10 Stomach Infection Symptoms
Our digestive system is home to a wide variety of bacteria. These are mostly helpful to us as they help us to break down the food that we eat. That does not mean that all bacteria and other microbes are good, though, and some have the ability to make us very ill.
If the wrong bacteria were to make it into our stomach, or if the wrong ones were to proliferate, they could make us quite ill. Most infections will pass in just a few days, but some do have the ability to be very dangerous to our health and even to our lives.
Stomach infections are also known as bacterial gastroenteritis. Here are a few of the symptoms to look out for.
Symptom #1: Abdominal Pain
Patients suffering from gastroenteritis usually develop abdominal pain. The pain is often described as abdominal cramps that come and go on their own. The location of the pain will vary depending on the pathogen and the involved structure (large or small bowels).
Symptom #2: Aching Muscles
Whenever there is an infection, our immune system is hard at work dealing with the problem. It helped to keep us safe even before we had modern medicine, although medicine does help to keep us even safer than before. Our immune system has various methods of defense, one of which is chemical warfare.
When faced with pathogens, the white blood cells will use chemicals to try and kill the invaders. These chemicals have a side effect, though: they cause inflammation to the muscles. This inflammation leads to what we feel as aching muscles and it is a common symptom where infections are concerned.
Symptom #3: Increased Bowel Sounds
Borborygmus is the medical term that describes an increase in the frequency and/or intensity of the bowel sounds. It is usually described as a rumbling sound that can be embarrassing for some patients.
It is caused by the increased movement of water and gas through the gastrointestinal tract.
Symptom #4: Nausea
When you fall ill, there is a good chance it is going to make you feel nauseous, and stomach infections are no exceptions. It is often one of the most unpleasant symptoms you will have with a stomach infection, asides from any pain you might experience. Thankfully, the symptom should pass once the underlying condition has been treated.
This will leave patients not wanting to do much, although they should be taking it easy anyway. A doctor may be able to prescribe something to relieve the symptom if it is too uncomfortable for you. Nausea can also lead to vomiting, and vomiting is a symptom that can lead to further problems.
Symptom #5: Fatigue
When we are ill, we often feel as though we don’t have the energy to do anything. Instead, we just want to stay in bed or slump in front of the TV. This fatigue that we feel can be down to a number of reasons.
Fighting a disease can be draining because your body is hard at work behind the scenes. There is also the matter of diarrhea and vomiting that can cause us to lose valuable nutrients. Patients that have a stomach infection can also find it difficult to sleep at night, further adding to the problem.
Symptom #6: Appetite Loss
It is important to try and keep your strength up even if you are feeling ill. This means, among other things, ensuring you get all the nutrition that you need. This is sometimes difficult, though, because you will sometimes just not feel like eating anything at all.
Regardless of how little you feel like eating, you should still try to eat as much as you can. Even some soup can help give you some of the nutrition you need and it might even be able to whet your appetite. If you are able to keep yourself well-nourished, then it can help you to recover from the infection faster.
Symptom #7: Fever
A fever is one of our body’s natural defenses against germs. Basically, if the body is too hot, then the heat can kill the germs, or at least slow them down. As such, they are an important part of the recovery process. You are likely to experience a fever when you have a stomach infection.
The fever that you get from a stomach infection is only likely to be mild, and fevers are not generally something to be concerned about anyway. Regardless, the fever should still be monitored in case it does rise to within dangerous levels. Paracetamol is usually effective at helping to keep a fever under control if needed.
Symptom #8: Dry Mouth
It is usual for patients with bacterial gastroenteritis to become dehydrated. Diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, contribute to the appearance of this complication.
One of the early symptoms associated with dehydration is the dryness of the mucosae, especially the oral mucosa. The mouth will become dry and the saliva will be thick.
Symptom #9: Diarrhea
Diarrhea is one symptom that tends to go hand in hand with stomach infections and similar problems. As food passes through the system too quickly, there is not enough time for sufficient water to be absorbed, and this causes the water to come out at the other end with our stools.
As mentioned, this can lead to dehydration as the body is not absorbing the water it needs. If you notice blood in the diarrhea then it is a sign of a serious infection and that you should see a doctor as soon as you can. Diarrhea is not necessarily dangerous in itself, but it is still not something to be taken too lightly.
Symptom #10: Increased Heart Rate
Depending on the pathogen and the severity of the infection, patients may become dehydrated. The volume loss due to diarrhea, vomiting, and fever will lead to this complication. As the condition progresses, the patient will experience an increased heart rate as the heart works harder to supply blood to the tissues.
This is a late sign of dehydration and when it appears it should be taken seriously to prevent further complications.
