You can’t kill a stomach bug with medication the way you’d treat a bacterial infection with antibiotics. Viral gastroenteritis is a self-limiting illness, meaning your immune system clears it on its own, typically within one to three days. What you can do is manage symptoms, prevent dehydration, and avoid spreading the virus to everyone in your household. Here’s how to get through it as quickly and safely as possible.
Stay Hydrated Above All Else
Dehydration is the real danger of a stomach bug, not the virus itself. Vomiting and diarrhea drain your body of water and essential minerals like sodium and potassium faster than you might realize. The goal isn’t to gulp down a glass of water all at once (that often triggers more vomiting) but to take small, frequent sips throughout the day.
Oral rehydration solutions are the gold standard. Products like Pedialyte or Drip Drop are formulated with a specific balance of sodium, potassium, and glucose that helps your intestines absorb fluid far more efficiently than water alone. The WHO’s recommended formula pairs roughly equal concentrations of glucose and sodium (75 mmol/L each), which is why sports drinks, while better than nothing, aren’t ideal. They contain too much sugar and not enough sodium. If you can’t get to a store, you can make a basic version at home: mix six level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt into one liter of clean water.
For the first several hours when nausea is at its worst, try sipping just a tablespoon or two every few minutes. Ice chips work well too. Once you can keep that down, gradually increase the volume. Clear broths are another good option because they provide both fluid and sodium.
What to Eat (and When)
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s fine for the first day when you’re at your worst, but the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends following it strictly because it lacks protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and fiber. Sticking with it beyond 24 hours can actually slow recovery by depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to heal.
As soon as you feel able to eat, start reintroducing normal, bland foods. Plain crackers, boiled potatoes, chicken soup, oatmeal, and steamed vegetables are all good choices. Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned foods until your stomach settles. Dairy can be tricky for some people during recovery because the virus temporarily reduces your gut’s ability to digest lactose, so if milk or cheese seems to make things worse, hold off for a few days. The key principle: eat when you can tolerate it, and eat real food rather than restricting yourself to four bland items.
Over-the-Counter Symptom Relief
There’s no cure for a stomach bug, but a couple of OTC options can take the edge off. Anti-diarrheal medications containing loperamide (sold as Imodium) can slow things down when diarrhea is severe and you need some relief. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) can help with both diarrhea and nausea.
A few important caveats: these medications are not safe for infants or young children. And if you have a fever above 102°F or notice blood in your stool, skip the anti-diarrheals entirely. Those are signs of a bacterial or parasitic infection rather than a typical stomach virus, and slowing down your gut in that situation can make things worse. Anti-nausea medications like ondansetron are available by prescription and can be helpful if vomiting is so severe you can’t keep any fluids down.
How Long It Lasts
Most people recover within 72 hours. Norovirus, the most common culprit in adults, typically causes intense symptoms for one to three days. Rotavirus (more common in young children) can last a bit longer, sometimes up to a week. You’ll generally feel the worst during the first 12 to 24 hours, with symptoms gradually tapering after that.
Even after you feel better, your digestive system may be sensitive for several days. Loose stools, mild bloating, and reduced appetite are normal during the tail end of recovery. Full energy levels can take up to a week to return, especially if you became significantly dehydrated.
Recognizing Dangerous Dehydration
Mild dehydration causes thirst, slightly darker urine, and a dry mouth. That’s manageable at home with the sipping strategy described above. But dehydration can escalate, especially in young children, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions.
Warning signs that dehydration has become moderate to severe include:
- Significantly decreased urine output or no urine at all for eight or more hours
- Rapid heart rate even while resting
- Sunken eyes and few or no tears when crying (in children)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness when standing
- Confusion, extreme irritability, or unusual drowsiness
In infants, a sunken soft spot on the top of the head is a red flag. Severe dehydration requires IV fluids in a medical setting and can become life-threatening if untreated. If you or your child can’t keep any fluids down for more than 12 hours, that warrants urgent medical attention.
Stop It From Spreading
Norovirus is extraordinarily contagious, and here’s the part most people don’t know: you remain contagious long after you feel fine. One study found that norovirus shedding in stool lasted a median of 28 days after infection, with a range of 13 to 56 days. The highest concentrations of virus in stool were actually detected after symptoms had resolved. In practical terms, this means rigorous hand hygiene should continue for at least two weeks after recovery.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not very effective against norovirus. Soap and water with thorough scrubbing (at least 20 seconds) is what works. This is one of the few situations where hand sanitizer genuinely isn’t a substitute.
For cleaning contaminated surfaces like bathroom counters, toilet seats, and floors, regular household cleaners won’t cut it either. Norovirus is tough. Use a chlorine bleach solution: one-third cup of bleach per gallon of water for most hard surfaces. For items that go near mouths (like children’s toys), use a weaker solution of one tablespoon per gallon. Leave the bleach on the surface for 10 to 20 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Any clothing, towels, or bedding contaminated with vomit or stool should be washed immediately on the hottest setting your machine offers, then dried on high heat.
If someone in your household is sick, designate one bathroom for them if possible. The person cleaning up after vomiting or diarrhea episodes should wear disposable gloves and wash their hands thoroughly afterward. The virus can also spread through tiny airborne droplets when someone vomits, so ventilate the room and avoid being in close proximity during those episodes.
Rest and Let It Run Its Course
Sleep is genuinely one of the most productive things you can do. Your immune system ramps up its virus-fighting activity during rest, and staying in bed keeps you from burning through calories and fluids you can’t easily replace right now. Don’t try to push through work or exercise. Your body is fighting an infection, and it’s also losing fluid with every trip to the bathroom. Lying low for two to three days isn’t laziness; it’s the fastest path back to normal.
Keep a water bottle, rehydration solution, and a few bland snacks within arm’s reach so you don’t have to get up more than necessary. If you’re caring for a sick child, offer fluids every 15 to 20 minutes in small amounts rather than letting them drink a full cup at once. Children can dehydrate much faster than adults because of their smaller body size, so watching their fluid intake closely matters more than almost anything else you can do.