Treatment
As a rule, a conventional gastro-enteritis usually subsides of its own accord within a few days. Although the pathogen-related infections can be accompanied by severe symptoms, they often heal within a week. During this time, the body’s water balance must be monitored and, if necessary, painkillers can be used therapeutically to make the healing phase more bearable.
Persistent bacterial infections often cannot be cured by the body alone. Therefore, antibiotics can be used that are specifically directed against the bacteria. Antibiotics can also be used to fight potentially causative bacteria in cases of gastritis.
If the inflammation is caused by acid, acid blockers have to be prescribed. However, these are only used when changes in eating and living habits have not been successful. Inflammations of the appendix and gall bladder can be treated with medication first.
In many cases, however, the inflammation cannot be treated, which is why the organ must be surgically removed. Even in the rarer cases of diverticulitis, the inflammation can progress to such an extent that surgical removal of the bowel segment is necessary. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases are similar in their development to autoimmune diseases.
Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs such as cortisone also helps with these diseases in acute phases. A gastro-enteritis can be treated with home remedies to provide good support. In most cases, the body needs about one week to fight the disease.
During this time, in addition to diarrhoea and vomiting, burning and stabbing pains in the intestines can occur, which can be relieved with home remedies. The diarrhoea can be treated with pectins, activated carbon and swelling agents. These substances bind the toxins in the intestines in the mucous membrane and can reduce the symptoms. In addition, chamomile, ginger, fennel and nettle teas are popular household remedies, as the herbs have a soothing effect on the stomach and intestinal mucosa and the liquid actively counteracts dehydration. The herbs are also said to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, so that they also actively support the body in fighting the pathogens.
Duration
The duration depends on the cause of the burning in the intestine. A stomach flu caused by bacteria or for example the Noro virus usually heals within a few days. After about 3 days in most cases an improvement of the symptoms can be expected.
Even persistent infections improve within a week after starting treatment. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, on the other hand, are often lifelong chronic illnesses that occur in phases with no symptoms. With the right treatment, these diseases can also be controlled as far as possible. However, a complete cure is not to be expected for these diseases.
Localizations of the burning
The exact localisation of the burning in the intestine allows the best conclusions to be drawn about potentially affected intestinal sections or possibly involved abdominal organs. The left abdominal cavity contains the descending colon and the so-called “sigmoid”, i.e. the last sections of the colon before the transition to the rectum. Many inflammations of the colon take place in this area.
The most important diseases, which are frequently found on the left side, are diverticulitis and ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis begins in the rectum and, as it progresses, attacks the colon in higher and higher sections. Typical at the beginning are slimy-bloody diarrhoea.
On the right side, in addition to parts of the stomach and important parts of the small intestine, the gallbladder, bile ducts and appendix are located. Both the gall bladder and appendix can cause acute and burning pain in the right abdomen in the event of inflammation. These are often febrile, highly painful diseases that subside after a few days.
Gastrointestinal infections in this area often subside after a few days. In the case of chronic pain lasting for weeks, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease must also be considered in this area. A burning sensation in the intestine, which can be located exactly in the middle, indicates a stomach disease.
Behind this is often an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, a “gastritis”. In most cases the cause is the bacterium “Helicobacter pylori“, which is harmless and symptom-free in the majority of people, but rarely leads to painful inflammation. In rare cases, the inflammation of the stomach lining is also caused by chemical stimuli.
Behind this is the aggressive gastric acid, the amount of which in the stomach can be massively influenced by diet and living habits such as smoking. Without therapy, painful ulcers and other complications can develop in the stomach. Inflammations of the anus and rectum can also develop.
These are often particularly painful because the bowel outlet is exposed to external stimuli and considerable pressure during bowel movement. The inflammation at the rectum can be caused by infections. They are often caused by typical pathogens of venereal diseases, which are transmitted during anal intercourse.
Important infectious diseases at the rectum are gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and herpes. However, symptoms of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can also occur at the rectum in rare cases. Annoying symptoms in this area are permanent itching and constant urge to defecate.