His advice could help prevent dehydration even if you’re experiencing vomiting.
A pharmacist has issued a 10-minute rule to help speed up recovery from a nasty winter bug amid a surge in cases in the UK. According to the expert, this method is key when it comes to treating norovirus.
The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have shown cases of norovirus between February 3 and 16 were 168 percent higher than the same time last year. NHS England has also warned that the illness has been “piling pressure” on hospitals this year.
In an update, the health body revealed that more than 40,000 bed days were lost to the bug in February alone. There were 1,094 patients a day in hospital with norovirus last week, down slightly on the week before (1,134) but more than double the number of patients compared to the same period last year (470 in the week up to March 3).
Hospital staff also needed to close an additional 273 unoccupied beds due to infection prevention and control. This added to pressures on capacity, meaning the NHS lost a total of 43,938 bed days to norovirus alone last month.
With this in mind, Doctor Jamie Winn, medical director at Universal Drugstore, shared his tips for recovery. He said: “Norovirus is a highly contagious virus which leads to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, causing unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.
“While you can catch norovirus at any point throughout the year, there is often a spike in infections during the winter months due to the increase in time spent indoors, in closer proximity to more people. This, alongside our weakened immune systems in the winter, can lead to an increase in transmissions of the virus and a spike in infection.
“Once coming into contact with the virus it can take anywhere from twelve hours to two days for symptoms to develop, and lasts an average of three days for the majority of healthy adults. Norovirus can be unpleasant, but there are some tips you can follow to prevent the worsening of symptoms.”
Among his tips was a simple 10-minute rule to stick to. He advised sipping on water every 10 minutes to prevent dehydration and further vomiting.
“The main symptoms of norovirus are severe diarrhoea and vomiting, which means that you lose fluids at an extreme rate,” he explained. “For this reason, making sure you are drinking enough water is vital so as to replace electrolytes and fluids, keeping dehydration at bay. Oral rehydration solutions are a good way to manage this.
“We recommend taking small sips of water every 10 minutes or so to see if your stomach can handle it because drinking too much too quickly will lead to further vomiting. If you find yourself able to keep down little sips, gradually increase how often you take them.”
He also advised:
- Isolating and staying home from work or school
- Resting
- Regularly washing your hands and wiping down surfaces you come into contact with
- Eating bland, plain food
- Taking ibuprofen or paracetamol if you develop a fever.
However, Dr Winn warned that medical treatment is necessary in certain cases. He added: “Most norovirus cases do not require medical attention, and due to how contagious the virus is you should refrain from going to the hospital or the doctor.
“However, if you are becoming severely dehydrated, cannot drink any fluids or have a high temperature for an extended period of time it is important to seek medical attention as the virus may be affecting you more severely. Norovirus also affects the elderly, young children and those with an underlying health condition more than the average adult, so make sure to monitor the symptoms closely and be ready to seek medical help if they worsen.”
The NHS lists symptoms of norovirus as feeling sick, being sick (vomiting), diarrhoea, a high temperature, a headache, tummy pain, and body aches and pains.
