Acute gastroenteritis causes and symptoms

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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Acute gastroenteritis is common in summer and autumn, often caused by consuming unclean food. Consuming chilled watermelon or cola straight from the refrigerator can also trigger acute gastroenteritis. The primary symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Frequent diarrhea can lead to signs of dehydration in the body, such as sunken eyeballs and pale lips.

For acute gastroenteritis, immediate fluid replacement therapy should be administered, and antibiotics should be used to control the infection along with medications to stop diarrhea and firm up the stools.

(Please take medication under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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What department should I go to for acute gastroenteritis?

Symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever may indicate acute gastroenteritis. It is recommended to register for the Department of Gastroenterology, as acute gastroenteritis is primarily treated within this specialty. However, if the hospital does not have a Department of Gastroenterology, you can register for the Department of Internal Medicine for further examination and treatment. But if a large number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and pus cells are found in the stool, it is likely not acute gastroenteritis but bacterial dysentery, and it is advisable to register with the Department of Infectious Diseases or proceed to an infectious disease hospital for formal treatment.

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Where to massage for acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis is a common clinical symptom, and we can usually alleviate this clinical symptom through massage. For the massage, we can choose some acupoints on the abdomen, such as Zhongwan, Xiawan, Liangqiu, and the Tianshu points beside the navel for massage. The massage technique should go from light to heavy. If it’s difficult to massage on the stomach, we can choose some acupoints on the distal limbs, including Zusanli, Liangqiu, Shang Juxu, and Xia Juxu, which are very good for relieving acute gastroenteritis. The duration for the massage at each acupoint is about 2-3 minutes. After the massage, we can further choose other acupoints based on differentiation; for example, if the person has excessive liver heat, the Taichong acupoint can be selected for massage to relieve some of the clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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What foods should not be eaten with acute gastroenteritis?

There are also quite a few foods that should not be eaten during acute gastroenteritis. Firstly, spicy foods should be avoided, as the digestive function of the intestines is somewhat limited during gastroenteritis, and spicy foods can easily irritate the gastrointestinal tract, worsening the symptoms of gastroenteritis. Additionally, foods that are too cold or too hot should not be consumed. It is also advisable to avoid the stimulation of strong tea, coffee, and hard liquor. Instead, eat soft, easily digestible foods, consume less greasy food, and make sure to drink plenty of water. This helps to replenish fluids and prevent dehydration symptoms that might arise from gastroenteritis.

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Where to massage for gastroenteritis?

The acupoints commonly massaged for gastroenteritis mainly include those on the limbs and some local to the gastrointestinal tract. For the limbs, we can select acupoints on the lower limbs such as Liangqiu, Xuehai, Yinlingquan, Yanglingquan, Shangjuxu, Xiajuxu, and Gongsun for massage. It's sufficient to massage each acupoint for one to two minutes. In the abdominal area, we usually choose some frequently used acupoints, such as the Zhongwan, then Tianshu, as well as Daheng, Shangqu, or Liangmen for massage. For the upper limbs, we can select the acupoints like Shousanli and Neiguan to help alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms. Generally, we continue massaging each acupoint for one to two minutes and the massage technique progresses from light to heavy. We stop only when the symptoms of gastroenteritis, such as the pain, have eased. This is generally how it is done.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the common diseases in gastroenterology, especially prevalent in the summer and autumn seasons. It is usually caused by exposure to cold or contaminated food. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Depending on the cause, symptoms can vary; for instance, a viral infection causing gastroenteric flu often accompanies symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, or fever. Infections caused by contaminated food often lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea, with stools frequently appearing mucous or containing blood and pus. Lab tests often show an elevated white blood cell count.