Does acute gastroenteritis cause constipation?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on January 30, 2025
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Acute gastroenteritis refers to acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. This condition does not involve constipation. In cases of mild diarrhea caused by acute gastroenteritis, the general condition is good, with fewer than ten bowel movements, and the stool sometimes appears like egg drop soup. For more severe diarrhea, there might be more than ten bowel movements per day, and treatment should primarily focus on antidiarrheal, pain relief, and antiemetic medications. It is also important to rest adequately, hydrate promptly, and follow a diet of eating small, frequent meals. If the condition is severe, treatment might involve gastrointestinal decompression and parenteral nutrition.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Can I eat apples with acute gastroenteritis?

Apples are one of the essential fruits in our daily life, containing a rich array of nutrients, such as minerals, fruit acids, vitamins, fiber, etc., which are greatly beneficial to our human body. Acute gastroenteritis is usually caused by exposure to cold or improper diet, primarily characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes fever and chills. In this case, targeted treatment should be firstly applied, and the diet should consist mainly of light and easily digestible food, such as porridge and soft noodles, while avoiding raw, greasy, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. Apples are relatively cold in nature; it is best to avoid eating them raw under these circumstances. If there is a real desire to eat apples, steaming them before eating should be feasible.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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How long to rehydrate for acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is relatively common in clinical settings. Generally, if patients receive fluid therapy, it may be appropriate for about five to seven days. For treating acute gastroenteritis with fluid therapy, symptomatic treatment is typically chosen, including drugs that protect the intestinal mucosa, stop diarrhea, and regulate the intestinal flora. Of course, if the patient develops a fever, a small dose of anti-infection treatment may be appropriately added, but the treatment course should not be too long, generally three to five days would be suitable. Of course, we generally consider acute gastroenteritis to be a self-limiting disease. Patients can exhibit symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, typically frequent watery stools, but without bloody stools. Therefore, treatment is mainly symptomatic, so patients should not worry too much. (Use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Why does acute gastroenteritis cause dizziness?

Acute gastroenteritis is characterized by symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea. If the diarrhea is severe, there can be significant bodily dehydration, manifesting as fatigue or dizziness. It is important to promptly replenish body fluids and undergo infusion therapy. At the same time, proactive use of antibiotics and antidiarrheal medications is advised. The general treatment period lasts 3-5 days. After recovery, attention should be given to dietary adjustments, incorporating fresh green vegetables. It is advisable to eat some fruit and have meals regularly and in controlled quantities, while reducing consumption of spicy, greasy, and irritating foods. Appropriate outdoor exercises should be performed to help regulate gastrointestinal function. (Please follow the doctor's advice regarding medication use.)

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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Is gastroenteritis contagious?

There are many causes of gastroenteritis, and whether it can be contagious depends mainly on the pathogen involved. For example, if gastroenteritis is caused by an infection with bacterial dysentery leading to gastrointestinal symptoms, this situation can be spread via the digestive tract and is contagious. However, if the gastroenteritis symptoms arise from exposure to air conditioning and getting a chill, this situation is not contagious. Therefore, patients with gastroenteritis must undergo routine blood and stool tests to identify the cause of the infection.

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

Acute enteritis can be caused either by exposure to pathogenic wind, cold, and dampness, or by unclean diet and excessive consumption of raw and cold food. At this time, we would choose some acupoints with good effects, such as the Liangqiu point on our feet, for moxibustion. The Liangqiu point is mainly used to treat some acute conditions and is considered an Xi (cleft) point. During moxibustion, we can use either suspended moxibustion or ginger-separated moxibustion, both of which are effective. Additionally, we can also choose the Tianshu point on our abdomen. The Tianshu point is located on the abdomen and is the Mu (alarm) point of the large intestine; it can regulate acute gastroenteritis. Typically, we use suspended moxibustion for the Tianshu point. If the cold is particularly severe, we can also slice a thin piece of ginger, place it on top, and perform ginger-separated moxibustion. This helps to warm the meridians, dispel cold, relieve pain, and regulate gastroenteritis.