Symptoms and Treatment of Acute Gastroenteritis

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on April 20, 2025
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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.)

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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What to eat for acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is particularly common in clinical practice, and its treatment in gastroenterology and emergency departments generally involves two steps. The first step is general treatment, where patients are advised to rest, eat easily digestible, liquid foods such as thin porridge and rice soup, and avoid spicy and irritating foods, such as chili peppers. The second step, if dietary treatment is not effective, involves the use of specific medications. For abdominal pain, pain relievers can be used, and for diarrhea, medications to stop diarrhea and regulate the intestinal flora can be used. Of course, the symptoms of acute gastroenteritis are varied, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and even fever. Therefore, if there is fever, it is generally recommended to take some antibiotics orally. If there is only diarrhea, it is only necessary to take medications to stop the bleeding and regulate the intestinal flora, and there is no need for anti-inflammatory drugs. Thus, the treatment plans vary depending on the different diseases and symptoms, but all medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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What should I do about acute gastroenteritis?

Acute gastroenteritis typically presents with symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and sometimes accompanied by fever and chills. In such cases, it is important to rest, keep warm, avoid cold, and follow a diet that is light and easy to digest, such as rice porridge, soft noodles, etc. It is advisable to avoid raw, greasy, spicy, and alcoholic foods. Treatment should be based on the specific cause. For viral infections causing gastroenteric flu, antiviral and antidiarrheal astringents are commonly used. For bacterial infections causing infectious diarrhea, antibacterial and antidiarrheal treatments are needed, typically involving cephalosporins or quinolones. Generally, symptoms will gradually ease.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Is acute gastroenteritis serious?

Acute gastroenteritis is quite severe, as it can cause significant vomiting and diarrhea. Severe diarrhea can lead to symptoms of dehydration. Additionally, acute gastroenteritis can lead to decreased appetite, weight loss, and lethargy, affecting normal life and work. For acute gastroenteritis, treatment primarily involves medication, mainly antibiotics and antidiarrheal drugs. During treatment, it is recommended to eat smaller, more frequent meals. For severe diarrhea, it is advisable to refrain from eating and rely mainly on intravenous fluids for nutrition. Moreover, meals should be regular and controlled in quantity, avoiding overly spicy or greasy foods. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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How to treat gastroenteritis?

The treatment of gastroenteritis primarily depends on the cause and specific symptoms to determine the treatment plan. Exposure to cold or improper diet may cause acute gastroenteritis. In such cases, it is recommended to first check routine blood tests, C-reactive protein, stool routine, etc., to identify the cause. Gastroenteric flu can be treated with antiviral drugs and astringent antidiarrheal medications to achieve satisfactory results. Infectious diarrhea caused by bacterial infection generally uses antimicrobial drugs combined with antidiarrheal medications to also achieve satisfactory effects. Commonly used drugs include cephalosporins or quinolones anti-inflammatory. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to a light and easily digestible diet, and if diarrhea is severe, infusion treatment may be necessary to prevent dehydration.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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How long does acute gastroenteritis take to get better?

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the common diseases of the digestive system, and occurs more frequently in the summer and autumn seasons. During these seasons, the hot weather can lead to food spoilage. Additionally, people often like to eat cold drinks and use air conditioning, which can easily trigger acute gastroenteritis. It usually presents with symptoms such as intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating, and sometimes symptoms like fever and chills may also appear. In such cases, examinations like routine blood tests, stool tests, and C-reactive protein tests can be conducted to determine whether it is infectious diarrhea or a gastrointestinal type of cold, and then targeted treatment can be applied. How long it will take to recover depends on specific symptoms and the patient's medical history among other factors. Generally, for a gastrointestinal cold, symptoms typically alleviate in about 2-3 days; for bacterial gastroenteritis, recovery might take a bit longer, generally about 3-5 days. If the patient is elderly, frail, or has underlying conditions such as chronic bronchitis, heart failure, or diabetes, the recovery might take slightly longer, but generally it can still be cured.