A gastrointestinal infection can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites, which can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration.
Treatment usually consists of alleviating symptoms with rest, hydration, and adequate nutrition. However, depending on the cause, it may be necessary to take an antibiotic if the infection is from bacteria, or an antiparasitic if it is from worms.
home remedies
Dehydration is one of the most dangerous symptoms that can occur during an intestinal infection, which can easily happen due to water lost in vomiting and diarrhea. For this reason, oral rehydration is very important and can be done with solutions obtained from the pharmacy or with a homemade serum that can be prepared at home.
In more severe cases of severe dehydration, hospitalization may be necessary for rehydration to be done with intravenous fluids.
To relieve pain and reduce diarrhea, syrups and teas that can be easily prepared at home can be taken, such as chamomile tea or apple syrup, for example. See how to prepare these natural remedies.
Pharmacy Remedies
During an intestinal infection, abdominal pain and headaches can occur. If these pains are very strong, you can take a pain reliever, such as paracetamol or Buscopan, for example.
In addition, to help stop diarrhea, probiotics can be used, such as Enterogermin, Florax or Floratil, for example, which will replenish the intestinal flora and make the intestine work normally again.
Generally, in intestinal infections antibiotics are not used, because they only work for bacterial infections, which are infrequent infections, and furthermore, they can lead to resistant bacteria to develop if antibiotics are used without indication. However, if the infection is very severe and does not cure, or if the specific microorganism responsible for the infection is identified, an antibiotic to which the bacteria is sensitive should be used:
Antibiotics most used in intestinal bacterial infection
Depending on the bacteria that are involved in the intestinal infection, the most commonly prescribed antibiotics are amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and metronidazole.
