Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They're often caused by a stomach bug and should only last a few days. During that time, there are many ways you can manage your illness at home. Here's some top advice from our home doctor service in Torremolinos on managing sickness and diarrhoea or either one individually.
Causes of Diarrhoea and Vomiting
It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of your illness, but the main causes are usually treated in the same way. This makes managing the illness far easier.
The most common causes are:
- gastroenteritis (a common stomach bug)
- norovirus – also called the "vomiting bug"
- food poisoning.
Treating Diarrhoea and Vomiting Yourself
You can usually quickly treat sickness and diarrhoea at home. The most important thing is to make sure you stay hydrated and replenish the fluids you lose.
Here are some key do's and don'ts from the experts in our home doctor service in Torremolinos:
Do
- stay at home and rest
- sip lots of fluids, such as water or squash
- carry on breast or bottle-feeding your baby but with small feeds more often than usual
- give babies on formula or solid foods and small sips of water between feeds
- eat when you feel able to
- take over-the-counter painkillers if you're in discomfort.
Don't
- don't have fruit juice or fizzy drinks as they can make diarrhoea worse
- don't make baby formula weaker than you would usually
- don't give children under 12 medicine to stop their diarrhoea.
How Long Can Diarrhoea and Vomiting Last?
In adults and children:
- diarrhoea usually lasts between 5 to 7 days
- vomiting usually lasts 1 or 2 days.
Preventing the Illness from Spreading
Sickness and diarrhoea can be highly contagious and spread quickly. That's why our home doctor service in Torremolinos advises that you stay off school or work until you have gone at least two days withing vomiting or having diarrhoea.
You can also try:
- washing your hands with soap and water frequently
- washing any clothing or bedding that has poo or vomit on it on a hot wash
- cleaning your toilet seats, flush handles, taps, surfaces and door handles every day
- avoiding preparing food for other people
- not sharing towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils
- not swimming until two weeks after your symptoms stop.
While you shouldn't need to call our home doctors service in Torremolinos to manage your sickness and diarrhoea, you may find it useful to ask a pharmacist for help. They'll be able to provide you with more advice if you or your child (over five years) have dark, smelly pee or are peeing less than usual as this could signal severe dehydration.
If you’re suffering from sickness and diarrhoea on a regular basis, it might be worth talking to our home doctor service in Torremolinos to determine whether there’s an underlying cause that’s making you more susceptible to the illness.
To find out more about our home doctor service in Torremolinos, visit our website and get in touch today.