Bali Belly might be something you have heard of when planning your trip to Indonesia.
We have travelled to many places around the world and never thought we would end up sick with Bali Belly. Not much can prepare you for what’s to come when you get Bali Belly.
You don’t want to spend your holiday in a hotel bathroom when you could enjoy your trip with family and friends relaxing by the pool. Diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever are all symptoms of Bali Belly and can leave you too unwell for any activities planned during your holiday. The symptoms usually appear within hours and are generally clear within a week. If you take preventive measures and visit a doctor as soon as symptoms occur, you are more likely to get out of bed even sooner.
What is Bali Belly
Bali Belly is typically caused by consuming bacteria found in contaminated food and water. The leading cause of Bali Belly is untreated water that carries pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Poor sanitation practices can also lead to these pathogens appearing in the food you consume in restaurants.
Bali Belly meaning: Bali Belly is another name given to an upset stomach or travellers’ diarrhoea and food poisoning.
Is Bally Belly parasite
It is very common to get parasites in Bali. There are many different types of parasites, but the most common types of contract in Bali are roundworms (nematodes), tapeworms (cestodes), and fluke worms (trematodes).
Bali Belly symptoms can come from bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella, or a parasite such as Giardia, Dientamoeba, or Blastocystis Hominis, or it could even be viruses such as a norovirus or rotavirus, which are present in many Bali Belly cases.
Bali Belly symptoms
The symptoms usually appear within 2 to 5 hours of consuming contaminated food or water.
The main symptoms involve the following:
- Vomiting
- Diarrohea
- Nausea
- Frequent toilet visits
- Bloating
- Abdominal cramping
- Weakness and discomfort
- Shivers
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
If you wonder how long Bali Belly takes to start, my symptoms appeared 4 hours after eating my meal. The symptoms included first vomiting and diarrhoea followed by abdominal pain and bloating, fever, weakness and loss of appetite. If you experience any of the above, you will know whats Bali Belly is.
How long does Bali Belly last
Bali Belly symptoms usually resolve within one week. During that time, stay hydrated and eat simple food avoiding spices. It might be helpful to visit a healthcare professional for advice and medication to help resolve the issues faster.
Drink plenty of bottled water to treat Bali Belly and get rehydration tablets. Visit the nearest doctor for medication to help you eliminate the unpleasant symptoms.
How to avoid Bali Belly
You can take a few simple steps to prevent Bali Belly from happening to you.
- Make sure your tea, coffee, or juices are made with bottled or boiled water.
- Make sure to avoid undercooked meat and seafood.
- Don’t eat street food from vendors that appear unclean
- Try and avoid buffets unless they are from a reputable restaurant
- When buying fruit from a shop, make sure its whole and not already cut
- Raw salads have to be washed in a clean, uncontaminated water
- Avoid cold or lukewarm food that should be hot
- Ice in your drinks might also be contaminated
- Avoid eating foods washed in tap water
- Make sure that plates, cutlery and glasses are properly dried
- Brushing your teeth from the tap might cause stomach upset
- Try and avoid getting shower water in your mouth and eyes.
- Eat at popular restaurants with a high turnover. This means the food will be fresh and not pre-cooked.
Even if you are concerned about your trip, don’t let this ruin your trip. There are simple ways to avoid sickness when travelling. Use common sense and stick to general guidelines when travelling; you should be fine. There is no reason to cancel or stress about a trip when you are not even guaranteed to catch anything. If you get sick, always seek professional medical advice as soon as possible to avoid prolonged problems.
Enjoy your travels, and thanks for stopping by,
Steve and Sabina