- Many viruses cause gastroenteritis, commonly known as stomach flu.
- Depending on the type of virus, the length of your illness will vary but should not last long. You can expect to start feeling like your usual self again within a few days.
- Contact a healthcare provider if your symptoms don't go away or you have other health concerns like dehydration.
The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, is a type of intestinal infection that presents with mostly GI symptoms. It may be caused by a number of viruses but not influenza viruses as the term "stomach flu"
Viral gastroenteritis is also a self-limiting disease. In other words, you will likely recover on your own without treatment.5 With a stomach virus, your immune system is busy trying to help you feel normal. Those types of diseases might resolve spontaneously.
Symptoms
People may experience the following signs of the stomach flu within four to 48 hours of viral exposure:
- Abdominal cramps or pain
- Fever—which isn't always a symptom
- Nausea or vomiting
- Watery diarrhea
Staying hydrated is essential if you have viral gastroenteritis. Dehydration happens if you lose too many fluids from diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Drinking enough fluids while you have the stomach flu may be difficult, increasing your risk of dehydration.
Dehydration symptoms include:
- Extreme thirst
- Dry mouth and skin
- Sweating and urinating less than usual
- Urine that has a dark color
- Fatigue
- Feeling dizzy
Seek immediate medical attention if you develop severe symptoms like:
- Breathing quickly
- Fainting
- Feeling confused
- Not urinating
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shock
There's a good chance your symptoms will go away rather quickly if you have a healthy immune system. Some people with the stomach flu might not even develop symptoms.
What Can Prolong Symptoms?
You may need more time to recover if you have a weak immune system. A weak immune system may have a harder time fighting a stomach virus than usual. Stomach flu symptoms may last longer than average, and you might have a high risk for complications.
Talk to a healthcare provider if you develop viral gastroenteritis and have:
- Autoimmune conditions (e.g., lupus and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Immunodeficiency syndromes
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Kidney disease
- Metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes)
- Structural heart disease
Viral gastroenteritis is highly contagious and spreads from person to person through stool and vomit. Norovirus is contagious as long as you are sick and for up to two weeks afterward.
Preparing food and drinks, shaking hands, and touching objects and surfaces with unwashed hands after using the bathroom easily spreads a stomach bug. The virus may become airborne if you vomit. Norovirus might live for months on objects and surfaces.
Stomach Flu Remedies
Viral gastroenteritis typically resolves on its own. Still, there are some things you can do to feel better and possibly reduce your symptoms. Below are some tips to help you recover if you have a stomach bug:
- Eat small amounts of bland food: Not eating does not help alleviate symptoms. Instead, try eating small servings of bananas, bread, cereal, plain yogurt, and vegetables. Replenishing your nutrients is essential if you have diarrhea and vomiting.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of fluids helps prevent dehydration. Sip on electrolyte replacement solutions, Gatorade, or water every 30–60 minutes. Do not drink broth, fruit juice, gelatin, or soda if you have a stomach bug. Those fluids might worsen diarrhea.
- Take medicine: Antibiotics do not work for viral infections like the stomach flu. Instead, you might use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like Imodium (loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate). Talk to a healthcare provider if you have bloody or severe diarrhea before taking medicine.
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