How to treat intestinal flu: tips

Intestinal flu, gastric flu, gastroenteritis or rotavirus infection are the names of the same disease that is a frequent guest in the summer. When it is hot in the street, all products quickly deteriorate, becoming an excellent place of residence for many intestinal bacteria, it is very easy to get rotavirus.

Intestinal flu is a viral infection that enters the body by absorption through the walls of the stomach or intestines. Worst of all, this disease is borne by children, old people and pregnant women due to a weak immune system. The main danger in this disease is dehydration. Due to frequent vomiting and endless diarrhea, the body loses fluid very quickly, which can be fatal, especially in infants.Therefore, if an intestinal infection is suspected 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, the treatment of young children should be carried out in a hospital.

Symptoms of intestinal flu

Symptoms of intestinal flu appear quickly enough, 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 symptoms and their intensity depends on the amount of virus that 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 cold symptoms begins - the throat turns red and hurts when swallowing. A small cough, runny nose, and frequent sneezing may occur. But these symptoms quickly pass, turning into more serious intestinal disorders. Similar symptoms gave this type of virus the name flu, although intestinal flu has nothing in common with traditional flu.
2. At the beginning of the development of a viral infection, a patient appears weakness, body aches, and general malaise.
3. Often this is accompanied by intestinal disorder - diarrhea. The chair is liquid, can be dark, light or green color. Often feces blistering, has a sharp unpleasant odor. This means that fermentation takes place in the intestine. If the chair happens more than 10 times a day, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
4. If blood or mucous membranes were found in the feces, you need to see a doctor, you may have another disease. For rotavirus, these symptoms are not characteristic.
5. Vomiting. This is another common symptom of intestinal flu, although vomiting may not be. If the patient is sick, but vomiting does not occur, it is better to call it yourself. This will clear the stomach and, possibly, prevent complete absorption of the infected product.
6. The stomach of the patient hurts, grunts, twists.
7. When the virus gets inside, the body begins to resist, which leads to an increase in temperature.
8. Usually, rotavirus is difficult, and during intoxication a person cannot lead a normal life. He is so weak that he is constantly lying, especially for children.

The acute period of rotavirus infection lasts no more than a week, usually 3-4 days.Then about a week the patient recovers and wakes up. All this time until the patient fully recovers, he is considered infectious.

Causes of intestinal flu

Rotavirus infection is a disease of dirty hands. Often people get sick if they start eating with dirty hands. An adult held money and handrails in public transport, the child played on the playground, and then took the food in his mouth with unwashed hands - the virus easily enters the body. Also, the intestinal virus can get inside with poor quality or stale food. Especially careful to be with perishable dairy products during the hot summer. You can become 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, early removal of the virus from the body and symptomatic treatment. Here are a few consecutive measures that should be taken if a person gets sick with intestinal flu.

1. The first and foremost is the replenishment of the water-salt balance.To do this, dissolve Regidron in a liter of water and drink in small portions throughout the day. If a child is sick, you need to unsolder him every 5-10 minutes, one teaspoon. If you give the baby more, it will lead to the next urge of vomiting and all efforts will be in vain. If there is no Rehydron on hand, the water-salt solution can be prepared by yourself. In a liter of water, dissolve a tablespoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and half a tablespoon of soda.
2. To fight the infection you need to drink furozolidon, Ersefuril or Enterofuril. These means perfectly remove intoxication, because they kill the bacterium itself.
3. Loperamide, Imodium, Levomycetin should be taken against diarrhea. Excellent for children helps drug enterohermina.
4. If a person is tormented by vomiting, it can be suppressed with such drugs as Ondosetron, Zerukal. But they can not be used by children without a prescription.
5. It is very important to take sorbents that will absorb the remains of toxins and bring them out. It can be Smekta, Activated carbon, Enterosgel, Filtrum. If there are no pharmaceutical preparations on hand, it is very good to drink rice water. This glue-like mass not only stops diarrhea, but also absorbs toxic substances in the intestines and stomach.
6. After a day, when the patient's condition stabilizes slightly, he will need to be fed. In addition to a sparing diet with a meal, the patient should take enzymes — Festal, Creon, or similar drugs. They will help the diseased stomach and intestines to digest food.
7. A few days later, when intoxication will pass, for sure the person will be tormented by incessant diarrhea. This often happens because 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 may be Linex, Hilak Forte, Bifidumbacterin, Enterol.

If all of these recommendations are followed, the intestinal flu will pass fairly quickly and, if possible, less intensely. But with rotavirus infection, one should not forget about the diet.

Food with gastric flu

In the acute phase of the disease a person is unlikely to want 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 lean broth, rice and rice water, oatmeal on the water.No dairy products - they create an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. It is very important to drink plenty of water. You need to drink a lot, only with the help of fluid you can speed up the excretion of the virus from the body. Usually children during the period of the disease with rotavirus infection are allowed everything that is usually forbidden - fruit drinks, fruit drinks, juices. Very good helps broth hips, green tea, decoction of chamomile.

How to protect against 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 the symptoms and eliminating the virus with a liquid. 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 encounters with such an unpleasant illness as intestinal flu.

Video: rotavirus infection - symptoms and treatment