Gastroenteritis

　　Infectious gastroenteritis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Toxins and drugs can cause chemical gastroenteritis. Viral infection is the most common cause of gastroenteritis, with various viruses that can cause gastroenteritis, the most common being rotavirus, followed by Norwalk virus, astrovirus, and enterovirus.

　　Common infection routes include: food (especially seafood), contaminated water sources, contact with infected individuals, unclean tableware, not washing hands before eating, and others.

　　If gastroenteritis is not treated promptly and effectively, it can easily lead to the following complications:

　　1. Hematochezia: Refers to a large amount of intestinal bleeding in a short period of time, accompanied by increased pulse, decreased blood pressure, and reduced blood color. Blood transfusion treatment is required.

　　2. Intestinal stricture: Clinically, there are usually no symptoms, but in severe cases, it can cause intestinal obstruction. When intestinal stricture occurs in this disease, one should be vigilant for tumors.

　　3. Toxic dilatation: This is a serious complication of the disease, which often occurs in patients with total colitis, with a mortality rate as high as 44%. It is prone to complications such as intestinal perforation.

　　4. Hemorrhage: Hemorrhage in chronic gastritis is not uncommon: mucosal atrophy and thinning, exposed vessels, coarse food abrasion, erosion and hemorrhage of the mucosa, mainly manifested as black stools. If the hemorrhage is large, it can cause sudden vomiting of blood. Severe cases may experience dizziness, palpitations, dark vision, excessive sweating, and even shock.

　　8. Gastric hemorrhage: Gastric ulcer, superficial gastritis, and erosive gastritis occur together, with obvious inflammation and irritation. The gastric mucosa atrophies and becomes thin, accompanied by erosion and ulcers. It is necessary to undergo a gastroscopy in a timely manner to avoid delaying diagnosis and treatment.

　　What are the typical symptoms of gastroenteritis?

　　The type and severity of gastroenteritis symptoms depend on the type and amount of the microorganism or toxin. The most common symptom is diarrhea, followed by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, decreased appetite, weight loss (which may be a sign of dehydration), excessive sweating, cold and wet skin, muscle pain or joint stiffness, fecal incontinence, and others.

　　1. Do not eat unclean fruits and vegetables

　　Fruits and vegetables need to be watered, fertilized, and sprayed with pesticides during their growth period. During collection, transportation, and sale, they are easily infected by bacteria, so many fruits and vegetables have bacteria, eggs, and chemical pesticides on their surfaces. Therefore, fruits and vegetables must be washed with clean water several times before eating. Fruits and vegetables that can be peeled should be peeled before eating, otherwise, it is easy to accumulate pesticides and cause poisoning.

　　2. Avoid eating刺激性 foods.

　　The choice of cold and spicy foods and other刺激性 foods should be based on personal conditions, existing dietary habits, and the season, avoiding overeating, especially not to overindulge in alcohol.

　　3. Wash your hands frequently, pay attention to the hygiene of tableware, and separate raw and cooked foods.

　　1. The history of contact with the source of the disease is an important diagnostic feature: possibly contaminated food, unclean, untreated, or contaminated drinking water, contact with patients with similar symptoms, travel to epidemic areas, are all primary suspicious features for diagnosis.

　　2. Further diagnosis requires blood, vomit, and stool culture, and the count of white blood cells and eosinophils.

　　3. Carefully exclude other possible diseases.

　　1. Eat a light diet.

　　2. Pay attention to the proportion of sugar, fat, and protein in foods, and pay attention to the content of vitamins and other essential nutrients for the body.

　　Foods that are best not to eat with gastroenteritis:

　　1. Avoid smoking, drinking, and spicy刺激性 foods.

　　2. Avoid irregular eating habits.

　　3. Avoid unclean eating: Gastroenteritis patients should pay special attention to dietary hygiene, especially in summer. Wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating and do not eat spoiled food. Foods stored in the refrigerator must be cooked thoroughly before eating. If spoilage is detected, it should be discarded and not consumed.

　　4. Avoid eating cold, hot, or hard foods: such as, cold or hot food and drinks.

　　5. Avoid eating刺激性 foods such as chili, mustard, pepper, strong tea, coffee, cocoa, and other food or drinks.

　　6. Avoid eating greasy foods.

　　7. Avoid eating milk, goat's milk, and a large amount of sucrose.

　　8. Avoid eating raw garlic.

　　9. Avoid using antidiarrheal drugs blindly.

　　10. Avoid eating high-fiber foods. Since you have gastroenteritis, you should not be stimulated, so you need to pay attention to your diet.

　　1. Replenish fluids
　　If you are unfortunately infected by bacteria, these bacteria stimulate your intestines and cause you to lose a lot of water through vomiting and diarrhea. At this time, you need to drink more liquids to prevent fainting. Plain water is the best replenishing fluid, followed by other transparent liquids such as apple juice, broth, or clear soup. Carbonated drinks can also be used, but let the bubbles dissipate first. The quick way to get rid of the bubbles is to pour the soda back and forth between two cups. When replenishing fluids, do not drink them all at once to avoid triggering vomiting again.
　　2. Replenish electrolytes
　　Vomiting and diarrhea can cause the loss of important electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and glucose. Electrolyte drinks, such as oral rehydration salts, can be consumed for replenishment. Alternatively, you can prepare it yourself by following this method: mix juice (which contains potassium) with 1/2 teaspoon of honey or corn syrup (which contains glucose) and a pinch of salt (sodium chloride) evenly.
　　3.避免制酸剂
　　制酸剂能减少胃酸，但也能减低你的抗菌力。如果服用制酸剂，可能使细菌快速且大量地繁殖。
　　3. Avoid antacids
　　Antacids can reduce stomach acid, but they can also reduce your antibacterial power. If you take antacids, it may cause bacteria to multiply rapidly and in large numbers.
　　4. Do not rush to stop diarrhea
　　Diarrhea indicates that your body is trying to expel toxins. In some cases, taking an antidiarrheal agent may interfere with the body's ability to fight infection. Therefore, it is best to let nature take its course and allow harmful bacteria in the intestines to be excreted from the body. If you feel it is necessary to take medication, please consult a doctor first.
　　5. Take antibiotics
　　Antibiotics are mainly used to kill bacteria, it is recommended to take twice a day until the diarrhea stops. However, you should consult a doctor before taking these drugs.
　　6. Light diet
　　It is usually possible to start eating a few hours to a day after the diarrhea or vomiting subsides, but you need to take it slowly because the injured stomach is still weak. Start with easily digestible foods. You can eat some oatmeal, congee, pudding, biscuits, or soup. Avoid high-fiber, spicy, acidic, greasy, polysaccharide, dairy, and other foods to avoid stimulating the stomach. Follow this for 1-2 days to allow the stomach time to recover.
　　7. Supplement essential nutrients
　　① Calcium plus vitamin D
　　② Digestive enzymes
　　Take during meals. Rich in pancreatic enzymes, helps digestion.
　　③ Magnesium
　　Take 4 capsules before bedtime. Helps shape stool.
　　⑤ Unsaturated fatty acids
　　Dosage according to product instructions, helps shape stool.
　　⑥ Vitamin E
　　400-1000 IU per day. Protects the colon wall cell membrane.
　　8. Dangerous signals
　　If the following symptoms occur, you should contact a doctor immediately.
　　a. Difficulty swallowing, speaking, or breathing, vision changes, muscle weakness or paralysis, especially when these symptoms appear after eating canned or shellfish.
　　b. Fever over 37.8℃.
　　c. Severe vomiting, even unable to swallow any liquid.
　　d. Severe diarrhea, lasting more than 1-2 days
　　e. Persistent localized abdominal pain.
　　 f. Weakness with severe thirst, dry mouth, or decreased urination.
　　g. Bloody diarrhea.