Good Lifestyle

When it comes down to it, we spend a lot of our time in the bathroom. La persona promediomay take anywhere from four to 10 trips to the toilet each day, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But if your bathroom excursions suddenly take on new urgency, you may want to seek medical guidance. Officials are now warning that cases of one troublesome virus have been steadily increasing in the U.S. over the past few months—and you'll want to give your doctor a call if you think you've come down with it. Read on to find out which symptoms you should watch out for when you go to the bathroom.

RELACIONADA:The Worst Thing You're Doing in Public Bathrooms, Infectious Disease Doc Warns.

If you're running to the bathroom with sudden vomiting and diarrhea, you could be dealing with a norovirus infection—otherwise known as the stomach flu or stomach bug. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with this infection typically experience severe diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain that starts abruptly within 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. You might also experience other symptoms such as nausea, fever, headache, and body aches, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"Norovirus causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines. This is called acute gastroenteritis," the CDC explains. "If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill, and vomit or have diarrhea many times a day."

RELACIONADA:If You Feel This in Your Legs, Call 911 Immediately.

Norovirus outbreaks are increasing in the U.S. In a typical year, there are about 2,500 reported outbreaks occurring per year in the country, according to the CDC. But in just the first few months of this year, infections have risen significantly.

Between January and March 2022, data from the CDC showed that the number of weekly norovirus outbreaks rose from below 10 to more than 50. And from Aug. 2021 to March 2022, the agency said that there were 448 reported norovirus outbreaks compared to just 78 this same time last year. A CDC spokesperson noted that the smaller rate then was likely skewed, telling NBC-affiliate KING 5 that norovirus levels had been "lower than normal" during the COVID pandemic.

But the removal of COVID protection measures and restrictions could be to blame for the rising cases now, which might not bode well for outbreak rates in the coming months. Paul Auwaerter, MD, professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and clinical director of the infectious diseases division, told the news outlet that the recent increase in norovirus infections could be related to people interacting more with others as COVID cases decline.

Getting infected with this stomach flu is rather easy, unfortunately. Norovirus is a very contagious virus that can infect people of all ages, according to the CDC. The agency explains that those already infected with can shed billions of norovirus particles, and only a few of these particles are needed to make someone else sick.

There are a number of different ways you could get norovirus. This includes eating or drinking liquids that have been contaminated with the virus, touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then putting your fingers in your mouth, or just having any direct contact with someone who is infected, according to the CDC.

"You are most contagious when you have symptoms of norovirus illness, especially vomiting, and during the first few days after you recover from norovirus illness," the agency warns. "However, studies have shown that you can still spread norovirus for two weeks or more after you feel better."

RELACIONADA:Para obtener más información actualizada, inscríbase en nuestro boletín diario..

If you are vomiting and have severe diarrhea, getting told you will need to just ride out your sickness is probably the last thing you want to hear. But according to the CDC, there is actually "no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus illness," so most people do recover at home by themselves.

A doctor won't be able to prescribe you antibiotics to treat your stomach bug because as a virus, it doesn't respond to this kind of treatment, Miniwell Health explica. Pero aún debe llamar a su médico si está experimentando síntomas de Norovirus para obtener consejos sobre cómo evitar la deshidratación. Los vómitos repetidos y la diarrea lo harán perder líquidos, lo que puede resultar en la deshidratación. "La deshidratación puede llevar a problemas graves", advierte los CDC. "La deshidratación severa puede requerir hospitalización para el tratamiento con fluidos administrados a través de su vena".

Para la deshidratación, su médico probablemente le aconsejará que beba muchos líquidos, reemplace los líquidos y también pueden recomendar líquidos orales de rehidratación oral de venta libre (OTC). Pero su médico también puede ayudarlo a determinar con mayor precisión si la causa probable de sus síntomas es Norovirus, de acuerdo con la Clínica Mayo.

Si bien no hay un tratamiento real para el Norovirus, ciertos temas deberían pedirle que busque atención médica. De acuerdo con la salud de muy bien, debe registrarse con un proveedor de atención médica si sus síntomas no se han ido dentro de unos días, tiene diarrea sangrienta, usted desarrolla signos de deshidratación moderada a grave, como mareos, mareos, debilidad, fatiga, o falta u orina.

"Las personas mayores de 85 años y menores de 5 años tienen más probabilidades de necesitar atención médica que no se puede proporcionar en casa. Si su bebé o su hijo tiene Norovirus, comuníquese con su proveedor si están vómitos, teniendo diarrea frecuente, o muestran signos de deshidratación. "Los expertos en la salud de la salud recomiendan. Mientras que la mayoría de los casos de gripe estomacal se resuelven por sí mismos, los CDC informan que el Norovirus generalmente causa alrededor de 109,000 hospitalizaciones y alrededor de 900 muertes cada año en los EE.UU., principalmente entre los adultos de 65 años y mayores.

RELACIONADA:Nunca abandone el puesto de baño antes de hacer esto, los médicos advierten.