Gastroenteritis is when your stomach and intestines are irritated and inflamed. This can cause belly pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The cause is typically inflammation triggered... Learn about gastroenteritis (stomach flu), its symptoms, causes, and types. Discover effective treatment options to manage and recover from this common digestive condition. Gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea, sickness, and tummy pain. It’s also called a tummy bug, stomach flu or gastric flu. It’s usually mild and clears up on its own within two weeks. But it can be more serious in some people (see our section on complications). Gastroenteritis symptoms come on suddenly. They include: What are the signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis? Symptoms involving your intestines (diarrhea, cramps), together with symptoms involving your stomach (nausea, vomiting) are the hallmarks of gastroenteritis.