Gastroenteritis dehydration symptoms

Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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Gastroenteritis, also known as stomach flu, mainly occurs due to simultaneous infections in the stomach and intestinal mucosa by bacteria or viruses. The primary clinical symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and watery stools—some experience it five or six times a day, and others more than ten times a day. Increased frequency of stools can lead to symptoms of dehydration. Excessive loss of body fluids can cause electrolyte imbalance and dehydration, presenting symptoms such as pale complexion, cold limbs, fever, and decreased blood pressure. In such cases, it is essential to go to the hospital for intravenous fluids as soon as possible. Oral rehydration solutions can also be used, but if the patient experiences severe nausea and vomiting, intravenous administration of glucose, saline, and potassium chloride is necessary. (Please rehydrate under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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What causes acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis is a common and frequently occurring disease during the summer and autumn seasons, because the temperature is very high during this period, making food easily spoil. Additionally, consuming cold drinks and using air conditioning can easily lead to catching a cold. Therefore, the most common causes of acute gastroenteritis are likely due to catching cold or improper diet. Abdominal pain and diarrhea are the main symptoms, and they vary slightly. If the acute gastroenteritis is caused by bacterial infection, the abdominal pain and diarrhea can be quite severe. The diarrhea can be watery, or it can be mucous-like or even dysenteric. For gastroenteric flu, the abdominal pain is generally not so severe, and the stools are mostly loose watery stools.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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What to do about dehydration from acute gastroenteritis?

The main symptoms of acute gastroenteritis should include paroxysmal abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, and sometimes may be accompanied by fever, chills, and sore limbs, which are indicative of viral infection symptoms. If acute gastroenteritis leads to severe vomiting and diarrhea, combined with the inability to eat normally, dehydration symptoms are likely to occur, such as increased fatigue, dizziness, dry skin, and reduced urine output. In such cases, it is necessary to go to the hospital for treatment. Through relevant examinations, it can be clarified whether the condition is viral gastroenteritis or bacterial enteritis, to administer targeted treatments, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and electrolyte replenishment treatments, so as to avoid further aggravation.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
1min 13sec home-news-image

Gastroenteritis dehydration symptoms

Gastroenteritis, also known as stomach flu, mainly occurs due to simultaneous infections in the stomach and intestinal mucosa by bacteria or viruses. The primary clinical symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and watery stools—some experience it five or six times a day, and others more than ten times a day. Increased frequency of stools can lead to symptoms of dehydration. Excessive loss of body fluids can cause electrolyte imbalance and dehydration, presenting symptoms such as pale complexion, cold limbs, fever, and decreased blood pressure. In such cases, it is essential to go to the hospital for intravenous fluids as soon as possible. Oral rehydration solutions can also be used, but if the patient experiences severe nausea and vomiting, intravenous administration of glucose, saline, and potassium chloride is necessary. (Please rehydrate under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
1min 2sec home-news-image

How to rehydrate for gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is primarily characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting, abdominal distension, fever, chills, etc. For fluid administration in such cases, the treatment varies based on the specific cause. If it is gastroenteritis caused by a viral infection, antiviral medications and astringents are typically used to stop diarrhea, along with rehydration. If it is bacterial enteritis, the type of fluid administered should primarily be anti-inflammatory. Moreover, if the patient experiences severe vomiting and diarrhea, accompanied by significant weakness, dizziness, poor skin turgor, and scanty urine, these are signs of dehydration. In such cases, the doctor will determine the severity of dehydration—whether it is mild, moderate, or severe—based on the patient's weight loss and will adjust the volume of fluids and electrolytes replenished accordingly.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
1min 2sec home-news-image

Symptoms and Treatment of Acute Gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is usually caused by exposure to cold or improper diet, also known as gastroenteric cold or bacterial enteritis, with common symptoms including abdominal pain and diarrhea. The abdominal pain caused by gastroenteric cold is usually not very severe, and diarrhea is mainly watery. It often accompanies symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, such as fever, chills, sore throat, and general body aches. Treatment mainly focuses on antiviral medications, combined with astringent hemostatic drugs, and a light diet is recommended. Bacterial enteritis caused by improper diet often leads to severe abdominal pain, and stools can be watery or mucous, and may even include pus and blood. The treatment for this condition primarily involves antibacterial therapy, such as cephalosporins or quinolones, and it is also important to maintain a light diet. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)