Care for stomach flu at Urgent Care Center of Westmont in Westmont, IL. Walk in for vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and cramps. We check for dehydration, look for the cause and give you a clear home care plan.
Gastroenteritis, often called stomach flu, is an infection of the stomach and intestines. It causes watery diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, belly cramps and sometimes fever. It is not related to influenza. Viruses such as norovirus cause most cases, and antibiotics do not help viral illness.
The main danger is dehydration, especially for babies, young children, older adults and people with weak immune systems. Urgent Care Center of Westmont, also known as Immediate Care Center of Westmont, can check your hydration, look for other causes and help you recover safely at home.
Key facts
Hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus; wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (CDC).
Clean surfaces with 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water, left on for at least 5 minutes (CDC).
Wash soiled laundry in hot water on the longest cycle, then dry it on the highest heat setting.
Cook oysters and other shellfish to at least 145°F; quick steaming does not kill norovirus (CDC).
Symptoms and how it spreads
The CDC notes that norovirus symptoms usually start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and most people feel better in 1 to 3 days. Common symptoms are:
Diarrhea and vomiting
Nausea and stomach pain
Sometimes fever, headache and body aches
It spreads through close contact with a sick person, contaminated food or drink, and touching contaminated surfaces. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, clean surfaces, and stay home for 48 hours after symptoms stop.
How we evaluate and treat it at our Westmont, IL clinic
A provider asks about your symptoms, recent food, travel and contacts, and checks for signs of dehydration. Lab tests may be ordered when they will help, such as when there is blood in the stool or symptoms last longer than expected.
Treatment focuses on replacing fluids and salts. MedlinePlus suggests small sips of an oral rehydration solution often, rather than large amounts at once, and avoiding fruit juice and soda. A provider may recommend medicine for nausea when appropriate. Once you feel hungry, you can return to regular foods. You leave with a plan and signs that mean you should come back.
Walk in or check in online to save your spot. Both locations are open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM: our main clinic at 29 N Cass Ave, Ste A, Westmont, IL 60559, and Immediate Care Center of Westmont Inside Jewel-Osco at 4 E Ogden Ave, Westmont, IL 60559.
Our clinic works with most major insurers, such as Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Multiplan/PHCS and Medicare. Call (630) 324-6825 to confirm that your plan covers your visit and any tests, or review our accepted insurance and costs.
Paying on your own? Read about our flat, upfront self-pay pricing, and ask us for the cost of any lab work before it is done.
Stomach bug, food poisoning or the flu?
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How three common illnesses compare
Stomach bug
Food poisoning
Influenza
Main symptoms
Vomiting, watery diarrhea, cramps
Vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, sometimes fever
Fever, cough, body aches; vomiting more common in kids
Keep sipping; add plain foods once you feel hungry
After symptoms stop
You can still spread the virus
Wait at least 48 hours before cooking for others or caring for others
Our clinicians in Westmont, IL can check your hydration and help with nausea when needed. Walk in or check in online.
Cleaning up to protect your household
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Norovirus spreads easily, and tiny amounts can make someone sick. CDC recommends these steps:
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use sanitizer only as an extra, not a replacement.
Wear gloves to clean up vomit or diarrhea, and use a bleach solution of 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water. Leave it on for at least 5 minutes.
Remove soiled clothes and bedding right away without shaking them. Wash in hot water on the longest cycle and dry on high heat.
Keep the sick person out of the kitchen until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.
Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, and cook shellfish thoroughly.
Caring for a sick child
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Children dry out faster than adults, so fluids come first. Keep breastfeeding or giving formula. For older babies and children, offer an oral rehydration solution a spoonful or small sip at a time, every few minutes, and slowly increase the amount as vomiting settles.
Once your child is hungry, go back to their usual foods. Keep a sick child home from school or daycare until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop. Our pediatric urgent care and kids urgent visit pages explain how we care for children.
For norovirus, most people feel better in 1 to 3 days, according to the CDC. See a provider if diarrhea lasts more than a few days or you show signs of dehydration.
Will antibiotics help?
Not for viral gastroenteritis. The CDC and NIH note that antibiotics do not work against viruses. A provider will decide if another cause needs treatment.
What should I drink?
Small, frequent sips of an oral rehydration solution. Avoid fruit juice and soda, which can make diarrhea worse.
When can I go back to work or school?
The CDC advises staying home for 48 hours after symptoms stop, because you can still spread norovirus.
Does hand sanitizer kill norovirus?
Not well. CDC says hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers and before eating or preparing food. Sanitizer can be used in addition, but not instead.
What should I eat after a stomach bug?
Start with fluids, then add plain foods once you feel hungry, such as crackers, toast, rice, bananas or soup. You can go back to your regular foods as your appetite returns. Go slowly with greasy, spicy or very sugary foods for a day or two.
Why does the whole family get the stomach flu?
Norovirus spreads easily through close contact, shared food and touching contaminated surfaces, and only a tiny amount is needed to make someone sick. Wash hands with soap and water, clean with a bleach solution, wash laundry on hot, and keep the sick person out of the kitchen until 48 hours after symptoms stop.
How do I clean up vomit safely?
Put on disposable gloves, wipe up the mess with paper towels and bag it. Then clean the area with a bleach solution of 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water and leave it on for at least 5 minutes, as CDC advises. Wash your hands well afterward.
“I have had the most amazing experience here especially with the front desk. Jennyfer A. She is always so nice, so fast and so helpful. She puts a smile on my face.”
Lisa U. · February 2024 · Google★★★★★
“Quick care, kind staff. They have the equipment here for all the urgent care services we have ever needed. Costs are straightforward and very reasonable -- we've not had to pay any large fees after a visit here.”
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“Very efficient and knowledgable, took the time to answer all my questions. Great team.”
