Norovirus - when to see a doctor

Norovirus treatment at home

Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is a name for a group of viruses that can cause gastroenteritis - an infection of the gut. It can make both adults and children very ill for 2 - 6 days, but it usually clears up on its own and can be managed at home.

Dr Rosmy Barrios describes the common symptoms of norovirus.

"The first signs of norovirus typically develop within 1 - 3 days of becoming infected," she says. "In most cases, people have nausea, being sick (vomiting), a high temperature, and - or either - diarrhoea with watery poo."

While these symptoms are unpleasant, they are usually mild enough to treat at home. Advice on how to treat norovirus is straightforward.

Dr Hussain Ahmad explains: "Norovirus treatment at home involves drinking lots of fluids to avoid dehydration. It typically passes within three days of contracting the virus."

He adds that you should also eat as normally as possible.

When to see a doctor for norovirus

You should see a doctor for norovirus if your symptoms are so severe that you are dehydrated and it doesn't stop when you drink lots of water or your symptoms last for more than a few days.

It's usual for diarrhoea to last a little longer, but you should consult your doctor if this hasn't started to settle after three or four days - sooner if you are going to the toilet a lot through the day and the night. If you're too unwell to go to your local doctor's surgery, or you are not sure the visit is needed, arranging an online consultation may be a good option - even if it's just to put your mind at ease.

While there's no specific medicine that can be prescribed for norovirus, doctors can check for rare complications - such as inflammation in other parts of your body - and help treat dehydration, which if left can cause serious problems.

Norovirus in children under five

It's one thing experiencing the severity of your own symptoms, and another trying to guess how bad norovirus is for your child. It can take slightly longer for a standard bout of norovirus to disappear in children. Vomiting may last up to three days, and diarrhoea up to seven days. If either last longer, you should take them to the doctor.

Children under five years aren't usually able to give you a clear idea with words, but Ahmad says there are things you can do to work out if a visit to the doctor is needed.

"You should monitor how much fluid your child is drinking, how often they are sick, and how often they pee.

The same exceptional circumstances apply to children as they do adults. For example, a visit to the doctor is advised if they have an underlying health problem, picked up the infection abroad, or have a weakened immune system.

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Norovirus

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that can cause gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is an infection of the gut (intestines) which usually causes symptoms such as being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea. Norovirus is the most common virus causing gastroenteritis in adults in the UK. In most cases the infection clears within a few days but sometimes takes longer. The main risk is lack of fluid in the body (dehydration). The main treatment is to have plenty to drink; this may mean special rehydration drinks. Also, once any dehydration is treated with drinks, you should eat as normally as possible. See a doctor if you suspect that you are becoming dehydrated, or if you have any worrying symptoms which are listed below.

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If your child is under six months old, it's always worth a visit to the doctor as soon as you suspect they have norovirus - or any other type of infection or illness. This is to safely manage the chance of dehydration.

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Norovirus and other viral infections can survive and spread more easily in the colder months. This is why we always expect a peak in winter. However this winter, norovirus outbreaks have increased by 37%, compared to the average over last five years.