Home Remedies For Stomach Bugs | Stomach Bugs Treatment At Home

By | March 11, 2010

Treating Stomach Bugs With Effective Natural Cures And Home Remedies

Stomach bugs may be of several kinds and generally lead to severe stomach pain. Most stomach bugs are caused by food poisoning, bacterial or viral infections. The most common of such gastrointestinal infections (bugs) is the stomach flu. The condition results in severe pain that may last up to seven days. Another form of flu, also called the 24 hour bug, lasts for 24 hours and also causes severe stomach pain. Both types of stomach bugs are contagious and clear up once they have run their natural course. A stomach bug resulting from food poisoning can also lead to severe stomach pain.

Food poisoning occurs when a person ingests food that is contaminated by parasites. Food poisoning is generally the result of unclean food storage space, unhygienic methods of food preparation and contaminated water. Symptoms of stomach bugs include bloating, a loss of appetite and severe abdominal pain. In addition, patients may experience diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms of stomach bugs may vary depending upon the nature and severity of the infection. Stomach bugs however, tend to clear up in about five days.

If you are experiencing severe symptoms or if they have lasted longer than a week, then you should visit a medical practitioner immediately as this may be indicative of a more serious condition and may require immediate medical attention. Your doctor may recommend an antibiotic course to treat your stomach infection. In addition, he/she may prescribe pain killers to help alleviate pain and stomach discomfort. You can also try over the counter medications to help relieve pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Alongside this, you can care for stomach bugs at home with the help of a few simple remedies and health tips.

Firstly, ensure that you only eat foods that are easily digestible to avoid aggravating the stomach bug. Such foods include applesauce, rice, broths and crackers. These foods will help ease the digestion process and help alleviate symptoms of acute stomach pain. Give your stomach adequate rest by eating smaller meals. However, you must ensure that you increase the number of meals or snacks you eat in a day if your meals are smaller.

Ensure that you drink plenty of fluids as this will help keep your body hydrated. Nausea and vomiting causes dehydration and loss of essential bodily fluids and it is thus essential to drink plenty of water and other fluids. Get plenty of rest to help relieve stomach bug symptoms.