How to treat intestinal flu: helpful tips

Intestinal flu, stomach flu, gastroenteritis or rotavirus infection are the names of the same disease, which is a frequent guest in the summer. When the heat is on the street, all products quickly deteriorate, becoming a great place to live for many intestinal bacteria, it is very easy to get rotavirus.

Intestinal flu is a viral infection that enters the body through absorption through the walls of the stomach or intestines. Worst of all, children, the elderly and pregnant women suffer this disease due to a weak immune system. The main danger with this disease is dehydration. Due to frequent vomiting and endless diarrhea, the body loses fluid very quickly, which can lead to death, especially in infants. Therefore, if you suspect an intestinal infection in children of the first three years of life, it is simply necessary to show the pediatrician. He will assess the situation and, if possible, give permission for home treatment. In other cases, treatment of young children should be carried out in a hospital.

Symptoms of intestinal flu

Symptoms of intestinal flu appear quickly enough, already a day after the virus enters the body. On average, the incubation period can last from 10 hours to 3-5 days. The rate of manifestation of symptoms and their intensity depends on the amount of virus that has entered the body, as well as on the patient’s immune system. The following symptoms are characteristic of rotavirus infection.

1. First, a small manifestation of colds begins - the throat turns red and hurts when swallowing. A slight cough, runny nose, frequent sneezing may appear. But these symptoms quickly disappear, turning into more serious intestinal disorders. This symptom gave this type of virus the name “flu,” although intestinal flu has nothing to do with traditional flu.
2. At the beginning of the development of a viral infection, the patient develops weakness, body aches, and general malaise.
3. Often this is accompanied by an intestinal disorder - diarrhea. The stool is liquid, it can be dark, light or green. Often feces bubble, has a sharp unpleasant odor. This means that the intestine undergoes a fermentation process. If stool occurs more than 10 times a day, you must consult a doctor.
4. If blood or mucous blotches were found in the feces, you need to see a doctor, maybe you have another disease. For rotavirus, these symptoms are not characteristic.
5. Vomiting This is another common symptom of intestinal flu, although vomiting may not occur. If the patient is sick, but vomiting does not occur, it is better to call her yourself. This will clear the stomach and possibly prevent the complete absorption of the infected product.
6. The patient’s stomach hurts, rumbles, twists.
7. When the virus enters, the body begins to resist, which leads to an increase in temperature.
8. Typically, rotavirus is difficult, with intoxication, a person can not lead a normal lifestyle. He is so weak that he constantly lies, especially for children.

The acute period of rotavirus infection lasts no more than a week, usually 3-4 days. Then, for about another week, the patient recovers and comes to his senses. All this time, until the patient recovers completely, the patient is considered contagious.

Causes of intestinal flu

Rotavirus infection is a dirty hands disease. Often people get sick if they start eating with dirty hands.An adult kept money and handrails in public transport, the child played on the playground, and then took food in the mouth with unwashed hands - the virus easily enters the body. Also, the intestinal virus can get inside with poor-quality or stale food. You should be especially careful with perishable dairy products during the hot summer. You can also get infected from a patient with gastroenteritis - through household items or by airborne droplets.

How to treat intestinal flu

Treatment of any viral infections is aimed at removing intoxication, the speedy removal of the virus from the body and symptomatic treatment. Here are a few consistent steps you should take if a person develops intestinal flu.

1. The very first and most important thing is the replenishment of the water-salt balance. To do this, dissolve Rehydron in a liter of water and drink in small portions throughout the day. If a child falls ill, you need to solder it every 5-10 minutes, one teaspoon each. If you give the baby more, this will lead to the next urge to vomit and all efforts will be in vain. If Regidron is not at hand, a water-salt solution can be prepared independently. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and half a tablespoon of soda in a liter of water.
2. To fight the infection you need to drink Furozolidone, Ersefuril or Enterofuril. These drugs perfectly remove intoxication, because they kill the bacterium itself.
3. Against diarrhea, you should take Loperamide, Imodium, Chloramphenicol. Enterozhermina helps the children perfectly.
4. If a person is tormented by vomiting, you can suppress it with drugs such as Ondosetron, Tserukal. But they can not be used by children without a doctor’s prescription.
5. It is very important to take sorbents that absorb the remnants of toxins and bring them out. It can be Smecta, Activated carbon, Enterosgel, Filtrum. If there are no pharmaceutical preparations at hand, it is very good to drink rice broth. This gummy mass not only stops diarrhea, but also absorbs toxic substances in the intestines and stomach.
6. In a day, when the patient's condition stabilizes a little, he will need to be fed. In addition to a sparing diet, along with food, the patient should take enzymes - Festal, Creon or similar drugs. They will help a sick stomach and an upset intestine to digest food.
7. In a few days, when the intoxication is gone, the person will probably suffer from persistent diarrhea. This is often due to the fact that the intestinal microflora is disturbed. To restore it, you need to drink a course of probiotics that will help colonize the intestines with beneficial bacteria. It can be Linex, Hilak Forte, Bifidumbacterin, Enterol.

Subject to all these recommendations, intestinal flu will pass quickly enough and, if possible, less intensively. But with rotavirus infection, you can not forget about the diet.

Nutrition for stomach flu

In the acute phase of the disease, a person is unlikely to want to eat anything at all. And do not force him. Now all the forces of the body are aimed at combating the disease, and the digestion of food is an additional burden. After the passage of the acute period, you can start eating crackers, chicken low-fat broth, rice and rice broth, oatmeal on the water. No fermented milk products - they create an ideal environment for the reproduction of bacteria. Drinking plenty of water is very important. You need to drink a lot, only with the help of a liquid you can speed up the elimination of the virus from the body. Usually, children during the period of illness with rotavirus infection are allowed everything that is usually prohibited - fruit drinks, fruit drinks, juices. The broth of wild rose, green tea, and a decoction of chamomile help very well.

How to protect yourself from intestinal flu

Contrary to popular belief, intestinal flu is not treated with antibiotics, since the cause of this disease is a virus. Intestinal flu can be cured only by fighting symptoms and eliminating the virus with fluid. To protect the body in the future, it is important to strengthen the immune system - eat right, temper, move more and spend time in the fresh air. These simple rules will help you avoid encountering an unpleasant disease like intestinal flu.

Video: rotavirus infection - symptoms and treatment