If you are experiencing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, chances are you are suffering from gastroenteritis. It is an inflammation of the intestines that is caused by infections or chemicals. While it gets better on its own, sometimes its symptoms get worse over time, which requires treatment. Learn what causes gastroenteritis and its symptoms in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Causes and risk factors of Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis occurs when your immune system tries to protect your stomach and intestines from harm. It sends inflammatory cells to fight infections and repair injured tissues. Usually, this is a temporary response to a threat or injury which takes some time to work, until everything gets better. Long-lasting gastroenteritis is rare. Generally, infectious diseases and toxic chemicals can cause gastroenteritis.

Infections are the most common cause of gastroenteritis, which affects the gastrointestinal tract. It includes:

1. Viral gastroenteritis: Viral infections are the most common type of infections that cause gastroenteritis. It causes 60% of all gastroenteritis cases. The most common virus is norovirus which accounts for 50% of all viral gastroenteritis cases. Viral gastroenteritis is also known as stomach flu; however, this isn’t a medical term because flu viruses don’t cause viral gastroenteritis. Viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis include:
2. Norovirus
3. Rotavirus
4. Astrovirus
5. Adenovirus
6. Calicivirus
7. Sapo virus

• Bacterial gastroenteritis: Some bacterial infections cause gastroenteritis. The most common bacteria that cause bacterial gastroenteritis are:
• Campylobacter
• Clostridium difficile
• Escherichia coli
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Staphylococci

• Parasitic gastroenteritis: Some parasite infections also cause parasitic gastroenteritis. Some common parasites that cause gastroenteritis are:
• Giardiasis
• Cryptosporidiosis
• Cyclosporiasis
• Amebiasis
• Fungal gastroenteritis: Some fungal infections also cause fungal gastroenteritis. The common fungal infections are:
• Candidiasis
• Aspergillosis

Chemicals that can injure and inflame the lining of your stomach and intestines cause gastroenteritis. Some chemicals can do this even in small amounts (like alcohol) and certain medications can cause gastroenteritis in larger doses. Common causes of chemical gastroenteritis include:

• Heavy metal poisoning
• Plant toxins like poisonous mushrooms
• Cocaine
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Alcohol overuse
• NSAIDs overuse
• Colchicine overuse
• Digoxin overuse

While anyone can get gastroenteritis, some factors may increase the risk of gastroenteritis. It may include:

• If your age is more than 65 years or less than 6 years.
• Living or working in a nursing home/care facility.
• Working at a childcare center or school.
• Traveling abroad to places where infectious agents (that cause gastroenteritis) are commonly found.
• Eating raw or undercooked fish or meat.
• Having a health condition that makes your immune system weak or requires treatment that weakens your immune system.
• Drinking a lot of alcohol or taking high doses of certain medicines can lead to chemical gastroenteritis.
• During pregnancy, gastroenteritis is quite common. Without treatment, you can get dehydrated, which can trigger early labor. If you’re pregnant and can’t keep clear liquids down, you should consult with your doctor as soon as possible.

Symptoms of gastroenteritis

You may experience these gastroenteritis symptoms:

• Bloating
• Nausea
• Fever
• Dehydration
• Appetite loss
• Abdominal cramps
• Painful stomach
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Blood in the stools, in some cases
• Pus in the stools, in some cases
• Lethargy and body aches

When to go to a doctor?

You can go to a doctor if:

• You or your child (aged over 2 years) have been vomiting for more than 1 day with severe diarrhea, or fever over 104 F that lasts more than 2-3 days.
• Your child under age 2 may have vomiting or diarrhea for more than 12 hours or have a fever.
• You or your child have signs of dehydration.
• Your vomit or diarrhea turns bloody or tarry.
• You have kidney, liver, or heart disease which makes your symptoms worse.
• You have sudden, severe abdominal pain.
• Your symptoms last longer than 5 days.

Gastroenteritis is a common stomach condition caused by infections and chemicals that affect children and adults. Its common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea, etc. It gets better on its own but in some cases, it can lead to severe complications that need to be addressed in time to prevent them.

Need help with gastroenteritis symptoms that get worse, visit our infectious disease specialist in Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!! Our infectious disease doctors make sure your condition gets diagnosed and treated properly. For more information or to make an appointment, call us to get a consultation. Call us on +1-347-384-5690. If you need any information on infections, log on to www.doralhw.org  get a consultation. We have the best doctors that can help you and improve your quality.