Stomach Flu Treatment For Adults
For adults, its often easier for us to just take the capsules than bother with creating another drink. I recommend taking two capsules every three hours when you feel like youre fighting the stomach flu or when other family members are actively throwing up. Of course, youre also welcome to follow the same recipe I do for kids just double the dose of activated charcoal.
Tips for Taking Activated Charcoal
- Activated charcoal is constipating, so drink LOTS of extra purified water to stay hydrated. Avoid taking activated charcoal if youre already struggling with constipation.
- Avoid taking activated charcoal near meals because the charcoal will bind to the food and you absorb fewer nutrients.
What Do You Feed A Child With The Stomach Flu
Once your child has stopped vomiting, they can start to eat foods again. The best foods after the stomach flu are the BRAT diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
“These foods are very easy to digest,” says Dr. Rojas. “Children can also have crackers, or grilled or boiled chicken.”
Children should avoid greasy, heavy or spicy foods for a few days after they experience vomiting. Avoiding dairy could also be beneficial due to a transient lactose intolerance after stomach flu, though infants should still breastfeed or have formula if able to tolerate.
Certain drinks, like apple juice or carbonated beverages, can make vomiting or diarrhea worse, so it’s best to stick to rehydration solution or plain water.
If your child has nausea or vomiting again, it’s best to stop the food until their stomach can settle.
How Is Stomach Flu Diagnosed
Healthcare providers often can diagnose stomach flu from your symptoms. But your provider may want to rule out other illnesses with some tests:
- Stool samples: Tests look for bacteria, viruses or parasites in your stool
- Sigmoidoscopy: A doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera from the anus into the lower large intestine to look for signs of inflammatory bowel disease. The sigmoidoscopy is a 15-minute procedure that doesnt usually require sedation.
Also Check: Is The Stomach Flu Going Around Now
What Causes Gastroenteritis
The most common cause of gastroenteritis is a virus. It can be triggered by various kinds of viruses like rotavirus and norovirus.
Although not as common, gastroenteritis may also be triggered by bacteria like E. coli, shigella, and salmonella.
Gastroenteritis can also be caused by certain parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium, which are commonly found in contaminated swimming pools.
Some factors that can further increase your risk of developing gastroenteritis are discussed below.
- Age Infants and older adults are at a higher risk of contracting gastroenteritis.
- Weakened immunity due to an ongoing medical condition.
- Drinking water that is contaminated with heavy metals like arsenic, lead, or mercury.
- Eating seafood contaminated with toxins.
- Certain medications like antibiotics, antacids, chemotherapy drugs, and laxatives.
If you have gastroenteritis, you are quite likely to exhibit the following signs and symptoms.
Remedies For Little Ones
As terrible as it is to get the stomach flu yourself, it is even harder to watch your child go through it. If your infants symptoms havent subsided in a day or two, take them to the doctor.
Their doctor can make sure your child is on their way to recovery without any complications. They can also check to make sure there are no other causes for their symptoms.
Encouraging children to continue to take sips of water to replace lost fluids is important to prevent dehydration. All infants and toddlers can also drink an electrolyte solution like Pedialyte.
Recommended Reading: Why Does My Stomach Stay So Bloated
How Do I Get Rid Of The Flu Asap
Give these a try today.
Then, How do you know when the flu is almost over?
Flu symptoms, including fever, should go away after about 5 days, but you may still have a cough and feel weak a few days longer. All your symptoms should be gone within 1 to 2 weeks.
How can I get rid of the flu in 24 hours? How to treat the 24-hour flu at home
Keeping this in consideration, Is it OK to shower with the flu?
Its cold and flu season, and youve caught a bug. Again. Being sick can make getting through the day a chore, but hot showers can offer surprising relief when youre feeling your worst. Hot showers stimulate blood flow to the rest of your body, and deliver benefits that can lessen cold and flu symptoms quickly.
Related Contents
What Not To Drink
Most likely, you wont be in the mood for these during a bout of stomach flu anyway, but avoid:
- caffeinated drinks like coffee, strong black tea, and chocolate, which can affect your sleep at a time when getting enough rest is crucial
- alcohol, which acts as a diuretic.
All of these things can also upset your stomach.
Keeping food down can be difficult with the stomach flu. Dont force yourself to eat if the mere thought of food makes you cringe. When you do finally feel you can get something down, its best to start slow and simple.
The BRAT diet bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast can be your go-to when it comes to an uneasy stomach. These four foods are easy to digest, contain carbohydrates to give you energy, and replenish nutrients:
- Bananas: Bananas are easy to digest, can replace the potassium you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, and strengthens stomach lining.
- Rice: White rice is easy for your body to process and provides energy from carbs. Brown rice has too much fiber and may produce excess gas.
- Applesauce: Applesauce provides an energy boost due to the carbs and sugars, and it contains pectin, which can help with diarrhea. Its also easy to digest.
- Toast: Avoid whole-wheat bread, as fiber can be difficult on the digestive system. White bread is processed and easier to digest.
Also Check: How Can I Get Rid Of Stomach Cramps
What Are The Symptoms Of Stomach Flu
The main symptom of gastroenteritis is diarrhea. When the GI tract becomes infected during gastroenteritis, multiple activities from the virus brings on diarrhea. Malabsorption occurs because of the destruction of the gut cells called enterocytes. The virus can also disrupt the reasbsorption of water and induce secretory diarrhea, which is responsible for the loose liquidy stools.
- Headache and body aches.
Pepto Diarrhea Can Treat Diarrhea At The Source
The stomach bug will passâbut thereâs no need to suffer through it or simply control the symptoms. Aside from staying hydrated, the best thing you can do for the stomach bug is treat the diarrhea symptoms. Pepto Diarrheahas you covered. Its dual action coats your stomach and kills the common bacterial causes of diarrhea. You can count on fast, calming, and effective diarrhearelief with Pepto Diarrhea. Even better? In addition to the traditional liquid form, Pepto Diarrhea also comes in liquicaps and caplets for on-the-go-relief. As always checking with your healthcare provider is a great step to confirm whatâs causing your symptoms in the first place.
Recommended Reading: How Can You Neutralize Stomach Acid
How To Get Rid Of The Stomach Bug
by Dollie Freeman | Health & Nutrition
We all dread the horrible stomach bug, because we know that when one of your family members get it, it will make its way through the whole family. It doesnt have to be that way. I would love to share how to get rid of the stomach bug at the first sign, and even help others not get it themselves.
How To Test For Gastroenteritis
The doctor is quite likely to diagnose gastroenteritis based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient on physical examination.
If a viral cause is suspected, the doctor may suggest a stool test to detect rotavirus or norovirus. A stool test can also help rule out a possible parasitic or bacterial infection.
Once the cause of gastroenteritis is determined, the doctor may prescribe treatment accordingly.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Symptoms Of Lymphoma Of The Stomach
Causes Of The Stomach Flu
The stomach flu is usually caused by any number of different viruses that can attack your gastrointestinal system. Its not caused by the influenza virus, which gives you the seasonal flu.
Less often, bacteria can cause it, typically due to contaminated water or food that was prepared inadequately or in an unhygienic environment.
Home Remedies For Stomach Flu
In addition to rest, hydration, and easily digestible foods, there are many home remedies for the stomach flu. The effectiveness of home remedies may vary from person to person, but all offer low-cost methods of treating gastroenteritis at home.
Popular at-home the stomach flu remedies include:
- Ginger As mentioned earlier, ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent, reduces the symptoms of nausea, and helps digestion. Ginger is found in most grocery stores as lozenges, or you can find it fresh in the produce section.
- Peppermint Peppermint leaves are a natural pain reliever and can be consumed as mints or infused in tea to relieve stomach aches and pains.
- Apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar is found in most grocery stores and can be diluted in water . Apple cider vinegar should be consumed 1 tablespoon at a time. The bacteria promote a healthy gut, making apple cider vinegar an effective preventive measure against the stomach flu.
Also Check: How Much Coolsculpting Stomach Cost
Mistakes That Make The Stomach Flu Worse
The first thing that makes the stomach flu worse is drinking any fluids immediately after vomiting.
I know we’re warned over and over that we need to stay dehydrated. It’s true, dehydration is a huge health risk.
But drinking anything right after you’ve thrown up due to a stomach bug is a bad idea. You’ll likely throw up everything you drank plus more fluids in your system.
Drinking liquids right away can make you even more dehydrated than you were before!
Eating is another big no-no. There’s nothing pleasant about vomiting, so don’t give your body anything to reject until after you’re sure it can handle simpler things.
Most people think food is so important to regain strength and heal the body. It’s not untrue, but it’s not nearly as necessary as you might think.
The human body can go up to 21 days without food, but only a few days without water. So focus on the plan to keep water down long before you even think about food.
See the list below for what you should drink, then eat when you have the stomach flu. There’s a certain order and timeline you should follow to get on the road to recovery as soon as you possibly can!
How Can I Prevent Viral Gastroenteritis
You can take several steps to keep from getting or spreading infections that cause viral gastroenteritis. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water
- after using the bathroom
- after changing diapers
- before and after handling, preparing, or eating food
You can clean surfaces that may have come into contact with infected stool or vomit, such as countertops and changing tables, with a mixture of 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach and 1 gallon of water.7 If clothes or linens may have come into contact with an infected persons stool or vomit, you should wash them with detergent for the longest cycle available and machine dry them. To protect yourself from infection, wear rubber gloves while handling the soiled laundry and wash your hands afterward.7
If you have viral gastroenteritis, avoid handling and preparing food for others while you are sick and for 2 days after your symptoms stop.7 People who have viral gastroenteritis may spread the virus to any food they handle, especially if they do not thoroughly wash their hands. Contaminated water may also spread a virus to foods before they are harvested. For example, contaminated fruits, vegetables, and oysters have been linked to norovirus outbreaks. Wash fruits and vegetables before using them, and thoroughly cook oysters and other shellfish.7Find tips to help keep food safe.
Recommended Reading: What Is Good For Stomach Acid Reflux
How Can Stomach Flu Be Prevented
Since stomach flu can be caused by multiple factors, getting the flu vaccination alone isnt enough to protect you from gastroenteritis. Children should follow the standard vaccination schedule and get the rotavirus vaccination when indicated. This vaccination can protect your child from getting sick from the rotovirus but not all children can receive this oral vaccination, so please check with your pediatrician before doing so.
You can take other steps to reduce your risk of getting stomach flu:
Practice good handwashing
When youre sick, the virus spreads from anything that comes in contact with virus-infected feces. Good handwashing is vital in stopping the spread. Viruses left on hands can easily spread to surfaces, food and people you touch. Its important to wash your hands well after you go to the bathroom, change a diaper, touch any bathroom surfaces and before you handle food.
Be careful with food
You can catch stomach flu from contaminated food or water, or pass it on to someone else. To keep viruses out of your food:
Clean sick areas
Clean anything that you may have touched while you were sick with stomach flu. Wash laundry with hot water and dry with high heat. Be sure to use a disinfectant to clean areas where a sick person vomited or had diarrhea.
How Do You Manage Stomach Flu In Children
- Help your child to rehydrate with the help of oral rehydration solution that is available at pharmacies. Your pediatrician may guide you to prepare this solution. It prevents and treats early dehydration and replaces the ongoing fluid loss.
- Avoid giving plain water to your child because replacing lost electrolytes is also necessary.
- Gradually introduce bland, easy-to-digest food such as bananas, rice and potatoes to your child.
- Avoid certain food items such as dairy products or sugary foods such as ice cream, sodas and candy.
- Make sure your child gets plenty of rest to get rid of illness, weakness and dehydration.
- If your sick baby is vomiting or has a bout of diarrhea, let their stomach rest for 15 to 20 minutes and then offer small amounts of liquid.
- Continue breastfeeding your baby.
- If your baby is bottle-fed, offer small sips of an ORS or a regular formula. Do not dilute the babys formula food.
- When the child is mild-to-moderately dehydrated, resume the age-appropriate diet.
- Age-appropriate diets should be continued in children with diarrhea who are not dehydrated.
- Use medication in children only after discussing it with your pediatrician.
- Your pediatrician may prescribe zinc supplements and probiotics to your child to reduce the severity and duration of illness.
- If your child has shock, severe dehydration and low consciousness, then they need to be hospitalized and the pediatrician will give fluid therapy through the childs vein.
You May Like: What Causes My Stomach To Bloat And Hurt
How To Get Rid Of The Stomach Flu: 7 Home Remedies
Youre vomiting. You cant stop going to the bathroom. Youre exhausted and all this terribleness just seems to have come out of nowhere. Could it be the stomach flu? If it is, you probably want to know how to get rid of the stomach flu fast!
If you have the stomach flu, it likely may have been caused by norovirus, which is especially known for infecting people in the colder months of the year. This winter vomiting bug, or stomach flu, is known by doctors for being a family affair. In other words, if one person in the family gets it, most likely every family member in the household will get it because its that contagious!
How do you get rid of the stomach flu? Thankfully, many people with the stomach flu feel better within 24 hours. And luckily there are a lot of great natural ways to boost your recovery from a nasty case of stomach flu.
What Can I Eat To Stop Dry Mouth
Use ice chips and sugar-free items such as gum, hard candy and lollipops, frozen fruit juices, and soft drinks. They will help keep your mouth moist without promoting tooth decay. Eat and drink tart foods and liquids, such as lemonade, sugar-free sour candies, and dill pickles, to help stimulate the flow of saliva.
Recommended Reading: What Medication Can I Take For Stomach Ulcers
Best Foods To Eat When You Have Stomach Flu
Stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis, is the infection of the stomach and intestines caused by viruses. People often confuse stomach flu with food poisoning. Though the symptoms of both the conditions are almost the same, both are different in many aspects.
Stomach flu is caused by viruses like Norovirus while food poisoning is caused by a wide range of bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. The prior takes up to 10 days to subside while the latter clears up within hours or a few days.
During stomach flu, people must keep a check on the foods they eat and the consumption of water should be increased to make up for the lost electrolytes due to diarrhoea and vomiting. Here is a list of foods to eat when you have stomach flu.
15 Warning Signs And Symptoms Of Ebola Virus Disease