I often get sick with intestinal flu. Intestinal flu - symptoms and treatment, drugs, prevention

Gastroenteritis of viral origin is commonly called intestinal flu. The disease is acute because it is provoked by dangerous viruses that create lesions in the organs digestive system. In adults, the disease is caused by caliciviruses, in childhood– rotaviruses. Viral infections are highly survivable, which is why they are not afraid of even severe frosts.

How does intestinal flu become infected?

The source of intestinal flu infection is infected people. The virus is transmitted through close contacts, through poor-quality food and drinking water. When swimming in ponds with stagnant water, the risk of contracting an infection increases significantly.

The intestinal influenza virus destroys the epithelium of the mucous walls of the small intestine. Carbohydrates and microelements are more difficult to digest, which leads to increased osmotic pressure in the intestines. Diarrhea is caused by fluid entering the stool from tissues into the intestinal cavity.

A couple of days after the intestinal flu infection enters the body, severe symptoms begin to torment:

1 cramping pain in the abdominal cavity;

2 nausea;

5 dizziness;

6 increase in temperature;

7 headaches;

8 general weakness.

Too thin stool during diarrhea, which does not contain any admixtures of mucus, blood or pus, are also typical signs of rotavirus infection settling in the digestive tract. The body temperature with diarrhea is slightly elevated, and prolonged diarrhea and vomiting cause severe dehydration, which is extremely dangerous for the child.

Treatment of intestinal flu comes down to restoring the electrolyte balance in the body. Taking antibiotics is not necessary in cases where the doctor does not make such prescriptions. To avoid infection, you should only consume clean water, eat foods High Quality and wash your hands as often as possible.

Signs and symptoms of stomach flu

Rotaviruses of the Reoviridae family can only be examined under a microscope. In appearance, the virus cells resemble wheels with a wide hub, a clearly defined rim and short thin spokes. The virus was discovered in 1973 by doctors who encountered childhood gastroenteritis. It is also possible that the person himself, due to his strong immune system, is not sick, but is a carrier.

In most cases, the virus is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. People commonly call this method of infection “the disease of unwashed hands.” When people drink untreated water, unwashed vegetables and fruits, and do not follow basic personal hygiene rules, there is a high risk of contracting an infection. By purchasing dairy products, even those that have undergone industrial heat treatment, you can get the virus.

Massive outbreaks of infection often occur in the off-season. The disease is called intestinal flu due to the similarity of symptoms with regular flu. Once in the stomach, the virus rapidly spreads through the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, destroying epithelial tissue. The small intestine suffers the greatest impact. The villi on the intestinal walls are almost completely destroyed by the virus, and in their absence the process of absorption useful substances does not proceed in a stable manner. Digestive enzymes produced by villi do not take part in the process of digesting food.

Severe diarrhea causes dehydration because disaccharides accumulate in the intestinal cavity and adsorb onto themselves. a large number of water. Intestinal flu occurs cyclically. The incubation period takes two days. The next stage, acute, lasts differently. For some, it goes away in three days, or it can last a whole week. The final phase, recovery, can pass in five days.

In most cases, intestinal flu manifests itself as a sudden, acute condition. A person affected by the intestinal flu virus complains of the following symptoms:

1 general weakness;

2 headaches;

3 fatigue;

4 lack of appetite;

5 increasing pain in the abdominal cavity;

6 increase in body temperature;

7 loud rumbling in the stomach;

8 nausea;

10 watery diarrhea.

Feces with intestinal flu, they are characterized by increased wateriness, an abundance of foam, stench, and greenish-yellow color. When the disease is mild, the stool has a mushy consistency. The frequency of diarrhea can be used to judge the degree of intoxication and disturbance of the water-salt balance in the body. Increased levels of toxins cause severe weakness, fatigue and headaches. In difficult conditions, dizziness is observed, often leading to fainting.

In adults, fever is observed less frequently than in children. Chills are often not accompanied high temperature. Although for many, at the peak of the progression of the infection, the temperature rises sharply to 39.

Intestinal flu in adults, causes

When the disease drags on for a long time and occurs in a severe acute form, complications may occur. For example, heart failure can be fatal. The statistics are disappointing: mortality from intestinal flu varies within 3 percent. Young children and people with weakened immune systems are at risk. However, rotavirus often passes quickly, leaving no serious consequences. Moreover, once you have suffered from an illness, you don’t have to worry about its recurrence. The body produces antibodies to the strain of the intestinal virus. However, with weak immunity, the risk of re-infection increases.

It is not always possible to quickly determine the cause of an acute condition, since the symptoms resemble other intestinal infections or diseases of the digestive system. We are talking about the following diseases:

1 intestinal dysbiosis;

2 gastritis;

3 gastroenteritis;

4 enterocolitis.

Modern medical tests and diagnostic measures quickly help to identify the development of rotavirus and prevent it from becoming an epidemic. When a doctor suspects the presence of rotavirus, he is able to do a number of diagnostic methods, for example:

1 immunofluorescence;

2 complement fixation reaction;

3 passive hemagglutination reaction;

4 polymerase chain reaction.

However, all these methods require large financial costs, so if diarrhea occurs, you should not immediately go to the hospital for them.

If we consider more accessible diagnostic methods, then these should be indicated:

1 general blood test;

2 urine test;

3 coprogram.

The number of white blood cells in the blood will confirm the presence of infection. Urine is checked for the presence of hyaline casts and leukocytes. Feces - for the presence of helminths, mucus, blood. As soon as a person recovers, all indicators return to normal.

Treatment of intestinal flu, what to do, how to properly treat diarrhea and diarrhea

To this day, there are no pharmacological drugs aimed at suppressing rotavirus infection. In this case, it is necessary to relieve acute symptoms and maintain the body’s immune functions. The hardest time is for young children, who are often subject to complications. Before starting treatment, the patient will have to be isolated in order to prevent the spread of infection among his immediate environment. Next, they move on to measures that prevent the body from becoming severely dehydrated. Violation of the water-salt balance in children is very dangerous and can lead to death.

Water should not be offered in such conditions; it will not be properly absorbed and will leave the stomach with vomit or diarrhea immediately after drinking a large volume. Therefore, it is advisable to drink saline solutions, for example, Regidron. The drug is sold in pharmacies without a prescription. Rehydron is packaged in dosed sachets in the form white powder with a pleasant taste, which will help avoid the gag reflex when taking large volumes. During prolonged diarrhea, the body becomes significantly dehydrated and loses salts. Regidron contains a large amount of sodium and potassium salts. Following the instructions, one sachet is dissolved in a liter of warm boiled water. You need to take the resulting solution a little every half hour.

When a very small child is saved with the help of Regidron solution, but he refuses to drink from a glass, then the liquid is injected into the corner oral cavity with a large volume syringe without a needle. The solution can be administered in small portions even during sleep. Parents need to hold the baby in a comfortable and safe position.

In the absence of Regidron, they resort to saline solution, which can be prepared quickly at home. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon in a liter of boiled water at room temperature. table salt. The high temperature is reduced in the usual ways. If it does not rise above 38, then you should not use chemicals. High temperature does not destroy the virus; it activates interferons. Temperatures rising above 38 require drug resistance. Children for whom a temperature of 38 is too high are given antipyretic drugs to prevent it from rising.

You can fight a high temperature with ordinary folk remedies. You can rub your body with vodka or vinegar solution. Among pharmacological preparations, it makes sense to use rectal suppositories and Paracetamol. In the acute phase of the disease, it is necessary to include digestive enzymes: Mezim and Festal. Thus, there is a chance to restore normal digestion in the complete absence of enzymes, the production of which is temporarily suspended in the intestinal cavity.

It is very important not to forget about beneficial bacteria to restore intestinal microflora. The following drugs are rich in them: Linex, Lactobacterin and Acylact. If you experience severe abdominal pain, painkillers will not help. Particular attention must be paid to a child whose disease is gaining dangerous momentum. Prolonged diarrhea and deterioration of the condition indicate that you need to call a doctor at home or an ambulance. Treatment continues in an inpatient setting.

Diet for intestinal flu, what can you eat and what can you not?

Intestinal flu requires you to stop eating a number of unwanted foods that will only aggravate the course of the disease. These are: dairy and fermented milk products, smoked, fried, salted, spicy, spices, raw fruits and vegetables, sweets, flour. In dairy products, bacteria feel in their “element” and begin to multiply rapidly. Rotavirus infection can provoke secondary lactose intolerance.

It is recommended to use rice water or chicken broth. Of course, you will have to feed the patient only if he has the ability to swallow at least something. To avoid nausea, you need to eat in small portions and often. You will have to give up foods rich in carbohydrates for a while. Carbohydrates contribute to increased fermentation and increased diarrhea. Drinking plenty of fluids is of paramount importance in the fight against intestinal flu.

What to do when a pregnant woman gets intestinal flu?

Pregnant women have to constantly protect themselves from all kinds of infections in order to prevent the development of pathologies in the embryo. What should women do who are forced to go to work during gestation? Moreover, the need to stay in crowded places poses an increased threat, especially during pandemics. If the infection is caught by someone close to a pregnant woman, contact with him should be limited, and the woman herself should wear a gauze bandage, which must be changed every two hours. The use of personal protective equipment will be a reliable prevention during this important period.

It is difficult to make a final diagnosis of a pregnant woman with too severe diarrhea. Many people attribute digestive system disorders to toxicosis or a general deterioration in health.

If, nevertheless, it was not possible to protect yourself, and the infection has struck the body, you need to try to consume as much liquid as possible, however, it is advisable not to overdo it in order to avoid the appearance of swelling. Preference should be given to saline solutions. On the recommendation of the doctor, lactose-containing and adsorbent drugs are used.

In order to prevent intestinal flu, vaccination is carried out in world practice. But not all countries have the opportunity to provide their population with such methods of protection. In the countries of the post-Soviet space, such vaccination has not yet become widespread. Therefore, you should count on the expected effect only with the help of preventive measures:

1 isolation of patients;

2 frequent hand washing;

3 eating quality foods;

4 Drink only clean water.

Intestinal flu in children, causes, symptoms

Intestinal flu poses a high risk for children from six months to three years. By the age of four, a child’s immunity is significantly strengthened and is already resistant to many infections. Adults and teenagers get intestinal flu very rarely. Often it occurs completely unnoticed in people of these age groups. Children often suffer from intestinal infections, since it is impossible to spot everything that the baby puts into his mouth. And ensuring absolute sterility wherever the child reaches is not an easy task.

Intestinal flu is transmitted by airborne droplets and household contact. To avoid infections from early years Your child must be taught to observe basic rules of personal hygiene. Fruits and vegetables should be washed very thoroughly under running water and, if necessary, doused with boiling water. Only after this should it be given to the child as food.

When bathing your baby, it is important to ensure that he does not drink the water in which he bathes. Some caring parents bathe their children in boiled water and decoctions of medicinal herbs. Herbal infusions have a disinfecting effect on the skin and mucous membranes of the external genital organs. Babies' underwear is ironed on both sides for at least the first six months.

If, however, a child becomes ill with rotavirus infection and has acute symptoms, it is impossible to do without the help of a doctor. Increased temperature, severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, coughing, runny nose, and swollen lymph nodes should alert parents.

Taking antibiotics to newborns when infected with rotavirus is pointless and unacceptable at such an early age. It is advisable to focus on products that restore the beneficial microflora of the intestinal mucosa. If the child is already on complementary foods or completely without mother's milk, from his diet you will have to exclude products causing gas formation. These are legumes, cabbage, meat and carbonated drinks. Giving raw fruits and vegetables to young children suffering from diarrhea is strictly prohibited. It is recommended to introduce enveloping dishes: fruit jelly, pureed porridge, slimy porridge and crackers. If you do not help your child cope with the disease in such a difficult situation, there is a high risk of developing irreversible complications. Preventive actions carried out from an early age will strengthen the immune system.

Few people are unfamiliar with influenza - this is a disease that belongs to the group of acute respiratory viral infections (acute respiratory viral infections). Its symptoms are recognizable to most: cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat. However, in some cases, diarrhea with influenza may be noticed, and even sometimes the patient experiences nausea, but what is the reason for this?

Flu with vomiting and diarrhea: description of the condition

Diarrhea with the flu is, in fact, a fairly common problem, which is sometimes simply not given importance, but in vain. The disease, which occurs with vomiting and diarrhea, is more difficult to tolerate than usual, and the recovery process takes longer. Most often, diarrhea with the flu occurs in children and the elderly, as well as in adults with weakened immune systems. The fact is that this infection quickly spreads throughout the human body, affecting more and more new areas. Often the disease is detected when the lungs suffer (a cough appears). If it reaches the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), affecting the mucous membrane and microflora, influenza with vomiting and diarrhea will be observed. This problem has its own name - rotavirus infection (gastroenteritis). In fact, these are just the consequences of intestinal infections entering the gastrointestinal tract.

The important point is that people with strong immunity Symptoms may not be as obvious or may be absent altogether. Similar diarrhea with influenza in adults is treated quite simply and does not take much time (1-2 weeks). If it concerns smaller patients, they may experience acute abdominal pain, treatment will take longer, and the disease will be more severe.

What is the danger of this symptom?

The first thing you need to do is understand that any negative changes in your body are not normal. If observed severe diarrhea pain that does not go away for several days, you should not think about poisoning and take medications that fight toxins. At best, this will have a temporary effect or not at all, and at worst, it will only worsen the situation. There are several complications of this type of flu:

• When the body is dehydrated, this condition is caused not only by attacks of loose stools, but also by elevated body temperature due to infection;
• Diarrhea, cough, headache, vomiting and other symptoms greatly weaken a person;
• Already, after a seemingly complete recovery (5-7 days), the patient still remains a carrier of the virus;
• As mentioned earlier, the development of the disease in middle-aged people goes almost unnoticed. As a result, this can affect future health when a person does not attach due importance to the existing signs.

If we talk about whether diarrhea with the flu in adults or children can lead to death, statistics show the following data:

• 20% of patients are at risk;
• The mortality rate is 2%.

Both of these indicators are cases when a person did not see a doctor on time and the disease became severe.

Causes of diarrhea with flu

As mentioned, diarrhea with the flu is a fairly common problem. The direct causative agent of this disease is a virus, but how it enters the body is a separate question. How does infection with the virus occur? The causes of rotavirus infection are as follows:

• Often, diarrhea with the flu in children and adults is provoked by contact with dirty hands. In the first case, the question is especially relevant if the child is very small (he puts his hands in his mouth and it is easier for bacteria to enter the body). This infection can also be classified as a “disease of dirty hands”;
• Sometimes flu with intestinal upset is transmitted through airborne droplets. If sick people nearby sneeze, cough, or even talk loudly, germs can spread to a healthy person.

Important! Remember that after symptomatic recovery, you are still a carrier of the infection for 7-10 days.

• Diarrhea with the flu can be caused by an infection that you pick up at home or through contact with the patient’s belongings at home, in the office, on public transport, at school, in kindergartens;
• Drinking poor quality water, this also includes tap water.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

Loose stools with the flu are accompanied by fairly obvious and recognizable signs that can help distinguish rotavirus infection.

An important point is that in case of severe disease, treatment must be carried out in a hospital.

First of all, visit a doctor or call a pediatrician if you have the flu in children.

Symptoms include:

• General weakness;
• Fever;
• Chills;
• Cough;
• Sore throat;
• In rare cases, runny nose;
• Abdominal pain;
• Loss of appetite;
• Increased body temperature (from 38°C);
• Naturally - diarrhea with the flu;
• Nausea;
• Vomit;
• The stool is gray-yellow and clay-like;
• Darkening of urine.

The decision on how to treat the influenza virus, the symptoms of which are diarrhea and vomiting, should remain with the doctor. It happens that it is dangerous to use any medications or remedies for loose stools. The fact is that bacteria and the remains of their production come out with feces. All drugs prescribed by a doctor correspond not only to the diagnosis established after a series of tests, but also take into account age, severity of the condition and other parameters.

There is one more point to consider. How does diarrhea with influenza differ from damage caused by other viruses? It all starts not with an intestinal disorder, but with short-term, fast-flowing catarrhal symptoms (cough, sore throat and runny nose), this occurs a couple of hours before loose stools or vomiting.

Diarrhea due to influenza in children

Flu diarrhea in adults does not always have obvious, recognizable symptoms. It goes away much easier due to the fact that the body has managed to get stronger over time. This disease will have a completely different course in a child.

The disease progresses much faster, so in this particular case you should not self-medicate; diarrhea in a child with the flu should be treated by a specialist. After all, it is important to get rid of not only unpleasant signs, but also the disease itself.

The symptoms in this case do not differ from the disease in an adult, with the exception that they will be more pronounced. Since diarrhea with the flu in children is much more noticeable, like the disease itself as a whole, it can be treated much earlier, before the body is seriously damaged.

However, it is necessary to provide first aid before the doctor arrives. If the baby frequent diarrhea and vomiting with the flu - provide him with a sufficient amount of fluid, Regidron solution is best.

You can use a chamomile decoction, which is prepared according to this recipe: pour one tablespoon of raw materials (dried inflorescences) into 500 ml of hot boiling water. Place in a water bath for 15 minutes, give 20-30 ml every 15-20 minutes.

To reduce the temperature, use Paracetamol and Nurofen.

Important! If a child has the flu with diarrhea, resort to self-medication only when as a last resort when a visit to the doctor is physically impossible. Sometimes the wrong therapy is worse than no therapy at all.

Treatment of influenza with vomiting and diarrhea

This phenomenon, like any viral disease, must be treated immediately when the first symptoms appear. Some people do not pay due attention to this illness because they do not know how dangerous diarrhea with the flu is. What could this mean and what actions need to be taken?

Important! Taking antibiotics for this disease in most cases will be absolutely ineffective, since their action is aimed at fighting bacteria, and in this case the culprit of the painful condition is a virus.

There is no generally accepted treatment. After examining the patient and collecting tests (stool culture, blood and urine tests), the doctor will prescribe a number of medications that will solve the following problems:

• Rehydration therapy. Restoring the water-salt balance is one of the most significant issues that needs to be resolved if diarrhea occurs due to the flu. Sometimes increasing fluid intake is not enough, in which case they resort to special solutions (Regidron);
• Reduced intoxication levels. Such medications will not only stop diarrhea during the flu, but also reduce intestinal irritation. A common choice is a solution of Smecta, Enterosgel, Activated carbon;
• After consultation with a doctor, the use of the intestinal antiseptic Nifuroxazide is permitted.
• Diet assignment. A stage without which the treatment of any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is impossible. If you experience diarrhea with the flu, you should follow these recommendations:

1. Avoid any fried, smoked, salted, spicy and other heavy foods;
2. Do not drink alcohol in any form (including tinctures);
3. Eliminate canned and dairy products, raw vegetables and fruits;
4. Do not drink caffeinated drinks, juices, carbonated water;
5. You need to drink more fluid (at least 2 liters per day);
6. If you have the flu with diarrhea, limit your diet to the following foods: porridge with water, lean broths, vegetable soups, crackers, banana, boiled meat and fish, baked potatoes and apples.
7. Eat at least 5-7 times a day, however, reduce your portions depending on the number of meals. The less food your body needs to digest at a time, the lower the chance that diarrhea will appear after the flu;

• It is also important to restore damaged microflora. Some of the most popular medications for these purposes are Enterozermina, Linex and Hilak-Forte.

Prevention

Flu with diarrhea is an unpleasant event that is better not to encounter at all than to be treated later and feel all its consequences. Simple tips will serve this purpose:

• Try not to contact sick people;
• Maintain personal hygiene;
• Buy food from reliable sources, checking expiration dates;
• Before eating them, be sure to wash them;
• No need to drink tap water. This can cause not only flu and diarrhea, buy clean water, use special filters or boil it;
• Strengthen your immune system, take more vitamins and foods containing them.

Important! Prevention of rotavirus infection is compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards. Wash your hands as often as possible and you will significantly reduce the risk of diarrhea from the flu.

Diarrhea after the flu is much more common than you might imagine, but sometimes it is not as severe. However, if you still encounter such a problem, visit a doctor, he will not only tell you how to treat the influenza virus, the symptoms of which are diarrhea and vomiting, but will also give a list of some tips on how to facilitate recovery and avoid similar problems in the future.

Diarrhea with influenza is a symptomatic sign indicating pathology of the gastrointestinal tract due to a viral infection. Pathogenic microorganisms quickly spread throughout the body, disrupting normal functioning internal organs. Both adults and children are at risk of contracting intestinal flu. The main task is not to eliminate unpleasant symptomatic signs, but to cure the pathology.

Causes of diarrhea

Stomach flu occurs as a result of a pathogenic virus that enters the body through the consumption of stale, poor-quality food, and untreated water. The infection can be transmitted by airborne droplets through the nose, mouth, eyes, or after direct contact with a source of infection through shared household items. The main causes of loose stools are:

• consumption of expired, unheated ingredients: meat, vegetables, fruits, dairy products;
• drinking dirty water;
• contact with an infected person;
• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
• visiting crowded places: public transport, educational institutions, shopping malls, shops;
• swimming in bodies of water.

Diarrhea begins after 16 hours, but unpleasant symptoms may begin to bother you after a few days. Infection with the virus by airborne droplets or household contact is possible due to reduced immunity as a result of exposure to aggressive factors environment, emotional state, disturbances in diet, sleep and rest patterns.

Associated symptoms

Diarrhea due to influenza is accompanied in adults and children by other unpleasant symptoms that cause severe discomfort due to disruption of the usual functioning of vital organs and systems:

• hyperthermia;
• fever, chills;
• pain, cramps in the abdominal area;
• vomiting;
• nausea;
• impurities of blood in the stool in adults;
• watery stool consistency;
• signs of ARVI: cough, runny nose;
• lack of appetite;
• weakness, malaise;
• headache;
• body aches.

The virus negatively affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract due to damage to the mucous membrane of the digestive system. The onset of symptoms in children is observed faster than in adults. With stomach flu, vomiting and diarrhea are signs indicating that the body is eliminating pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria. The presence of an intestinal infection is indicated by the combination of identified symptoms.

Distinctive features of the course of the disease

Frequent diarrhea may be a symptomatic sign of diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, but not caused by infection. Unlike food poisoning, intestinal flu is accompanied by frequent and profuse vomiting, which can reach a temperature of more than 39 °C, and diarrhea occurs up to 10 times a day.

Stomach flu begins with symptoms of a cold: sore throat, cough, nasal congestion. After these symptoms disappear, vomiting and diarrhea occur. Diarrhea after the flu is characterized by gray-yellow stool with a watery consistency without mucus.

Dangers Lurking

Frequent vomiting and diarrhea lead to dehydration. Washing occurs through secretions nutrients, vitamins, amino acids that contribute to the normal functioning of body systems. Loss of fluid leads to decreased skin elasticity, blood pressure, frequent dizziness. Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are dangers of flu for people with medical conditions of cardio-vascular system. Frequent urges are an additional burden that can cause acute heart failure, which can lead to death.

Due to its symptomatic signs, intestinal flu can be confused with manifestations of food poisoning. An incorrectly selected therapeutic course or taking other medications will not eliminate the cause of the pathology. And untimely treatment leads to complications of the flu. Frequent urge to defecate causes the formation of anal fissures and itching anus. The entry of the virus entails disruption of the respiratory and digestive systems, which lead to the development of complications of chronic diseases or the formation of pathologies of varying degrees.

Medical therapy

The virus that causes stomach flu is resilient and resilient. Pathogenic microorganisms that live outside the human body cannot be destroyed using household chemicals. The virus does not tolerate very high and low temperatures. Effective method capable of destroying the infection - the use of a disinfectant containing high level chlorine

Drug therapy

When the virus enters human body the mucous membrane of the digestive system is destroyed. Diarrhea due to influenza can be cured using proven medications:

• special solutions;
• sorbents;
• antibacterial drugs;
• probiotics.

There are no specific medications to combat stomach flu. Drugs should be selected based on the nature of symptomatic signs and characteristics of the body. To reduce intoxication of the body and maintain water-salt and electrolyte balance, it is necessary to take a solution containing salt and glucose. The drug Regidron reduces the inflammatory process and helps stop loose stools.

Proven medications for removing toxins and pathogenic bacteria are adsorbent agents: activated carbon, Smecta, Enterosgel. If the infection is bacterial in nature, then it is recommended to take Furazolidone, Enterosfuril. Such drugs should be used taking into account the individual characteristics of the body and the tolerance of the drug components. Probiotics, for example, Linex, Hilak Forte, are prescribed to restore destroyed microflora and restore normal digestion.

Healthy eating

Compliance drinking regime– an important component of the diet for intestinal flu. To avoid this, it is very important to drink plenty of fluids, for example, purified mineral water, infusions or decoctions of medicinal herbs. You should avoid taking strong, unnatural and freshly squeezed juices, carbonated and alcoholic drinks. Such drinks help accelerate the peristalsis of damaged intestines.

Eating during flu should only be done as desired. If a child does not want to eat, there is no need to force him. Eating large quantities of food in the first days of the onset of diarrhea can contribute to the progression of the disease and complicate the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

A healthy diet when diagnosed with stomach flu involves following the following rules:

• moderate food intake as desired;
• compliance temperature regime food: food should not be very cold or hot;
• exclusion from the diet of dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruits, fried, smoked, spicy foods;
• consumption of porridges cooked in water, broths, lean meats and fish, crackers.

To treat diarrhea you can use traditional methods. An excellent drink that helps stop frequent bowel movements is. To boost immunity, it is recommended to drink tea with lemon juice.

Preventive measures

Intestinal flu is a disease that can be avoided if you take the following precautions:

• wash your hands regularly after going outside or visiting public places, contact with animals, before each meal;
• consume fresh, high-quality food products, paying attention to the production date and shelf life;
• eat only washed vegetables, fruits, berries, thermally processed foods: meat, fish, eggs;
• drink purified water;
• regularly disinfect children's toys, hygiene items, and household items;
• do not visit crowded places during an epidemic of viral or cold diseases;
• actively engage in sports;
• monitor your diet;
• avoid emotional overstrain.

To avoid contracting infectious diseases, you need to strengthen your immune system with physical exercise, hardening, conducting healthy image life, taking vitamin and mineral complexes.

The information on our website is provided by qualified doctors and is for informational purposes only. Don't self-medicate! Be sure to consult a specialist!

Gastroenterologist, professor, doctor of medical sciences. Prescribes diagnostics and carries out treatment. Expert of the group for the study of inflammatory diseases. Author of more than 300 scientific papers.

It is no secret that influenza is considered one of the most serious infectious diseases, characterized by an acute course. In addition to the fact that this disease in itself is quite serious, it is also dangerous for its consequences.

What is stomach flu?

Influenza infection often causes stool disorders in patients. Diarrhea with the flu is not uncommon. Its main symptoms can be identified:

1. Increased body temperature.
2. Dehydration of the body.
3. Increased weakness, malaise.

Intestinal flu belongs to the category of common ailments of viral etiology. It is its pathogens that contribute to the occurrence of diarrhea during influenza. After entering the human body, influenza viruses begin to multiply. The development of the disease is accompanied by a pathogenic effect on the human body. These manifestations are characteristic of people of any age category, not excluding children. Their symptoms are more pronounced, while in adults the main symptoms are not always noticeable.

In children, this disease can be more severe, with pronounced symptoms, while in adults their presence may not be noticeable.

Causes of diarrhea with flu

Viruses cause diarrhea with the flu. Their entry is ensured through the mucous membrane. The persistence of the infection and its spread is directly dependent on the functional characteristics of the patient’s immune system. That is, the life of the virus can be either continued or terminated. Influenza infection most often occurs through food, especially if the food is of poor quality. Diarrhea and vomiting with the flu can be caused by dirty hands and unwashed fruit. Some time is allocated for the incubation period, its duration is approximately 14 hours, although in some cases it lasts much longer.

The influenza virus can enter the human body during direct contact, that is, transmitted by airborne droplets. Getting rid of it can be difficult, although achieving quick results perhaps by exposing microbes to low or high temperatures. You can find out that a person has the flu several hours after the virus enters the body. As a result of this, the structure of the mucous membrane is disrupted, and diarrhea is nothing more than a consequence.

Diarrhea due to influenza in children

In medical terminology, there is such a thing as intestinal flu. Moreover, this disease can affect people of all age categories, not excluding small children under one year of age. The fact that a child is sick can be guessed by the pronounced symptoms, which cannot go unnoticed.

Intestinal flu is characterized by symptoms such as:

• fatigue, weakness;
• attacks of nausea accompanied by vomiting;
• temperature increase, up to 39 degrees;
• bouts of diarrhea;
• cough, runny nose.

It is important not just to get rid of visible symptoms by suppressing external signs, and also cure the disease. After young patients have been diagnosed with intestinal flu, the first step is to take urgent measures:

• cleanse the body, ridding it of intoxication;
• eliminate diarrhea.

The onset of intestinal flu, unlike other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, is not characterized by gastric disorders. The child's condition should be monitored. This is necessary in order not to miss the main symptoms, on the basis of which treatment for stool disorders and the intestinal flu itself should begin, especially since it is infectious in nature.

Diarrhea due to influenza in adults

The development of intestinal flu in older people occurs gradually. The process itself has several stages. Duration incubation period is about 48 hours. This is followed by an acute stage, which lasts 7 days. If the disease is accompanied by a complex course, then the illness begins to take on a long-lasting nature. The recovery stage lasts 4 days.

After the first two days have passed since the onset of the flu, the patient begins to feel weakness, which is accompanied by discomfort in the lower abdomen. Signs of intestinal flu in adults include lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting. In many patients, the course of the disease is accompanied by a cough, runny nose, nasal congestion and sore throat.

The main symptom of intestinal flu is bouts of diarrhea. Loose stools in patients that do not stop for a long time are fraught with dehydration of the body for patients, which in turn leads to electrolyte imbalance. It is for this reason that measures must be taken urgently. The first stage of the disease is not always accompanied by elevated temperature, especially in older people. But when the disease begins to progress, the body temperature can rise to 39 degrees.

Treatment of diarrhea with intestinal flu

Elimination of diarrhea and treatment of intestinal flu should be carried out necessarily and the sooner started, the better. It is advisable to get rid of such manifestations at the first stage. This approach will help avoid the development of complications associated with prolonged bowel dysfunction due to diarrhea.

It is worth noting that there are no drugs specifically designed to kill rotovirus. That is why therapy should be organized in such a way as to completely eliminate all symptoms and bring the patient’s well-being back to normal.

If diarrhea occurs due to influenza, the infected person should be isolated, thereby preventing the spread of viruses.

The next step is to restore the electrolyte balance, that is, to replenish the lack of fluid in the body that was lost due to diarrhea. A rehydron solution is good for this. If the situation develops in such a way that this remedy there is no way to cook loose stools You can use a water-salt solution. This procedure should be treated with caution, as drinking too much liquid can lead to increased vomiting.

The treatment regimen for diarrhea with influenza depends on the severity of the disease. It is recommended to drink rehydron solution frequently, especially after bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Vomiting with the flu is dangerous. If a child begins to vomit continuously, it is better to call an ambulance.

In addition to rehydron, patients with diarrhea can be prescribed smecta. Due to the fact that this product envelops the stomach and intestines, irritation is reduced. The same can be said about activated carbon and other sorbents.

The flu may be accompanied by a fever, and doctors will prescribe medications to help stop the diarrhea. To achieve a quick recovery, diet therapy is provided. After the main therapy, medications are taken to restore the intestinal microflora. Among effective means, Linex is the most popular.

As for complications after diarrhea with the flu, they also occur. According to statistics, only 20% of the population has a risk of dying from this pathology. For the most part, this applies to the category of people who have a weakened immune system, or those who did not seek medical help in a timely manner.

Treatment of intestinal flu in adults, with the proper approach, does not require too serious measures, but with active development, it is recommended to use the same methods as for children.

The role of diet therapy for diarrhea during influenza

It is quite possible to significantly speed up the healing process and get rid of diarrhea if you resort to a method such as diet therapy. First of all, you need to review your diet. You should exclude from it all foods and dishes that contribute to the worsening of diarrhea.

To a greater extent, this applies to milk and products made from it. Although this category includes certain fruits, vegetables and drinks.

As for permitted food, porridge with water, lean broths and vegetable soups are good options. It is not recommended to abuse carbohydrates, as they can also contribute to increased loose stools.

It is recommended to eat meals for diarrhea in fractional portions, and the portions should be small, since if patients with the flu begin to eat a lot, they may vomit. As for drinking, excessive drinking is not recommended here either. Treatment with saline solutions should also be carried out in small portions.

Preventing diarrhea during influenza

It's no secret that any disease is better to prevent than to treat. Intestinal flu is no exception. Only preventive measures can help in this matter. In this case, it is necessary to maintain personal hygiene and avoid contact with infected people. In addition, it is prohibited to eat expired and spoiled foods, including fruits and vegetables.

Diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms of poisoning. Such states pass quickly and are popularly called “something you ate wrong.” But sometimes these symptoms hide an unpleasant viral infection - intestinal flu.

How to immediately recognize the enemy? This will be discussed in this article.

Epidemiology

Stomach flu is a viral infection. Its causative agents are a group of viruses that are highly resistant to external environment. The most common type of food flu is caused by rotavirus and norovirus.

Rotavirus mainly affects children, the elderly and weakened people. A person caring for someone sick with food flu is also at risk. Norovirus causes epidemics among adults. Its outbursts most often occur in closed groups.

People have an innate predisposition to norovirus. Scientists have found that people with the first blood group are more likely to get it.

All food infections, intestinal flu is no exception, have a nutritional type of infection. This means that the virus enters the body through the mouth. The source of infection can be:

1. personal belongings of the patient;
2. food products;
3. water;
4. vomit;
5. people with asymptomatic disease;
6. feces.

Outbreaks of this disease occur in the autumn winter period. In closed institutions (kindergartens, schools, prisons, offices) they are epidemic in nature.

Due to the epidemic nature of its incidence in winter, this infection was called “flu.” The viruses themselves have nothing to do with the causative agent of influenza.

Symptoms of the disease

The incubation period for rotovirus is 1-5 days. With novoviruses, the clinical manifestations appear faster – in 1-2 days.

The intestinal flu begins gradually. The first day is the time of catarrhal phenomena. The patient develops a runny nose, cough, and a severe sore throat. On the second day, these symptoms subside, and are replaced by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

You should know it! In adults, intestinal flu usually begins with diarrhea. In children, the first symptom will be vomiting.

Diarrhea in food flu has characteristic differences. Stools are frequent, 5-10 times per day. It has a specific unpleasant odor and does not contain blood or mucus. In the intestines, the virus disrupts the absorption of complex carbohydrates, which, in turn, pull water with them. This type of diarrhea is called osmotic.

In addition to the above symptoms, the patient develops general weakness, fever, and abdominal pain. Sometimes the patient loses his sense of taste. Mostly children are susceptible to severe intoxication. In adults, the infection is rarely severe and requires hospitalization.

Intestinal flu is a disease that goes away on its own. A drug that would destroy the virus in the body has not yet been invented. However, you should not leave the disease completely without treatment. All foodborne infections lead to severe dehydration.

The first point of treatment is to replace lost fluid (rehydration therapy). Vomiting and diarrhea remove large amounts of fluid from the body. If water loss is not replenished in time, this will lead to dehydration and development renal failure. In addition to water, electrolytes are removed from the body. Therefore, after each vomiting or diarrhea, the patient is required to drink at least 250 ml of a special adapted solution (Regidron, Gastrolit, Orolit).

Young children with severe vomiting or diarrhea should be taken to hospital immediately. They become dehydrated earlier, and they often refuse to take electrolyte medications.

The second point of therapy is a strict diet. If you are vomiting, it is better to do without food at all. On days 2-3 the patient’s condition improves. If there is no vomiting, liquid porridges with water and broths can be added to the diet.

Antipyretic drugs. For intestinal flu, standard antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen) are used. For severe vomiting in children, it is better to use medications in suppositories (Children's Efferalgan). An adult can use a double children's dose of suppositories. But for diarrhea, it is better to use oral forms of drugs. Intestinal flu requires the use of sorbents. These medicines required for diarrhea. They absorb toxins in the intestines and remove them from the body. You can use regular activated carbon or Smecta. Sorbents are used three times a day until diarrhea ends.

Antidiarrheals. Against the background of profuse diarrhea, pathogenic flora is activated in the intestines. To prevent prolonged diarrhea, many doctors prescribe intestinal antimicrobial drugs (Nifuroxazide, Stopdiar). And to improve digestion you will need enzymes. Stomach flu suppresses the production of natural enzymes in the pancreas and intestines. Therefore, to stimulate food digestion, it is recommended to take digestive enzymes in tablets (Festal, Mezim-Forte, Pancreatin).

Probiotics. After the end of the disease, many therapists and pediatricians recommend restoring damaged intestinal microflora. For this purpose, preparations containing cultures of beneficial bacteria (Linex, Hilak-Forte) are suitable.

Attention! Antibiotics are not included in the treatment regimen for the virus.

How to recognize if you have stomach flu?

Foodborne infections are difficult to diagnose. Only a professional can distinguish bacterial diarrhea from viral diarrhea. For any illness accompanied by high fever and diarrhea, we recommend calling a doctor.

Foodborne infections are caused by bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens. With the virus, cold symptoms (cough, runny nose, sneezing) appear at the onset of the disease. Diarrhea and vomiting appear a day after the onset of infection. This characteristic difference namely a viral disease.

Viral diarrhea is distinguished by special stools. The nature of stool with viral diarrhea is as follows:

• color gray-yellow;
• looks like clay;
• then it becomes watery;
• has an unpleasant odor;
• does not contain impurities of blood, pus and mucus.

Prevention of food flu

General recommendations are to practice hand hygiene and use safe water and food. In some countries, enteric viruses are actively spreading through water supplies. Therefore, you should only drink boiled water from the tap.

The food flu virus dies at temperatures above 60 degrees.

A certain danger comes from water from open reservoirs for public bathing, swimming pools, wells and ice purchased in catering establishments.

Food can also be a source of infection if it was prepared by a sick or infected person. Therefore, during an intestinal flu epidemic, avoid visiting public eating places. Food for children's tables must be thoroughly washed and thermally treated.

Practice good hygiene when caring for someone with a foodborne illness. He should have separate dishes. It is better to douse the patient’s bedding and underwear with a chlorine-containing disinfectant, and then wash it with other things. After contact with such a patient, you should thoroughly wash your hands with running water. It is better not to use wipes and gels for these purposes.

What should you be wary of?

Stomach flu usually goes away within a week. This is a relatively easy food infection which does not lead to serious complications. But unfortunately, the danger still exists. Vomiting and diarrhea take away significant amounts of fluid and electrolytes. If they are not replenished in time, dehydration develops. The problem is especially acute for young children. Here are the main signs of dehydration:

• lethargy, adynamia (in children, activity sharply decreases);
• feeling of thirst (the patient constantly asks to drink, the oral mucosa dries out);
• increased anxiety (patients react sharply to everything and become nervous);
• dark circles appear under the eyes (the orbits of the eyes slightly sink inward);
• limbs become cold, pulse is practically undetectable;
• urine darkens, its color is compared to the color of beer;
• the patient practically does not urinate, very little urine is excreted;
• In infants, the fontanelle sinks.