What You Need to Know About Vomiting and Diarrhea in You & Your Kids
It’s flu season and if you haven’t experienced a bout of the flu in your household, it may still be on the horizon. Influenza, food poisoning or infection is often accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting and a feeling of nausea. At Medco ER in Plano, TX, our board-certified physicians know what to look for in the case of vomiting and diarrhea in you or your children.
Possible Causes
If you or your child are experiencing irrepressible bouts of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, there could be one of several conditions causing your discomfort.1
- Stomach flu or influenza – there are several different kinds and some trend more than others in our region and at certain times of the year.
- Food poisoning
- Motion sickness, dizziness, ear infection
- Blocked intestine
- Infection
- Illness such as appendicitis, cholecystitis, etc.
- Concussion or brain injury
- Migraines
- Parasites
- Heart attacks
- Kidney or liver conditions
- Central nervous system conditions
- Tumors
- Cancer
- Pregnancy
“Since your vomiting and diarrhea could be contributed to several different things, we usually test right away for flu and investigate the more common things like food poisoning,” said Medco ER’s Medical Director, Dr. Nasir Khan, “Those rapid results labs can often tell us pretty quickly what we are dealing with. After that, we can develop the right treatment plan for you or your child.”
Symptoms Defined
- Nausea is when your stomach feels queasy or unsettled and you may feel like you may soon vomit.
- Vomiting, or throwing up, is when your stomach forcibly empties itself of its contents.
- Diarrhea is loose, watery stools, sometimes explosive or hard to control.
At Home Treatment
Since fluid is being lost, it is important to continue drinking to prevent dehydration. Drink clear liquids and eat light, liquid foods. Avoid greasy or fried foods or solid food. Eat small amounts more frequently. Stay quiet and still and rest as much as possible. Drink a rehydrating solution such as electrolytes or sports drinks.
When to go to the ER
“If your diarrhea and vomiting won’t stop,” said Dr. Khan, “then it’s time to come to Medco ER and let us help you.”
Warning signs that mean you need to go to the doctor:
- Black, tarry stools or blood in stool
- Dry, cracked lips and dry mouth
- Sunken eyes
- Rapid breathing
- Fast pulse, racing heartbeat
- Decreased or stopped urination
- Sunken soft spot on top of baby’s head (fontanelle)
- Diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days for adults or 1 day for children
- Vomiting that lasts more than a half day
- Fever over 100˚F
- Blood in vomit (looks like coffee grounds)
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck
- Lethargy
- Confusion
- Abdominal pain
Get Help Fast at Medco ER
When vomiting and diarrhea are out of control, the expert team at Medco ER is ready to help you. Our in-house pharmacy has the hydrating IVs and the medicines to start to help you feel better. Come in anytime day or night to find a board-certified physician ready to go to work for you.
Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75023 (on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road)
Call us @ 469-747-0370
1 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea–vomiting