Although the causes of stomach flu range from bacteria and parasites to food reactions and unclean water, close to half of all gastroenteritis cases in adults — and even more in children — are caused by a virus.
Stomach flu usually develops after contact with an infected person or consuming contaminated food or water. Stomach flu and gastroenteritis symptoms often last for three to seven days and sometimes up to 10 days.
The most common form of the stomach flu is norovirus, which causes 19 million to 21 million illnesses each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. While the stomach flu affects the stomach, influenza only affects the respiratory system nose, throat, and lungs. Symptoms of the flu include fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and cough, and influenza can be prevented with a flu shot. In fact, good handwashing is the most important step in keeping yourself healthy.
Clean your hands before and after eating, after using the restroom, whenever dirty and before and after taking care of someone who is sick or frail. If you have respiratory symptoms, protect others by wearing a mask. Cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow, throw away used tissues immediately and clean your hands after any self-care like wiping your nose.
To learn more about how to protect yourself from the flu, visit www. Flu symptoms in children can be treated with antiviral medication. Antivirals must be prescribed within 48 to 72 hours to be effective. This can help lessen the severity of the symptoms. The flu can be very serious in children — if your child has the flu and their symptoms worsen, it may warrant immediate medical care. Some of those symptoms include:. Toggle navigation.
What is stomach flu and how does it compare with the flu? Norovirus symptoms can include: Diarrhea Nausea Stomach pain Vomiting In children, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain are more common symptoms of gastroenteritis than influenza.
We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. The Flu. If you are vomiting frequently and unable to keep fluids down, contact your healthcare provider. Stomach Flu. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.
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How to Treat Hour Stomach Flu. Symptoms of Influenza. Symptoms of the Stomach Flu. Common Side Effects of the Flu Shot.
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