Call 911 right away if:
- Vomiting blood or what looks like coffee grounds, or large amounts of blood in the stool
- Severe belly pain, especially if it is constant or in one spot
- Signs of severe dehydration — confusion, fainting, no urine for many hours, or a very sleepy, limp child
- Vomiting after a head injury, or with a stiff neck and severe headache
Viruses like norovirus are the most common cause. Food poisoning can cause the same symptoms. Most people feel better in 1 to 3 days.
What to do
- Sip fluids often — water, broth, or an oral rehydration solution. Start with small sips every few minutes, then drink more as you can.
- Rest.
- Eat when you feel ready. Start with plain foods like crackers, rice, toast, bananas, or soup. You don’t need to stop eating if you feel hungry.
- Keep feeding babies breast milk or formula. Give small amounts more often.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before handling food. Hand sanitizer doesn’t work well against norovirus.
- Clean surfaces that may have germs on them with a bleach-based cleaner, and wash soiled laundry in hot water.
Avoid
- Don’t prepare food for others or care for others while sick, and for at least 2 days after symptoms stop.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and very sugary drinks.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using anti-diarrhea medicine, especially for children, or if you have a fever or bloody stools.
See a doctor or go to urgent care if:
- Diarrhea lasts more than 2 days in an adult, or doesn’t improve within 24 hours in a child
- Vomiting lasts more than a day, or you can’t keep any fluids down
- You have black or bloody stools, or a fever above 102°F (39°C)
- There are signs of dehydration (see the dehydration guide)
- A baby under 6 months has vomiting or diarrhea, or an older adult or someone with a weak immune system gets sick