Accompanying symptoms of gastrointestinal infection
In case of a gastrointestinal infection, abdominal pain often occurs together with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. However, the inflamed and overactive intestine often radiates its pain to the back of the patient. If necessary, a doctor should examine whether kidney involvement is present, i.e. whether the kidneys are affected by the disease, which can also cause back pain.
It is not uncommon for additional back pain to be caused by the fact that the gastrointestinal patient lies down a lot and does not move enough, at least not enough for his back. This can also be a reason for stiffness, which manifests itself as back pain. If the pain lasts for a very long time or is particularly severe, the patient should be thoroughly examined by a doctor.
If joint inflammation occurs a few weeks after a gastrointestinal infection, it is most likely a so-called “post-infectious arthritis“. It develops on the basis of a diarrhoea disease caused by the bacteria shigella, yersinia, salmonella or campylobacter. Usually, only a few joints of the legs are affected and the joint inflammation heals without consequences within a few weeks.
However, the joint pain can also occur as part of the “rider triad”.This refers to the three complaints of ureteral, joint and iritis of the eye. This disease heals in 80% of the cases within one year without consequences. Unfortunately, a transition of the disease into a chronic rheumatic form is also possible.
In addition to complaints such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, headaches and aching limbs can also occur in the case of a gastrointestinal infection. They are often signs of a lack of salt and water, which is caused by the infection. As a rule, these pains disappear again soon after the time when eating and drinking can be resumed normally.
If the pain lasts significantly longer than the symptoms of the infection, a doctor should be consulted who will thoroughly examine both the muscle and the bone substance. Kidney pain should always be taken seriously. They are often signs of an inflammation or injury, which should be treated very often.
In connection with a gastrointestinal infection it can be pain caused by the lack of water, but also a complication of the bacteria E. coli and shigella. They can cause a so-called “hemolytic-uremic syndrome” (HUS), which is characterized by bleeding and kidney failure. Kidney pain associated with a gastrointestinal infection should therefore be examined and, if necessary, treated by a doctor.
