What is the treatment for vomiting and diarrhea?

Nausea, Vomiting, and Diarrhea

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common and uncomfortable symptoms that can result from many different issues of the stomach and digestive system.

Nausea is an unpleasant sensation of uneasiness and discomfort. It often happens before you vomit, which is emptying the contents of your stomach through your mouth.

Diarrhea is having loose, watery bowel movements three or more times in one day. Signs and symptoms of diarrhea can also include pain or cramps in the abdomen, as well as urgent and/or uncontrollable bowel movements. Diarrhea typically lasts only for a day or two. Visit your medical provider if you have chronic diarrhea that continues or comes and goes for four weeks or more, as this could be a sign of a serious issue.

What causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea?

There are many causes of nausea and vomiting, including motion sickness, pregnancy, medication side effects, intense pain, emotions or anxiety, gallbladder disease, food poisoning, infections, overeating, heart attack, concussion or brain injury, brain tumors, ulcers, some forms of cancer, excessive alcohol use or ingestion of toxins, bowel obstruction, gastroparesis and appendicitis.

Diarrhea is commonly caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites in contaminated food or water. Taking certain medications, such as antibiotics, cancer drugs or magnesium, or eating food you’re sensitive to or intolerant of [such as with lactose intolerance], can also be a cause.  Conditions that affect the stomach, small intestine, or colon, such as Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] are also common causes of diarrhea.

If nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea occur together, it could be due to gastroenteritis, which is inflammation of the digestive tract. It is also known as the “stomach flu.” Fever or abdominal cramps may also be present if you have gastroenteritis.

How are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea treated?

When you’re nauseous or vomiting, it can be helpful to avoid eating solid food. Eating soft, bland food can help with diarrhea. In some cases, medications such as Zofran can be used to control nausea and vomiting.

Vomiting and diarrhea cause your body to lose fluids, which can cause dehydration. This can be serious, so it’s important to keep hydrated. Drink plenty of clear fluids. If you’re vomiting, start out slow and gradually increase the amount that you drink. For children, a rehydrating solution like Pedialyte should be taken if diarrhea and vomiting last for 24 hours or more. In adults, sports drinks, fruit juices, caffeine-free sodas, and salty broths should be drunk in addition to water.

Other treatments may be necessary to address the underlying condition that’s causing your nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms. If you have concerns about your symptoms, visit one of our clinics for an examination to determine the causes and most appropriate treatment plan. Your visit to Physicians Immediate Care will include a comprehensive exam and medical history. Treatment may include medications administered in-clinic or by prescription, hydration by mouth or IV, and stool testing to screen for possible causes of your diarrhea. Prescriptions can be filled at our in-clinic pharmacy for your convenience.

When should I see a medical provider?

While nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are usually not harmful on their own, they can become dangerous or can be caused by a more serious health problem. Visit a medical provider if you notice any of the following:

• Signs of dehydration such as increased thirst, dry lips or mouth, sunken eyes, a rapid pulse, or rapid breathing
• Nausea that lasts for more than 3 days
• Vomiting that lasts for more than 1 day
• In children under six years, vomiting that lasts more than a few hours, vomiting and diarrhea occurring together, or lack of urination for 4-6 hours
• In children over six years of age, lack of urination for 6 hours
• Possibility of pregnancy
• Presence of an injury or infection that may be causing the vomiting
• Diarrhea for more than 48 hours in adults, or 24 hours in children
• Intense pain in the abdomen or rectum
• Stools that have blood or pus, or that are black and tarry
• Fever over 101 degrees

If you or your child are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to visit a medical provider. Walk-in or Reserve Your Time Online at a Physician’s Immediate Care clinic near you for fast, reliable service from our dedicated health care team. Our 40+ clinics in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin are open extended hours every day of the week, so you can get better faster.

Overview

Viral gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection that includes signs and symptoms such as watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever.

The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu — is through contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or water. If you're otherwise healthy, you'll likely recover without complications. But for infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, viral gastroenteritis can be deadly.

There's no effective treatment for viral gastroenteritis, so prevention is key. Avoid food and water that may be contaminated and wash your hands thoroughly and often.

Symptoms

Although it's commonly called stomach flu, gastroenteritis isn't the same as influenza. The flu [influenza] affects only your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, attacks your intestines, causing signs and symptoms such as:

• Watery, usually nonbloody diarrhea — bloody diarrhea usually means you have a different, more severe infection
• Nausea, vomiting or both
• Stomach cramps and pain
• Occasional muscle aches or headache
• Low-grade fever

Depending on the cause, viral gastroenteritis symptoms may appear within 1-3 days after you're infected and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms usually last just a day or two, but occasionally they may last up to 14 days.

Because the symptoms are similar, it's easy to confuse viral diarrhea with diarrhea caused by bacteria, such as Clostridioides difficile, salmonella and Escherichia coli, or parasites, such as giardia.

When to see a doctor

If you're an adult, call your health care provider if:

• You're not able to keep liquids down for 24 hours
• You've been vomiting or having diarrhea for more than two days
• You're vomiting blood
• You're dehydrated — signs of dehydration include excessive thirst, dry mouth, deep yellow urine or little or no urine, and severe weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness
• You notice blood in your bowel movements
• You have severe stomach pain
• You have a fever above 104 F [40 C]

For infants and children

See your child's health care provider right away if your child:

• Has a fever of 102 F [38.9 C] or higher
• Seems tired or very irritable
• Is in a lot of discomfort or pain
• Has bloody diarrhea
• Seems dehydrated — watch for signs of dehydration in sick infants and children by comparing how much they drink and urinate with how much is normal for them, and watching for signs such as a dry mouth, thirst and crying without tears

If you have an infant, remember that while spitting up may be an everyday occurrence for your baby, vomiting is not. Babies vomit for a variety of reasons, many of which may require medical attention.

Call your baby's doctor right away if your baby:

• Has vomiting that is frequent
• Hasn't had a wet diaper in six hours
• Has bloody stools or severe diarrhea
• Has a sunken soft spot [fontanel] on the top of his or her head
• Has a dry mouth or cries without tears
• Is unusually sleepy, drowsy or unresponsive

Causes

You're most likely to get viral gastroenteritis when you eat or drink contaminated food or water. You may also be likely to get gastroenteritis if you share utensils, towels or food with someone who has one of the viruses that cause the condition.

Many viruses can cause gastroenteritis, including:

• Noroviruses. Both children and adults are affected by noroviruses, the most common cause of foodborne illness worldwide. Norovirus infection can sweep through families and communities. It's especially likely to spread among people in confined spaces.

  In most cases, you pick up the virus from contaminated food or water. But it can also spread between people who are in close contact or who share food. You can also get the virus by touching a surface that's been contaminated with norovirus and then touching your mouth.

• Rotavirus. Worldwide, this is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children, who are usually infected when they put their fingers or other objects contaminated with the virus into their mouths. It can also spread through contaminated food. The infection is most severe in infants and young children.

  Adults infected with rotavirus may not have symptoms, but can still spread the illness. This is of particular concern in institutional settings such as nursing homes because adults with the virus unknowingly can pass the virus to others. A vaccine against viral gastroenteritis is available in some countries, including the United States, and appears to be effective in preventing the infection.

Some shellfish, especially raw or undercooked oysters, also can make you sick. Contaminated drinking water is a cause of viral diarrhea. But in many cases the virus is passed when someone with a virus handles food you eat without washing his or her hands after using the toilet.

Risk factors

Gastroenteritis occurs all over the world and can affect people of all ages.

People who may be more susceptible to gastroenteritis include:

• Young children. Children in child care centers or elementary schools may be especially vulnerable because it takes time for a child's immune system to mature.
• Older adults. Adult immune systems tend to become less efficient later in life. Older adults in nursing homes are vulnerable because their immune systems weaken. They also live in close contact with others who may pass along germs.
• Schoolchildren or dormitory residents. Anywhere that groups of people come together in close quarters can be an environment for an intestinal infection to get passed.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system. If your resistance to infection is low — for instance, if your immune system is compromised by HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy or another medical condition — you may be especially at risk.

Each gastrointestinal virus has a season when it's most active. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, for instance, you're more likely to have rotavirus or norovirus infections in the winter and spring.

Complications

The main complication of viral gastroenteritis is dehydration — a severe loss of water and essential salts and minerals. If you're healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn't be a problem.

Infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems may become severely dehydrated when they lose more fluids than they can replace. Hospitalization might be needed so that lost fluids can be replaced through an IV in their arms. Dehydration can rarely lead to death.

Prevention

The best way to prevent the spread of intestinal infections is to follow these precautions:

• Get your child vaccinated. A vaccine against gastroenteritis caused by the rotavirus is available in some countries, including the United States. Given to children in the first year of life, the vaccine appears to be effective in preventing severe symptoms of this illness.

• Wash your hands thoroughly. And make sure your children do, too. If your children are older, teach them to wash their hands, especially after using the toilet.

  Wash your hands after changing diapers and before preparing or eating food, too. It's best to use warm water and soap and to rub hands well for at least 20 seconds. Wash around cuticles, beneath fingernails and in the creases of the hands. Then rinse thoroughly. Carry sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer for times when soap and water aren't available.

• Use separate personal items around your home. Avoid sharing eating utensils, drinking glasses and plates. Use separate towels in the bathroom.
• Prepare food safely. Wash all your fruits and vegetables before eating them. Clean kitchen surfaces before preparing food on them. Avoid preparing food if you're sick.
• Keep your distance. Avoid close contact with anyone who has the virus, if possible.
• Disinfect hard surfaces. If someone in your home has viral gastroenteritis, disinfect hard surfaces, such as counters, faucets and doorknobs, with a mixture of 5-25 tablespoons [73 to 369 milliliters] of household bleach to 1 gallon [3.8 liters] of water.
• Avoid touching laundry that may have been exposed to a virus. If someone in your home has viral gastroenteritis, wear gloves while touching laundry. Wash clothing and bedding in hot water and dry them on the hottest setting. Wash your hands well after touching laundry.
• Check out your child care center. Make sure the center has separate rooms for changing diapers and preparing or serving food. The room with the diaper-changing table should have a sink as well as a sanitary way to dispose of diapers.

Take precautions when traveling

When you're traveling in other countries, you can become sick from contaminated food or water. You may be able to reduce your risk by following these tips:

• Drink only well-sealed bottled or carbonated water.
• Avoid ice cubes because they may be made from contaminated water.
• Use bottled water to brush your teeth.
• Avoid raw food — including peeled fruits, raw vegetables and salads — that has been touched by human hands.
• Avoid undercooked meat and fish.

Jan. 18, 2022

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