What to Do When Your Stomach Still Hurts After Stomach Flu – Overview
What should you do when your stomach still hurts after the stomach flu? The stomach flu, medically known as gastroenteritis, is a painful condition.
Abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea are the main symptoms. For most of those battling the flu, you are uncomfortable and can’t leave the house or eat in peace.
Fortunately, these symptoms only last a few days and you are back to normal.
For a few people, the stomach still hurts after the stomach flu is healed. Medically, the condition is known as post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.
Below are some tips to follow to make sure that you get better from this condition.
Change your diet
Stomach Still Hurts After Stomach Flu – change your diet
There are certain types of food that you will need to stay away from. Dairy and wheat are a major part of our daily diets. It is best if you stay away from these for a while to help your stomach relax and heal.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol too. When you have a stomach bug, it is best to stay away from alcohol until you get better. Caffeine is acidic. It may react differently with your stomach lining when you have an infection in your stomach.
Hydrate
Stomach Still Hurts After Stomach Flu – hydrate
Take more liquids. This will help with your nausea and help to cool down your irritable bowel.
Our bodies are 90% water. It is therefore important that you take lots of water. Take a glass of water every few hours.
For children, do not give plain water. You are seeking to add electrolytes to your system to improve your general well-being.
Avoid solid foods for a few days. This helps keep you from throwing up and stops regular diarrhea. You can enjoy bananas, toast and a variety of fruits.
Rest
Stomach Still Hurts After Stomach Flu – rest
For many conditions, rest is the best treatment. For a post-infection irritable bowel syndrome, you will have suffered several days of weakness.
Stomach infections cause regular vomiting and diarrhea. It takes a toll on the body and without rest, it will be difficult to get back to normal fast.
Take a day off and just rest. It will go a long way in helping get you back to normal.
Get back to eating solid food gradually
The infection in your stomach may have had you only on liquids and semi-solid food products. To get back to eating normal food, you need to ease back gently. You can eat rice. Soda crackers and even chicken.
When these foods sit well in your stomach for a few days, you can now get back to eating normal food. You may want to take a look at the BRAT diet food list to improve your digestive problems.
Supplements
Stomach Still Hurts After Stomach Flu – supplements
For chronic stomach infections like this one, do not self-medicate. Listen and follow instructions as issued by your doctor. Only use supplements that are recommended to you by the doctor.
Supplements, in addition to adding vitamins also add nutrients to the body. You may not need your usual vitamins. Only supplement with what your doctor instructs.
Medication
Like supplements, only use the medication that your doctor recommends. Doctors will recommend food and medication that will help you boost your immunity and help you fight the next infection that you get.
Avoid over-the-counter drugs and other medications to help ease your stomach. Only use medication that is prescribed by a doctor.
Avoid fried foods
When you have post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome, it is best to avoid fried foods. Even when you are healthy, avoid fried foods. With an extended stomach flu problem, it is best if you stay away from fried foods. Fried foods will make your stomach bug even worse.
When to see the doctor for a persistent stomach flu
If your stomach still hurts after the stomach flu, the above are the steps that you take to treat yourself at home. When the symptoms persist, you must see a doctor. If you have any of these symptoms see a doctor immediately.
Severe dehydration is a major symptom for which you need to see a doctor. Dehydration is caused by prolonged diarrhea and vomiting. Doctors will recommend the right course of action to take.
Excessive vomiting is another symptom that you need to get treated for when your stomach flu persists.
When your post-infection irritable bowel syndrome persists for a week or more, you need to visit a doctor. There could be more to your persistent stomach bug and a doctor must look into it.
Also, if you are currently pregnant, you must visit a doctor if you have persistent stomach flu. You need to be treated as fast as possible.
Conclusion
The stomach flu requires that you treat it as fast as possible. This ensures that it does not lead to other problems within the body.
Follow all the instructions as provided by your doctor and the above tips to reduce any inflammation and infection in your stomach after the stomach flu.
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