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Diarrhea and Vomiting Can Kill You
There are two big causes of truly dangerous infections that lead to gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is a medical term that simply means an inflammation inside the digestive system. Most gastroenteritis is caused by an infection and the two most common are Clostridium difficile (not so affectionately known as C.Diff in medical circles) and norovirus.Vomiting and diarrhea are the two most common symptoms and problems associated with both of these infections. And, in both cases, death is a significant possibility. You can get seriously ill from secondary infections, tissue damage or dehydration.
Both of these gastric infections are spread from person to person through fecal matter, usually because the person with the infection didn't wash his or her hands well enough after using the restroom. Handwashing is the key to keeping your infection to yourself.
There isn't much you can do on your own to fix diarrhea and vomiting from gastroenteritis. It takes a healthcare professional to help you. There are things you can do to make it a little more tolerable, however.
Diarrhea is a condition that leads to frequent, loose or watery stools. Those with it don't absorb nutrients or water properly. If it lasts too long, diarrhea sufferers can get dehydrated or have electrolyte problems.
In most cases of sudden diarrhea the right treatment is simply waiting it out. The body is almost always reacting to an infection or ingestion of something bad by ridding itself of toxins or bacteria and once it is finished, bowl movements will return to normal. When diarrhea lasts more than a couple of days or comes on frequently, it might be a bigger problem and will need to be treated by a healthcare provider.
Use these general treatment steps when the cause of diarrhea isn't known or can't be treated itself. Time Required: 24 to 72 hours Here's How:
- Avoid dehydration. Drink lots of clear fluid — no alcohol or caffeine. Milk will usually prolong diarrhea, but it might help provide nutrients for folks with very mild cases. For moderate to severe cases, use an electrolyte solution like Gatorade or Pedialyte.
- Eat probiotic yogurt. These active cultures can ease the symptoms of some types of diarrhea and shorten their duration.
- Try the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, apples or applesauce, and dry toast. This diet is often suggested for kids, but adults can eat it as well. It's not necessary to restrict kids or adults to this diet, but adding these foods may help shorten episodes of diarrhea.
- Avoid diarrhea medications, unless the doctor tells you to take them. The function of diarrhea is to rid the body of bad bugs. Often the only way to get better is to suffer through the loose stools.
- The following cases require seeking emergency treatment:
- Vomiting or diarrhea in a newborn under 3 months (call as soon as it starts)
- Kids older than 3 months vomiting for more than 12 hours
- Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days
- Bloody, black, or oily looking stools
- Abdominal pain that doesn't get better with a bowel movement
- Dehydration symptoms including dizziness, weakness or muscle cramps
- Fever, along with diarrhea, of more than 101 in adults or 100.4 in kids
- Recent travel outside the country (Traveler's Diarrhea)
- People with whom you've eaten complaining of diarrhea
- Diarrhea after starting a new medication
- Get plenty of rest.