Think you have the “stomach flu”? In reality, it’s probably not the flu at all. The flu (or more accurately, influenza) is a respiratory virus that causes fever, body aches, and fatigue—but rarely stomach problems. Instead it’s most likely agastroenteritis—a nasty virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
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Check Your Symptoms
Woman with an upset stomach.Image Source/Getty Images
Symptoms of the stomach flu may include:
Signs of Stomach Flu and When to See a Healthcare Provider
2
Know When to See a Healthcare Provider
Know when you need to see a doctor for abdominal pain.PhotoAlto/Michele Constantini/Getty Images
Most people with vomiting and diarrhea don’t need to see a healthcare provider. But it’s important to know when you do.
See your healthcare provider or seek medical attention if you have any these symptoms:Vomiting longer than 24 hoursBlood in your vomitSevere abdominal painVomiting with severe headache and stiff neckSigns of dehydration—dark or infrequent urine, dry mouth
See your healthcare provider or seek medical attention if you have any these symptoms:
Some people may becomedehydratedfrom vomiting and having diarrhea. Some cases of dehydration need to be treated with medications or IV fluids—even if the cause is a simple stomach virus.
When to See the Healthcare Provider With Vomiting and Diarrhea
3Treating Your SymptomsA man vomiting.Tom Merton/OJO Images/Getty ImagesVomiting and diarrhea are two of the most unpleasant symptoms you experience when you get sick. No matter the cause, these two problems can bring even the strongest, healthiest person to their knees (literally and figuratively).Unfortunately, many people make mistakes in how they attempt totreat vomitingand diarrhea. We all just want it to stop but if you do certain things—like trying to eat or drink too soon after vomiting—you could make it worse.It is best to let your stomach rest and not eat or drink anything for 15 to 20 minutes after vomiting. Then, drink fluids (small sips at a time every 10 minutes) of water, sports drink, or pediatric electrolyte drinks so you replace electrolytes and prevent dehydration. Over-the-counter medications are unlikely to help when you have stomach flu, and they can be dangerous to give to children.How to Stop Throwing Up: Home RemediesDiarrhea tends to last longer than vomiting but there are things you can do to minimize the problems it causes. As with vomiting, it’s important to stay hydrated. You are likely to best tolerate a bland, starchy diet. Over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, and Kaopectate may help. However, these medications should not be given to children without specific instructions from the child’s healthcare provider.Dealing With Diarrhea
3
Treating Your SymptomsA man vomiting.Tom Merton/OJO Images/Getty ImagesVomiting and diarrhea are two of the most unpleasant symptoms you experience when you get sick. No matter the cause, these two problems can bring even the strongest, healthiest person to their knees (literally and figuratively).Unfortunately, many people make mistakes in how they attempt totreat vomitingand diarrhea. We all just want it to stop but if you do certain things—like trying to eat or drink too soon after vomiting—you could make it worse.It is best to let your stomach rest and not eat or drink anything for 15 to 20 minutes after vomiting. Then, drink fluids (small sips at a time every 10 minutes) of water, sports drink, or pediatric electrolyte drinks so you replace electrolytes and prevent dehydration. Over-the-counter medications are unlikely to help when you have stomach flu, and they can be dangerous to give to children.How to Stop Throwing Up: Home RemediesDiarrhea tends to last longer than vomiting but there are things you can do to minimize the problems it causes. As with vomiting, it’s important to stay hydrated. You are likely to best tolerate a bland, starchy diet. Over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, and Kaopectate may help. However, these medications should not be given to children without specific instructions from the child’s healthcare provider.Dealing With Diarrhea
Treating Your Symptoms
A man vomiting.Tom Merton/OJO Images/Getty Images
Vomiting and diarrhea are two of the most unpleasant symptoms you experience when you get sick. No matter the cause, these two problems can bring even the strongest, healthiest person to their knees (literally and figuratively).
Unfortunately, many people make mistakes in how they attempt totreat vomitingand diarrhea. We all just want it to stop but if you do certain things—like trying to eat or drink too soon after vomiting—you could make it worse.
It is best to let your stomach rest and not eat or drink anything for 15 to 20 minutes after vomiting. Then, drink fluids (small sips at a time every 10 minutes) of water, sports drink, or pediatric electrolyte drinks so you replace electrolytes and prevent dehydration. Over-the-counter medications are unlikely to help when you have stomach flu, and they can be dangerous to give to children.
How to Stop Throwing Up: Home Remedies
Diarrhea tends to last longer than vomiting but there are things you can do to minimize the problems it causes. As with vomiting, it’s important to stay hydrated. You are likely to best tolerate a bland, starchy diet. Over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, and Kaopectate may help. However, these medications should not be given to children without specific instructions from the child’s healthcare provider.
Dealing With Diarrhea
4Use a Bland DietWhat Should You Eat When You Have the Stomach Flu?.Kirk Mastin/Aurora/Getty ImagesWhen your gastrointestinal system is out of balance due to a stomach virus, digesting greasy, spicy, rich or complex foods can be difficult and make you feel worse. Sticking to simple bland foods is the best way to allow your system to recover and heal as quickly as possible.One traditional formula was theBRAT diet, an acronym forBananas,Rice,Applesauce (or Apples) andToast. It is intended to be used for just a short period, such as 48 hours or less.But newer recommendations (especially for children) are for a bland diet of a variety of starchy foods that are easy on the stomach.Benefits of a Bland Diet for Symptom Management
4
Use a Bland DietWhat Should You Eat When You Have the Stomach Flu?.Kirk Mastin/Aurora/Getty ImagesWhen your gastrointestinal system is out of balance due to a stomach virus, digesting greasy, spicy, rich or complex foods can be difficult and make you feel worse. Sticking to simple bland foods is the best way to allow your system to recover and heal as quickly as possible.One traditional formula was theBRAT diet, an acronym forBananas,Rice,Applesauce (or Apples) andToast. It is intended to be used for just a short period, such as 48 hours or less.But newer recommendations (especially for children) are for a bland diet of a variety of starchy foods that are easy on the stomach.Benefits of a Bland Diet for Symptom Management
Use a Bland Diet
What Should You Eat When You Have the Stomach Flu?.Kirk Mastin/Aurora/Getty Images
When your gastrointestinal system is out of balance due to a stomach virus, digesting greasy, spicy, rich or complex foods can be difficult and make you feel worse. Sticking to simple bland foods is the best way to allow your system to recover and heal as quickly as possible.
One traditional formula was theBRAT diet, an acronym forBananas,Rice,Applesauce (or Apples) andToast. It is intended to be used for just a short period, such as 48 hours or less.
But newer recommendations (especially for children) are for a bland diet of a variety of starchy foods that are easy on the stomach.
Benefits of a Bland Diet for Symptom Management
5Should You Take Probiotics for an Upset Stomach?Should you take probiotics?.Maarten Wouters/Stone/Getty ImagesProbiotics are highly touted and frequently recommended to help restore the body’s GI system when you have the stomach flu or any other problem causing vomiting or diarrhea. But do they actually work?Many people recommend them—including a lot of healthcare providers. However, in the U.S., probiotics are still sold and marketed as natural supplements. They cannot legally make any claims about curing or treating any conditions or diseases. Due to the increasing interest in probiotics, many studies are in progress about what benefits they may offer. Hopefully in the future we will better understand these products and how they might help us recover from various illnesses and ailments.What Is Probiotic Acidophilus?
5
Should You Take Probiotics for an Upset Stomach?Should you take probiotics?.Maarten Wouters/Stone/Getty ImagesProbiotics are highly touted and frequently recommended to help restore the body’s GI system when you have the stomach flu or any other problem causing vomiting or diarrhea. But do they actually work?Many people recommend them—including a lot of healthcare providers. However, in the U.S., probiotics are still sold and marketed as natural supplements. They cannot legally make any claims about curing or treating any conditions or diseases. Due to the increasing interest in probiotics, many studies are in progress about what benefits they may offer. Hopefully in the future we will better understand these products and how they might help us recover from various illnesses and ailments.What Is Probiotic Acidophilus?
Should You Take Probiotics for an Upset Stomach?
Should you take probiotics?.Maarten Wouters/Stone/Getty Images
Probiotics are highly touted and frequently recommended to help restore the body’s GI system when you have the stomach flu or any other problem causing vomiting or diarrhea. But do they actually work?
Many people recommend them—including a lot of healthcare providers. However, in the U.S., probiotics are still sold and marketed as natural supplements. They cannot legally make any claims about curing or treating any conditions or diseases. Due to the increasing interest in probiotics, many studies are in progress about what benefits they may offer. Hopefully in the future we will better understand these products and how they might help us recover from various illnesses and ailments.
What Is Probiotic Acidophilus?
Frequently Asked Questions
Food poisoning can cause your neck to become stiff after diarrhea. However, there are many other potential reasons for a stiff neck, so take note of any other symptoms you are experiencing. Severe symptoms of food poisoning include a high fever (over 102 degrees), bloody diarrhea, dizziness from standing, and diarrhea that lasts longer than three days.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mayrhuber EA, Peersman W, Van de kraats N, et al.“With fever it’s the real flu I would say”: laypersons' perception of common cold and influenza and their differences - a qualitative study in Austria, Belgium and Croatia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):647. doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3568-9Sattar SBA, Singh S.Bacterial Gastroenteritis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chow CM, Leung AK, Hon KL.Acute gastroenteritis: from guidelines to real life. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2010;3:97-112.Nemeth V, Zulfiqar H, Pfleghaar N.Diarrhea. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cameron D, Hock QS, Kadim M, et al.Probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders: Proposed recommendations for children of the Asia-Pacific region. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(45):7952-7964. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i45.7952Venugopalan V, Shriner KA, Wong-beringer A.Regulatory oversight and safety of probiotic use. Emerging Infect Dis. 2010;16(11):1661-5. doi:10.3201/eid1611.100574American College of Healthcare Sciences.6 Ways to Bounce Back From Illness Faster.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Food Poisoning Symptoms.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mayrhuber EA, Peersman W, Van de kraats N, et al.“With fever it’s the real flu I would say”: laypersons' perception of common cold and influenza and their differences - a qualitative study in Austria, Belgium and Croatia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):647. doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3568-9Sattar SBA, Singh S.Bacterial Gastroenteritis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chow CM, Leung AK, Hon KL.Acute gastroenteritis: from guidelines to real life. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2010;3:97-112.Nemeth V, Zulfiqar H, Pfleghaar N.Diarrhea. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cameron D, Hock QS, Kadim M, et al.Probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders: Proposed recommendations for children of the Asia-Pacific region. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(45):7952-7964. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i45.7952Venugopalan V, Shriner KA, Wong-beringer A.Regulatory oversight and safety of probiotic use. Emerging Infect Dis. 2010;16(11):1661-5. doi:10.3201/eid1611.100574American College of Healthcare Sciences.6 Ways to Bounce Back From Illness Faster.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Food Poisoning Symptoms.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mayrhuber EA, Peersman W, Van de kraats N, et al.“With fever it’s the real flu I would say”: laypersons' perception of common cold and influenza and their differences - a qualitative study in Austria, Belgium and Croatia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):647. doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3568-9Sattar SBA, Singh S.Bacterial Gastroenteritis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chow CM, Leung AK, Hon KL.Acute gastroenteritis: from guidelines to real life. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2010;3:97-112.Nemeth V, Zulfiqar H, Pfleghaar N.Diarrhea. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cameron D, Hock QS, Kadim M, et al.Probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders: Proposed recommendations for children of the Asia-Pacific region. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(45):7952-7964. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i45.7952Venugopalan V, Shriner KA, Wong-beringer A.Regulatory oversight and safety of probiotic use. Emerging Infect Dis. 2010;16(11):1661-5. doi:10.3201/eid1611.100574American College of Healthcare Sciences.6 Ways to Bounce Back From Illness Faster.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Food Poisoning Symptoms.
Mayrhuber EA, Peersman W, Van de kraats N, et al.“With fever it’s the real flu I would say”: laypersons' perception of common cold and influenza and their differences - a qualitative study in Austria, Belgium and Croatia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):647. doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3568-9
Sattar SBA, Singh S.Bacterial Gastroenteritis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Chow CM, Leung AK, Hon KL.Acute gastroenteritis: from guidelines to real life. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2010;3:97-112.
Nemeth V, Zulfiqar H, Pfleghaar N.Diarrhea. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Cameron D, Hock QS, Kadim M, et al.Probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders: Proposed recommendations for children of the Asia-Pacific region. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(45):7952-7964. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i45.7952
Venugopalan V, Shriner KA, Wong-beringer A.Regulatory oversight and safety of probiotic use. Emerging Infect Dis. 2010;16(11):1661-5. doi:10.3201/eid1611.100574
American College of Healthcare Sciences.6 Ways to Bounce Back From Illness Faster.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Food Poisoning Symptoms.
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