During the early spring months, there are a variety of illnesses that are circulating. When you have an upset stomach, it can be easy to automatically think food poisoning. However, there are a variety of different conditions which can cause you to have an upset stomach. Identifying what exactly is causing your symptoms can be difficult without a medical diagnosis. Norovirus is a gastrointestinal virus that causes severe symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Learn more about how norovirus spreads and how to avoid it.
If you’re experiencing an upset stomach, AFC Urgent Care North Bergen is here to help. Our walk-in clinic provides rapid same-day illness diagnosis and treatment for a variety of common illnesses. We never require that you schedule an appointment in advance, simply walk into the clinic or schedule your appointment online prior to your visit using the button below.
Signs that You Have Norovirus
Norovirus can be difficult to identify. Its symptoms often appear 12 to 24 hours after you’ve been infected. Anyone can contract norovirus, however, it is most common among children. Norovirus symptoms can appear suddenly and usually are severe. Although symptoms may be intense, they typically only last 1 to 3 days.
Common symptoms of norovirus include:
- Stomach cramping
- Fever
- Chills
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches
How Does Norovirus Spread?
Norovirus is a viral infection. Like other common viral infections such as the flu, norovirus is extremely contagious from person to person. Norovirus commonly affects children, because school settings where children are in close contact with each other and hygiene is not well practiced is the perfect breeding ground for norovirus infections.
Norovirus can spread through direct contact with someone who is sick. Sharing food or drinks with someone who has norovirus is a common way to contract it. Touching the same surface as an infected person, such as a doorknob, can also cause you to contract the virus. Although it is less common, norovirus also can spread through the air if an infected person coughs or sneezes near you. Because norovirus symptoms don’t show up until a day or two after someone is infected, it is easy to spread norovirus to others because you may not know you’re carrying the virus.
Other Common Illnesses That Cause an Upset Stomach
Norovirus can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms tend to appear quickly and resolve quickly, meaning that you may not receive diagnostic testing for your symptoms. If you’re suffering from an upset stomach, the likely culprits are food poisoning and viral gastritis caused by norovirus.
While it can be difficult to determine what exactly is causing your illness symptoms, there is one telltale sign that you have a viral infection, not food poisoning. Norovirus symptoms tend to disappear faster than food poisoning cases. Food poisoning can last weeks, while norovirus only will last a couple of days.
Get Same-Day Illness Care by Walking Into AFC Urgent Care North Bergen
If you’re suffering from an upset stomach or other gastrointestinal illness symptoms, AFC Urgent Care North Bergen provides a convenient way to get rapid illness symptom relief. Our clinic offers illness diagnosis and symptom treatment on a walk-in basis 7 days a week for patients in North Bergen, Fairview, and Edgewater, NJ. Simply walk into the clinic or schedule an appointment online.
We maintain short wait times so that you can get urgent symptom relief without waiting all day in the waiting room. Our medical staff is board-certified and trained to identify the early symptoms of common illnesses such as norovirus. Our clinic is equipped with a laboratory on-site, allowing our medical staff to conduct diagnostic testing for a more accurate diagnosis at the time of your visit. We accept most medical insurance plans and offer affordable care. Walk in today.
