If you are experiencing bouts of nausea or vomiting and generally feel unwell you may be confused as to what the exact cause is. Two common reasons people experience “unexplained” nausea are stomach flu and pregnancy. These are two very different things. It is important to understand the symptoms of each so you can seek proper care. If you think there is a possibility you could be pregnant you should seek medical attention.
Stomach Flu Facts
1. Basics
The stomach flu, also known as viral gastroenteritis, is an intestinal infections that causes some very unpleasant symptoms. With no effective treatments available and the fact that it is highly contagious can cause the illness to spread quickly.
2. Symptoms
While it is referred to as a “flu” the stomach flu causes very different symptoms than the normal influenza. These include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting, fever, and muscle aches. The stomach flu can also cause severe dehydration due so high fluid intake is very important for recovery.
3. Cause
The cause of viral gastroenteritis is a virus. Noroviruses are the most common cause, these viruses develop from contaminated food. Rotavirus is also a very common cause of the stomach flu, especially in children. This is because it can live on objects that children and infants commonly put into their mouths.
4. Treatment
No specific treatment is available for the stomach flu. Some home remedies and over the counter medications can help to lessen the severity of the illness. Drinking lots of fluids, resting, and keeping yourself nourished are the best ways to shorten the time that the stomach flu lasts.
Pregnancy Overview
1. Basics
Pregnancy occurs when a woman’s eggs are fertilized by a man. Once the sperm reaches the egg and fertilizes it the woman is considered pregnant. A child will begin to grow and develop almost instantly. A multitude of changes begin to happen in the body during the duration of a woman’s pregnancy.
2. Early Symptoms
When you become pregnant your hormone levels begin to change drastically, which causes a variety of signs. Morning sickness and random bouts of nausea are one of the most common and recognized signs of pregnancy. Swollen breasts are another sign, also caused by hormone changes. The breasts can also be very tender. Fatigue and amount of urination also begins to increase.
3. Testing
There are many over the counter, at home, pregnancy tests that can be bought to test the urine for the pregnancy hormone. These tests are quick and fairly accurate. The most accurate way, however, is to visit your physician and have a blood test performed.
4. Treatment
Once you find out you are pregnant you should begin prenatal care right away. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to do a wellness checkup on you and your baby. This way any problems can be detected and treated as early as possible. Prenatal vitamins and diet should also be changed when a woman becomes pregnant.
Difference Between Stomach Flu and Pregnancy
1. Symptoms
Often times symptoms of a stomach flu and early pregnancy symptoms can be confused for each other. There are some key characteristics that separate the two. The severity and length of nausea and vomiting is the biggest. With the stomach flu the nausea and vomiting lasts for days and doesn’t tend to ease up much until the virus has run it’s course. In pregnancy the nausea and vomiting may happen frequently throughout the day, but usually subsides after only a few minutes. The stomach flu also brings on a low grade fever, which is not normal for early pregnancy.
2. Cause
Another very large difference between the stomach flu and pregnancy is what causes the symptoms that come with each. The stomach flu is caused by a virus, often from contaminated food. Pregnancy is caused by having unprotected sex with a man and his sperm fertilizing one of your eggs.
3. Treatment
There is no real “treatment” for either of these conditions. The stomach flu must run it’s course, only some remedies and over the counter medications are available to help ease symptoms. Pregnancy symptoms, like nausea, can be effectively treated with some medications. It is very important to talk to your doctor before taking any new medication while pregnant to make sure it will not harm the baby.
4. Outcome
The stomach flu usually clears up within a week on it’s own and no residual effects are left. Pregnancy ends after 9 months and definitely leaves some residual effects….a brand new baby!