The stomach flu is not actually caused by the influenza virus, as the common name might suggest. The correct term for the illness is viral gastroenteritis, and it is a viral infection of the digestive system. Flu-like symptoms such as a fever and...
Hands spread infections. Serious consequences can result when unclean hands are not washed. It is necessary to wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose, changing a diaper, before and after caring for...
Diarrhea shows up as a symptom of another condition. Diet modification is one of the most effective ways to help ease diarrhea and shorten its duration. You should only change your diet to treat diarrhea under a doctor's supervision, however....
Communicable diseases remain a frequent cause of illness in the human population. Viruses, bacteria and fungi commonly pass from one person to another through direct contact or contamination of inanimate objects or food. Hand washing and adequate...
Your gastrointestinal system includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. Your liver, pancreas and gallbladder work with the gastrointestinal organs to digest the food you eat into absorbable subunits, which enter the bloodstream...
Even when your stomach virus is officially over, which can take days or weeks, you can be left feeling drained. The virus wreaks havoc on both your immune system and your nutrition. Getting your strength back after a stomach virus will take time....
Viral gastroenteritis is often referred to as the stomach flu. It is highly contagious and is caused by different viruses. Rotavirus and norovirus are two viruses responsible for causing the severe nausea and diarrhea that accompanies...
The stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis, is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, the stomach flu is not caused by an influenza strain....
The stomach flu is a highly contagious viral infection of the digestive tract that can cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. It typically lasts one to three days and is treated with rest and a modified diet. Certain foods can aggravate the gut and...
The primary treatment for the stomach flu is focused on your diet. There's no effective cure, so modifying your diet can help improve your symptoms. The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, is an infection of the digestive tract that causes...
Gastroenteritis is another term for an upset stomach and causes diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. If you have gastroenteritis, your digestive tract is inflamed, including your mouth, stomach, intestines and esophagus. Yogurt contains live cultures...
If you have a stomach virus, sometimes called the stomach flu, it's best to stay out of any swimming pool -- whether it's a public pool or your own. Bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause diarrhea and vomiting can spread through the water,...
Intestinal flu, often called the stomach flu, is caused by an infection of the small intestine by a number of viruses. The stomach flu is highly contagious. It is not associated with the seasonal flu or influenza. The intestinal flu can infect...
After you've had the stomach flu, it is important to take it slow as you re-introduce foods back into your diet. The stomach flu can leave your stomach queasy and sensitive even after the viral infection has subsided. Because the most common...
Implementing a soft diet after the stomach flu is beneficial because even though the viral infection may have subsided, your intestines can take a few days to completely heal. MayoClinic.com states that even after the stomach flu ends, you can...
The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, is not dangerous to most people, but it can cause dehydration, excessive vomiting and fatigue -- conditions that are not at all conducive to exercise. Though there's no hard-and-fast rule for when it's...
Stomach pain can be the result of many different digestive complications, but having difficulty eating is primarily related to loss of appetite. Two of the most common conditions that cause difficulty eating and stomach pain are the stomach flu...
Viral gastroenteritis, also called "stomach flu," is highly contagious and uncomfortable. Despite its moniker, the influenza virus does not cause stomach flu, which is the second most common illness in the United States, according to the National...
Stomach flu, officially called viral gastroenteritis, is caused by several viruses, according to the website eMedTV.com. The symptoms of stomach flu are usually the same regardless of the virus, but some symptoms can be more severe than others....
Diagnosing a stomach ache is one of medicine's most difficult tasks, Dr. Michael J. White writes for the Emergency Medicine website. Identifying the cause of discomfort is so difficult because, in part, of the number of organs in the area,...
At some point everyone experiences a stomach virus, better known as the stomach flu. Accompanying it are its all too familiar symptoms; stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and, in some cases, fever. The more technical term for a stomach...
If your child has an upset stomach, especially one accompanied by vomiting and a high fever, you may be looking at a case of stomach flu. While you can't give your child medication to make the stomach flu go away -- your child's immune system has...
If you develop constant diarrhea after eating, you may be suffering from a few different conditions. If the constant diarrhea developed suddenly, you could have viral gastroenteritis or food poisoning. If you notice diarrhea after eating certain...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of viruses when soap and water are not available. However, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be just as effective or more effective than regular...
"Stomach flu" is a term used to describe a viral infection called gastroenteritis. Despite the name of this contagious infection, the stomach flu is not caused by the influenza virus. The stomach flu is a common infection that can affect infants,...
A stomach cramp is a term used to describe pain in the abdomen. Abdominal pain is one of the most common complaints heard in the emergency room, according to a 2005 study by Louis G. Graff IV, MD, from the University of Connecticut School of...
Few non-fatal illnesses disrupt one's life more than gastroenteritis, or the stomach flu. Vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and cramping are all symptoms of this annoying and contagious disease. Medications, including antibiotics, are ineffective...
Almost everyone has had stomach flu at one time in his life. This highly contagious illness has nothing to with the stomach or the influenza virus, despite the name most people use to describe it. Doctors call this malady viral gastroenteritis. It...
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) claims there is a strong link between poor academic performance and health-related factors such as chronic illness, physical and emotional abuse and hunger. Other risks factors that affect school performance...