Remedies And Treatments For Upset Stomach And Diarrhea
Upset Stomach Remedies
Most stomach ailments can be treated at home. As soon as you start feeling sick, begin limiting your diet to clear liquids in frequent, small amounts. Make sure to drink enough fluids to keep your urine clear or a pale yellow.
If youâre not able to keep liquids down and begin to vomit, start with sips of water or sucking on ice chips. Once you are able to keep that down, try other fluids like:
- Clear soup broth or bouillon
- Clear soft-drinks like 7-Up, Sprite, or Ginger Ale
- Juices like apple, grape, cherry, or cranberry
- Popsicles
Once you are able to keep all liquids down, try some solid foods along with the liquids. Good foods to try are:
- Applesauce
- White rice
- White toast
It may take several days to one week to regain your appetite, energy level, and for your bowels to regain normalcy.
Diarrhea TreatmentsMost cases of diarrhea clear on their own within a couple of days without treatment. If you’ve tried lifestyle changes and home remedies for an upset stomach and diarrhea without success, your doctor might recommend the following:
Antibiotics might help treat diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites. If a virus is causing your diarrhea, antibiotics won’t help. Alternatively, if your doctor determines that antibiotics are whatâs causing your diarrhea, they will likely lower the dose or switch to another medication.
Treatment to Replace Fluids
Treating underlying conditions
Upset Stomach and Diarrhea Prevention
Ginger Tea As A Stomach Pain Remedy
The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ginger neutralize excess acids that cause stomach pain.
Drinking ginger tea may help to stimulate proper digestion by promoting the production of digestive juices while fighting harmful free radicals that cause disease.
Drink two to three cups of ginger tea daily.
- Cut one medium-sized ginger root into thin slices.
- Add the ginger to one cup of boiling water and boil for three minutes.
- Lower heat and simmer for five minutes.
- Strain and add honey for flavor.
Rice Water To Relieve Stomachache
Last but not least, look to rice more specifically, look to the leftover water after you cook rice.
Rice water is capable of forming a coating over certain membranes like, for instance, the lining of your stomach. This barrier can be a soothing lining to help ease inflammation and offer relief from stomach pain.
For a simple rice water remedy, first wash one-half cup of white rice.
- Add rice to six cups of boiled water, cover, and allow to sit until rice is tender.
- Strain the water into a cup to cool.
- Add one-half teaspoon of honey.
- Sip on two cups daily.
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Home Remedies On For Upset Stomach And Diarrhea
Chamomile Tea To Cure Stomach Pain
Chamomile tea is known to work as an anti-inflammatory along the digestive tract.
If your stomach pain is caused by gastritis or indigestion, a cup of chamomile can offer relief. It does this by relaxing muscles along the stomach and the esophagus, easing the contractions that push food along, and lessens any cramps or spasms you are experiencing.
- Place one teaspoon of dried chamomile in one cup of boiled water.
- Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain tea and add lemon or honey for taste.
- Drink up to three cups daily
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Gulp Down A Sports Drink
Most people think of Gatorade as a sports beverage, as it replenishes electrolytes after a workout, helping restore hydration. It works the same way when you have diarrhea. If the volume and frequency of watery stool is significant, steps must be taken to avoid dehydration, Dr. Masoud explains. The most important thing to remember is that with fluid losses also come electrolyte depletion.
Figuring Out The Cause
When youre suffering from stomach pain, diarrhea, or both, one of the most important things is to try to determine the root cause. Quite often, this type of abdominal pain is due to stomach flu or another virus, spoiled food, or food that one has developed a sensitivity to. Unless diarrhea and pain are accompanied by other severe symptoms, such as a high fever, the best course of action is to wait it out.
If you feel that it is a reaction to food, most times symptoms will subside in a day or two. However, there are some instances of food poisoning that definitely warrant a doctor visit but again, you will see other severe symptoms along with general GI upset.
If you think you may be having a reaction to food, such as those with celiac disease who have a sensitivity to gluten, its worthwhile to try an elimination diet to confine the source of the upset. It is possible to suddenly develop a food sensitivity later in life its also estimated that up to 20 percent of Americans have food sensitivity. Please note that celiac is a serious condition and ongoing exposure to gluten can cause increasing damage. Celiac should not be self-diagnosed.
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What Symptoms Relate To Diarrhoea
As well as the loose and watery stools of diarrhoea, you may sometimes have other symptoms, including:
- bloating and flatulence
- abdominal cramps, with a colicky pattern
- dehydration
You may feel an urgent need to go to the toilet.
When To Seek Medical Help
Diarrhea should never be ignored. If you have tried the above-listed home remedies and still have loose stools, call your doctor or speak with your pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that may help.
On the other hand, you should see a doctor immediately if you or your child experience persistent or severe diarrhea and/or develop signs of dehydration, as follows:
-
Diarrhea 3 days or more
-
Severe abdominal pain
-
Fever over 102 F
-
Little or no urination
-
Diarrhea for more than 24 hours
-
No wet diapers in 3 hours
-
Fever over 102 F
-
Dry mouth or tongue
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When Should I See My Doctor
Most times an isolated episode of diarrhoea will clear up without any treatment.
Seek medical advice if you have any of the following:
- ongoing or severe diarrhoea
- blood and/or mucus in your stool
- fever as well as diarrhoea
- unexplained weight loss
- diarrhoea at night
- signs of dehydration
Ongoing diarrhoea can lead to dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance, making it dangerous, especially to the very young or older people, who can be affected very quickly.
Why Do I Have Stomach Pain And Diarrhea
Abdominal pain and diarrhea can be all-too familiar, and nearly everybody will suffer from this combination at some point during their lifetime. But how do I know if my stomach pain is serious?
Having diarrhea with stomach pain is a common symptom of stomach flu. The good news is, the discomfort and pain usually disappear within a few days. However, there are other reasons you may have stomach cramps or diarrhea, and its important to know when to see a doctor and when to ride the symptoms out.
Read on to learn about the different possible causes of stomach pain and diarrhea, how to prevent some instances of it, and when to give your physician a call.
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Things You Should Avoid Eating Or Drinking
You should avoid certain kinds of foods when you have diarrhea, including fried foods and greasy foods.
Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.
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.
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Eating When You Have Diarrhea
You can bake or broil beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey. Cooked eggs are also OK. Use low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt.
If you have very severe diarrhea, you may need to stop eating or drinking dairy products for a few days.
Eat bread products made from refined, white flour. Pasta, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes are OK. You may also try pancakes and waffles made with white flour, and cornbread. But don’t add too much honey or syrup.
You should eat vegetables, including carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, acorn squash, and peeled zucchini. Cook them first. Baked potatoes are OK. In general, removing seeds and skins is best.
You can include desserts and snacks such as fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit-flavored ice pops, cakes, cookies, or sherbet.
How Do Otc Antidiarrheal Medicines Work
Loperamide slows down how fast things move through your intestines . This allows more fluid to be absorbed into your body. This helps you have less diarrhea and more formed stools.
Bismuth subsalicylate balances the way fluid moves through your intestines. It reduces inflammation. It keeps bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhea from growing in the stomach and intestines.
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Using Apple Cider Vinegar As A Stomachache Cure
Another paradoxical-sounding remedy is using acidic drinks to relieve pain from gastric reflux. Since gastric reflux can result in stomach acid leaking out into places its not wanted, your stomachs acidity can end up lower than is optimal for digesting food.
Drinking apple cider vinegar can help improve the levels and ease an upset stomach. This assumes that youre able to, well, stomach the drink in the first place. While apple cider vinegar does its work best if taken raw, you may find mixing it with water, a teaspoon of honey, and sipping slowly to be the more tolerable option.
- Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to one cup of warm water.
- Mix in one tablespoon of honey.
- Drink this remedy every three hours until pain is gone.
Can Diarrhoea Be Prevented
Gastroenteritis the most common cause of diarrhoea is highly infectious, and mostly spread by contact with another person who has the illness, or from contaminated food.
These measures can help to stop the spread:
- wash hands frequently using good handwashing technique
- follow good food safety practices
- if a household member has diarrhoea, they should not prepare food for the other members, and everyone should follow regular handwashing and hygiene practices
- anyone who has diarrhoea should not visit hospitals, aged care facilities, or swimming pools
- babies can be vaccinated against rotavirus
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Home Remedies For Stomach Pain May Work For You
Stomach pain is a common complaint that can range from mild stabs of pain to debilitating painful cramps.
Causes of stomach pain may be linked to an underlying health condition such as appendicitis or kidney stones, or it may be a reaction to a food product that irritates the stomach lining.
Many cases of discomfort are mild and may be alleviated by home remedies for stomach pain.
Using natural and widely available products like herbal teas and probiotic yogurt may offer fast relief without causing the additional pain sometimes triggered by the irritants in shelf medications.
Sudden and severe stomach pain may indicate a serious health condition. If it is accompanied by a fever, breathing difficulty, or bloody vomit, seek immediate medical attention.
What Procedures And Tests Diagnose Diarrhea
In healthy people with diarrhea, and who appear well otherwise, the health-care professional may elect to do no tests at all. Stool cultures are not usually necessary unless there is high fever, blood in the stool, recent travel, or prolonged disease.
- In some cases, the health care professional may send a sample of the stool to the laboratory to evaluate if the cause of diarrhea can be determined . It usually takes approximately one to two days for the results of these tests.
- Blood tests are sometimes necessary for patients with other medical problems or with severe disease.
- A colonoscopy is an endoscope procedure that allows the physician to view the entire colon to evaluate for infections or structural abnormalities that could cause the condition.
- Imaging tests such as X-rays or CT scans are performed to rule out structural abnormalities as the cause of diarrhea, particularly when pain is a prominent symptom.
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Avoiding Smoking And Drinking Alcohol
Smoking can irritate the throat, increasing the likelihood of an upset stomach. If the person has vomited, smoking can further irritate the tender tissue already sore from stomach acids.
As a toxin, alcohol is difficult to digest and can cause damage to the liver and stomach lining.
People with an upset stomach should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol until they are feeling better.
When To Contact A Clinician
Persistent or severe abdominal pain, especially if unrelieved by vomiting or passing a bowel movement
Fever greater than 101 degrees F, not relieved by acetaminophen, or any fever that lasts more than three days
Vomiting or diarrhea without any improvement for more 24 hours
Blood in vomit or stools
No urination for more than 8 hours, or painful urination
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Urgent Advice: Get Advice From 111 Now If:
- you’re worried about a baby under 12 months
- your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they’re ill
- a child under 5 years has signs of dehydration such as fewer wet nappies
- you or your child still have signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets
- you or your child keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down
- you or your child have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom
- you or your child have diarrhoea for more than 7 days or vomiting for more than 2 days
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or .
Get an urgent GP appointment
A GP may be able to help you.
Ask your GP practice for an urgent appointment.
Check with the GP surgery before going in. A GP may speak to you on the phone.
Fecal Impaction And Constipation
It may surprise you to know that constipation can also cause symptoms of diarrhea. How is it possible to have impacted hard stool as well as watery diarrhea?
Doctors from the National Health Service explain that what looks like diarrhea is actually anal leakage. Fecal impaction can make it almost impossible to having a bowel movement. However, watery stool can leak around the hard stool and look as if you have constipation and diarrhea at the same time.26
Please read my article on the best way to treat anal leakage naturally and avoid embarrassment.
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List Of Natural And Home Remedies For Adults And Children For Diarrhea
Treatments for Adults
- Adults should drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
- Replenishing water loss is important. Avoid milk as it can make diarrhea worse. Sports beverages can be beneficial because they replenish electrolytes in addition to providing hydration.
- If the patient is able to eat, avoid greasy or fatty foods. Adults, infants, toddlers, and children should be encouraged to follow the “BRAT” diet . The BRAT diet is a combination of foods to eat to treat diarrhea. If diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, have the person suck on ice chips until the nausea stops. After the diarrhea subsides, avoid alcoholic beverages and spicy foods for two additional days.
- Individuals may be able to continue their usual activities if they are mildly ill with diarrhea however, strenuous exercise should be avoided because exercise increases the risk of dehydration.
- If you are pregnant women and have diarrhea make sure to rehydrate to avoid dehydration, and consult your doctor.
Treatments for Toddlers and Children
Dehydration in children and toddlers can be a great concern. Loose stools are more common in breastfed newborns than in formula-fed babies, so check with your doctor about to expect for your child.
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