What Is Bacterial Gastroenteritis?

Bacterial gastritis occurs when bacteria causes infections in your gut, which leads to intestinal and stomach inflammations. You might also encounter symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and severe abdominal cramps. Whilst viruses cause several gastrointestinal disorders, bacterial infections are common as well. Bacterial gastritis develops as a result of poor hygiene. Infections can also be caused by contaminated water or foods and get into contact with infected animals. Consuming foods that are undercooked, or not reheated properly can trigger bacterial gastroenteritis also referred to as food poisoning.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms associated with gastroenteritis vary depending on the causative bacteria. These symptoms might include:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal discomfort or cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blood streaks on your stool
• Nausea and vomiting

Most often, the symptoms disappear within five days for adults and two days for young children. However, if your condition lasts longer than this, be sure to consult your doctor for treatment. If an infant younger than 3 months is having severe diarrhea or vomiting, seek urgent medical attention.

How to Treat Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Treatments are focused on keeping you hydrated and avoiding potential complications. It’s crucial to minimize the rate at which your body loses essential salts like potassium and sodium. The body requires considerable amounts of this substance for it to remain effectively functional. If you’re experiencing bacterial gastroenteritis, you might be given intravenous salt injections aimed at raising the level of calcium or potassium in your body.

Home Remedies

If your condition is fairly serious, you can decide to treat it at home. You can start by taking small amounts of food on a more frequent basis. Make sure that you include salty foods in your daily diet and drink lots of fluids throughout the day. Increasing your intake of bananas, fruit juices, and drinks containing potassium can also help. Moreover, avoid taking medications without the instructions from your doctor.

Nevertheless, if you’re unable to keep fluids down for more than 24 hours, be quick to seek medical assistance. A couple of ingredients you might be having at home can really be helpful in keeping your electrolytes stabilized and alleviate diarrhea. Ginger plays an important role in combating the infection and reducing the severity of abdominal pain. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, can significantly soothe stomach cramps as well as strengthening it against future infections. Avoid eating high-fiber, dairy, and fruits to prevent diarrhea from worsening. Over-the-counter medications that neutralize the acidity of your stomach can help in fighting these bacterial infections. Drugs that relieve symptoms like abdominal pains, diarrhea and nausea can really be helpful. Though such treatments don’t require prescriptions, it is wise to consult your physician before taking them.

Causes of Bacterial Gastritis

There are several bacteria that can cause gastritis. They include:

• E. coli - found in salads and ground beef
• Yersinia - usually found in pork
• Campylobacter - found in poultry or meat
• Shigella - often found in swimming pools
• Salmonella - found in eggs, meat, and dairy products
• Staphylococcus - found in eggs and dairy products as well

Bacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks mostly happen when hotels serve contaminated foods or drinks to many people. Outbreaks can initiate recalls of produce as well as other foods. Bacterial gastritis can easily be transmitted from one individual to another if someone has the bacteria on his/her hands. You are highly prone to these infections if you’re always involved in traveling activities or working in a crowded area.