Gastroenteritis

When to get medical advice

You don't normally need to see your GP if you think you have gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own.

Visiting your GP surgery can put others at risk, so it's best to callNHS 111 or your GP if you're concerned or feel you need advice.

Get medical advice if:

you have symptoms of severe dehydration , such as persistent dizziness , only passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all, or if you're losing consciousness
you have bloody diarrhoea
you're vomiting constantly and are unable to keep down any fluids
you have a fever over 38C (100.4F)
your symptoms haven't started to improve after a few days
in the last few weeks you've returned from a part of the world with poor sanitation
you have a serious underlying condition, such as kidney disease , inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting

Your GP may suggest sending off a sample of yourpoo to a laboratory to check what's causing your symptoms. Antibiotics may be prescribed if this shows you have a bacterial infection.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for gastroenteritis

Introduction

What to do if you or your child has diarrhoea and vomiting (gastroenteritis), including how to look after yourself and when to get medical advice.

Symptoms of gastroenteritis

The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are: sudden, watery diarrhoea feeling sick vomiting, which can be projectile a mild fever Some people also have other symptoms, such as a loss of appetite,

What to do if you have gastroenteritis

If you experience sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, the best thing to do is stay at home until you're feeling better.There's not always a specific treatment, so you have to let the illness run its course

When to get medical advice

You don't normally need to see your GP if you think you have gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own. Visiting your GP surgery can put others at risk, so it's best to callNHS 111 or your

Looking after a child with gastroenteritis

You can look after your child at home if they have diarrhoea and vomiting. There's not usually any specific treatment and your child should start feeling better in a few days. You don't normally need

Getting medical advice for your child

You don'tusually need to see your GP if you think your child has gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own, and taking them to a GP surgery can put others at risk. Call NHS 111 or your GP i

How gastroenteritis is spread

The bugs that cause gastroenteritis can spread very easily from person to person. You can catchthe infectionif small particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth, such as thr

Preventing gastroenteritis

It's not always possible to avoid gettinggastroenteritis, but following the advice below can help stop it spreading: Stay off work, school or nursery until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have

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