There is no cure for norovirus. No antiviral medication exists to treat it, and antibiotics do nothing against a virus. What you take during a norovirus infection centers on replacing lost fluids, managing symptoms so you can rest, and eating in a way that supports recovery. Most healthy adults recover within one to three days without medical treatment.
Fluids and Electrolytes Come First
The biggest risk from norovirus isn’t the virus itself. It’s dehydration from the relentless combination of vomiting and diarrhea. Replacing fluids and electrolytes is the single most important thing you can do.
Oral rehydration solutions (sold as Pedialyte, DripDrop, or store-brand equivalents) are your best option. These work because of a specific mechanism in your gut: sodium and glucose are absorbed together through the intestinal wall, and they pull water along with them. The World Health Organization’s formula uses a 1:1 ratio of sodium to glucose at 75 milliequivalents per liter each. Commercial rehydration products use a ratio closer to 1:3, which is less precise but still effective.
If you can’t get to a store, you can sip water, broth, or diluted juice. Avoid full-strength fruit juice and sodas, which are high in sugar and low in sodium. That imbalance can actually worsen diarrhea by drawing more water into your intestines. Sports drinks like Gatorade are a middle ground: better than nothing, but they contain more sugar and less sodium than a proper rehydration solution.
Take small, frequent sips rather than gulping. If you’re vomiting, wait 15 to 30 minutes after an episode, then try a few tablespoons at a time. Gradually increase the amount as your stomach tolerates it.
Over-the-Counter Medications That Help
Two common pharmacy options can ease symptoms in adults. Loperamide (Imodium) slows gut motility to reduce the frequency of diarrhea. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate) coats the stomach lining and has mild anti-inflammatory effects. Lab research has also shown that bismuth compounds reduce norovirus infectivity by roughly 99% in cell cultures, though how well this translates to shortening your illness at home isn’t firmly established.
Neither medication is recommended for infants or young children. And there’s an important rule for any age: if you have a fever above 102°F (38.9°C) or notice blood in your stool, skip these medications entirely. Those signs suggest a bacterial or parasitic infection rather than a straightforward viral illness, and slowing your gut down in that situation can make things worse.
For nausea and vomiting, over-the-counter options are more limited. Some people find relief with ginger chews or ginger tea. If vomiting is severe enough that you can’t keep fluids down for more than 24 hours, that’s a signal to call a doctor, who may prescribe an anti-nausea medication.
Skip the Probiotics
Probiotics are widely marketed for gut health, and it seems logical that flooding your intestines with “good bacteria” would help fight off an infection. The evidence says otherwise. A large clinical trial through the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network tested Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, one of the most studied probiotic strains, against placebo in children with acute gastroenteritis. The probiotic did not reduce the severity or duration of symptoms. There were no differences in how long diarrhea or vomiting lasted, how many days kids missed daycare, or how often illness spread to family members. Rates of moderate-to-severe gastroenteritis were nearly identical: 11.8% in the probiotic group versus 12.6% in the placebo group.
Saving your money on a probiotic supplement and spending it on a good oral rehydration solution is a better use of resources during active illness.
What to Eat During Recovery
You may have heard of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) as the standard recommendation for stomach bugs. It’s no longer advised. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers it too restrictive for children, and Cleveland Clinic notes it lacks calcium, vitamin B12, protein, and fiber. Following it for more than 24 hours can actually slow recovery because your gut needs adequate nutrition to repair itself.
Instead, eat as tolerated. When the worst of the vomiting passes and you feel ready for food, start with small portions of soft, bland options: scrambled eggs, skinless chicken or turkey, cooked vegetables, plain crackers, or broth-based soups. These give your body the protein and micronutrients it needs without overwhelming a sensitive stomach. Increase portion sizes and variety as you feel better. Your stomach handles smaller, more frequent meals better than large ones during this window.
Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned foods for the first day or two. Dairy can be harder to digest temporarily because the virus damages cells in your intestinal lining that produce lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. This usually resolves within a few days.
Preventing Spread at Home
Norovirus is extraordinarily contagious. A sick person sheds billions of viral particles, and it takes fewer than 20 to infect someone else. While you’re focused on your own recovery, a few steps protect the rest of your household.
Clean any surface that may have been contaminated with vomit or stool using a chlorine bleach solution: 5 to 25 tablespoons of standard household bleach (5% to 8% concentration) per gallon of water, which produces 1,000 to 5,000 parts per million of active chlorine. Alternatively, use an EPA-registered disinfectant specifically labeled as effective against norovirus. Standard antibacterial sprays and wipes do not reliably kill norovirus.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Hand sanitizer is less effective against norovirus than against many other pathogens because the virus lacks a lipid envelope that alcohol can dissolve. Soap and friction physically remove viral particles from your skin. Wash contaminated laundry on the hottest setting available with regular detergent, and tumble dry on high heat.
Signs You Need Medical Help
Most norovirus cases resolve on their own, but dehydration can become dangerous, particularly in young children, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions. Warning signs of severe dehydration include confusion, fainting, no urine output for eight or more hours, rapid heartbeat, and rapid breathing. These require immediate medical attention, as IV fluids may be necessary.
For infants and toddlers, watch for fewer than three wet diapers in a day, no tears when crying, and unusual drowsiness or irritability. Older adults can deteriorate quickly because they often start with lower fluid reserves and may not feel thirst as strongly.