The norovirus formerly known as the “Norwalk virus” is a genus of diseases causing an inflammation of the intestines. Commonly referred to as the stomach flu this is no flu at all! The virus is untreatable with no medication available. The symptoms themselves will last one to three days with one, upwards two days where the individual is asymptomatic but still contagious and if you think hand sanitizer will help think again! The virus cannot be fended off by many things other than soap and water or bleach. The virus is extremely contagious and here are just a few of its symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- stomach pain
- Fever
- Headaches
- Body Aches
- Dehydration
Recently I had the unpleasant experience with this virus and became available to first-hand report such. Here is my experience with the virus:
Day 1:
I began my day as normal with nothing strange occurring. I continued on with no symptoms. I then started to feel a weird feeling in my stomach, but it was small, so I thought not much of it. Shortly after I was exposed to a horrid smell which made me finally regurgitate. Not thinking much of it I got rid of the smell but remained nauseous. Continuing on I realized how hard it was to look at, smell or even think of food. In all but a short period of time I got to a point where I struggled to even move without regurgitating. I went to sleep to avoid illness.
Day 2:
My headache was at its peak and just walking across my room had begun to make my body ache. I would not turn on my tv that day as the light was too bright and would only worsen my headache. I would lay in the dark and frequently regurgitate and the pain was at its peak.I took Pepto Bismol which proved not to help and would only eat one hardboiled egg that day in the late evening. The sleep was restless, and I would have extreme waves of heat and cold.
Day 3:
I’d have felt mostly better by this point. My nausea had diminished, and I only felt sick when moving around a good bit. I then held down food and only had a slight headache. I would also now handle light fine. I ate three small and bland meals that day. I begin to feel fine and start to appear normal once more.
Day 4:
I felt better but I was still contagious and remained in my room. I was tired from being sick and eating and drinking very little. I kept my meals small still to avoid rushing back into it and spent my day resting.
As a society we tend to frequently underestimate what a stomach flu is and put it off. Yet It is highly contagious and extremely exhausting. While contagious it is not spread through sneezing or coughing like typical illnesses but instead spread through not washing your hands properly after using the bathroom, saliva from a contaminated individual or contamination in foods. With 2024 having some of the most cases in decades be sure to keep yourself safe and wash your hands.
To learn more about norovirus or to learn where the information from the article visit the CDC website linked below:
About Norovirus | Norovirus | CDC
