Contents:
- Medical Video: IBS | diarrhea | Abdominal Pain | constipation | Gastrointestinal infection | Manipal Hospitals
- What is the difference between diarrhea and stomach flu (vomiting)?
- The symptoms are different
- The duration of recovery is also different
- What should be done if you experience stomach flu and diarrhea?
Medical Video: IBS | diarrhea | Abdominal Pain | constipation | Gastrointestinal infection | Manipal Hospitals
Digestive problems are one of the most common health complaints. It seems that everyone has experienced diarrhea or stomach flu, or vomiting, at least once in a lifetime. Both of these digestive disorders have similar symptoms so it is very difficult to distinguish ordinary people. So, did you get diarrhea or vomiting? Here's how to distinguish it ...
What is the difference between diarrhea and stomach flu (vomiting)?
Diarrhea and stomach flu can both be caused by consumption of foods that have been contaminated with viruses, bacteria, and / or parasites. Both also show common symptoms that are similar, i.e. abdominal pain and back and forth bowel movements in the form of feces tend to be soft and fluid irregular.
Despite having similar causes and symptoms, these two digestive problems are actually different. If you have diarrhea, it does not mean you are definitely affected by gastroenteritis or stomach flu. The reason is, diarrhea is actually a symptom of an illness, is not a type of disease that stands alone.
Meanwhile, stomach flu is a type of infectious disease known as medical gastroenteritis. Abdominal flu aka gastroenteritis is one of the diseases that can cause diarrhea because this infection causes inflammation of your digestive tract. Besides gastroenteritis, diarrhea can also be caused by IBS, Crohn's disease, and colitis (inflammation of the intestine) because these three conditions can be caused by gastrointestinal inflammation.
So, it can be concluded that diarrhea and stomach flu are two different things.
The symptoms are different
Although stomach flu also shows symptoms of diarrhea, but you also need to know other symptoms to be able to distinguish whether the diarrhea you are experiencing is caused by gastroenteritis or other health problems.
Stomach flu causes symptoms of nausea and vomiting (hence it is often called "vomiting", aka vomiting and defecate) and stomach cramps. If caused by a virus, the symptoms also include fever, headache and muscle aches. If the cause is a bacterial infection, diarrhea can be accompanied by blood. These symptoms generally appear 12-72 hours after eating or exposure to contamination of the agents causing stomach flu.
Meanwhile, diarrhea is only a complaint of frequent bowel movements (more than 3 times per day) with the consistency of liquid stool and not showing other symptoms.
The duration of recovery is also different
Gastroenteritis generally resolves less than 1 week after first exposure to infection if caused by a virus. But if it is caused by bacteria, the duration of recovery can take up to weeks.
Fast slow recovery time depends on the cause. If diarrhea is caused by IBS intestinal inflammation, diarrhea may last up to 3 months because IBS is a chronic disease.
What should be done if you experience stomach flu and diarrhea?
- Drink plenty of water to maintain body fluid balance. Symptoms of diarrhea and stomach flu can cause dehydration due to vomiting and alternating bowel movements.
- You can also try taking anti-nausea drugs like Ondansetron.
- Take diarrhea medication to stop your diarrhea symptoms.
- Take zinc supplements to help reduce the severity of diarrhea and help speed up the healing process.
- Take care of your personal hygiene. Always wash hands before and after meals. Make sure the food you eat is clean and not contaminated with anything.
It is best to consult a doctor if you experience digestive problems to find out the exact cause and the right way to treat it.
