How to Help Oneself With the Stomach Flu

Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are a few of the most common symptoms that make up the illness referred to as the stomach flu. Nobody enjoys being sick, but the unpleasant symptoms of the stomach flu make it among the most universally disliked illnesses with which you can be struck. Stomach flu is not actually the result of the flu or influenza virus; instead, it is an infection called gastroenteritis. While there is no cure for gastroenteritis, you can do a number of things to help deal with the symptoms until the illness has passed.

Instructions

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• 1

  Look at your symptoms to determine if you are sick with gastroenteritis. The most common symptoms are diarrhea (sometimes watery), vomiting and stomach pain. Some people may also experience body aches, fever and even a headache.

• 2

  Prepare to work through the normal symptoms of gastroenteritis without the help of medications. Gastroenteritis is most commonly caused by the rotavirus or the norovirus, neither of which can be treated with antibiotics.

• 3

  Expect to have symptoms for 1 to 10 days. If you were exposed to another person who was sick with the symptoms of the stomach flu, you can anticipate the possibility of becoming ill yourself approximately one to two days after being exposed to them.

Self-Help

• 4

  Drink clear fluids to avoid dehydration. Vomiting and watery diarrhea have the capability of depleting your body's reserve of fluids and important minerals. Consider drinking a rehydration fluid such as Pedialyte or Gatorade.

• 5

  Drink only small amounts of clear fluid at a time when the nausea and vomiting are too severe to consume large amounts. Examples of clear fluids include tea, apple or grape juice, specially formulated rehydration fluids or water. If you are unable to drink even small amounts of fluids, try sucking on ice chips or an ice pop.

• 6

  Avoid food until the extreme nausea and/or vomiting has passed. It is more important to stay hydrated with fluids than to consume food, and skipping meals will allow the stomach to rest.

• 7

  Allow yourself plenty of time to rest. Staying quiet and sleeping will help to conserve your body's energy and allow your immune system to concentrate on fighting off the virus.

• 8

  Begin eating bland foods after the severe nausea and/or vomiting have subsided and after you are able to consume fluids without upsetting your stomach. Examples of appropriate bland foods are bananas, crackers, rice, apples and toast.