Gastroenteritis Symptoms and Signs

The first and most obvious symptom of gastroenteritis is a liquid stool known as diarrhea. It may continue all day long without a good reason. Because of that, a patient is losing a tremendous amount of water. It is necessary to receive the important amount of nutrients anyway. When a digestive system behaves this way, it requires double the amount of usually absorbed nutrients as it wastes more of them than regularly. Pick beverages that contain a lot of electrolytes – these elements will support the body energy.

The patient may complain of feeling exhausted and extra tired all day long. It happens as the organism lacks energy as a digestive system misbehaves, preventing the necessary nutrients form staying in the human body. No matter how much a patient rests, he is still sleepy. Sure thing, many health conditions are predetermined by ongoing fatigue, but you probably have gastroenteritis if this symptom is supported by diarrhea and some other signs. It is not normal if a fatigue lasts for more than 48 hours.

Patients often report abdominal cramps during the period of gastroenteritis developing in their bodies. A person might feel a harsh pain as well as cramps in the abdominal area. If the cramps get too serious, they may lead to the problems with breathing. Often, the cramps are nothing else then the consequence of the active physical exercises, so do not panic immediately.

Fever is present when the person faces gastroenteritis. The organism might have different reactions to the infection. By raising the body temperature, the organism tries to fight the disease effectively. An alarming situation is when the temperature is as high as 102 degrees Fahrenheit or lasts for more than four days. Then, it is time to speak to your healthcare professional ASAP. Along with a fever, it is also possible to face such signs as chills. It is the outcome of rapidly changing temperature.

A patient with gastroenteritis experiences a strong desire to vomit. It is just another way to get rid of the toxins and infection. Just like in case of diarrhea, a person starts losing valuable nutrients and large amounts of water when vomiting regularly; it is important to increase the number of consumed foods and water. The stomach flu is one more health condition, which is characterized by both of these symptoms at the same time. Once you consume a dodgy meal or contact with an ill individual, you may also experience strong nausea.

A headache is another sign a person might be having gastroenteritis. It is not necessary that only an abdominal area and stomach suffer when this infection enters the organism. The patients frequently report about headaches as well. It happens as the chemical balance in the head changes. It is because of the virus attacking the stomach. All human organs are interconnected, so when one is damaged, some others may suffer too.

The next symptom to discuss is a so-called myositis. Gastroenteritis may cause the inflammation of muscles. It makes sense that such action will lead to ache. You see, each time some virus penetrates the organism, it might produce specific substances into muscle tissues. The muscles then cannot function properly without causing some pain. As a rule, such problem is relevant for the lower and upper extremities. In the serious cases, the muscles will stop reacting, causing the limited movement.

Pay attention to the color of your stool. Gastroenteritis is frequently associated with the signs of blood in the stool. Even if you notice a bloody stool, do not panic immediately, as it is not necessarily a symptom of something fatal. However, it is a warning each person should not ignore. This condition requires consulting a healthcare professional as soon as the person notices it. In case blood looks dark, there is no time to wait!

People who suffer from gastroenteritis can notice lethargy among the symptoms. It is a full absence of energy, which makes the person rather drowsy. Of course, various stressful situations and overwork cause lethargy. Another reason is the lack of physical activity. To get rid of gastroenteritis, the organism invests all of its resources in the battle with the virus. It is not normal for such condition to last for more than 48 hours – contact your doctor then.

The last common symptom of gastroenteritis to discuss is running out of the water. This symptom is called dehydration by the medical experts. This symptom arrives after the first primary signs: diarrhea and vomiting. It happens because of the attempts to recover from the infection. That is why doctors can advise nothing else than double the water consumption during a day. It is easy to define whether the amount of water in your organism is enough. The lack of it leads to the symptoms like red eyes, exhaustion, light head, or dry skin and mouth.