Your stomach is the most important organ of the digestive system. It is responsible for digesting food and passing it down to your small intestine. However, the health of your stomach depends upon the type of food you consume. You get stomach infections when you consume acidic foods and drinks without adequate water to wash them out of your system.
Bacteria, parasites, and viruses are some of the most common stomach infections. While treatment includes getting rest and staying hydrated, treatment varies depending on your infection type.
Let’s discuss the most common stomach infections and their treatments.
Types of Common Stomach Infections
There are three common stomach infections that individuals can catch if they don’t take care of their gut.
Bacterial
Bacterial stomach infection includes food poisoning and foodborne infections. Certain types of foods/drinks can cause a bacterial infection, including:
- Unclean water
- Deli meats
- Undercooked eggs
- Raw meat
- Underdone poultry
- Dairy products
- Out-of-date juices
- Dirty vegetables or raw fruits
Individuals with a bacterial infection put others at risk as they are prone to infecting people who consume the same food.
Viral
Viral stomach infections are the most common type of gastrointestinal infection, known as stomach flu. Norovirus is a type of stomach flu that causes up to 21 million cases in the U.S. annually.
Parasitic
Worms, intestinal helminths, or protozoan parasites are some of the common reasons for parasitic infections. Cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis are the most common parasitic infections that occur in individuals. When a person comes in contact with human feces in the soil, it can lead to parasites.
Moreover, individuals can contract this infection by swimming in diseased water or combining contaminated water. Additionally, this also spreads from animals, mainly from cats.
Treatment for Common Stomach Infections
It is essential to get treatment for all these common stomach infections before they become more harmful to the body. It is best to visit a doctor and get proper medication. However, if the symptoms are not so severe, one can treat themselves at home.
Treatment at home includes:
- Drinking the right amount of water. Avoiding all fizzy drinks.
- Getting plenty of rest.
- Consuming plain (no spice) and easy-to-digest food.
- Taking over-the-counter medicines as and when needed.
With the help of these home remedies and proper medical care, individuals can strengthen their immune systems to fight off the most common stomach infections.
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