You can often treat gastroenteritis with home remedies and OTC medications. Sometimes, you may need additional treatments.

Gastroenteritis causes inflammation in your stomach and intestines. It leads to symptoms like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal pain. You may hear it called a “stomach bug” or the “stomach flu.”

The treatment of gastroenteritis can depend on what’s causing it, as well as the severity of your symptoms. In this article, we outline the different treatment types for gastroenteritis.

If gastroenteritis is very mild, you may not need to go to the doctor. Instead, there are things that you can do at home to ease your symptoms.

Hydration

One of the most important things that you can do if you have gastroenteritis is to make sure you stay hydrated. This is because experiencing frequent diarrhea and vomiting can make you lose fluid faster, raising your risk of dehydration.

To prevent dehydration, make sure you’re drinking enough water. Keep in mind that you’ll need to drink more than you’re used to in order to replace lost fluids.

In addition to water, you also lose electrolytes through vomiting and diarrhea. Drinking broths, fruit juices, or sports drinks may help to replace some of these.

Oral rehydration solutions are also a potential option to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. This is especially true for children and older adults, who are at a higher risk of dehydration.

A variety of oral rehydration solution products are available over the counter (OTC). They typically come in a powder that you dissolve in water.

Rest

Dealing with the effects of gastroenteritis can be tiring. Because of this, make sure to rest up as you recover.

The majority of the time, gastroenteritis is due to an infection. This is typically a viral infection, but bacterial infections can also lead to gastroenteritis. Getting enough rest can help your immune system respond to the infection.

When you have gastroenteritis, it may help to eat some types of foods while avoiding others.

What to eat with gastroenteritis

It’s possible that you may not have much of an appetite when you have gastroenteritis. However, it’s still important to eat something so that your stomach isn’t running on empty.

If you’re feeling up to eating, try some of the following:

  • crackers
  • toast
  • pretzels
  • rice
  • pasta
  • oatmeal
  • potatoes
  • bananas
  • applesauce
  • broths
  • cold foods like popsicles, puddings, or gelatin

Babies with gastroenteritis can receive breast milk or formula as usual.

If you’re finding that gastroenteritis is making you very nauseated, it may also be beneficial to eat small amounts of foods more often as opposed to fewer larger meals.

What to avoid with gastroenteritis

Some foods may make your digestive symptoms worse. It’s a good rule of thumb to avoid the following foods as you recover from gastroenteritis:

  • foods that are:
    • spicy
    • fatty, fried, or greasy
    • very sweet
  • milk and other dairy products
  • vegetables that may cause gas, such as onions, cabbage, and broccoli
  • more acidic foods like citrus fruit, berries, and grapes
  • drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and sodas
  • drinks containing alcohol
  • foods or beverages that have very strong smells

If home remedies and dietary adjustments aren’t helping to manage gastroenteritis, medications and medical treatments may be effective.

Gastroenteritis medications over the counter

You can get OTC medications without a prescription from a doctor.

Some OTC medications may not be safe for infants and young children to use. Because of this, always speak with your child’s pediatrician before using any OTC medications to treat your child’s gastroenteritis.

OTC medications for diarrhea and nausea

Loperamide (Imodium) can help with diarrhea that happens due to gastroenteritis. Its most common side effects include constipation and fatigue.

Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, others) may also be an option to relieve diarrhea, nausea, and stomach upset.

It’s associated with few side effects, but it can lead to a darkening of your tongue or stool. While this may be alarming, it’s perfectly normal after taking this medication and goes away after a few days.

It’s important to note that if you have symptoms like fever or blood in your stool, you should not take OTC medications for diarrhea. Instead, see a doctor for treatment recommendations.

OTC medications for pain

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is commonly used for headaches or pain. It has few side effects but may rarely cause allergic reactions or liver damage.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) are also available for pain relief. However, NSAIDs are associated with digestive side effects.

Prescription medications

A doctor may prescribe medication to help treat gastroenteritis.

Antiemetics for gastroenteritis

If you have persistent vomiting and aren’t able to keep food down, a doctor may prescribe a medication to reduce nausea and vomiting. Doctors call these medications antiemetics.

Metoclopramide (Reglan) and ondansetron (Zofran) are two examples of antiemetics for gastroenteritis. Both may cause side effects like:

Additional side effects associated with metoclopramide include:

Ondansetron may also cause constipation or chills.

Antibiotics for gastroenteritis

If your gastroenteritis is caused by a bacterial infection, you may be prescribed antibiotics. These are medications that kill bacteria.

Not everyone with bacterial gastroenteritis needs antibiotic treatment. This is because of concerns related to antibiotic resistance.

However, antibiotics can be lifesaving for people with moderate to severe bacterial gastroenteritis. The type of antibiotic used can depend on the type of bacteria that’s causing your illness and what antibiotics it’s sensitive to.

Some potential side effects and risks associated with antibiotics include:

Medical treatments

You may need intravenous (IV) rehydration if you don’t respond to treatment with oral rehydration solutions or an antiemetic, have severe dehydration, or both. This is typically done in a hospital or clinic.

IV rehydration involves the placement of an IV line into a vein in your arm. This allows fluids to enter directly into your bloodstream.

Sometimes, gastroenteritis can be treated at home. You may still choose to contact a doctor for advice on how to best treat gastroenteritis in yourself or your child.

However, there are some signs that signal that it’s time to seek prompt medical help. Contact a doctor if you or your child have:

Parents or caregivers of infants should contact a doctor for advice if an infant has a fever.

Lastly, some groups are at a higher risk of complications due to gastroenteritis. Be sure to contact a doctor if you get symptoms of gastroenteritis and:

  • are an older adult
  • are pregnant
  • have a weakened immune system

What is the fastest way to cure gastroenteritis?

There’s no surefire “fast-track” way to cure gastroenteritis. These infections typically need to run their course. If you get gastroenteritis, the fastest way to feel better involves:

  • staying hydrated
  • getting enough rest
  • using medications to manage symptoms, if needed
  • contacting a doctor if you don’t feel better in a few days or if you have serious symptoms

What can flush out a stomach virus?

There’s not really a way to “flush out” a stomach virus. However, drinking plenty of fluids to make sure you stay hydrated can help prevent dehydration, a common complication of gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis causes symptoms like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal pain. It’s often caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

Many bouts of gastroenteritis can be treated with home remedies and OTC medications. However, a doctor may prescribe medications or recommend medical procedures to treat more serious cases of gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis can become serious. Be sure to seek prompt medical care if your symptoms haven’t improved after a few days or if you have signs of dehydration, a high fever, or blood in your stool.