We often talk about a liver attack after a meal that is too rich, which leads to nausea, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea. If gastroenteritis shares these same symptoms, it also covers other clinical signs, which do not exist in the event of a liver crisis. In addition, these two pathologies have very distinct causes. Learn to differentiate liver crisis from gastroenteritis.
1. Liver crisis and gastroenteritis: different causes
Liver crisis is sometimes confused with gastroenteritis, although they have very different origins. And these distinct causes therefore require distinct treatments.
- The causes of liver crisis: the expression “liver crisis” is an abusive formulation, to the extent that the liver has nothing to do with this pathology. This is the popular expression used to designate indigestion. This phenomenon results from meals that are too rich (in fat, sugar, quantities) or too much alcohol consumption. It is therefore the diet (solid, liquid) which is at the origin of the liver crisis.
- Causes of gastroenteritis: Gastroenteritis refers to inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining, not indigestion, says the MSD Manual. This inflammation is most often caused by a viral infection, informs Public Health France. It can also be of bacterial, parasitic or medicinal origin.
2. Liver crisis and gastroenteritis: common symptoms
Certain symptoms, common to gastroenteritis and liver crisis, can be confusing and lead people to believe that it is gastroenteritis when it is a liver crisis, and vice versa. Indeed, in the event of a liver attack such as in the case of gastroenteritis, the affected person suffers from nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In addition, for these two pathologies, symptoms generally persist for 24 hours to three days. It is therefore possible to confuse them based on these similarities alone. But these two pathologies have differences to be aware of.
3. Liver crisis and gastroenteritis: divergent symptoms
Liver crisis and gastroenteritis, however, have clinical signs that allow them to be differentiated. Thus, gastroenteritis is accompanied by a mild to moderate fever and chills, which is not the case with liver crisis. Another difference in clinical signs: the location of the pain is not the same. In the event of a liver crisis, it is in fact at the level of the hepatobiliary system that the pain is located. In other words, under the ribs located on the right. In cases of gastroenteritis, the pain is more located in the stomach, and manifests itself as abdominal cramps.
Sources
- Santé Québec, Gastroenteritis
- The MSD Manual, Overview of Gastroenteritis
- Public health France, Acute gastroenteritis
Read also :
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⋙ Liver pain: when to worry?
⋙ Symptoms of gastroenteritis: how to know if you have gastroenteritis or food poisoning?