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"id": "gastroenteritis",
"title": "Diarrhoea and vomiting (gastroenteritis)",
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"snippet": "Gastroenteritis is caused by a bacterial or viral stomach bug. Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting.",
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"category": "https://images.ctfassets.net/iqo3fk8od6t9/6lz31Q0gGmIMao1hgHmrds/6a5b48a0a15213ec1520b8aa676d5b99/Digestion.png"
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"body": "_____________________________________________\n\n**Note: If you have a new or ongoing cough, a high temperature (fever) or you've noticed a change in your sense of smell or taste, you may have coronavirus (COVID-19). [Read more about coronavirus](yourmd:/condition/coronavirus-covid19)**\n\n_____________________________________________\n\nGastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It's usually caused by a bacterial or viral tummy bug.\n\nIt affects people of all ages, but is particularly common in young children.\n\nMost cases in children are caused by a virus called rotavirus. Cases in adults are usually caused by [norovirus](yourmd:/condition/norovirus) (the \"winter vomiting bug\") or bacterial [food poisoning](yourmd:/condition/food-poisoning).\n\nGastroenteritis can be very unpleasant, but it usually clears up by itself within a week. You can normally look after yourself or your child at home until you're feeling better.\n\nTry to avoid going to your doctor, as gastroenteritis can spread to others very easily. Call your doctor if you're concerned or need any advice.\n\n## Symptoms of gastroenteritis\n\nThe main symptoms of gastroenteritis are:\n\n- sudden, watery [diarrhoea](yourmd:/condition/diarrhoea)\n- feeling sick\n- vomiting, which can be projectile\n- a mild fever\n\nSome people also have other symptoms, such as a loss of appetite, an upset stomach , aching limbs and headaches .\n\nThe symptoms usually appear up to a day after becoming infected. They typically last less than a week, but can sometimes last longer.\n\n## What to do if you have gastroenteritis\n\nIf you experience sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, the best thing to do is stay at home until you're feeling better. There's not always a specific treatment, so you have to let the illness run its course.\n\nYou don't usually need to get medical advice, unless your symptoms don't improve or there's a risk of a more serious problem (see [When to get medical advice](yourmd:/condition/gastroenteritis) ).\n\nTo help ease your symptoms:\n\n- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid [dehydration](yourmd:/condition/dehydration) – You need to drink more than usual to replace the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea. Water is best, but you could also try fruit juice and soup.\n- Take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains.\n- Get plenty of rest .\n- If you feel like eating, try small amounts of plain foods, such as soup, rice, pasta and bread.\n- Use special rehydration drinks made from sachets bought from pharmacies if you have signs of [dehydration](yourmd:/condition/dehydration/symptoms), such as a dry mouth or dark urine – read about [treating dehydration](yourmd:/condition/dehydration/treatment) .\n- Take anti-vomiting medication (such as metoclopramide) and/or antidiarrhoeal medication (such as loperamide) if you need to – some types are available from pharmacies, but check the leaflet that comes with the medicine. You can also ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice about whether they're suitable.\n\nGastroenteritis can spread very easily, so you should wash your hands regularly while you're ill and stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have cleared, to reduce the risk of passing it on (see [Preventing gastroenteritis](yourmd:/condition/gastroenteritis) ).\n\n## When to get medical advice\n\nYou don't normally need to see your doctor if you think you have gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own.\n\nVisiting your doctor surgery can put others at risk, so it's best to call your doctor if you're concerned or feel you need advice.\n\nGet medical advice if:\n\n- you have [symptoms of severe dehydration](yourmd:/condition/dehydration/symptoms), such as persistent [dizziness](yourmd:/condition/dizziness), only passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all, or if you're losing consciousness\n- you have bloody diarrhoea\n- you're vomiting constantly and are unable to keep down any fluids\n- you have a fever over 38C (100.4F)\n- your symptoms haven't started to improve after a few days\n- in the last few weeks you've returned from a part of the world with poor sanitation\n- you have a serious underlying condition, such as [kidney disease](yourmd:/condition/kidney-disease-chronic), [inflammatory bowel disease](yourmd:/condition/inflammatory-bowel-disease) or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting\n\nYour doctor may suggest sending off a sample of your poo to a laboratory to check what's causing your symptoms. [Antibiotics](yourmd:/condition/antibiotics-penicillins) may be prescribed if this shows you have a bacterial infection.\n\n## Looking after a child with gastroenteritis\n\nYou can look after your child at home if they have diarrhoea and vomiting. There's not usually any specific treatment and your child should start feeling better in a few days.\n\nYou don't normally need to get medical advice unless their symptoms don't improve or there's a risk of a more serious problem (see [Getting medical advice for your child](yourmd:/condition/gastroenteritis) ).\n\nTo help ease your child's symptoms:\n\n- Encourage them to drink plenty of fluids. They need to replace the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea. Water is generally best. Avoid giving them fizzy drinks or fruit juice, as they can make their diarrhoea worse. Babies should continue to feed as usual, either with breast milk or other milk feeds.\n- Make sure they get plenty of rest.\n- Let your child eat if they're eating solids and feel hungry. Try small amounts of plain foods, such as soup, rice, pasta and bread.\n- Give them [paracetamol](yourmd:/condition/painkillers-paracetamol) if they have an uncomfortable fever or aches and pains. Young children may find liquid paracetamol easier to swallow than tablets.\n- Use special rehydration drinks made from sachets bought from pharmacies if they're dehydrated. Your doctor or pharmacist can advise on how much to give your child. Don't give them antidiarrhoeal and anti-vomiting medication, unless advised to by your doctor or pharmacist.\n\nBabies and young children, especially if they're less than a year old, have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated. Read advice about looking after babies and children under five who have diarrhoea and vomiting.\n\nMake sure you and your child wash your hands regularly while your child is ill and keep them away from school or nursery until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have cleared (see Preventing gastroenteritis).\n\n## Getting medical advice for your child\n\nYou don't usually need to see your doctor if you think your child has gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own, and taking them to a doctor surgery can put others at risk.\n\nCall your doctor if you're concerned about your child, or they:\n\n- have [symptoms of dehydration](yourmd:/condition/dehydration/symptoms), such as passing less urine than normal, being unusually irritable or unresponsive, pale or mottled skin, or cold hands and feet\n- have blood in their poo or green vomit\n- are vomiting constantly and are unable to keep down any fluids or feeds\n- have had diarrhoea for more than a week\n- have been vomiting for three days or more\n- have signs of a more serious illness, such as a high fever (over 38C or 100.4F), shortness of breath, rapid breathing, a stiff neck, a rash that doesn't fade when you roll a glass over it or a bulging fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby's head)\n- have a serious underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting\n\nYour doctor may suggest sending off a sample of your child's poo to a laboratory to confirm what's causing their symptoms. Antibiotics may be prescribed if this shows they have a bacterial infection.\n\n## How gastroenteritis is spread\n\nThe bugs that cause gastroenteritis can spread very easily from person to person.\n\nYou can catch the infection if small particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth, such as through:\n\n- close contact with someone with gastroenteritis – they may breathe out small particles of vomit\n- touching contaminated surfaces or objects\n- eating contaminated food – this can happen if an infected person doesn't wash their hands before handling food, or you eat food that has been in contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, or hasn't been stored and cooked at the correct temperatures (read more about the [causes of food poisoning](yourmd:/condition/food-poisoning/causes))\n\nA person with gastroenteritis is most infectious from when their symptoms start until 48 hours after all their symptoms have passed, although they may also be infectious for a short time before and after this.\n\n## Preventing gastroenteritis\n\nIt's not always possible to avoid getting gastroenteritis, but following the advice below can help stop it spreading:\n\n- Stay off work, school or nursery until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed. You or your child should also avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time.\n- Ensure you and your child wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food. Don't rely on alcohol hand gels, as they're not always effective.\n- Disinfect any surfaces or objects that could be contaminated. It's best to use a bleach-based household cleaner.\n- Wash contaminated items of clothing or bedding separately on a hot wash.\n- Don't share towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils while you or your child is ill.\n- Flush away any poo or vomit in the toilet or potty and clean the surrounding area.\n- Practice good food hygiene. Make sure food is properly refrigerated, always cook your food thoroughly, and never eat food that is past its use-by date – read more about [preventing food poisoning](yourmd:/condition/food-poisoning/prevention).\n\nTake extra care when travelling to parts of the world with poor sanitation, as you could pick up a stomach bug. For example, you may need to boil tap water before drinking it.\n\nYoung children can have the rotavirus vaccination when they’re two to three months old, which can reduce their risk of developing gastroenteritis.",
"url": "https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/gastroenteritis",
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{
"id": "toxic-megacolon",
"title": "Toxic Megacolon",
"authors": [
{
"name": "Dr Lauretta Ihonor",
"job_title": "Head of Content Innovations and Operations",
"bio": "Dr Lauretta Ihonor is a doctor and journalist with more than 10 years' experience in multimedia content creation. She graduated from University College London Medical School with an MBBS and a distinction in clinical practice before working as a doctor at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. She went on to retrain as a journalist, gaining a Master's degree in International Journalism in 2013. As a journalist, she has worked for the BBC, CNN International and Sky News. She also holds a first-class BSc in Human Genetics and is a certified nutritional medicine practitioner.",
"team": "Management team",
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}
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],
"editors": [],
"reviewers": [
{
"name": "Dr Ann Nainan",
"job_title": "Clinical content reviewer, MBBS, DFSRH, MRCGP",
"bio": "Dr Ann Nainan is a qualified General Practitioner. She specialised in general practice from Barts and London and has been working as a GP for the last few years. Her interests include sexual health and digital innovation in healthcare. She practices telemedicine, works in urgent care and has joined the Healthily team as she feels passionate about improving healthcare using digital technology.",
"team": "Medical team",
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"snippet": "Toxic megacolon is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the large bowel becomes dilated. It can be a complication of [inflammatory bowel disease](yourmd:/condition/inflammatory-bowel-disease/).",
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"body": "Toxic megacolon is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the large bowel becomes wider than normal. It’s usually a complication of bowel inflammation or infection.\n\nReally bad bloody diarrhoea is the most common symptom of toxic megacolon, but it can also cause:\n\n- tummy pain and tenderness\n- tummy swelling\n- fever and chills\n\n## How is toxic megacolon diagnosed?\n\nA doctor may suspect you have toxic megacolon based on your symptoms and medical history, but they will usually also look at and feel your tummy.\n\nYou will probably need other tests to confirm the diagnosis. These include:\n\n- blood tests\n- [X-rays](yourmd:/condition/x-ray)\n- [a CT scan](yourmd:/condition/ct-scan)\n\n## What is the treatment for toxic megacolon?\n\nToxic megacolon is a potentially life-threatening condition that needs emergency treatment in hospital. You may be given fluids, antibiotics and/or steroids through a vein in your arm (IV). In some cases, you may also need surgery.\n\n### References\n\n1. Toxic colitis and toxic megacolon - Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment | BMJ Best Practice [Internet]. Bestpractice.bmj.com. 2020 [cited 3 December 2020]. Available [here.](https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/879)\n2. UpToDate [Internet]. Uptodate.com. 2020 [cited 3 December 2020]. Available [here.](https://www.uptodate.com/contents/toxic-megacolon)",
"url": "https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/toxic-megacolon",
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}
Updated 9 months ago
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