There are some important basic home treatment options but an estimated 128,000 people each year will need hospital care. When should you seek medical care?

The most common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, so the most common problem dehydration. Home care has to include rehydration with fluids. Ideal replacement fluids have sodium/potassium salts and digestible sugars.Use a commercially prepared package and add water or prepared fluids like Gatorade or similar. Home concocted salt and/sugar preparations may be out of balance and create other problems. White decaffeinated, non-diet, de-fizzed soda is suboptimal because it has no sodium or potassium. Caffeinated drinks will irritate an empty stomach and should be avoided. Replacing fluid loss with water alone can cause other problems.

There are no OTC medications to prevent vomiting. Dramamine or equivalent may be of some relief. Small sips of liquids are best. Lying on your right side, with upper body slightly elevated, may help the stomach drain fluids.

Kaopectate and pectin products may help with diarrhea. OTC Imodium can reduce diarrhea. A relative contraindication to Imodium is the presence of bloody diarrhea, abdomen pain and fever. These three symptoms can signify a more serious bacterial infection of the bowel.

As the worst symptoms resolve, try saltine crackers, toast, and broth soups. These will all help replenish lost salts and add some nutrients to a famished body. Avoid milk or dairy products as they can make the diarrhea worse. Consider adding some probiotics to replenish the good bacteria in the bowel.

The primary goal of home treatment is prevention of shock. Dehydration, in its severest form, can lead to shock. Shock can lead to death. So keep up with fluid loss by drinking as much fluid as you loose.

Seek Medical Care if you have:

· Uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhea.

· Bloody vomitus or diarrhea. More than just a trace of tinged blood.

· Abdomen pain especially if located in one area of the abdomen.

· Fever greater than 101 especially with uncontrolled shaking chills.

· Dizziness, double vision, numbness/tingling or altered thinking.

· Incapacitating weakness.

· Hot/cold sensation reversal.

The Team at DiningGrades.com

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