The Difference Between Stomach Flu And The Other Flu - Part 3

For the most part, individuals who suffer from gastroenteritis can be treated at home with good supportive care. In common cases, such as viruses or allergic reactions to a particular food, individuals are able to recover nicely from gastroenteritis without significant medical intervention. You can avoid dehydration by sipping clear fluids and gradually introducing a bland diet that includes bananas, rice, applesauce and dry toast. This diet is often referred to as the BRAT diet. Eating bland dry foods makes it easier for the digestive system to accommodate the nutrition and calories and is unlikely to irritate a sensitive gastrointestinal tract.

When physicians or medical personnel are discussing the flu they are referring to the respiratory condition caused by influenza. When referring to the stomach virus medical personnel may call it “stomach flu” or will more correctly call it a gastroenteritis or stomach virus.

The differentiation between these two diagnoses is usually easy to discern. However, some people who suffer from the influenza virus will also have vomiting and diarrhea making the differentiation slightly more challenging. These symptoms are usually rare but may happen when individuals suffer from a normally sensitive stomach and then experience the influenza virus.

So, the next time you tell someone you have the flu be sure to these specific about exactly what illness you really did experience!

Resources:

(1) Cleveland Clinic: Gastroenteritis

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/gastroenteritis/hic_gastroenteritis.aspx

(2) Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Viral Gastroenteritis

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/faq.htm

(3) KidsHealth.org: What is the Flu?

http://kidshealth.org/kid/h1n1_center/flu-basics/flu.html

(4) MayoClinic.com: Dehydration

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/ds00561/dsection=symptoms