Gastroenteritis, symptoms and treatment of adults at home

Gastroenteritis - is an inflammatory process that occurs in the intestinal mucosa and in the stomach, which is triggered by pathogens of various origin that fall within the different human body ways. Another name for the syndrome - stomach flu. It also can affect the oropharynx or the colon (gastroenterocolitis).

The two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults are infections (eg, norovirus) and food poisoning. Infection violates one of the basic functions of the intestine - absorption of water from the food. That is why the most common symptom is watery diarrhea gastroenteritis (diarrhea), and the most common complication of gastroenteritis is dehydration (lack of water in the the body).

What it is?

Gastroenteritis - is inflammation of the stomach, small intestine and colon. In most cases, an infectious disease, although gastroenteritis may develop after administration drugs and toxic chemical substances (eg., metals, industrial substances industry).

The causes of the disease

The causative agent of gastroenteritis is most often one of the two types of pathogens - virus or rotavirus Norfolk. In this case Rotavirus, in most cases it is the cause of gastroenteritis in young children, and Norfolk virus causing gastroenteritis in adults and older children.

Depending on the cause of the disease are following its forms:

Viral	cause of the disease is a Norovirus or rotavirus;
Bacterial	caused by Salmonella, Proteus, Staphylococcus, Shigella, E. coli and some other bacteria;
Parasitic	occurs due to infestation, gets inside the human body with food.

Chronic gastroenteritis may be influenced by many factors:

• abuse of alcohol, especially of poor quality;
• allergies to certain foods;
• poor diet, the prevalence in the diet of spicy food and hot spices;
• Household intoxication, work in hazardous working conditions;
• parasitic infestations of different origin.

The primary cause of acute gastroenteritis is the consumption of low-quality food. The disease contributes to change of cell fusion (creation) enzymes that regulate the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract. This leads to disruption of metabolic processes in the human body.

Acute gastroenteritis in children

Asymptomatic carriers of infection are detected, usually in adults. In children, gastroenteritis, by contrast, occurs in its most acute form.

Timely detection of asymptomatic carriers of infection in schools, kindergartens and other institutions plays a huge role in the prevention of acute gastroenteritis in children. The most susceptible to viruses, children up to 3 years. The source of infection of gastroenteritis in children under one year often becomes a mother herself. By risk group includes children with congenital diseases, or various forms of immunodeficiency Children staying on artificial feeding.

Postinfectious immunity gastroenteritis short.

Classification

Distinguish acute gastroenteritis:

1. Alimentary (due to overeating with receiving a large number of acute or too roughage mucosa irritating condiments, alcoholic beverages).
2. Infectious and viral origin (with a clinical picture of severe gastroenteritis occur cholera, typhoid fever, salmonella infections, influenza and sometimes t. D.).
3. Allergic (with idiosyncrasy to certain foods - strawberries, eggs, crabs, etc... or allergic reactions to drugs - drugs iodine, bromine, some sulfonamides, antibiotics, etc.)...
4. Toxic (poisoning with arsenic compounds, mercuric chloride and other poisons; mushroom poisoning - a pale toadstool, amanita, false mushrooms, other poisons of non-bacterial nature that may be present in food products - stone fruit, some fish products - the liver of burbot, pike, caviar mackerel and so on. d.).

symptoms of gastroenteritis

With the development of leading gastroenteritis symptoms are signs of dyspepsia:

sharp abdominal pain, discomfort in the epigastrium as churning, bloating and nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The chair can be more than 10 times per day, for it is characterized by yellow, frothy and characteristic fetid odor. In acute gastroenteritis suffers considerably General condition: body temperature rises to febrile digits (38-40 ° C), intestinal symptoms accompanied by severe weakness, headache and muscle pain.

In the future, the symptoms of gastroenteritis joins dehydration, which is a very dangerous condition, especially in children, as a result of electrolyte imbalance may occur cardiac collapse activity.

Chronic gastroenteritis has a similar, but less pronounced symptoms: rumbling and bubbling in stomach after meal, chronic diarrhea, belching, fatigue, and pallor covers. As a result, poor digestion, there are signs of vitamin A deficiency, such as weakness and fragility hair and nails, poor skin, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, and mental activity.

When an urgent need to see a doctor?

In less severe gastroenteritis, usually does not require specialized medical attention, and runs its own within 4-7 days. The signs of the urgent need to apply for specialized medical care is the occurrence of the following symptoms:

• vomiting, do not stop for 2 days;
• diarrhea, do not stop for 3 days;
• occurrence of muscle cramps;
• raising body temperature above 39 ° C;
• a feeling of dryness in the mouth, scanty urination, or their absence;
• the presence of blood cells in the stool or vomit;
• occurrence of visual hallucinations.

In acute gastroenteritis dehydration may develop, threatening the patient's life, up to the formation of circulatory failure and anuria. If the disease is left untreated, it can develop the following pathologies: goiter, toxic shock syndrome, toxic damage to the heart, liver, kidney, and the disease can become chronic.

Diagnostics

On examination, the patient's doctor says his clinical phenomena characteristic of gastroenteritis. This weakness in the muscles, a well audible noise in the gut, edematous pharynx. The tongue is covered with white bloom, heart sounds are muffled. Temperature is relatively low - from 37,1 to 37,3 ° C.

Burdened forms of acute gastroenteritis are with heat and dehydration. Urine production may stop completely, and blood circulation - broken. The usual symptom of rotavirus gastroenteritis - problems with the respiratory tract. The patient develops a runny nose, sore throat or mixed options ailments.

Diagnosing gastroenteritis is supplemented by laboratory tests. The virus in the patient's feces detected by ELISA methods, DGC, RLA, PKA. Other methods - RIF (immunofluorescence assay for detection of antibody), immunoprecipitation (detection of antigen) in the gel.

How to treat gastroenteritis?

Modern medicine and today still has no effective drugs acting on the etiology. The basic principles on which is based the treatment of gastroenteritis in adults, are:

1. Denial of food on the first day of acute flow.
2. Drinking plenty of fluids.
3. At the end of the acute period of the appointment of a light diet.
4. The daily schedule with mandatory bed rest.
5. Polyenzyme addicting drugs, among which abomin, Polizim, Pancreatin, Festal.
6. The use of powerful adsorbents and astringent agents.
7. Regidranty as intravenous drips.
8. Plazmozameschayuschie and detoxification solutions - Regidron, Refortan recommend drinking.

To prevent the development of dehydration can be prepared in saline solution at home. To do this in 1 liter of boiled water to dissolve 1 tbsp. l. salt and 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar. Also, to compensate for the loss of fluid and electrolytes can be used pharmaceutical powders for the preparation of solutions for rehydration, such as rehydron or Oral. It is also helpful to drink sweet tea, broth hips and jelly. You need to drink liquids frequently but in small portions (no more than 50 ml at a time), so as not to provoke an attack of vomiting.

In severe dehydration when insufficient oral rehydration may intravenous solution (5% glucose solution, saline, reopoligljukin). Infusion therapy is also an indication in patients with severe intoxication syndrome, which can be seen in gastroenteritis. Often in patients with gastroenteritis detect vitamin deficiency symptoms, so use vitamin therapy. In ambulatory patients recommended use conditions multivitamin complexes.

It should be noted that the appointment of antibacterial therapy may only doctor. Do not try to self-treat gastroenteritis with antibiotics. If the disease was caused by a virus, this group of drugs will be completely ineffective. In this case, the negative impact of antibiotics on intestinal microflora can only aggravate the condition.

To restore the affected mucosa of the stomach and intestine and administered enveloping astringents (bismuth preparations). With the same purpose may use preparations based on vegetable raw materials (tansy, Hypericum coil grasses). It is also effective in the treatment of gastroenteritis physiotherapy. Patients prescribed paraffin baths, hot compress, inductothermy, ozokerite. If gastroenteritis is often disturbed structure normal intestinal microflora, therefore expedient reception eubiotics. In some cases, use antimicrobials.

Diet and proper nutrition

As part of the treatment of gastroenteritis necessarily assigned diet food - on how exactly the patient adheres to the recommended diet, duration of treatment depends.

1. The acute form of gastroenteritis flow restriction means eating - allowed to enter into the menu crumbs of white bread, bananas and rice porridge (viscous).
2. Meals should be frequent but small doses, the patient must give up too hot or very cold food.
3. Completely excluded from the menu, soft drinks (even the usual mineral water), coffee, dairy products, cakes, pickles, fast foods, fried and smoked food, too fat products.
4. When the first symptoms subsided, the patient can be administered in a daily diet of porridge on the water supply, boiled potatoes, vegetables, boiled vegetables, meat and low fat varieties of fish in a very limited amount (less than 200 grams per day), fruit drinks, jelly, tea with sugar - thus starts menu expand.

After decrease symptoms of gastroenteritis such a regime and diet should be followed at least months, and people suffering from the chronic form of the disease, a diet should be followed consistently.

prevention

Protect yourself or a child on the development of the disease difficult. Enough to stick to the basic rules of prevention:

1. hygiene compliance. Careful handwashing after visiting the toilet and before eating.
2. Quality washing dishes. The public is better to use disposable instruments or individual.
3. Strictly adhere to the technology of cooking eggs, fish, meat.
4. The use of boiling water or bottled.
5. Observance of storage conditions, terms of perishable products.
6. Limiting the consumption of fast food.

If you are traveling to a country with a low public health standards, where there is a risk water contamination, for example, for some countries in Africa or Asia, and avoid the following products drinks:

• tap water;
• fruit juices (sold under the tray in the street);
• ice cream or ice cubes;
• shellfish;
• eggs;
• salads;
• damp and poorly roasted meat;
• peeled fruit;
• mayonnaise;
• sauces.

Before you go on a trip, do you wish to make all vaccinations for travelers, recommended for the country where you are going.