Intestinal Infection: Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

Every person has experienced intestinal diseases at least once in his life. The main cause of the development of pathologies is an infection, the pathogens of which are bacteria, toxins and microbes. Often, intestinal infection provokes the development of dangerous diseases, and damagingly affects the entire digestive system of man. The condition of the patient depends on the severity of its course. It is worth remembering that there are intestinal infections symptoms, treatment in adults should be carried out immediately, once they have manifested.

Acute intestinal infection, symptoms in adults

The concept of acute infection in the human digestive system is of a general nature, which depends on several factors. These include the main pathogens of the disease( viruses and bacteria) and toxic poisoning of the body with food.

The infected infection begins to develop rapidly, affecting some parts of the digestive tract. In general, the inflammatory process begins in the stomach, duodenum, small and large intestine. This condition leads to disturbances in the system of digestion of food, and also provokes inflammation of the mucous membranes of the corresponding organs. To know how to determine whether the disease is infectious or not, you need to know its signs.

Symptoms of acute intestinal infections:

1. Accumulation of gases in the abdomen( flatulence).
2. Copious diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
3. Tolerant abdominal pain, having intermittent character in the form of sharp spasms.

Often observed the temperature of intestinal infection. It can be caused by inflammatory processes, which are triggered by the spread of viruses. Sometimes the heat achieves 39 degrees, which is dangerous for a person's condition.

Please note! In order to avoid negative consequences, at the first occurrence of the disease should consult a doctor. Rapid fluid loss in the form of vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which is very dangerous for the body.

Types of Intestinal Infection

Intestinal infection is a dangerous disease that lurks both adults and children. It is insidious with its complications, and it poses a great threat to the entire human body, as it can affect all organs, and affect their functioning.

A similar disease is often caused by viruses that have several varieties. Clinically, they are similar, the symptoms of the course also sometimes coincide, but there are nuances that make them classify.

Types of entero-viral infection:

• norovirus intestinal infection;
• is a rotovirus intestinal infection.

Interesting! Initially, these two diseases did not differ. One diagnosis was made, since the pathologies are similar, and together cause an infection in the human intestine.

Norovirus infection

In a short time, it can cause an epidemic.

Routes of transfer of norovirus:

• eating of unwashed vegetables and fruits;
• water, which contains the causative agent of the disease;
• household way( unwashed hands, communicating with an infected person, common objects).

It should be understood that such an infection is very dangerous, has easy ways of getting into the human body. The use of unwashed food, drinking water from infected sources, contact with a sick person - all this can lead to a rapid infection. One must be extremely cautious, and know how such a disease manifests itself.

Signs of norovirus infection:

• nausea, profuse vomiting, intense diarrhea, high body temperature;
• weakness in the muscles, headaches, dizziness.

The disease manifests itself 2-4 days, and can be accompanied as with all symptoms, so solely vomiting and diarrhea. It is worth noting that after a few days the disease recedes.

Important! After the infection, the human body develops resistance against norovirus. Immunity to the disease lasts no more than 8-9 weeks, after which again there is a threat of contracting a dangerous ailment.

If norovirus occurs mainly in the warm period, then rotovirus infection affects the body in the cold season( from November to April).It is also called intestinal flu. In adults, the disease is mild and not particularly inconvenient. This pathology is transient, and is quickly transmitted by contact.

Rotovirus infection

Stages of the course of rotovirus infection:

1. Incubation period. The causative agent of the disease can be in the human body in a sleeping state for about 5 days.
2. Acute pathology. At this time, the infection begins to manifest itself( vomiting, fever, diarrhea, painful spasms in the abdomen).A peculiarity of the course of the disease is that the patient has flu symptoms( runny nose, sore throat, cough), but in adults this happens rarely, mostly these affect children. The whole period lasts from 4 to 8 days.
3. Restorative stage of the body.

The rotovirus infection in adults can occur without obvious manifestations. A person may not feel particularly aggravated, but at this time, infect other people. It also happens that the disease is gaining high speed, and reaches an average - vomiting, frequent diarrhea, fever - and severe( pressure loss, intense diarrhea up to 20 or more times a day, dehydration) forms. With worsening of the condition, urgent hospitalization is required.

Causes of intestinal infection in adults

Factors that lead to the development of the disease are very many. It should be understood that the cause is not only in bacteria. This is a specific disease that depends on a variety of pathogens.

The main causes of intestinal infection:

1. Poisoning of the body through pathogens: staphylococcus, dysentery bacillus, salmonella, cholera vibrio( most infectious), typhoid fever.
2. Food intoxication of the body. Botulism belongs to it. To products that carry the threat of infection, you can include raw eggs, unwashed vegetables and dairy products.

With a bacterial infection, people are the source of the disease. They can simply be carriers of viruses, or they are ill with obvious / hidden signs of pathology.

Microbes from the body come out with feces, vomit, saliva, urine. How long is the period in which you can get infected with such a disease is difficult to say. With each infection, it is different. On average, it starts with the first symptoms, and ends after a few weeks after the patient recovered.

Important! The body does not develop immunity to intestinal diseases. The probability of a new infection after a while remains very high.

You can get infected from a sick person by shaking hands, as well as using household items( door handles, toilet seats, utensils, etc.), if you do not wash your hands after contact. Therefore, personal hygiene should be above all.

Bathing on the sea or open water also carries the risk of contracting intestinal infections. Since there is no certainty that there was not an infected person there. Accidental ingestion of infected water is the shortest path to the disease. When poisoning with sea water, you should try to drink more liquid, and at least eat( only digestible foods).

Before the arrival of a doctor, you need to know what to do and how to help the patient, with the appearance of nausea, chills and diarrhea.

First aid measures:

• to provide the patient with bed rest by placing a series of vomit containers;
• try to clean the intestines( you need to pound a weak manganese solution, and try to drink, then cause vomiting);
• constantly give the patient a drink( decoction with chamomile, light tea) to prevent dehydration;
• for elimination of toxins can be given to the patient. Microsorb, Polyphepan.

Such measures will not exacerbate the condition before the arrival of a doctor, and will help alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

Traditional treatment of intestinal infections

In acute disease, hospitalization is extremely necessary. To learn how to treat, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive examination, a survey( to determine the cause of poisoning the body), assign certain tests. For accurate diagnosis, feces, urine, vomit, water are collected, which is collected after washing the intestine. Only after identifying the cause of the disease is prescribed treatment.

Therapy is usually aimed at neutralizing harmful bacteria, restoring water balance in the body and eliminating toxins. A gastric lavage is mandatory, and vomiting is provoked. This helps to cleanse the body of harmful substances.

During the treatment, sorbents are prescribed( Attapulgite, Smecta, Polyphepanum).These drugs are aimed at neutralizing toxins, removing them.

Diet

Very important is during the therapy diet. The patient should explain what can be eaten, and he must exactly follow the doctor's instructions. Calms down rice and wheat porridge, cooked without salt, soothing to the irritated intestine.

Nutrition rules during treatment:

1. From the menu it is necessary to exclude salty, fatty, spicy and smoked food. It is not recommended at this time to take dairy products.
2. Thermal treatment - it is better to cook food by steaming, mashing, boiling.
3. The consumption of foods saturated with proteins( chicken, rabbit, red fish, rice porridge, wheat bread).
4. Food intake in warm form and in small portions several times a day.
5. Reduction of the daily ration by 20%( the first days of illness).In acute forms, food intake should be halved.

Important! During the treatment of intestinal disease, starvation and a large amount of liquid( compotes from dried fruits, chamomile teas, broth of wild rose) are helpful. This will cleanse the body, and reduce the risk of disease recurrence.

In complex therapy, a solution of the rehydron is used. With it, you can restore the electrolyte balance. The solution should be taken several sips 1 time in 15-20 minutes.

It should be noted that often the weakness after intestinal infection manifests itself in humans. This is because the body was weakened by disease, medications and bed rest. To recover from a previous infection, you need to know what you can eat. Since the main factor here is a diet after ailment.

Nutrition in the first few weeks after the illness is slightly different from the diet during illness. The only thing is that you can increase the dose of food intake. Also it is necessary to give preference to home food, to refuse from half-finished products and snacks on the go. Water should be boiled before consumption, and fruits and vegetables must be heat treated.

An important factor is hygiene. After each campaign on the street, you should wash your hands with soap, and several times, and always before eating.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics in treatment are prescribed when the disease is in acute form and the symptoms are pronounced. It is not recommended to take antibacterial drugs in the initial stages of infection, since they negatively affect the normal functioning of the intestine, and are capable of damaging its microflora.

Self-medication with antibiotics is highly undesirable. They can be assigned only by a specialist. The most common and safe antibacterial drugs are Linex and Lactobacterin.

Treatment with folk remedies

Complex treatment of the disease includes not only conservative therapy, but also the use of folk remedies. They complement each other, and increase the effectiveness of treatment.

St. John's wort with intestinal infection

2 tbsp.l. Shredded herbs in two cups of boiling water and insist on a steam bath for about 30 minutes. The broth strain, add water to the initial amount, and take a third cup for half an hour before meals.

Broth of oak bark

It is necessary to boil 1 liter of water, add to it 50 g of crushed oak bark, and boil everything on a quiet fire for about 30 minutes. Drink such a decoction is recommended at least 5-6 times a day.

Herbal collection against intestinal infection

It is necessary to connect the root of the tinder and nettle, add crushed alder cones( green).All components should be in equal quantities( 2 tablespoons).Mix well and boil in 0.5 liters of water in a water bath for about 10 minutes. Ready liquid must be filtered and cooled. Take a decoction of 0,5 tbsp.before meals, and in the same proportion after meals.

Using these recipes will not only alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but also help get rid of diarrhea, bloating, vomiting. Herbs have an anti-inflammatory and binding effect.

Intestinal infection is a very insidious and dangerous disease. It can trap a person in the street, on the sea, in everyday life. Pathology affects children, adults and the elderly. Where to expect it, you can not guess, but there are ways to warn yourself.

You can protect yourself from such an ailment by adhering to the rules of hygiene, observing caution in the use of certain products. If the infection has got into the body, do not delay with self-medication, you need to see the doctor. In time, the revealed pathology can cause much less harm to the body than the disease in the advanced stage.