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When it comes down to it, we spend a lot of our time in the bathroom. Pangkaraniwang taomay 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.

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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."

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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."

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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, Paliwanag ni Verywell Health. Ngunit dapat mo pa ring tawagan ang iyong doktor kung nakakaranas ka ng mga sintomas ng Norovirus upang makakuha ng payo kung paano maiwasan ang pag-aalis ng tubig. Ang paulit-ulit na pagsusuka at pagtatae ay magdudulot sa iyo ng pagkawala ng mga likido, na maaaring magresulta sa pag-aalis ng tubig. "Ang pag-aalis ng tubig ay maaaring humantong sa malubhang problema," nagbabala ang CDC. "Ang matinding pag-aalis ng tubig ay maaaring mangailangan ng ospital para sa paggamot na may mga likido na ibinigay sa pamamagitan ng iyong ugat."

Para sa pag-aalis ng tubig, malamang na ipaalam sa iyo ng iyong doktor na uminom ng maraming likido na palitan ang mga likido at maaari rin silang magrekomenda ng over-the-counter (OTC) na oral regydration fluids. Ngunit ang iyong doktor ay maaari ring makatulong sa iyo na mas tumpak na matukoy kung ang malamang na dahilan ng iyong mga sintomas ay Norovirus, ayon sa Clinic ng Mayo.

Habang walang tunay na paggamot para sa Norovirus, dapat na hikayatin ka ng ilang mga isyu na humingi ng medikal na pangangalaga. Ayon sa verywell health, dapat kang mag-check in gamit ang isang healthcare provider kung ang iyong mga sintomas ay hindi nawala sa loob ng ilang araw, mayroon kang madugong pagtatae, bumuo ka ng mga palatandaan ng katamtaman hanggang sa malubhang pag-aalis ng tubig tulad ng pagkahilo, light-headedness, kahinaan, pagkapagod, o kakulangan o ihi.

"Ang mga taong may edad na 85 at wala pang edad 5 ay mas malamang na nangangailangan ng pangangalagang medikal na hindi maaaring ibigay sa bahay. Kung ang iyong sanggol o anak ay may norovirus, kontakin ang iyong tagapagbigay ng serbisyo kung sila ay nagsusuka, na may madalas na pagtatae, o ipakita ang mga palatandaan ng pag-aalis ng tubig , "Ang mga eksperto sa prekomang pangkalusugan ng Verwell. Habang ang karamihan sa mga kaso ng trangkaso ng tiyan ay malulutas sa kanilang sarili, ang CDC ay nag-uulat na ang Norovirus ay kadalasang nagdudulot ng 109,000 na ospital at mga 900 pagkamatay bawat taon sa U.S., karamihan sa mga may sapat na gulang ay 65 at mas matanda.

Kaugnay:Huwag kailanman iwanan ang stall ng banyo bago gawin ito, binabalaan ng mga doktor.