There are many things that may cause stomach ache and fever. Among the most common are food poisoning and the stomach flu. A person may also deal with these symptoms, however, when he has a more serious condition, such as appendicitis or pancreatitis. These conditions cause abdominal pain, but patients often refer to it as stomach pain. Some people may even develop stomach pain and fever when they have pneumonia or influenza.
When a person has a stomach ache and fever, one of the most likely causes of his symptoms is a stomach flu. Despite the misleading name, this condition is not related to influenza. Instead, it is caused by a virus that leads to such symptoms as pain, fever, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Fortunately, a person with this condition typically recovers after a short period of time, but complications such as dehydration may occur. It is important to note, however, that some cases of stomach flu are not accompanied by fever.
Sometimes the cause of stomach pain and fever is food poisoning. This occurs when a person consumes food or drink contaminated with something harmful. For example, a person may develop food poisoning after consuming food that has been contaminated by bacteria or drinking water that contains parasites. An individual may also be sickened by food contaminated with viruses or toxic agents, such as wild mushrooms. Whether or not food poisoning causes a fever usually depends on its causes.
In some cases, a stomach ache and fever are caused by conditions for which a person needs immediate medical attention. For example, a person may develop these conditions when he has appendicitis, which is inflammation of the appendix. Sometimes pancreatitis, which occurs when a person’s pancreas is inflamed or infected, is the cause. Both of these conditions cause abdominal pain that patients sometimes refer to as stomach pain and can develop with or without fever. A patient will typically need emergency medical attention for either condition.
Interestingly, there are also some upper-respiratory conditions that cause a stomach ache and fever. For example, a person may have these symptoms in relation to influenza. He may even develop them when he has pneumonia.
For stomach ache and fever that last a short time or are accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea, a person can usually stay at home and treat the condition by resting, drinking plenty of water, and possibly taking a fever reducer. If the pain becomes progressively worse, is to one side of the abdomen, is accompanied by bloody vomiting or diarrhea, or lasts for an extended period of time, a person may do well to seek medical attention. Likewise, he may benefit from medical attention if his fever is very high or does not respond to over-the-counter fever medicine.