Thursday, July 12, 2012

Treat Bacterial Gastroenteritis

Bacterial gastroenteritis occurs when the stomach and intestines become inflamed as a result of a bacterial infection. Most cases of bacterial gastroenteritis self heal and all you need to do is treat the unpleasant symptoms. More severe require medical intervention.








Instructions








1. Pinpoint the cause of the bacterial gastroenteritis. Many times the culprit for coming down with a bout of bacterial gastroenteritis is eating tainted food. It’s very important to pinpoint the source to prevent it form happening again. It might be as simple as eating a piece of chicken from your refrigerator that hung around one day too long.


2. Increase fluid intake. Because bacterial gastroenteritis causes diarrhea, it is extremely important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Consume plenty of water, broth and liquids that contain electrolytes to help replenish your system. Stay away from alcohol, caffeinated drinks, milk and fruit/vegetable juices because they may exacerbate the symptoms.


3. Treat bacterial gastroenteritis with bland foods such as rice, banana, and potatoes. Stay away from spicy foods.


4. Take it easy and get plenty of rest. Bacterial gastroenteritis takes its toll on your system. The goal in treating bacterial gastroenteritis is to allow your body to recuperate as naturally as possible. Adequate rest is an essential building block in the body’s coping mechanism. Take a break from your normal daily activities.


5. Improve your intestinal flora with yogurt. Yogurt is a tasty way to treat the symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis. Yogurt contains probiotics, and probiotics help to improve the bacterial balance within the intestines. Balancing the intestinal flora helps to put an end to diarrhea.


6. Call your doctor. Milder cases of bacterial gastroenteritis go away without the need for professional medical treatment. However, if your bacterial gastroenteritis symptoms show no signs of easing after 3 or 4 days, call your doctor. You might have something a little more serious that requires a different course of treatment.

Tags: bacterial gastroenteritis, bacterial gastroenteritis, away from, cases bacterial, cases bacterial gastroenteritis