An infection of the Norovirus can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms. You could experience vomiting or diarrhea seemingly out of nowhere. It’s a highly contagious virus. Norovirus typically spreads through water or food that becomes contaminated when it comes into contact with a contaminated surface or through contaminated preparation. If you come into contact with someone who has this virus, they can quickly spread it to you.
Abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea usually start to occur between 24 and 48 hours after you come into contact with it. These symptoms can last anywhere from one to three days and have varying severity levels. However, most people recover on their own without needing any additional treatment or medical intervention. The elderly, infants or people with compromised immune systems are more prone to getting dehydrated and needing medical care when they get the Norovirus infection.
You typically see Norovirus outbreaks in elderly care centers, schools, hospitals, child care centers, or anywhere that has a lot of people in an enclosed space. This virus is very hard to get rid of because it doesn’t respond to hot or cold environments or disinfectants. Additionally, the virus lives in your feces for up to two weeks after your symptoms disappear and this can stretch to months if you have an underlying condition. People can show no signs of having the virus and still spread it as well.
There are several preventative measures that you can take to reduce or stop the spread of Norovirus. They include things like washing your hands thoroughly after you use the bathroom, washing your fruits or vegetables, disinfected contaminated areas, disposing of any fecal matter or vomit carefully, and avoiding contaminated water or food. The six most common Norovirus symptoms are listed below.
1. Nausea
Nausea is one of the first signs that you typically experience when you get a Norovirus infection. It makes you feel like you’re going to throw up. You can experience nausea on a short-lived or on a prolonged basis. If it’s prolonged, it can cause a variety of problems when you try to go about your daily routine.
It’s hard to describe what this sensation feels like. However, the symptoms are usually not painful, but they’re an uncomfortable sensation that affects the back of your throat, chest, and the upper abdomen. Norovirus can cause you to feel extremely nauseous, especially when it’s first starting to show in your system.
This feeling of nausea can last throughout the entire time you have the infection, and this feeling can get more intense and wane on and off as your body tries to fight off the infection. You can try to alleviate the nauseous feeling by resting, staying hydrated with small sips of fluid, avoiding strong odors, and using over the counter motion sickness medications.
In a lot of instances, nausea can lead to the second most prominent sign of this infection. Vomiting can often reduce the general feeling of nausea for a lot of people.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Vomiting
Vomiting or throwing up means that you forcefully expel your stomach contents. While this can be a one-time thing with Norovirus, it’s typically a reoccurring symptom that you deal with for several days. A lot of the time, vomiting can temporarily reduce the feelings of nausea that you may have.
Vomiting can be a severe problem that can quickly lead to other medical problems like dehydration, headaches, confusion, dry mouth, fatigue, and dark urine. The elderly and younger children are more susceptible to these complications. This is because these age groups have less fluid in their bodies, and this can lead to quicker complications.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Diarrhea
Diarrhea is classified as having very watery or loose stools more than three times in a single day. If you only have it for one or two days, you have acute diarrhea. This symptom usually goes away on its own, even if you have an infection like Norovirus.
Diarrhea is one way that your body tries to get rid of the contaminants that cause this virus. Diarrhea usually comes with abdominal cramps, loss of bowel control, and a very sudden or urgent need to use the bathroom. It can also cause you to become dehydrated, especially if you don’t take in fluids when you have diarrhea.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Low Grade Fever
A low grade fever typically refers to a fever that fluctuates between 99.8°F to 100.4°F in adults. A low grade fever is difficult for people to take seriously and most people wait until their fever rises to a moderate level before attempting to treat it. Some people may also have this type of fever and not realize it. This makes it difficult to treat.
A low grade fever is your body’s defense mechanism against germs, infections, or bacteria. As your body temperature rises, it can kill off any foreign bodies in your system. Unfortunately, Norovirus is resistant to many temperature changes, so this low grade fever typically won’t kill it.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Malaise
Malaise is a feeling that accompanies a Norovirus infection. People typically describe it as an overall feeling of discomfort or weakness. You usually feel like this when you’re sick because you get fatigued and you’re unable to get adequate rest to restore your feeling of well-being.
While the feeling of Malaise can come on suddenly, it’s more commonly known to come on slowly as you get worn down by being sick. Malaise can last for several days after you recover from the Norovirus, and there are different severity levels that you can experience. Additionally, you might also feel lethargic. Generally, if your feelings of Malaise last over a week, you want to see your primary care physician.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Muscle Pain
Muscle pain in the form of tense, sore, or aching muscles are other common signs of Norovirus. In particular, your abdominal muscles may cramp or feel fatigued if you spend a lot of time throwing up. This can lead to a feeling of soreness that lasts for days after your other symptoms fade.
You may also have a lot of tension in your muscles because you don’t feel well. This tension can lead to aches and muscle pain all over your body. Infections can cause muscle pain as well, and it can worsen as your sickness drags on. Rest and staying hydrated are two ways that you can treat your muscle pain.
These six symptoms give you a good overview of this virus as well as how long it lasts and what to expect. If you believe that you have a Norovirus infection and the symptoms are not going away, you may want to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician.
