Unexpected symptoms and effective treatments for “Bali belly” revealed by tourists

If you’ve ever traveled to Bali or plan to spend your vacation in a popular tourist destination, you’ve probably heard of the ‘Bali belly’.

Belly of Delhi, Belly of Bali, Revenge of Montezuma – whatever you call it, it can captivate even the most experienced traveler.

If you don’t know what it is, it’s basically “traveller’s diarrhea” and it can strike anyone at any time.

“No kidding at all,” explained an Irish tourist just three days after traveling to the Indonesian hotspot.

Tammy Whelan said on her now viral TikTok:

“You can’t be [more than] 4 meters [from] A toilet means a large amount of excretion through the mouth and the buttocks at the same time.

“Thinking about food makes me feel sluggish, very dehydrated, and hallucinating.”

After her clip went viral and garnered half a million views, she shared a follow-up clip and said she was “finally” feeling herself again.

“I couldn’t eat anything and I was really worried. [But] Bali belly is over. I’m done with that and she’s done with me.

Emma Reese, an Australian physician and founder of Fema, explained that Bali belly is caused by ingesting bacteria from contaminated food and water.

It can last up to 5 days.

“You may experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, hot and cold sweats, and joint pain,” she told news.com.au.

“Headache is also a possible symptom and these may indicate dehydration, which is the main clinical risk of traveler’s diarrhea.”

In a Facebook post, one woman described how her Bali belly contracted after her family drank contaminated tap water.

“So guess what. He’s been sick all day with burr belly and ear pain. Many [of] Vomiting and shit,” she wrote.

In countries where traveler’s diarrhea is very common, such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, Dr. Reese recommends drinking filtered, boiled, or bottled water.

“Avoid ice, as this can be made from contaminated water. Likewise, salads and fruit may have been washed with contaminated water,” she said.

“If possible, re-wash such items with bottled or filtered water. Avoid buffets that include food, and make sure you are eating and drinking at a reputable establishment.”

Balinese belly, or traveler’s diarrhea, is actually quite common, with Dr. Rees saying that one-third to one-half of travelers experience it.

Travel insurer Covermore has let its medical team assist 1,174 Australians with gastroenteritis/Bali stomach in 2022. 112 of them he occurred in Bali. This compares with a total of 1457 cases reported in 2016.

“In 2022, 1,174 medical cases will cost more than $3.5 million, averaging about $3,000 per case, but more than doubled to $1,400. For this reason, it is very important to have good travel insurance,” Todd Nelson, managing director of Cover-More Travel Insurance, told news.com.au.

Treatment, hospitalization, cancellation, and additional accommodation costs may be required.

After the worst two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, insurers have seen a good return to global travel in 2022, Nelson said.

“And while the number of foodborne illness cases is lower than in 2016, it’s likely a combination of fewer travellers, better personal hygiene practices due to Covid, and hopefully better food handling practices. there is.”

He said despite the horror stories, the chances of having to claim medical bills for having gastroenteritis in Indonesia are actually not that high.

“In other countries such as Thailand, Spain, the United States and Canada, the chances of getting sick from food poisoning are the same,” he added.

Dr. Stephen Rashford, Chief Medical Officer at Covermore, says people are actually four times more likely to claim for gastroenteritis-related illnesses when traveling to Peru.

“Peru is consistently rated as the country most likely to get gastroenteritis, with an average of 2% of travelers reporting cases each year,” he explained.

But Nelson said it’s important to note that healthcare costs continue to rise around the world, especially in the United States.

The most expensive gastroenteritis claim ever on an insurance company’s books was in September 2015, “A customer on vacation in the U.S. didn’t have to pay a whopping $105,886.21 for a stomach bug. When I thanked Lucky Star for

how to beat the belly bug

Dr. Reese advised people with Bali bellies to rest, drink fluids regularly, and use clean water.

“You can take pain relievers for pain and fever. If your symptoms don’t improve or if you have blood in your stool, be sure to see your doctor,” she advised.

“We recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover local medical expenses if necessary.

“Also, our eagerness to experience different places and cultures should keep us from forgetting the risk of bacterial transmission from hand hygiene and different food hygiene practices.”