How Can I Treat Viral Gastroenteritis
In most cases, people with viral gastroenteritis get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat viral gastroenteritis by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms.
Research shows that following a restricted diet does not help treat viral gastroenteritis. When you have viral gastroenteritis, you may vomit after you eat or lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can most often go back to eating your normal diet, even if you still have diarrhea. Find tips on what to eat when you have viral gastroenteritis.
If your child has symptoms of viral gastroenteritis, such as vomiting or diarrhea, dont hesitate to call a doctor for advice.
Learn The Common Causes And Home Remedies For Stomach Pain
My stomach hurts. If you have children, chances are youve heard this statement at least once.
Stomach pain is one of the most common complaints among children and teens. It can range from mild discomfort to severe cramping, burning or nausea. While most cases arent serious, its helpful to know what can cause stomach pain and when to call a doctor.
Here are some of the most frequent causes of stomach problems in small children and teens:
Gas
Gas pain or indigestion is common in kids of all ages. Diet often plays a role. Carbonated drinks, such as soda may upset the stomach, especially if the child drinks through a straw. Spicy foods, beans, citrus and caffeine may cause gas.
Constipation
Younger kids may not know what constipation is or that it can lead to stomach pain. If your child complains of stomach pain around the belly button or the left lower side of the abdomen, ask them when they last pooped, or if theyre having problems doing it.
Overeating
Too much of anything, from pizza and popcorn to Halloween candy, can cause abdominal pain. Kids often eat quickly and dont realize theyre full until theyve overdone it. Plus, eating too quickly can contribute to discomfort.
Lactose intolerance
Milk allergy
Milk allergy is a reaction to a protein in milk that may cause cramps. It is not the same as lactose intolerance.
Stress
When to call the pediatrician
Home treatment for tummy aches
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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.
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What To Eat When You Have Diarrhea
Whether your diarrhea is caused by allergies, food poisoning, a chronic condition like irritable bowel syndrome, or something else, diet and diarrhea are intricately linked.
Even if you have long-term conditions that affect the digestive system, the diet you eat can greatly affect your comfort levels.
When youre experiencing an episode of diarrhea, there are certain foods that you can eat to help your digestive system get back on track. There are also certain foods that you should avoid.
What To Do About Fluids When You Have Diarrhea
Do drink plenty of fluid. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least one cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement. Water, fruit juices, caffeine-free soda, and salty broths are some good choices. According to the Cleveland Clinic, salt helps slow down the fluid loss, and sugar will help your body absorb the salt.
Dont consume beverages at extreme temperatures. Consume all liquids at room temperature, or slightly warmed, advises Dr. Ganjhu. Anything too hot or too cold can cause nausea.
Do drink a tea with chamomile. There is some research to suggest that products containing certain combinations of herbs, including chamomile, may help an upset stomach. A study published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports cited the potential favorable effects of drinking a chamomile preparation that is combined with other herbs, in treating diarrhea.
Dont consume caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol can irritate the digestive tract and worsen diarrhea, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine.
Dillute your water with fruit juice. Ganjhu recommends diluting your water with fruit juices, like cranberry or apple juice, to make the H2O, which can sometimes be nauseating when you have diarrhea, easier to tolerate.
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Causes Of Abdominal Pain And Diarrhea
Most people occasionally experience abdominal pain and diarrhea for a short time. Changes to your diet, consuming too much alcohol, and indigestion may cause these symptoms.
Frequent, constant, or severe abdominal pain and diarrhea may indicate a disease or a more serious medical issue. Diarrhea that gets progressively worse and is bloody can also be a sign of a more serious issue. Possible causes of abdominal pain and diarrhea include:
The above conditions and disorders can cause inflammation in different parts of your digestive tract, like the stomach and intestines. When your digestive system is inflamed, you might have cramps and trouble with typical digestive processes. This usually results in abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Abdominal pain and diarrhea that last for more than a week or keep coming back may be a sign of an intestinal disease or disorder. Talk with your doctor if youve experienced these symptoms for more than a week or on a reoccurring basis.
Common Questions About Buscopan
Buscopan relieves stomach cramps and period pains by helping your digestive system and bladder relax.
It does this by reducing the wave-like contractions of the muscle in the walls of the stomach, bowel and bladder.
Buscopan helps to treat stomach cramps and period pains, but does not cure them.
Buscopan tablets start to work within 15 minutes. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms do not improve within 2 weeks.
Do not take Buscopan for longer than 2 weeks unless your doctor tells you to.
Talk to your doctor if your symptoms change, get worse or have not improved after 2 weeks. Your doctor will want to rule out an illness that may be causing your symptoms.
Buscopan is safe to take for a long time as long as you get advice from your doctor, you take the recommended dose and you’re not having any side effects.
Buscopan Cramps and Buscopan IBS Relief are essentially identical.
The tablets in each contain the same active ingredient and in the same strength .
But the 2 products are marketed differently.
Buscopan Cramps is targeted at stomach cramps. It can also be used to relieve period pain and the cramping pains some people get with IBS. It’s only available from behind the pharmacy counter, and can be taken by adults and children over the age of 6 years.
Buscopan IBS Relief is available from most pharmacies and supermarkets.
Buscopan Cramps is only available from behind the pharmacy counter.
There are other IBS remedies, including peppermint oil and mebeverine .
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If Youre Not Sure Whats Causing Your Pain
The remedy: Give yourself a massage
A little TLC can go a long way, says Joubert. âPlace one hand on top of the other in the area of pain. Apply gentle pressure and make circular motions 10 to 20 times. Focus on breathing into this areabreathe in 1-2-3 through the nose, hold 1-2-3, exhale through the mouth 1-2-3-4. The increased oxygen will help blood flow and pain management.â
If that doesnât do the trick, Joubert suggests changing up your position. âLay on the floor, bring your knees to the chest so that feet are above the heart level, and gently rock 10-20 times while focusing on your breathing.â
If none of this advice makes any differenceor youâre getting stomach aches several times a monthcall your doctor. You may have a digestive disorder that needs treatment, or you may need to revamp your diet. Its possible that a lack of fiber or a food sensitivity could be causing your discomfort.
How Is Upset Stomach Diagnosed
Most cases of upset stomach are mild and self-limiting and able to be treated at home. The cause of more serious cases of upset can be diagnosed with a patient history of symptoms and a physical examination of the abdomen, which may include palpation of the area to check for tenderness, enlarged organs, or masses, and listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope for bowel sounds.
Other physical examinations to help determine the cause of an upset stomach may include:
- Rectal examination
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When To Contact A Medical Professional
Get medical help right away or call your local emergency number if you:
- Are currently being treated for cancer
- Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
- Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
- Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
- Have pain in, or between, your shoulder blades with nausea
- Have tenderness in your belly, or your belly is rigid and hard to the touch
- Are pregnant or could be pregnant
- Had a recent injury to your abdomen
- Have difficulty breathing
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Stomach Cramps And Diarrhea
Diarrhea can give out several side effects such as abdominal cramps. Abdominal cramps and diarrhea, however, are only symptoms of several diseases that include food poisoning, indigestion, gastritis, difficulty in bowel release, parasitic infections, and travelers diarrhea among others. If a persons bowel movement occurs at least thrice in a day especially with stomach belching, it can be considered as diarrhea and diarrhea usually goes with stomach cramps.
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Drink Plenty Of Fluids
One of the biggest problems with diarrhea is dehydration. This is what leads many people to the emergency room.
Diarrhea causes the body to lose a lot of water and electrolytes it needs to function normally. Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that are needed for various bodily processes
It’s important to treat dehydration properly. Otherwise, it can become dangerous, especially in young children.
To manage a mild bout of diarrhea, you need to replace the fluids and electrolytes you lost. Drink plenty of water, clear juices, clear broths, or an electrolyte-rich sports drink.
There are also things you should avoid when you have an episode of diarrhea. Avoid coffee, caffeinated drinks, prune juice, sugary drinks, sodas, and alcohol. These all have a laxative effect. It’s also a good idea to avoid dairy products if you’re lactose intolerant, which means you can’t digest the main sugar in milk well.
Young children and babies with diarrhea need pediatric rehydration drinks. These are marketed under certain brand names, like:
- Pedialyte
- Enfalyte
- Gastrolyte
Breastfed babies should continue to breastfeed. Children should continue eating their regular diet. Also, they should drink rehydrating fluids. This is better than putting them on a restrictive diet.
Some people want to avoid the artificial colorings or flavorings in some rehydration drinks. You can make a homemade rehydration drink with only salt, sugar, and water.
When To Call Your Doctor
If your stomach troubles are due to a GI bug or food poisoning, you usually should feel better within 48 hours. If you don’t, call your doctor. It could be a more serious bacterial infection or an early sign of COVID-19. You should also reach out to them immediately if you:
- Might be severely dehydrated. Signs include dark urine, extreme weakness, a dry mouth and tongue, and dizziness.
- Have diarrhea that is bloody or black, or severe belly pain
- Are feverish, coughing, or feel short of breath
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Ranitidine: Cures Stomach Ache Due To Hyperacidity
- Brand name Zantac 75
- CompositionRanitidine
- Popularity level 6
- Ranitidine is known as an H2 blocker. It works by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach. It is used to prevent and treat heartburn and other symptoms caused by too much acid in the stomach .
- Dosage To treat heartburn and acid indigestion, take 1 tablet with a glass of water as needed unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Swallow the tablet whole without chewing. Ranitidine can be taken with or without food.
- To prevent heartburn and acid indigestion, take ranitidine 30-60 minutes before eating food or drinking beverages that can cause indigestion.
- Price The cost for Zantac 75 oral tablet 75 mg is around $16 for a supply of 30 tablets.
When Should My Child See A Doctor
Many children recover from abdominal pain quickly and dont need to see a doctor.
Take your child to a doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital emergency department if they:
- are in pain that goes on for longer than 24 hours or if youre worried about them
- have pain that is severe or debilitating even though they have taken pain medicine
- are hard to wake and are unwell
- vomit for more than 24 hours, or they are unable to keep any fluids down, refusing to drink any fluids and their vomit is green
- have blood in their poo or vomit
- are having trouble doing a wee
- have pain and lumps in the groin
- were recently injured for example, falling onto the handlebars of a bike
If your child is still a baby and they have fewer than 4 wet nappies per day, as well as their abdominal pain, you should take them to a doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
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Other Ways To Soothe A Dog With An Upset Stomach
In addition to these bland foods, dogs with upset stomachs should get plenty of rest. They should avoid strenuous physical activity like long walks, playing, and fetching. Too much activity will add stress to an already maxed out body, delaying or inhibiting recovery.
Additionally, dehydration, common for dogs who have vomited or had diarrhea, can worsen if you allow your dog to play and run like usual.
Dipep: Cures Stomach Ache Due To Indigestion
- Brand name Dipep
- Composition Digestive enzymes like Pepsin, Papain, Fungal Diastase, and Cellulase
- Popularity level 4
- Dipep Capsule contains Pepsin, Papain, Fungal Diastase, and Cellulase. Dipep Capsule is used for the treatment of indigestion.
- Pepsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides . It is produced in the stomach and is one of the main digestive enzymes in the digestive systems of humans and many other animals, where it helps digest the proteins in food. Pepsin exhibits excellent digestion power.
- Papain, extracted from papaya, is an enzyme that breakdowns the proteins in the stomach and helps in digestion.
- Fungal Diastase is a digestive Enzyme that helps in Carbohydrate Digestion. It helps in digestion of starch, carbohydrates, fats & Proteins. Fungal diastase is used as digestive aid in case of loss of appetite due to chronic illness, stomach fullness and indigestion.
- Cellulase also play essential roles in the digestion.
- Dosage One tablet is to be taken, before meal.
- Price A pack of 10 tablets cost 60.
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Urgent Advice: Speak To Your Gp As Soon As Possible If:
- you have severe abdominal pain, especially if it’s concentrated in one area
- the pain starts suddenly or unexpectedly
If your GP is closed, phone 111.
Serious causes of sudden severe abdominal pain include:
- appendicitis the swelling of the appendix means your appendix will need to be removed
- a bleeding or perforated stomach ulcer
- acute cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder, which may need to be removed
- kidney stones small stones may be passed out in your urine, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes, and you’ll need to go to hospital to have them broken up
- diverticulitis inflammation of the small pouches in the bowel that sometimes requires treatment with antibiotics in hospital
If your GP suspects you have one of these conditions, they may refer you to hospital immediately.
Sudden and severe pain in your abdomen can also sometimes be caused by an infection of the stomach and bowel . It may also be caused by a pulled muscle in your abdomen or by an injury.
Lifestyle Dos And Donts When You Have Diarrhea
Along with knowing what to eat and drink when youre dealing with gastrointestinal woes, its also important to be mindful of other everyday habits to help you deal with diarrhea.
Do wash your hands. Since diarrhea can sometimes be transmitted by person-to-person contact or from contaminated hands, washing your hands after using the bathroom and before you eat can help block possible diarrhea-causing pathogens. Research published in September 2015 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that handwashing can reduce episodes of diarrhea by about 30 percent. To wash properly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wetting your hands, then applying soap and rubbing them together for at least 20 seconds. Make sure to include the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Rinse with clean, running water and dry thoroughly. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol can work, too.
Do know when to call the doctor. Mayo Clinic advises to seek medical help if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Your diarrhea lasts more than two days.
- You experience severe abdominal pain or pain in your rectum.
- Youre dehydrated or exceptionally weak.
- You have a fever of 102 degrees F or higher.
- Your stools are bloody or black and tar-like.
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