Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies.
Diarrhoea and vomiting can happen on their own or together.
When diarrhoea and vomiting are caused by an infection it is called gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is caused by a stomach bug.
Treatment for diarrhoea and vomiting
You can usually treat diarrhoea and vomiting at home.
The most important thing is to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Taking medicine
You do not usually need to take medicine for diarrhoea. But medicine can help stop it.
Do not give your child medicine to stop diarrhoea.
It can help to take medicine to stop vomiting. Ask a pharmacist or GP for advice.
You do not need antibiotics
Most people with diarrhoea and vomiting do not need antibiotics.
Antibiotics will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery. Diarrhoea and vomiting are usually caused by a virus. Antibiotics cannot treat viruses. Your body will fight the virus on its own.
Drink fluids
Oral rehydration solutions can be useful for treating diarrhoea and vomiting. These are available in a pharmacy.
Older children may not like the taste of oral rehydration solutions. You could give them clear flat lemonade-type drinks to avoid dehydration.
Do
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stay at home and get plenty of rest
-
drink lots of fluids - take small sips if you feel sick
-
carry on breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby - if they are getting sick, try giving small feeds more often
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give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
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eat when you feel able to - it may help to avoid foods that are fatty or spicy
-
take paracetamol if you're in discomfort - check the leaflet before giving it to your child
Don't
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do not drink fruit juice or fizzy drinks - they can make diarrhoea worse
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do not make baby formula weaker - use it at its usual strength
-
do not give young children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea
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do not give aspirin to children under 16
How long diarrhoea and vomiting last
In adults and children:
- diarrhoea usually stops within 5 to 7 days
- vomiting usually stops in 1 or 2 days
Going back to work or school
Stay off school or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days.
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with others if you:
- have a high temperature
- do not feel well enough to do your normal activities
Avoid spreading an infection
There are things you can do to avoid spreading an infection.
Do
-
wash your hands with soap and water very often
-
wash any bedding or clothing that has poo or vomit on it on a hot wash, separate from other items
-
clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps, surfaces and door handles
Don't
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do not prepare food for other people, if possible
-
do not share towels, flannels, cutlery or utensils
-
do not use a swimming pool until at least 48 hours after the symptoms stop
Urgent advice: See a GP urgently if:
- you are worried about a baby under 12 months
- your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they're ill
- a child under age 5 has signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies
- you or your child over age 5 still have signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets
- you or your child keep getting sick and cannot keep fluid down
- you or your child have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom
- you or your child have diarrhoea for more than 7 days or vomiting for more than 2 days
The GP will tell you what to do.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department (ED) if you or your child:
- vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
- have green vomit (adults)
- have yellow-green or green vomit (children)
- may have swallowed something poisonous
- have a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
- have a sudden, severe headache
- have a sudden, severe tummy pain
- have blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue - on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- are having severe difficulty breathing, or taking lots of quick, short breaths
- are confused or not responding as usual
What we mean by severe pain
Severe pain:
- always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk
- you cannot sleep
- it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
- you cannot work due to the pain
Moderate pain:
- always there
- makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
- you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:
- comes and goes
- is annoying but does not stop you from doing things like going to work
Do not drive to the emergency department. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
Causes of diarrhoea and vomiting
The most common causes of diarrhoea and vomiting are:
- a stomach bug
- food poisoning
Other causes of diarrhoea or vomiting
Diarrhoea can also be caused by:
- medicines - check the leaflet to see if it is a side effect
- food intolerance
- food allergy
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- anxiety
- appendicitis
- inflammatory bowel disease
- coeliac disease
- diverticular disease
- radiation treatment in the pelvic area
Vomiting can also be caused by:
- morning sickness, if you are pregnant
- migraine
- motion sickness
- inner ear infections, such as labyrinthitis
- medicines - check the leaflet to see if it is a side effect
- reflux in babies - where a baby brings feeds back up (spitting up)
- other infections, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI)
