There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night with vomiting, body aches, diarrhea, and fever. Is it the flu? Food poisoning? Norovirus? The only way to know for sure is to see a physician. However, this article can help you better understand your symptoms and offer more information about some common illnesses that are characterized by body aches, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
Illnesses That Cause Vomiting, Fever, and Diarrhea
Vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and body aches are often caused by gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection marked by nausea or vomiting, abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea, and sometimes fever. According to the Mayo Clinic, “The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu — is through contact with an infected person or by ingesting contaminated food or water.”
There are several conditions that can lead to gastroenteritis, including food poisoning, norovirus, and rotavirus.
Some common bacterial food poisonings include:
-
Botulism. Symptoms begin within 18-36 hours of eating contaminated food and can consist of drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty swallowing, labored breathing, vomiting, and diarrhea.
-
E. coli. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, headache and aching muscles. In children, E. coli could cause kidney failure.
-
Listeriosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, cramping, and back pain. If left untreated, listeriosis can lead to meningitis.
-
Salmonellosis. Symptoms can include cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, chills, and bloody stool. Salmonellosis can be fatal in individuals with weakened immune systems and in infants.
Norovirus is one of the most common causes of viral gastroenteritis. Common symptoms include:
-
Stomach pain
-
Vomiting
-
Body aches
-
Diarrhea
-
Fever
-
Headache
Rotavirus is most common in young children and infants. Symptoms usually appear within 2 days of exposure to rotavirus and include:
-
Fever
-
Vomiting
-
Diarrhea
-
Abdominal pain
If you are experiencing vomiting, body aches, fever, and diarrhea, a FastMed Urgent Care medical professional can see you any day of the week. Our clinics are even open late, so finding the time to come in is a breeze. Check in now!
About FastMed
FastMed is a leading provider of high-quality, convenient, affordable, and compassionate healthcare in 34 counties across North Carolina. FastMed serves both urban and rural communities across the state with a wide range of care options, including preventive, telemedicine, occupational health, and primary and urgent care. FastMed is one of the few urgent care providers in the nation that has earned The Joint Commission’s coveted Gold Seal of Approval® for quality, safety, and infection control in ambulatory healthcare. For more information, visit www.fastmed.com.