Health Stomach bugs
tummy bug
How to handle a
It may be common but gastroenteritis can make you feel really unwell. Here’s what you should do if you experience a stomach bug
The medical term for a stomach and bowel infection is gastroenteritis, though it’s more commonly referred to as a stomach bug or stomach flu. Whatever you call it, gastroenteritis is common, causing nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, and sometimes also a mild fever. Some people also have other symptoms such as aching muscles, stomach cramps, headache and loss of appetite. Gastroenteritis is usually caused by a
viral or bacterial infection. The most common causes in adults are norovirus (also known as the winter vomiting bug) and bacteria in food that cause food poisoning (
E.coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter, for example). Children are more likely to get
stomach bugs than adults, with a virus called rotavirus the most common cause. And while the symptoms can be most unpleasant, you should feel better within a week.
How is it spread? Gastroenteritis is very contagious. You can catch it in a number of ways:
• If you have close contact with someone who has a stomach bug.
• Eating food that’s been prepared by an infected person can mean the food may be contaminated if they don’t wash their hands beforehand (ideally you shouldn’t prepare food at all if you have a stomach bug). Sometimes food can also come into
contact with contaminated surfaces or objects before you eat it. Or you may get food poisoning by eating food that hasn’t been stored or cooked at the right temperature.
• Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and transferring a virus or bacteria to your system by touching your nose or mouth.
You can be infected for a day before your symptoms appear, though you’re most infectious after the symptoms start. And you’re still highly infectious for 48 hours after all your symptoms have stopped.
What should you do? According to the NHS, if you have gastroenteritis you can usually treat yourself at home. In fact it’s advisable to stay away from your GP’s surgery in these circumstances, since you may be putting others at risk. Here’s what you should do:
• Drink plenty of fluids. If you’re vomiting and having diarrhoea it can affect your body’s absorption of water and salts, which can lead to dehydration. So when you have a stomach bug you should drink more than usual to replace lost fluids. Water is considered the best drink to have, but you could also try squash. Try to avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks, as they can make diarrhoea worse.
Young children and elderly people are particularly susceptible to dehydration from diarrhoea. So if you’re looking after someone who has a stomach bug, make sure they drink little and often (take small sips if you feel sick).
• If you’re worried about dehydration, ask your local Careway pharmacist to recommend a special rehydration drink to help replace lost fluids. If you’re giving rehydration drinks to a child, always check with your GP or pharmacist first, and find out how much you should give them. Don’t give a child antidiarrhoeal or anti- vomiting medication unless your GP or pharmacist recommends it.
• If you have a high temperature or any aches and pains, take paracetamol (you can buy this over the counter at pharmacies). Do not take with other paracetamol- containing products. Do not exceed the stated dose.
• Rest as much as possible, and stay away from others until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have passed. If your child is affected, keep them off school or nursery.
• Eat when you feel you can – you don’t need to avoid any type of food, but it’s a good idea to eat plain foods to start with. Start with small amounts and see how you feel before eating more.
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