – ideally, four to six weeks beforehand.
Gastroenteritis can make babies and children get dehydrated very quickly, which can be dangerous.
Your child may be getting dehydrated if they:
· seem irritable and tired
· are peeing less
· have less-elastic skin than usual – when gently pinched, their skin doesn't spring back into position straightaway
· have a dry mouth
· have sunken eyes
· have a quicker than usual heart rate
· are breathing quickly
If you think your child may be dehydrated, call your Doctor for advice straightaway.
Gastroenteritis is usually caused by harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites that get into your gut. Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria, such as Lactobacilli, that are found in certain foods (such as live yoghurts) and food supplements. They may help to correct the balance of bacteria and other organisms in your gut, helping to keep you healthy.
Some research shows that probiotics may help to ease diarrhoea so you get better more quickly. They may also help to prevent some types of gastroenteritis, such as traveller’s diarrhoea. But more research is needed before doctors can be sure, because not all studies have found that probiotics made a difference.
Doctors think it’s generally safe to take probiotics. But if you have a weak immune system, speak to a dietician or Doctor first.
www.food.gov.uk
www.bda.uk.com
www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
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