Berlin (dpa) – Terrible are the days spent largely on – and bent over – the toilet. If you're afflicted with diarrhoea and vomiting, you fervently want your body to stop promptly expelling whatever you eat or drink. There are many possible culprits for these nasty gastrointestinal infections, frequently rota- or noroviruses. Bacteria can also be behind them, including Salmonella, Campylobacter and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Whatever's responsible for the diarrhoea and vomiting, the infection causes the body to lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes – minerals key to many bodily functions. Groups at particular risk of severe illness – in part because of greater sensitivity to the effects of dehydration – are the elderly, infants and young children, and people with a weakened immune systems. They should be medically examined soon after the onset of the diarrhoea and vomiting. Others should see a doctor if they experience symptoms such as serious circulatory problems, muscle cramps, drowsiness or confusion, high fever, blood in their stool or diarrhoea and vomiting lasting longer than three days. A warning sign of critical fluid loss is "when the tongue is extremely dry, looks very barky and deeply grooved, and the patient themself says, 'My mouth is so dry!" says Dr Birgit Terjung, spokeswoman for the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS). Another sign is a severe headache. A skin turgor test can provide the crucial clue: Gently pinch the skin on your forearm for a few seconds, then let go. If the skin remains raised instead of snapping back to its original position, "it's a sure sign of dehydration," Terjung says. Severe dehydration is an emergency requiring prompt treatment. Fluids and electrolytes are then replenished intravenously. To help your body get through an episode of diarrhoea and vomiting, it's essential to replace lost fluids and salts – electrolytes when dissolved in water. Savoury biscuits with sweet tea can do the trick, some health experts advise. Or you could sip broth. In severe cases of diarrhoea, and when children or the elderly are affected, special electrolyte solutions are advisable. They're available in powder form in chemists and pharmacies. Alternatively, you can drink an oral rehydration solution recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO): Mix 1 litre of mineral water, 4 teaspoons of sugar, a 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 250 millilitres of orange juice. Germany's Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) advises against taking anti-diarrhoeal medications, since the body flushes out pathogens and toxins via the diarrhoea. Using such medications could therefore prolong the illness. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn rid yyzz n1 nhr ob coh
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