Loose stools but not diarrhea in an adult

The appearance of a similar pathology, like diarrhea or loose stools, provokes significant discomfort.

Since a patient with a constant urge to void is unable to concentrate on performing work duties, the result becomes irritable and depressed.

Therefore, when this pathological process occurs, its provoking factor should be established without delay.

Although domestic experts call loose stools diarrhea, and vice versa, in foreign practice, these concepts are distinguishable.

Difference between loose stools and diarrhea in adults

In a normal state, emptying in an adult occurs up to 2 times a day in an average amount, with a liquid consistency of no more than 80%.

When an increase in fluid is observed in the feces, then in such a situation we can talk about the problem of loose stools.

It is possible to differentiate it from diarrhea in terms of timing: loose stools predominantly have a chronic course, that is, it lasts 15-20 days or more.

The difference is that diarrhea is more intense. Loose stools occur due to some provoking factors:

• Change of diet. First of all, you need to focus on changing your own diet - this is the most common cause of loose stools in an adult. Diet changes must be differentiated from the symptoms of the disease. For example, the patient began to follow a diet that includes a significant amount of plant fiber and fiber. Loose stools, but not diarrhea, are often seen in adults who decide to switch to a vegetarian diet. A similar malaise is also likely when a person has relatively recently moved to another area, but has not yet been able to get used to unfamiliar food.
• Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of an inflammatory nature. Loose stools are formed as a result of diseases of the pancreas or after removal of the gallbladder. In addition, symptoms often make themselves felt after bowel resection.
• Infections. Sluggish infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can create conditions for the formation of loose stools, but not diarrhea. Often this includes a variety of parasitic infestations.
• Loose stools, but not diarrhea, in some situations is accompanied by the use of certain medications.

Loose stools are often a sluggish symptomatology without a pronounced concomitant pathological process.

The main difference is that during diarrhea, an increased temperature is more often observed, there is pronounced pain near the intestines.

Watery stools: dangerous or not

The appearance of loose stools in all cases is alarming, since it is virtually impossible to immediately differentiate a minor food disturbance from a dangerous disease.

A more dangerous pathological process can be recognized due to the presence of a general alarming symptoms, diagnosis and a thorough history of life, diet, diseases that have the patient.

Watery stools in adults are not considered a symptom of a dangerous illness in such situations:

• If an adult consumes a significant amount of plant-based foods (in particular, food products that are saturated with fiber) and drink a lot of liquid (its excess contributes to dilution of feces). When the patient normalizes his own nutrition, the bowel movements will become the prescribed form.
• During dysbiosis. For example, if a person has been treated with antibiotics for a long period of time, which kill positive microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Despite the occurrence of symptoms, dysbiosis rarely provokes adverse consequences and changes the patient's well-being, although in some situations it lasts more than 7 days. In order to eliminate the condition and accelerate recovery, experts recommend using products that contain beneficial microorganisms.
• During a sharp change in diet. The situation often occurs with people who come to another country and try unfamiliar food products. The gastrointestinal tract is not used to such food and for the initial period of time will react to the new diet with a failure in the release of enzymes, increased motor skills. Over time, the body will get used to it, and the functioning of the organs will return to normal.
• When the traveler's diarrhea persists for a long period of time and the symptoms of general poisoning increase (temperature, diarrhea, gag reflex, chills), the infectious origin of the pathological process. Food allergies are considered a less common factor in stool disorders, particularly when it comes to loose stools in an infant.

The condition differs from diarrhea in the absence of significant disturbances in general well-being and probable skin manifestations of an allergic reaction.

It is necessary to understand the difference between a common allergic reaction and food sensitivity of some food or its components, for example lactose (dairy intolerance).

The provoking factor of the condition is considered to be a decrease in concentration or virtually complete absence of enzymes that break down milk sugar.

Susceptibility to various kinds of food in some cases is a factor in the formation of dangerous diseases, for example, celiac disease.

A pathological process is detected in childhood, when the baby, after the introduction of complementary foods, either supplementation as cereals that contain gluten, suddenly appears frothy and offensive diarrhea.

In some situations, frequent bowel movements appear due to reasons not associated with the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, during increased anxiety. A nervous type of diarrhea occurs during a period of strong feelings.

Symptoms are associated with a disorder of the nervous regulation of motor skills and its acceleration.

It is not difficult to identify "nervous" diarrhea - it forms in a patient in standard situations, does not lead to changes in the general condition and does not occur in a calm state.

Pathology

Failure in the proper functioning of the intestine often manifests itself as symptoms of extremely dangerous diseases.

In this case, it is necessary to differentiate diarrhea from loose stools, as well as to establish a diagnosis and choose the appropriate therapy.

The reasons for the formation of pathological diarrhea:

• Salmonellosis. Feces during illness have a dark green (marsh) hue, outwardly resemble mud. In some cases with blood impurities. In difficult situations, a violation of the general condition occurs: there is a temperature, chills, lethargy. Other symptoms include severe pain in the abdominal cavity, nausea, gag reflex.
• Dysentery. The stool is watery, with a significant amount of mucus, blood streaks, probably pus. There is a change in the general state.
• Typhoid fever. The feces are liquid. The disease is associated with the occurrence of a characteristic rash and a change in general well-being.
• Cholera. The stool is liquid, quickly loses color and looks like a decoction of rice. Dangerous illness often provokes complete dehydration and can be fatal.
• In adults, diarrhea can occur during liver disease, including viral hepatitis. Failure of normal emptying can occur after surgery on the gallbladder, pancreas. Symptoms can hardly be called diarrhea: stools are often mushy, no more than 3-4 times a day.
• The danger is black diarrhea, which is accompanied by sharp pain in the abdominal cavity. Melena (black stools with blood) is the main symptom of gastrointestinal bleeding. The state of health during the illness sharply worsens: the patient's skin becomes pale, blood pressure drops and the pulse accelerates. Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract requires emergency surgical therapy, therefore, if symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a specialist.
• Black loose stools can form after consuming a significant amount of dark colored products that contain fiber, such as blueberries or blueberries. Such a phenomenon cannot be called diarrhea: stool frequency is observed only 1-2 times.

Differences in therapy

Loose stools and diarrhea also differ in therapy. Treatment of loose stools, but not diarrhea, primarily consists in adjusting your own diet.

For loose stools, but not diarrhea, it is recommended to consume:

• A large number of cereals that are boiled in water, but rice porridge and broth will be especially useful.
• Every day, take in food yogurt or kefir with bifidobacteria (they help to normalize the digestive processes).
• From meat products, you need to use low-fat varieties of meat products that are steamed.
• You should drink jelly; blueberry jelly is distinguished by a particularly effective fixing effect.
• Do not eat fatty foods as they trigger the release of bile.
• Eliminate foods that provoke increased gas formation inside the intestines.
• A larger volume of fluid should be consumed.
• In the presence of lactose intolerance (a decrease in the lactase enzyme inside the body), limit or withdraw milk intake. Most of the symptoms of loose stools, but not diarrhea, will go away immediately. If you drink milk again, you may experience unpleasant symptoms again.

Usually, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the pathology goes away at this stage and does not need special therapy.

The difference is that for the treatment of diarrhea in an adult, specific therapy is often needed, at least - the use of anti-diarrhea drugs.

In addition, the specialist is able to recommend alternative therapies.

When diarrhea can cause dehydration, the patient must be hospitalized and the electrolyte solution administered through intravenous drip.

It follows from this that the line between normal and pathological processes is extremely blurred and not in all cases it is possible to clearly delineate it.

The identification of the provoking factors of the disease in an adult and its therapy is carried out on an individual basis, based on the analysis data and the general well-being of the patient.

The difference lies in the fact that loose stools are close to normal in origin, while diarrhea in an adult usually needs emergency therapy.

Loose stools that persist for an extended period without any related unpleasant symptoms speaks of the personal characteristics of the body.

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