What Does Vomiting and Diarrhea At The Same Time Indicate?

At some point in our lives, we all experience stomach upsets, some cases are usually serious while others pass over after a short period of time. In this article, we will discuss more on the causes, treatment, and recovery for cases of vomiting and diarrhea at the same time.

What Does Vomiting and Diarrhea At The Same Time Indicate?

Vomiting and diarrhea are the two most common ways that your body can get rid of a problem in your digestive system. Also, it can be miserable since it is an indication that your stomach is reacting to an irritant. The condition can be caused by a number of factors. The most common ones include medicine, food, or an infection. A severe complication of diarrhea and vomiting is dehydration. Dehydration happens as a result of the loss of fluids. The most common symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, dry mouth, decreased urination, and weakness. In case you are experiencing vomiting and diarrhea at the same time, start with a simple self-care program to ease your program.

What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea At The Same Time?

According to The Canada College of Family Physicians, vomiting and diarrhea can occur as a result to a number of factors including viruses, bacteria, motion sickness, eating too fast and too much, and many more. However, Causes of vomiting and diarrhea differ according to age. The most common causes in adults are food poisoning, stress, and stomach flu. In children, common causes include food poisoning, viral infections, overeating or feeding, milk allergy, and coughing.

You can determine the cause of vomiting and diarrhea at the same time by observing the timing of the condition. For instance, vomiting shortly after eating can be as a result of food poisoning, bulimia, eating too much, and gastritis among other causes. Let us discuss some causes of vomiting and diarrhea at the same time.

• Food Poisoning – This mainly causes vomiting and diarrhea a few hours after eating poisoned food. Food poisoning can cause serious effects including death. Therefore, if symptoms persist, seek immediate medical attention. Staph toxin found in egg salad is an example of food poisoning. Vomiting and diarrhea will be caused by the germs in foods and drinks, especially taken when travelling.
  
  
• Bacterial GI infection – Shigella colitis is a common bacterium that causes a severe large bowel infection. However, most cases of vomiting and diarrhea that are caused by bacteria go away on their own.
• Dehydration – This is a very serious complication and should not be assumed. It’s a health condition where the body loses too much fluid. You can try to drink fluids to regain the lost fluid in the body.
• Viral Gastroenteritis – Rotavirus is a common agent of a GI infection. Its most common symptoms include vomiting and loose stool within a period of 12-24 hours.
• Certain Medications can also cause vomiting and diarrhea. Talk with your healthcare provider if you experience these effects after taking certain medications. For instance, medications with aspirin and other aspirin substitutes can cause stomach irritation.
• Pregnancy – Vomiting and diarrhea at the same time while pregnant is another possible cause. If it persists, kindly seek medical care.
  

Vomiting and Diarrhea at The Same Time Treatment

The way you deal with vomiting and diarrhea at the same time will mainly depend on what caused the condition. Therefore, it’s important to determine the cause of the complication before deciding on the treatment option. Below are some of the common ways on how to treat vomiting and diarrhea that occur at the same time.

• At first, if possible, seek medical attention. This way, you will be diagnosed to be certain of what’s causing the problem. Thereafter, the health care provider can offer the best treatment for the particular problem.
• Over the counter medications such as antihistamines can be used to control nausea and vomiting. Your healthcare provider can direct you on the best medications that you should use.
• Avoid eating any food within 3-4 hours after vomiting. During this period, drink clear liquids every 15-30 minutes. Some of the common fluids that you can use to sooth vomiting and diarrhea include water, weak tea, ginger ale, and apple juice among others. Dairy products, however, should be avoided.
• You can eat a soft diet after 12-24 hours depending on the current condition. A soft diet can comprise of white rice, broiled chicken, mashed potatoes, white bread, vegetables, and saltine crackers among others. Eat as tolerated and eat them slowly as possible.
• Purchase probiotics and make use of them as directed by the manufacturer or your healthcare provider. They balance the bacteria in the gut.
• Talk to your doctor if the condition gets worse or persist. For instance, if you notice blood in vomit or stool or high temperature above 100.4° F
• Don’t eat greasy or fried foods and stay away from sweets.
• Rest for some time after eating.

Home Remedies For Vomiting and Diarrhea at The Same Time

Below are the most common home remedies for treating vomiting and diarrhea

• Ginger- Ginger is a famous Chinese traditional medicine for treating nausea, motion, and morning sickness. Ginger contains natural anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used in form of tea by boiling its roots or chewing it. You can also use ginger capsules.
  
  
• Eat More Fiber- Fiber is important in absorption of water. Therefore, it can make your stool firm in order to slow down diarrhea. Consider taking foods such as barley, whole grains, brown rice, or fresh vegetable juice. Also, make sure you avoid fatty, acidic, and spicy foods. Eat these foods lightly since you don’t want to overwork your digestive organs in this kind of a condition. Flaxseed oils have been proven to reduce the duration of diarrhea.
  
  
• Stay Hydrated- Staying hydrated is the key treatment for diarrhea and vomiting at the same time. It will help manage any symptoms that come along with dehydration such as weakness and dizziness. Diarrhea and vomiting cause your body to lose fluids. Therefore, it’s critical to drink enough water to avoid the dehydration symptoms from worsening.
• Get Enough Rest- Excessive exercise and physical activities should be avoided when experiencing vomiting and diarrhea at the same time. Chances are that you will only feel weaker and can contribute to dehydration. Sleep for about 8 hours per night to allow your body to recover. Also, keep your stress levels down.
  
• Chamomile – It contains anti-spasmodic properties that can help soothe the effects of a stomach upset including cramping, diarrhea, bloating, and gas.
  
• Mint- Peppermint, wintergreen, and spearmint are the most common types of mint tea. They contain menthol, a volatile oil that is responsible for giving a cooling sensation and can reduce vomiting. Also, they contain anti-spasmodic properties important for relieving cramping, gas, and bloating.
  
• Black Tea- If it is quite a long period of time, black tea has been used as a cure for throwing up and diarrhea since it contains tannins.
• Bananas- During diarrhea, much potassium is lost. Bananas are rich in potassium and are easy to digest. Therefore, they can be used to ease the effects of vomiting and diarrhea. Also, bananas are rich in pectin that can help reduce diarrhea and vomiting.
  
  

Recovery Time

Diarrhea and vomiting at the same time can clear up within 2-4 days in adults depending on the cause. For children, long cases can go up to 5- 7 days. In case you or your child experience simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea for long periods, seek immediate medical attention.

Catherine Nderi

Catherine is a dedicated freelance health and science writer committed to excellence and professionalism. She specializes in health topics including diet and nutrition, immune-related diseases, surgery, and cancer.