Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It is an intestinal infection marked by diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Gastroenteritis is also known as stomach flu. Stomach flu is typically spread by contact with an infected person or by contaminated food or water.

In gastroenteritis stomach and intestines are irritated and inflamed which is typically caused by virus or bacterial infection.

Symptoms

The symptoms of gastroenteritis includes:

• Watery diarrhea
• Pain or cramps in abdomen
• Nausea and vomiting
• High fever (in children) and chills
• headache
• Dehydration
• Dry mouth & Extreme thirst
• Less urination
• Dry skin
• Dark color urine
• Dark stool (may contain blood or pus)

Symptoms may appear within one to three days after exposure to infection. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Symptoms usually lasts for 1 or 2 days, but symptoms may persist till 10 days.

Symptoms start to ease if gradually ease food is back into person’s diet, start with bland (easy digestible food such as banana, toast, rice), avoid (dairy, caffeein and alcohol) until recovery.

Does homeopathy have medicines for gastroenteritis?

There are many possible treatments in homeopathy for gastritis in classical homeopathy based on the persons specific details who is seeking treatment.

Homeopathic mode of treatment is completely safe and long-lasting and highly effctive  for gastroenteritis.

Duration for homeopathic treatment:

It is observed that mostly the patient response to homeopathic treatment in the initial 6 to 8 weeks but the total duration of the homeopathic Treatment may  vary from 4 months to 2 years depending upon the factors like how long is the  patient’s suffering, extent of disease ,other medications taken in past , lifestyle  & response of the immune system of patient.

Causes

Gastroenteritis is mainly caused by viral or bacterial infection and less often by parasites infection.

The commonest virus which causes gastroenteritis are norovirus and rotavirus. Common bacteria causing gastroenteritis are E.coli, salmonella and campylobacter. And the parasite causing gastroenteritis is giardia.

 The causes of gastroenteritis also includes:

-Contact with the person who is infected with the virus

-contaminated food or drinks

-unwashed hands after using washroom or changing diaper

-contaminated swimming pools

Other causes are

Heavy metals

Eating a lot of acidic or citrus fruits

Seafood toxins

Medications such as antibiotics, laxatives, antacids, and chemotherapy drugs.

people who are more prone to affected with gastroenteritis are:

young children

older adults

school children

dormitory residents

churchgoers

anyone with weak immune system

   Conventional treatments are:

Oral rehydration solution(ORS)

Loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate for viral infection

Antibiotics for bacterial infection

Drugs to kill parasites i.e for parasitic cause

Homeopathic medicines for treating gastroenteritis are:

• Nux vomica
• Lycopodium
• Bryonia
• Gelsemium
• pulsatilla
• sulphur
• Arsenic album
• Colocynth
• ipecacuanha