Are you experiencing sudden diarrhea, intestinal (stomach) cramps and loss of appetite symptoms? Uppermost on the list of possible suspect causes is acute enteritis, a type of food poisoning.
Enteritis is inflammation of your small intestines, most often caused by a virus. However, eating or drinking something (foodborne) that is contaminated with bacteria is a major player as well. Salmonella and E. Coli are highly publicized bacterial culprits for wrecking an otherwise great day (or night).
Salmonella, e. coli or any other enteritis causing bacteria germs may take a matter of hours or a couple of days to get settled in your small intestine. Settled as in prolific toxin multiplication causing overwhelming and adverse effects to your health.
Bacterial enteritis results in the inflammation and swelling of your small intestine, giving you notice by symptoms such as:
- gas
- fever
- diarrhea
- dehydration
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- vomiting ~ rarely
- intestinal cramping
The degree of your discomfort largely depends on the number and type of bacteria you ingested. And normally, it takes a healthy immune system only a day or two to win the war against salmonella or e. coli bacterial causing enteritis.
Also, enteritis inflammation is frequently accompanied by gastritis and colitis. Types of acute bacteria enteritis include:
- food poisoning
- E. coli enteritis
- shigella enteritis
- salmonella enteritis
- bacterial gastroenteritis
- campylobacter enteritis
- staph aureus food poisoning
Enteritis is not only a foodborne illness, but may also be chronic and/or a result of:
- viral infection
- radiation cancer treatment
- autoimmune condition ~ Crohn’s disease
- drugs ~ ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, cocaine
Mild cases of foodborne enteritis usually doesn’t require medical treatment.
What needs your attention while in the throes of any bout with enteritis is hydration. Diarrhea often leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Replacing these lost fluids and electrolytes (hydration) is significant for sustaining your health.
If your diarrhea is severe, a re-hydration solution may serve both issues well, such as:
- Oralyte
- Ceralyte
- Pedialyte
Sports drinks (Gatorade) are not a good hydration fluid for diarrhea caused dehydration because they do not replace what’s been flushed correctly.
Bismuth subsalicylate, and the like, can reduce the duration and severity of simple diarrhea. However, antidiarrheal medication treatment may delay the “intestinal inflammation” organism’s evacuation from your digestive tract.
You should make contact with a doctor if:
- take diuretics
- persistent vomiting
- blood in your stools
- diarrhea longer than 3 days
- high fever ~ orally over 101.5
- signs of dehydration ~ decrease urine output, dry mouth, dizzy when standing up
It is not necessary to take an antibiotic for treatment of a mild case salmonella or E coli causing enteritis bacterial infection.
Health preservation protocol before ingesting any food is to cook, store and wash it appropriately, completely, and properly.
