Gastroenteritis: what it is, what the symptoms are and how to treat it

Gastroenteritis: what it is, what the symptoms are and how to treat it.

Gastroenteritis is an infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract and has fairly recognizable symptoms. Short-lived, it can be both viral and bacterial in origin and when it does arrive it is usually short-lived. If in most cases it can resolve on its own , in others it can worsen to the point of requiring urgent medical intervention. For this reason it is very important to learn to recognize the symptoms and seek medical attention when they occur.

What are the symptoms and causes of gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis can affect both the stomach and the intestines and when it occurs it does so with very specific symptoms. These are usually nausea, vomiting , diarrhea , abdominal pain, fever, and migraine .
Their onset is usually sudden while the duration is a few days.

In some cases, however, the situation can be more serious than you think. This is why, in the presence of the first symptoms, it is very important to contact the doctor immediately. In fact, gastroenteritis can present itself in different forms. The acute one is also the one that has the shortest duration and never goes beyond two weeks. If the time is prolonged and exceeds two weeks we speak of persistent gastroenteritis.
The chronic, on the other hand, is the one that lasts well over two weeks and can even last a month.

In any case it is important to understand if this is of viral or bacterial origin . Which can only be done by contacting the doctor at the onset of symptoms.
Having said that, among the most common causes are those caused by the consumption of infected food or water contaminated by bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc…
The best known are Listeria , Salmonella and Esterichia coli but it is good to keep in mind that there are also many other bacteria or parasites that can trigger gastroenteritis.

How to cure gastroenteritis

As it is easy to imagine, the treatment of gastroenteritis requires knowledge of the triggering cause. Only in this way, in fact, the doctor will be able to indicate which is the most suitable drug to reduce the problem without consequences.

However, there are also other aids that can relieve the most pressing annoyances.
The first is to drink in order to hydrate well. It is also important to consume light foods, avoiding those that can irritate the intestine. A good dose of rest is also important to allow the body to recover quickly. And, to all this, antipyretics can be added (always with medical advice).

Gastroenteritis: how to prevent it

Obviously, gastroenteritis can also be prevented. To do this, it is very important to always wash your hands and not eat or drink from utensils used by others. Washing food is also important , just as it is better to avoid consuming raw foods, especially if of uncertain origin. Water should always and only be drunk in bottles, especially if you go abroad and fruit, if consumed outside, should always be eaten personally peeled.

Acting in this way, it will be possible to live in greater safety and avoid the more serious problems that gastroenteritis can lead to which, if treated without problems in healthy adults, can be dangerous for the most fragile subjects such as, for example, the elderly and children.