Gastroenteritis in adults
Gastroenteritis in adults
Gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It's usually brought on by a bacterial or viral tummy bug.
In adults, the most common causes are norovirus (often called the "winter vomiting bug") or bacterial food poisoning.
It can leave you feeling quite miserable, but the good news is that it usually clears up on its own within a week. In most cases, you can simply look after yourself at home and rest until you're feeling better.
If you're looking for information on gastroenteritis in children and babies, that's covered in a separate page.
Common Symptoms
Emergency Warning Signs
When to See a Doctor
You usually will not need to see a doctor if you think you have gastroenteritis. It tends to get better by itself within a few days.
If you are worried or need advice, it is best to call your nearest hospital or clinic first before visiting in person, so you do not risk passing the infection to others.
Call 999 or go to the emergency department if you or the person affected:
- vomit blood, or vomit that looks like ground coffee
- have green vomit
- may have swallowed something poisonous
- have a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
- have a sudden, severe headache or stomach ache
- have blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue (on brown or black skin, this can be easier to spot on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
- are having severe difficulty breathing, or are taking many quick, short breaths
Call a doctor or visit a clinic if you:
- have signs of severe dehydration, such as constant dizziness, passing very little urine or none at all
- have bloody diarrhoea
- are vomiting constantly and cannot keep any fluids down
- have a fever above 38C (100.4F)
- have had diarrhoea for more than 7 days, or vomiting for more than 2 days
- have recently returned from a place with poor sanitation
- have a condition such as kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and now have diarrhoea and vomiting
Your doctor may suggest sending a stool sample to a laboratory to find out what is causing your symptoms. If this shows a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.
What to Do if You Have Gastroenteritis
If sudden diarrhoea and vomiting come on, it is best to stay home and rest until you feel better. There is often no specific treatment, so the illness usually has to run its course.
You do not usually need medical advice unless your symptoms are not improving, or there is a risk of something more serious. In the meantime, there is a lot you can do to ease your symptoms.
Helpful steps
- drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration; take small sips of water
- take paracetamol if you are uncomfortable
- rest as much as you can
- eat when you feel able to; it may help to avoid fatty or spicy foods
- ask your pharmacist about a rehydration drink if you notice signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or dark urine
- stay away from work until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have fully passed, and avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time
- wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food
- disinfect any surfaces or objects that may be contaminated; a bleach based household cleaner works well
- wash any contaminated clothing or bedding separately on a hot wash
- flush away stool or vomit in the toilet and clean the surrounding area
- keep food properly refrigerated
- always cook your food thoroughly
Better to avoid
- fruit juice or fizzy drinks, as they can make diarrhoea worse
- giving aspirin to children under 16
- preparing food for others while you are infected, if this can be avoided
- eating food that is past its use by date
- relying only on alcohol based hand gels, as these are not always effective
- sharing towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils while you are unwell
If you are travelling to a part of the world with poor sanitation, take extra care, as you could pick up a stomach infection there. For example, you may need to boil tap water before drinking it.
Please do not include personal information such as your name, location or any personal health conditions.
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
When to See a Doctor
When to See a Doctor
You usually will not need to see a doctor if you think you have gastroenteritis, because it tends to get better on its own within a few days.
Phone 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you or someone with you:
- vomits blood or brings up vomit that looks like ground coffee
- has green vomit
- may have swallowed something poisonous
- has a stiff neck along with pain when looking at bright lights
- has a sudden, severe headache or severe stomach pain
- has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue. On brown or black skin, this can sometimes be easier to notice on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet
- is having severe difficulty breathing, or is taking many quick, short breaths
Contact a doctor promptly if you:
- have signs of severe dehydration, such as constant dizziness, passing only small amounts of urine, or passing no urine at all
- have bloody diarrhoea
- are vomiting constantly and cannot keep any fluids down
- have a fever above 38C (100.4F)
- have had diarrhoea for more than 7 days, or vomiting for more than 2 days
- have recently returned from a place with poor sanitation
- have a condition such as kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease or a weakened immune system, and are now having diarrhoea and vomiting
A doctor may want to send a sample of your stool to a laboratory to find out what is causing your symptoms. If the test shows a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.
What to do if you have gastroenteritis
If diarrhoea and vomiting start suddenly, it is best to stay home and rest until you feel better. There is not always a specific treatment for gastroenteritis, so in most cases you simply need to let the illness run its course.
You do not usually need medical advice unless your symptoms fail to improve or there seems to be a risk of something more serious.
There is still a lot you can do to ease your symptoms and recover comfortably.
Helpful steps
- drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Take small, frequent sips of water
- take paracetamol if you are in discomfort
- get as much rest as you can
- eat when you feel able to. It can help to avoid food that is fatty or spicy
- ask your pharmacist about a rehydration drink if you notice signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or dark urine
- stay away from work or school until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have fully passed, and avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time as well
- wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet and before handling food
- disinfect any surfaces or objects that may be contaminated. A bleach based household cleaner works best
- wash any soiled clothing or bedding separately on a hot wash
- flush away stool or vomit in the toilet and clean the area around it afterwards
- keep food properly refrigerated
- always cook food thoroughly before eating it
Best avoided
- avoid fruit juice or fizzy drinks, as they can make diarrhoea worse
- do not give aspirin to children under 16
- avoid preparing food for others while you are unwell, if at all possible
- do not eat food that is past its use by date
- do not rely only on alcohol based hand gels, as they are not always effective against this kind of infection
- avoid sharing towels, face cloths, cutlery or utensils with others while you are ill
Take extra care when travelling to places with poor sanitation, since it is easy to pick up a stomach infection there. For example, you may need to boil tap water before drinking it.
Treatment
A pharmacist can help if you have gastroenteritis.
Speak to a pharmacist if you:
- notice signs of dehydration, such as dark, strong-smelling urine or passing urine less than usual
- are an older person
- have a weakened immune system
- have another health condition that raises your risk of dehydration
- need to stop diarrhoea or vomiting for a few hours
They may suggest:
- an oral rehydration powder that you mix with water to make a drink
- medicine to stop diarrhoea for a few hours, such as loperamide (not suitable for children aged 11 and under)
- medicine to stop vomiting (antiemetics)
How gastroenteritis spreads
The bugs that cause gastroenteritis spread very easily from person to person.
You can catch the infection if tiny particles of vomit or stool from an infected person get into your mouth. This can happen through:
- close contact with someone who has gastroenteritis, since they may breathe out small particles of vomit
- touching contaminated surfaces or objects
Eating contaminated food can also put you at risk. This can happen if:
- an infected person doesn't wash their hands before handling food
- you eat food that has touched contaminated surfaces or objects
- you eat food that hasn't been stored and cooked at the right temperatures
A person with gastroenteritis is most infectious from the time their symptoms begin until 48 hours after all symptoms have passed. They may also be infectious for a short time before and after this period.
Prevention
It's not always possible to avoid catching gastroenteritis. But there is a lot you can do to stop it from spreading to the people around you.