With the arrival of the winter months, influenza and its derivatives have started to increase. Stomach flu, which is more common in children, manifests itself with symptoms such as abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, nasal congestion. Stomach flu, also known as gastrointestinal infection, is caused by various viruses. It usually develops after contact with an infected person or after consuming contaminated food.
Viral gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as stomach flu or stomach cold, is a contagious intestinal infection caused by bacteria. This type of flu is caused by a variety of viruses and is usually caused by contact with an infected person or by eating contaminated food. Although this flu affects some people badly, most people recover within a few days. There is no specific treatment for this condition and the infection can usually go away on its own with help. Home treatments can improve symptoms.
What Causes Stomach Flu?
Stomach flu can be caused by eating food infected with various viruses or sharing utensils, personal items or food with a sick person. We can list the viruses that cause stomach flu as follows;
Noroviruses: Children and adults can be affected by noroviruses, the most common cause of foodborne infections. This infection can spread very quickly among family members.
Rotaviruses: This is a common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children whose mouths come into contact with fingers or other objects contaminated with the virus. Rotavirus infection is more severe in infants and young children. Adults infected with rotavirus may not show any symptoms. Even if there are no symptoms, these people can cause the disease to increase.
Shellfish can also cause stomach flu. If an infected individual uses the toilet and then comes into contact with food without cleaning their hands, it causes the virus to multiply.
What are the Symptoms of Stomach Flu?
Although it is commonly referred to as stomach flu or stomach cold, viral gastroenteritis has different characteristics from influenza. Influenza affects only the respiratory system. In stomach flu, on the other hand, viruses can attack the digestive system and cause some symptoms;
- Watery diarrhea
- Pain in the abdomen
- Abdominal cramps
- Mild fever
- Occasional joint and headaches
Depending on the cause, stomach flu symptoms can occur between 1-3 days to three days after infection and can be mild or severe. People usually start to experience symptoms 12-48 hours after coming into contact with the virus. Symptoms usually last only 1-2 days, but in severe cases can sometimes last up to 10 days.
In children, specialist support should be sought when the following symptoms occur:
- Very high fever
- Feeling of numbness
- Intense pain
- Bloody diarrhea
If the following symptoms are present in infants, specialist support should be sought:
- Prolonged vomiting
- If for 6 hours the diaper is dry
- Bloody diarrhea
- Collapse of the fontanel
- If dryness in the mouth is observed
- Too much sleepiness
How is stomach flu diagnosed?
The specialist can make a diagnosis based on the patient's complaints, physical examination and sometimes the presence of similar cases in the community. The virus can be detected after a quick stool test. However, there are no rapid tests for other viruses that cause gastroenteritis. Sometimes, a stool sample is taken and examined in the laboratory to exclude a possible bacterial or parasitic infection.
How is stomach flu treated?
There is no specific treatment for stomach flu. Antibiotic drugs are not effective against viruses and intensive use of these drugs may lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Treatment consists mostly of personal hygiene measures.
How does stomach flu go away?
Some methods can be used to facilitate a quicker recovery from stomach flu and reduce the intensity of symptoms. If stomach flu is present, the body needs rest to fight the infection effectively. Therefore, the person should sleep and reduce the amount of activity during the day. Certain foods and substances should be avoided until the person is healthy. These include milk-containing foods, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and foods that contain fat or a lot of spices.
Drinking plenty of fluids can also quickly remove the effects of stomach flu from the body. Protecting the stomach by keeping it warm and staying away from the cold also helps to reduce symptoms. You can consume mint lemon to get rid of stomach flu naturally.