Diarrhea and Diarrhea: Symptoms and Treatment

Diarrhea is popularly called an ailment, which is accompanied by the release of a liquid, watery stool. In medicine, it is called diarrhea.

Diarrhea is not a disease in its own right. This is just a symptom of some pathology in the body.

general characteristics

Sometimes, with the help of diarrhea, the body reports intestinal irritation. This usually occurs when eating the wrong food, overeating or poisoning.

With a mild course of the disease, diarrhea goes away after a day on its own.

If diarrhea appears as a result of the development of the disease, then other accompanying symptoms will certainly appear. In this case, patients complain of abdominal pain, high body temperature, vomiting, colic, and so on.

Diarrhea is a very serious ailment and if you do not pay attention to it, the result can be disastrous.

First, this symptom cannot be ignored, as it may indicate a serious problem in the body. Secondly, profuse diarrhea with a long course leads to dehydration.

Diarrhea in young children or the elderly requires special attention. Both of those, and others, dehydration develops much faster.

Since diarrhea is only a symptom, the root cause is subject to close attention. If not eliminated, then diarrhea will continue to return, gaining momentum and additional symptoms.

There is a general list of main reasons suitable for adults and children:

• Diarrhea occurs when intestinal motility is disturbed.
• Taking antibiotics and other drugs that affect the digestive tract.
• Infectious lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. These are: salmonellosis, enteroviruses, foodborne toxicoinfection, cholera. These infections, as they develop and progress, provoke the production of toxins, which causes diarrhea.
• Irritable bowel syndrome. It arises against the background of nervous and emotional upheavals. For the onset of the disease, one serious stress is enough.
• Lack of enzymes. The digestive system cannot fully function. Particles of poorly digested food, when they enter the intestines, irritate the mucous membrane and diarrhea occurs.
• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
• Hereditary influence. A person may have an individual intolerance to products or components of various kinds. Congenital pathologies include: pancreatitis, celiac disease, liver cirrhosis, lactose deficiency.

Diarrhea in adults

The causes of diarrhea in adults can be very different. The most common problems causing blood in the stool include:

1. Stomach or duodenal ulcer. These problems provoke bleeding in the feces.
2. Diverticulitis This is an inflammation of the lower intestines. According to statistics, people after 45 years of age are susceptible to the disease.
3. Physical inactivity. Lack of movement and a constantly sedentary lifestyle.
4. Rectal cancer. The disease provokes the appearance of diarrhea mixed with blood.
5. Hemorrhoids and fissures in the anus. Loose stools come out with scarlet blood because the gap is close to the exit. Additional symptoms include: severe pain in the anus, especially during emptying, itching, burning.
6. Internal bleeding. Diarrhea comes out with dark, almost black blood. Bleeding inside the body is caused by such pathologies as: stomach cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, stomach or duodenal ulcer, esophageal varices.
7. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. When you have a bowel movement, streaks or blood clots appear.
8. Infectious diseases.

Diarrhea: classification

Diarrhea is classified into 2 main types: chronic and acute. Chronic stools are loose stools that last more than 4 weeks with possible periods of remission.

As a result, weakening and dehydration can occur. This symptom cannot be ignored. It is possible that the disease appeared as a result of a latent disease. In this case, you must definitely seek help from a specialist.

Chronic diarrhea is most often provoked by the following reasons:

• Taking medications.
• Ulcerative colitis.
• Diseases of the endocrine system.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Crohn's disease.

Acute diarrhea lasts no more than 2 days. Factors provoking the symptom:

• Infectious diseases.
• Allergy to medication.
• Food poisoning.
• Stress.

By mechanical development, the trait is divided into the following types:

1. Hypersecretory. Salt and water enter the intestines, resulting in heavy and watery stools.
2. Hypokinetic. The appearance of this species is influenced by factors that interfere with the promotion of food. Diarrhea by external indicators is liquid or mushy. Has a very unpleasant odor.
3. Hyperkinetic. The speed of passage of food through the intestines is increased. The stool comes out in small mushy or liquid portions.
4. Hyperexudative. This species is characterized by the ingress of fluid into the intestinal lumen. This causes loose, watery stools. The presence of blood or mucus is allowed.
5. Osmolar. Salt and water are poorly absorbed by the intestinal walls. Due to this, fatty profuse diarrhea occurs, which contains particles of undigested food.

Symptoms

If the diarrhea is caused by pathological changes in the body, then other symptoms are likely to appear. The more signs, the easier it will be for the doctor to diagnose.

Diarrhea and symptoms:

1. Frequent stools.
2. Bloody discharge.
3. Color change.
4. Spontaneous bowel movement.
5. The presence of an unpleasant, pungent odor.
6. Pieces of poorly digested food.
7. Change in consistency. It can be runny, watery, or mushy.
8. The presence of mucus.
9. Nausea.
10. Vomit.
11. Pain and discomfort in the abdomen.
12. Increased body temperature.

You need to carefully consider the problem of diarrhea. Dehydration and disturbance of the water-salt balance should not be allowed. If, nevertheless, this has come, then the symptoms of dehydration are also added to the main signs:

• Weakness.
• Fast fatiguability.
• Thirst.
• Dryness of the skin and mucous membranes.
• Darkening in the eyes.
• Fainting.
• Dizziness.
• Tachycardia.
• Low blood pressure.

Diarrhea in children

Diarrhea in childhood is different. If in adults the reasons are associated with pathologies in the body, then in young children they consist in improper diet or intestinal infections.

The main causes of diarrhea in children:

• Intestinal infections: dysentery, rotavirus, salmonellosis, escherichiosis, campylobacteriosis. Most often, children have stomach flu - rotavirus. Children go to kindergartens transmit this disease to each other. The big problem with babies is that they try to put everything in their mouths. Symptoms include diarrhea and fever.
• Allergic reaction to the product. Happens when the baby is breastfed. In this case, mom needs to revise her diet and exclude foods that cause allergies. It can also occur during the introduction of complementary foods. Any product should be introduced gradually. Complementary foods should be appropriate for the child's age. There is no need to rush to transfer the baby to adult food.
• Functional diarrhea. Intestinal motility is impaired, but no pathological changes were found. There are usually no other symptoms.
• Taking medications. In particular, the intestines can give such a reaction to the use of antibiotics. In children, the intestinal microflora is disturbed and the nutritional components are not absorbed by the body. It is imperative to consult with a specialist who will prescribe special preparations containing natural ingredients and beneficial bacteria. There is nothing healthier for babies than mother's milk. It is with the help of it that the natural restoration of microflora occurs.
• Diarrhea and vomiting in the form of regurgitation can begin as a result of constant overfeeding.
• Intolerance to some products.

Diarrhea: diagnostic methods

If diarrhea does not go away for more than 2 days in children and 5 days in adults, then you need to see a specialist.

In the presence of additional signs, such as: abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fever, treatment should be immediate.

First of all, the doctor needs to know about all the symptoms, what foods were consumed and what could be causing the problem. Perhaps there are already diagnosed diseases. They also need to be reported.

Further, to confirm the diagnosis, you will need to take tests and pass other research methods.

Diagnostics includes:

1. Endoscopy.
2. Biopsy.
3. Stool analysis. General data, the presence of parasites, bacteria and occult blood, undigested food.
4. Bowel X-ray.
5. Study of the level of hormones in the blood.
6. Blood analysis.
7. Colonoscopy.
8. Irrigoscopy.
9. Rectomanoscopy.
10. EGDS.
11. Abdominal ultrasound.

Treatment

Diarrhea does not always need to be treated. First of all, if there are no other important symptoms, it is recommended to bide your time. It is possible that the diarrhea will go away on its own after 2 days.

The main thing at this time is to prevent dehydration of the body. You should also follow a diet. No spicy, fatty, fried, salty food. It is advisable to exclude vegetables and fruits rich in fiber from the diet.

All experts advise to fill your body with liquid for diarrhea. Drinking plenty of fluids is essential. It will not be superfluous to use rehydration solutions. They replenish the balance of water and electrolytes.

The drug Regidron will help prevent dehydration. Sold in all pharmacies in powder form. Each packet contains instructions. Suitable for both children and adults.

Treatment stages:

• Means that eliminate the infection that caused loose stools.
• Medicines for the normalization of intestinal motility.
• Probiotics. They will help restore the natural microflora.
• For pain, the use of antispasmodics and pain relievers is allowed. No-shpa copes well with this.
• Sorbents. This group of drugs will help remove toxins and toxins from the body.
• Drinking fluids.
• Antiviral medicines.
• In case of a violation of the production of enzymes involved in digestion, appropriate medications are used.
• Antibacterial medicines.
• Rehydrants to prevent dehydration.
• Choleretic drugs are needed if the problem is cholecystitis.

How to deal with diarrhea at home? There is a list of recommendations that help during this period:

1. It is necessary to minimize physical activity.
2. Provide peace.
3. Sleep is advisable.
4. You need to wash your hands after every trip to the toilet.
5. Do not eat: milk, fatty meats, eggs, hot spices, cucumbers, radishes, cabbage.
6. It is recommended to make a diet of the following products: pasta, soft-boiled eggs, yesterday's bread or crackers, boiled meat and low-fat fish, porridge on the water, weak broths, pilaf.
7. Handle all food products carefully, especially vegetables and fruits.
8. If diarrhea occurs, it is recommended to immediately prepare a home remedy - blueberry jelly.

Conclusion

Diarrhea can be due to a common bowel disorder or improper food intake. In this case, it should not last more than 2 days.

When other accompanying symptoms are added to diarrhea: blood in the stool, fever, abdominal pain, you need to urgently seek help from a specialist.

There is a high probability of a serious pathological disease.

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