Constipation and diarrhea: causes of alternation of these symptoms

Constipation and diarrhea are considered to be two completely opposite dyspepsia. However, in many patients, these problems can exist almost simultaneously. For example, in some diseases, diarrhea alternates with constipation.

Treatment should be aimed at identifying the cause of alternation of diarrhea and constipation. Most often these symptoms indicate irritable bowel syndrome.

Causes of alternating constipation and diarrhea

Knowing the cause of disruption of the digestive tract, it is easier to get rid of these unpleasant symptoms.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Most often a long alternation of constipation and diarrhea, observed almost simultaneously in adults caused by irritable bowel syndrome.

IBS is a functional disorder of the digestive tract, which is manifested by various symptoms including cramps and abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea and constipation( constipation).

Depending on stool consistency are 4 types of IBS:

• irritable bowel syndrome-constipation, wherein the patient constipation observed for 25% of the time and longer, and diarrhea lasts for less than 25% of the time.
• Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea in which the patient experiences diarrhea for 25% of the time and longer, and constipation lasts less than 25% of the time.
• Mixed irritable bowel syndrome in which the duration of both constipation and diarrhea is at least 25% of the total time in each of these symptoms.
• An indeterminate type of irritable bowel syndrome in which the duration of both constipation and diarrhea does not exceed 25% of the total time.

The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown. Scientists believe that this disease is a consequence of a combination of various factors, including a violation of the peristalsis of the digestive tract, the pathology of the nervous system, increased sensitivity to pain, intolerance of certain foods.

The most common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are pain or discomfort in the abdomen, as well as the disturbed nature of the stool and the frequency of bowel evacuation. This is a chronic disease, often lasting for years. All this time the patient may be disturbed by diarrhea, then constipation.

Other symptoms of this disease are :

• Bloating and flatulence.
• Nausea.
• Sensation of incomplete emptying of the intestine.
• Whitish mucus in the stool.

Although irritable bowel syndrome can be painful, it does not lead to the development of other diseases or damage to the digestive tract.

Other causes of constipation after diarrhea

People often develop constipation after diarrhea, and they do not know what to do. Such alternation of these two problems can be facilitated by various reasons.

After an episode of diarrhea, the patient may feel relief from stopping frequent toilet visits, abdominal pain, loose stools. That patient then can even think about what is worse - diarrhea itself or constipation that started right after it.

Although many believe that it is almost impossible - first to suffer from diarrhea, then - from constipation, such an alternating nature of these symptoms is common.

This abrupt change of bowel behavior can be caused by :

• Excessive use of antiparretic drugs for the treatment of diarrhea of ​​infectious etiology, such as Loperamide.
• By dehydration, which has developed due to diarrhea, which leads to a lack of water in the lumen of the intestine and the formation of a firm stool.
• A violation of the composition and quantity of intestinal microflora.
• Poor nutrition during diarrhea, which can cause insufficient amount of stool in the intestines.
• Slowing of the peristalsis of the digestive tract, which develops in response to diarrhea-enhanced intestinal motility.
• Severe disease or stress that disrupt the normal functioning of the intestine.
• By the action of any narcotic pain medication that was taken to relieve pain during diarrhea.

In addition to irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory diseases, diarrhea after constipation may have a stool or partial mechanical intestinal obstruction.

Ganglust is a large formation from a dry and hard stool that blocks the lumen of the rectum. It appears, as a rule, in people who have long constipation and take laxatives. The fecal obstruction especially often develops with a sudden discontinuation of these medications, as the intestine gets used to their action and in the absence of laxatives it functions "lazily".

Since the stool obstructs the passage in the rectum, past it can pass only a loose stool. Therefore, in patients, sometimes after severe constipation, watery diarrhea develops.

A similar situation is observed with intestinal tumors, partly overlapping its lumen. Fecal masses in order to pass the place of obturation, become liquid and cause diarrhea.

When should immediate medical attention be needed?

Since irritable bowel syndrome does not pose an immediate threat to the health and life of the patient, there is no need to urgently seek medical help with this disease. However, with any prolonged constipation and diarrhea, you need to make an appointment with a doctor for a scheduled consultation.

Immediately to the physician you should contact:

• the appearance of symptoms of dehydration;
• marked nausea and irrepressible vomiting, which are combined with constipation and diarrhea;
• appearance of bloody diarrhea after constipation;
• by a sharp increase in abdominal pain after constipation or diarrhea;
• rapid weight reduction.

Treatment methods

The choice of method of treatment depends on the cause of the alternation of constipation and diarrhea.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

Although irritable bowel syndrome can not be cured at this time, doctors can help control their symptoms with diet, medication and psychological therapy.

Treatment of mixed IBS, in which diarrhea and diarrhea often follow each other, is difficult. The fact is that methods that alleviate one of these symptoms can weigh the other.

The right diet can reduce the severity of the clinical picture of irritable bowel syndrome. In order to remove from the diet products that worsen the condition, the patient should maintain a special diary in which it is necessary to record the food consumed and the development of the symptoms of the disease.

Cellulose can be useful for patients with IBS, as it improves bowel function. However, the use of foods rich in fiber, you need to increase gradually, as a sharp increase can cause bloating and flatulence. Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains.

To avoid dehydration, you need to drink 6-8 glasses of water every day. This is especially important for people with diarrhea. It is also better to eat in smaller portions, but more often - 4-5 times a day.

In many patients with irritable bowel syndrome, the condition worsens with the use of milk and dairy products, caffeinated and carbonated drinks, alcohol, so they have to give them up.

Alleviate IBS symptoms can also be a diet low in short-chain carbohydrates( oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols), which are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly degraded by bacteria of the digestive tract. These bacteria produce gas, which contributes to the development of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

to products containing short-chain carbohydrates belong:

• onion and garlic;
• asparagus;
• beans;
• cauliflower;
• celery;
• fungi;
• peas;
• soybeans;
• apples;
• apricots;
• avocado;
• cherry;
• currant;
• mango;
• grapefruit;
• figs;
• peaches;
• pears;
• watermelon;
• raisins;
• containing wheat products( white bread, biscuits, cakes, buns);
• cashews and pistachios;
• fructose;
• honey;
• hummus;
• sweeteners( inulin, isomaltose, sorbitol, xylitol);
• beer;
• fruit juices;
• sports drinks;
• chamomile and strong herbal tea;
• milk and milk products.

For patients with any type of IBS, exercise of moderate intensity is very useful, which should be performed 3-5 times a week. These include fast walking, jogging, swimming.

Treatment of constipation after diarrhea

Usually, constipation, which appears after diarrhea, passes by itself for several weeks. However, severe constipation may require treatment. Do not immediately take laxatives.

necessary: ​​

• Increase the amount of fiber in the diet.
• Use more fluid to help prevent or eliminate dehydration caused by diarrhea.
• Increase physical activity, which plays an important role in maintaining the normal functioning of the intestine.
• Stop taking antiparasitic drugs.
• Restrict the use of sugar, the excess of which contributes to constipation.
• Include probiotics in the diet.

Treatment of diarrhea that has developed after constipation

Sometimes patients first think how to cause diarrhea in constipation, and then face the problem of how to get rid of this problem.

For the treatment of diarrhea, which appeared after constipation, it is necessary to establish precisely the causes of these symptoms. For this it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo an appropriate examination. With a stool, you need to remove from the rectum a hard and dry stool, after which you must take all possible measures to prevent further constipation.

Most often, the stool can be destroyed manually, with the help of two fingers inserted into the rectum. Rectal suppositories can be used to soften a hard stool. Sometimes surgical treatment may be needed to treat stool.

If alternating diarrhea and constipation caused by intestinal tumor, such a patient is likely to need to conduct surgery to remove tumors.

What if constipation and diarrhea accompanied by nausea?

Very often, the alternation of constipation and diarrhea is combined with nausea. In many patients, these symptoms may indicate irritable bowel syndrome, although they may be a sign of other diseases. This combination of symptoms alone makes it difficult to judge a possible diagnosis, you need more information about the time and the expected reasons for their occurrence, and additional tests. Treatment can be carried out after the establishment of a correct diagnosis. Symptomatic elimination of nausea is possible with medications such as metoclopramide, Ondasetron.

Despite the fact that constipation and diarrhea are the opposite disorders of the functioning of the digestive tract, they can alternate in one patient, quickly changing each other. Most often this indicates the presence of irritable bowel syndrome, but can be observed in other diseases. Proper treatment is prescribed only after the establishment of a correct diagnosis.

Author: Taras Nevelichuk, doctor,
specially for Moizhivot.ru

Useful video about irritable bowel syndrome