Don’t let your stomach and intestines suffer from the pain of military training - pay attention to preventing gastroenteritis in the hot summer

Author: Lu Ting Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Dai Qihua Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Illustration: Zhang Wenxun Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Reviewer: Qin Jun, deputy chief physician of Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine

Military training is the first lesson of the new semester. Accompanied by the chirping of cicadas, the military training of freshmen is usually carried out in the scorching summer. The heat is unbearable and sweat is pouring down. While tempering their tenacious will, new students should also pay attention to maintaining gastrointestinal health and staying away from acute gastroenteritis.

1. Under what circumstances is it easy to get gastroenteritis?

1. Improper diet

(1) Excessive intake of greasy, raw, cold, spicy or other irritating foods.

(2) Alternating hot and cold eating habits (for example, spicy hot pot + cold drinks).

(3) Overeating. The stomach and intestines are overloaded with pressure, motility slows down, and gastric juice secretion becomes abnormal, leading to indigestion and food accumulation, thus causing gastroenteritis.

(4) Ingestion of allergenic foods. Mango, soybeans, fish, shrimp, peanuts, etc. are all foods that are prone to allergies. For example, if a student's immune system particularly "does not like" a certain protein contained in peanuts, it may launch an attack in the gastrointestinal tract, and the student will suddenly start to have diarrhea and abdominal pain.

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2. Food spoilage

Unhygienic, undercooked or overnight food often leads to various bacteria or toxin infections. Among them, Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common, and viral and protozoan infections can also be seen. For example, eating poultry and livestock meat contaminated by Salmonella, or eating seafood such as fish, crabs, and snails contaminated by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, or eating leftovers and rice contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus can induce gastroenteritis.

The high temperature in summer makes it easier for bacteria to multiply, causing food to spoil more easily.

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3. Cold abdomen

Turning on the air conditioner immediately after sweating profusely, sleeping without covering yourself with a blanket at night, and eating too much raw or cold food at one time too quickly can all lead to gastrointestinal flora disorder, affect normal gastrointestinal motility, cause excessive gastric acid secretion, irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, and cause acute inflammatory lesions.

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4. Bad living habits

Bad living habits such as staying up late can lead to low gastrointestinal immunity and make people more susceptible to gastroenteritis.

5.Medication or other

Taking certain drugs may also induce gastroenteritis, such as salicylates, sulfonamides, or certain antibiotics. Ingestion of strong acids, strong alkalis, and pesticides can also cause gastroenteritis.

2. What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?

Common symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Among them, diarrhea is the most common. The specific manifestations are as follows.

1. Diarrhea

Patients will experience severe diarrhea symptoms, ranging from several to dozens of times a day, which may be loose stools, watery stools, or stools containing mucus. Abdominal pain can be temporarily relieved after defecation.

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2. Abdominal pain

There is pain when pressing on the left side of the abdomen or around the navel. The pain is paroxysmal or continuously worsens, and is accompanied by a feeling of fullness and discomfort in the abdomen. A small number of patients will experience severe pain.

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3. Nausea and vomiting

Patients may experience nausea and vomiting. The discomfort will be relieved after vomiting out the undigested food; some patients may vomit stomach acid or yellow bile. Vomiting blood or blood in the stool If the vomitus of a patient contains blood or is brown, it means that the patient's gastric mucosa is bleeding.

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4. Other symptoms

Gastroenteritis patients may also experience dehydration. This symptom is mainly caused by repeated vomiting, diarrhea or lack of water. Dehydration can cause the patient's skin elasticity to deteriorate, eyeballs to sag, frequent thirst, and in severe cases, cold limbs and low blood pressure.

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3. What should I do if I suffer from gastroenteritis during military training?

1. Adjust your diet

(1) Avoid spicy, cold, and greasy foods to avoid further stimulation of gastric acid production.

(2) When the weather is hot, do not drink cold or icy drinks after training. It is recommended to drink warm water.

(3) Stop consuming dairy products and fruit juice. If patients with acute gastroenteritis consume these two drinks, it may cause more severe diarrhea.

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(4) Eat a light diet, such as light porridge or soft noodles. At the same time, to ensure nutrition, you should increase the frequency of meals and resume a normal diet after the diarrhea stops.

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Please note: If you experience severe vomiting and cannot eat, seek medical attention as soon as possible!

2. Fluid rehydration

Acute gastroenteritis patients often suffer from dehydration and electrolyte loss due to severe diarrhea. Therefore, during military training, if diarrhea occurs, you should replenish fluids in time and drink plenty of warm water. You can also take oral rehydration salts and observe whether the symptoms are relieved.

3. Get enough rest

If you feel unwell, don't force yourself to stay awake. Get enough rest and avoid overwork.

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4. Taking medication

Acute gastroenteritis may be caused by cold alone or by bacterial infection. The former can be treated with symptomatic medication, focusing on stopping diarrhea, replenishing fluids, and preventing dehydration; the latter requires both causal medication and medication under the guidance of a doctor to treat bacterial infection. Commonly used medications are as follows.

(1) Montmorillonite powder : Montmorillonite powder is a commonly used antidiarrheal drug. It can not only form mucus to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa, but also improve normal absorption and secretion functions, reduce intestinal cell motility disorders and water and electrolyte loss. The specific usage and dosage is: Pour 1 bag (3g) of montmorillonite powder into 50ml of warm water, stir well and take. Patients with acute diarrhea need to double the dose for the first time. Adults take 1 bag each time, 3 times a day.

Note: Montmorillonite powder must be taken on an empty stomach, that is, 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals, and do not eat within 30 minutes after taking it to avoid affecting the efficacy.

(2) Oral rehydration salts (III) : Acute gastroenteritis can cause diarrhea, vomiting, severe fluid loss, and even dehydration. Oral rehydration salts (III) can effectively replenish lost water and electrolytes and have a therapeutic effect on acute diarrhea. The specific usage and dosage are as follows: Pour 1 packet (5.125 g/packet) of oral rehydration salts (III) into 250 ml of water to prepare a solution, and take it in divided doses as needed. Adults should start with 50 ml/kg, which should be completed within 4 to 6 hours. The dose should then be adjusted according to the patient's degree of dehydration until the diarrhea stops.

Note: Prepared oral rehydration salts (III) cannot be stored for a long time and are easily contaminated by bacteria in the environment and saliva. Therefore, it is recommended to refrigerate unused oral rehydration salts and discard them after 24 hours. If it is not possible to refrigerate during military training, it should be prepared once. In addition, juice or milk should not be added to the solution for flavoring.

(3) Berberine hydrochloride tablets/Coptis chinensis tablets : Coptis chinensis tablets are a Chinese patent medicine that can clear away heat and dampness, relieve pain and stop diarrhea. They are effective for bacterial gastroenteritis and dysentery. Take orally 4 tablets once, 3 times a day.

Note: Keep a light diet during medication. Patients with hemolytic anemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency are prohibited from using this drug.

(4) Norfloxacin : Norfloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibacterial drug that can treat a variety of inflammatory conditions caused by bacteria, including gastroenteritis. Norfloxacin is a prescription drug and requires a doctor's prescription.

Strictly note: Norfloxacin should not be taken without a doctor's advice! Mild gastroenteritis does not require the use of antibiotics. It should only be used under the guidance of a doctor when symptoms of severe bacterial gastroenteritis occur.

5. There are thousands of methods, but seeing a doctor is the first one!

Once symptoms of acute gastroenteritis appear, the best option is to see a doctor and seek treatment in time!