The Dos and Don’ts of Treating Diarrhea for Quick Relief

Follow these dos and don’ts for managing the runs so your health doesn’t escape from you.

What to Do About Fluids When You Have Diarrhea

Do drink plenty of fluid. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least one cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement. Water, fruit juices, caffeine-free soda, and salty broths are some good choices. According to the Cleveland Clinic, salt helps slow down the fluid loss, and sugar will help your body absorb the salt.

Don’t consume beverages at extreme temperatures. Consume all liquids at room temperature, or slightly warmed, advises Dr. Ganjhu. “Anything too hot or too cold can cause nausea.”

Do drink a tea with chamomile. There is some research to suggest that products containing certain combinations of herbs, including chamomile, may help an upset stomach. A study published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports cited the potential favorable effects of drinking a chamomile preparation that is combined with other herbs, in treating diarrhea.

Don’t consume caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol can irritate the digestive tract and worsen diarrhea, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine.

Dillute your water with fruit juice. Ganjhu recommends diluting your water with fruit juices, like cranberry or apple juice, to make the h3O, which can sometimes be nauseating when you have diarrhea, easier to tolerate.

What to Do About Nutrition When You Have Diarrhea

Do stick with bland foods. One tried and true diet for diarrhea is the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Low in fiber, bland and starchy, these foods can help replace lost nutrients and firm your stools. According to the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), you can also try boiled potatoes, crackers, or cooked carrots.

Do eat small meals. Too much food will stimulate your gastrointestinal tract to move even more, says Ganjhu, and possibly worsen the diarrhea. Eating five to six small meals, rather than three large ones, can give your intestines a chance to digest the food more easily.

Don’t eat fried food. Prepare foods like beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey by baking or broiling, not frying, which can worsen diarrhea. Cooked eggs are okay, too, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Do eat when hunger strikes. Listen to your body and don’t force yourself to eat, which can worsen symptoms. Trust your body to tell you when — and how much — it can tolerate, notes Ganjhu.

Don’t eat fruits and vegetables that cause gas. Eating gassy food when you have diarrhea can increase intestinal gas and should be avoided. This includes fruits and vegetables, like prunes, berries, beans, peas, broccoli, corn, and green leafy vegetables, and sweet foods like cookies or cakes.

Don’t eat dairy if your diarrhea is severe. For people with lactose intolerance, dairy causes diarrhea. But if you can tolerate dairy, opt for low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt. These contain valuable probiotics (look for the wording “live and active cultures” on the label), which can shorten the duration of diarrhea by about one day, according to a study published online in May 2016 in PubMed Health. Probiotics contain beneficial lactic acid bacteria, which are special microorganisms that can restore the balance lost by diarrhea.

You can also consider taking a probiotic supplement; but since there are many strains available, look for one that helps with diarrhea, advises Ganjhu. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology reports Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii to be among the two most effective strains to help with diarrhea.

Lifestyle Dos and Don’ts When You Have Diarrhea

Along with knowing what to eat and drink when you’re dealing with gastrointestinal woes, it’s also important to be mindful of other everyday habits to help you deal with diarrhea.

Do wash your hands. Since diarrhea can sometimes be transmitted by person-to-person contact or from contaminated hands, washing your hands after using the bathroom and before you eat can help block possible diarrhea-causing pathogens. Research published in September 2015 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that handwashing can reduce episodes of diarrhea by about 30 percent. To wash properly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wetting your hands, then applying soap and rubbing them together for at least 20 seconds. Make sure to include the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Rinse with clean, running water and dry thoroughly. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol can work, too.

Do know when to call the doctor. Mayo Clinic advises to seek medical help if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Your diarrhea lasts more than two days.
• You experience severe abdominal pain or pain in your rectum.
• You’re dehydrated or exceptionally weak.
• You have a fever of 102 degrees F or higher.
• Your stools are bloody or black and tar-like.

Do consider medication. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine containing bismuth-subsalicylate (like Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate) can help reduce intestinal inflammation and kill diarrhea-causing organisms. Although loperamide (Imodium), another OTC antidiarrheal medication, is sometimes recommended, Gahnju advises against it. “This is an anti-mobility, meaning that it stops your gastrointestinal tract from moving. Although it can slow down the diarrhea, it’s better instead for it to come out,” she says. “It’s your body’s way of ridding itself of any toxins.”

Don’t exercise. Strenuous exercise has the potential to cause dehydration, stomach distress, nausea, and heartburn can worsen your symptoms. It’s wise to avoid it until your diarrhea subsides, advises Ganjhu, who says to wait until you’re fully recovered to go back to the gym.

3 Ways to Treat Diarrhea

Usually a bout of diarrhea only lasts a few days, going away on its own without any treatment. “But severe diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than a few days, or prolonged episodes of diarrhea are all reasons to see a doctor, as they could indicate something more serious,” says Stephen Bickston, MD, professor of internal medicine and director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Center in Richmond.

It’s also important to remember that diarrhea treatments for adults, especially medication, may not be the same for children with diarrhea, so always check with your pediatrician before giving your children any medication.

If you have diarrhea, here are three ways you can ease your discomfort:

1. Be Sure to Stay Hydrated

Your body can lose a lot of fluids and salts when you have diarrhea, making dehydration a major concern. Frequent loose and watery stools can quickly lead to fluid loss. Here are some easy ways to stay hydrated:

• Select sports drinks. “Sports drinks make sense and are available in a wide variety of flavors,” Dr. Bickston says. Sports drink work because of their sugar and salt content; both allow water to be more easily absorbed, and even more so when taken together. People can make their own sports drinks by adding a teaspoon of salt to a quart of apple juice, Bickston says. “That little amount of salt will help the body absorb fluids but isn’t enough to make the apple juice taste bad.” Bickston recommends keeping your drinks at room temperature because a warm drink will sit better with you than a cold one.
• Stick to clear liquids. Some other good choices for treating diarrhea include clear broth and water, unless you’re traveling outside of the country.
• Avoid drinks that can worsen symptoms. Caffeinated, alcoholic, and sugary drinks can worsen dehydration. Milk and other dairy products can also make your symptoms worse because diarrhea can cause temporary lactose intolerance.

RELATED: Can Your Period Change Your Bathroom Habits?

2. Try Eating a Bland Diet

When dealing with a brief bout of diarrhea, you want to keep your diet bland. You may find it best to only have clear liquids for the first 24 hours. Then you can slowly add bland foods to your diet. Some bland foods include bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — otherwise known as the BRAT diet. An updated version of the diet that includes tea is referred to as BRATT. Research shows there’s not a lot of evidence to support the benefits of following this diet, but it may not hurt. At the same time, while bananas may be okay for adults, they’re not recommended for children who’ve been vomiting. Crackers and mashed potatoes — minus the butter — may offer a better alternative for both adults and children.

If diarrhea lasts more than a few days, you might want to investigate the foods you’re eating, as some can irritate your bowel and make diarrhea worse. These include foods high in fiber, such as bran, whole grains, and brown rice, as well as greasy or excessively sweet foods. Foods that are sweetened with sorbitol may also aggravate diarrhea, Bickston says. If loose stools are a problem, then you may want to avoid these foods.

If you suspect diarrhea is caused by a certain food, try an elimination diet — cut the suspected food from your diet until you can determine whether or not it’s a problem. If it’s not, feel free to keep eating that food. “The difficulty I see in a lot of patients is that they don’t put things back into their diet even if they’re not causing a problem, and now they’ve painted themselves into a dietary corner,” Bickston says. “All they’re eating is mashed potatoes and rice.”

3. Try Some Over-the-Counter Medication

In most cases, over-the-counter medication can be helpful in stopping an occasional bout of diarrhea — especially traveler’s diarrhea, which may result from ingesting contaminated food or water while abroad. Over-the-counter options include Imodium (loperamide) and Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate). “These are reasonable to use on occasion and have the great advantage of not requiring a doctor’s prescription,” Bickston says, but they should not be used for more than two days.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you take pharmaceutical remedies for traveler’s diarrhea, they may make you feel better sooner, but they could keep any bacteria, parasites, or viruses in your system longer. In most cases, diarrhea will go away on its own within a few days. If the diarrhea persists, talk to your doctor.

FDA Urges Makers of Diarrhea Drug to Help Stop Abuse

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently asked makers of anti-diarrheal medication to change the way its product is sold, to curb abuse by people who are addicted to opioids.

The request is an attempt to crackdown on the increasing number of people who take dangerously high doses of loperamide — sold under the brand name Imodium A-D as well as store brands and generics — to get “high” or manage symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Loperamide is known as the “poor man’s methadone,” and opioid addicts ingest from 50 to 300 pills to feel euphoric or deal with opioid withdrawal symptoms, such as cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

The recommended daily dose of Imodium is 8 milligrams (mg) for over-the-counter use, and 16 mg for prescription use.

“But when higher than recommended doses are taken we’ve received reports of serious heart problems and deaths with loperamide, particularly among people who are intentionally misusing or abusing high doses,” Scott Gottlieb, MD, FDA commissioner, said in a statement.

The FDA is asking manufacturers to limit the amount of loperamide per package so that a single package will now contain 8 2-mg capsules in blister packaging. This, they say, will make it hard — and costly — for opioid addicts to buy the product in massive quantities. They’re also urging online retailers to stop selling the drug in large volume containers, which are often purchased in bulk.

“Evidence suggests that package limitations and use of unit-dose packaging may reduce medication overdose and death,” Dr. Gottlieb said in a press release.

The country is currently facing its worst public health crisis in history. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that in 2016 alone, 11.8 million Americans 12 years or older misused opioids — prescription pain relievers and heroin.

Deaths from prescription opioids, like oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, and morphine, have more than quadrupled since 1999, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From 2010 to 2015, the number of abuse calls related to loperamide alone nearly doubled, according to a study published in January 2017 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

“It’s important that we try to stem all avenues and conduits that contribute to opiate abuse and misuse,” says Robert Glatter, MD, spokesperson for American College of Emergency Physicians and assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at Northwell Health in New York City.

Loperamide was approved in 1976 as a prescription drug and a controlled substance, due to its small amount of opiates. But because it metabolizes quickly in the gut and doesn’t affect the central nervous system, the drug was considered safe and reached over-the-counter status in 1988.

The medicine works by slowing down the movement of the gut. This decreases the number of bowel movements and makes stool less watery.

“For most people, it’s relatively safe when taken at the recommended dose,” says Jeffrey Baumgardner, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine in gastroenterology at the University of California in San Francisco.

While loperamide may help to reduce diarrhea-related withdrawal, it may have the opposite effect at higher doses, warns Dr. Glatter. People can be at risk for developing digestive issues, including abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting, and bloating.

“The irony is that loperamide is only a weak opioid, and not an effective way to reduce withdrawal symptoms,” says Glatter. “Yet, the fact that it has some opioid effects leads many to attempt to use it for relief because it’s cheap and readily available.”

Since loperamide works the same as an opioid, it can also suppress the body’s urge to breathe, causing irregular heartbeats, which can lead to cardiac arrest, or even death.

In a statement, Johnson & Johnson, a manufacturer of anti-diarrheal medication, said they were “evaluating the agency’s request and share their goal to prevent misuse and abuse.”

But whether companies will honor the agency’s request remains to be seen.

While blister packaging may help reduce abuse to some degree, Glatter says public messaging and education to raise awareness of loperamide abuse is just as important.

“Parents of teens should also be aware of this surreptitious approach to misuse and abuse,” he says.

Treatments & Remedies for Diarrhea Relief

The best way for your doctor to figure out what’s causing your diarrhea is to get some information from you.

They will want to know:

• If there’s blood or mucus in your diarrhea
• How watery it is
• How long you’ve had it
• If anyone around you has it
• If your urge to go is severe
• Do you have belly pain, or pain in your bottom?
• Do you have a fever?
• Do you feel dizzy or confused?
• Have you traveled anywhere recently?
• Are you taking antibiotics, or have you recently finished some?
• Do certain foods make it better or worse?

They also might want to get a sample of your stool to send for lab testing. They may order blood tests as well.

If your doctor thinks a specific food is causing your problem, they may ask you to stay away from that item for a while to see if it helps. A common example is intolerance to milk products, called lactose intolerance. If you have this, changes to your diet usually help.

If your doctor needs more information to figure out what’s going on, you may need to have a test called a colonoscopy. Your doctor will use a snake-like tube that let them see the walls of your colon and rectum.

How to Feel Better

Diarrhea should go away in a few days without treatment. Until you feel better, rest, drink enough fluids, and watch what you eat.

Your body loses water with each trip to the bathroom. If you lose too much, you can get dehydrated. It’s important to keep drinking fluids. 

Drink clear liquids — water, broth, or fruit juice — during the day to stay hydrated. Try to get about 2-3 liters (8-12 cups) a day while you’re sick. You can sip them in small amounts between meals instead of while you eat. Your doctor might recommend a sports drink to replace salt, potassium, and other electrolytes your body loses when you have diarrhea. If you also have nausea, sip the liquids slowly.

There is no particular food group that will best for treating diarrhea and physicians no longer recommend the long suggested BRAT diet of Bananas, Rice (white), Applesauce, and Toast. Still, all of these foods are good, valid options. Some other good choices include:

• Potatoes
• Smooth peanut butter
• Skinless chicken or turkey
• Yogurt

Avoid foods that can make diarrhea or gas worse, like:

• Fatty or fried foods
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Spicy foods
• Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and soda
• Beans
• Cabbage

Treatments

Most of the time diarrhea doesn’t need to be treated. But some over-the-counter medicines can help you feel better.

Two types of meds relieve diarrhea in different ways:

• Loperamide (Imodium) slows the movement of food through your intestines, which lets your body absorb more liquid.
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) balances out how fluid moves through your digestive tract.

Read the directions on the package. See how much of these medicines to take and when to take them. Don’t take more than the label recommends — it won’t make the drug work better or faster. And don’t take more than one of these medicines at a time. Over the counter diarrhea medications are also not recommended in patients who have bloody stools or fever.

If you have any questions, call your doctor or pharmacist. Don’t give Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol to children — it could cause dangerous health problems. 

Get medical help if you:

• Have severe pain in your belly or bottom
• Have bloody or black poop
• Get dehydrated — you feel very thirsty, pee less than usual, have dry mouth, and feel weak
• Run a fever of 102 or higher
• Aren’t better in 48 hours

How To Get Rid Of Diarrhea Fast, According To GI Doctors

SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYGetty Images

The squirts. Toilet tornados. Fecal fireworks. Watery stools. A volcanic eruption of the butt variety. Whatever you call it, diarrhea sucks.

And while anything can tick off your tummy, from bacteria to PMS to those sketchy tacos you ate yesterday, the most common causes of diarrhea, according to the US National Library of Medicine, are: bacteria from contaminated food or water, viruses like the flu or norovirus, parasites in contaminated food or water, certain medicines like antibiotics and drugs prescribed to cancer patients, food sensitivities like lactose intolerance, digestive diseases like Crohn’s disease, and problems with the colon like with irritable bowel disease.

In case you’re some incredibly lucky individual who has never dealt with the runs, diarrhea is that “gotta go right now” feeling in your digestive tract. You may feel as if you won’t make it to the toilet and sometimes actually don’t make it (in medical language that’s called “loss of bowel control”), and you may have cramps or pain in your stomach and super loose poop. If a virus or bacteria is the culprit behind your diarrhea, you may also have a fever, chills, or bloody stool. And since you’re pooping everything out, there’s a good chance diarrhea will lead to dehydration.

While all that sounds pretty terrible, it’s important to realize that most cases of diarrhea eventually resolve themselves on their own (once the offending food, bacteria, or virus is out of your system), says Toyia James-Stevenson, MD, a gastroenterologist at IU Health. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t help things along or make things worse.

Here, six effective and safe remedies that will help you get rid of diarrhea—and five things you absolutely should NOT do if you’re having these poop probs. (P.S., this article has been medically reviewed by Patricia Raymond, MD, who is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology.)

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1

Do: Pour a Glass of Rice Water

If you’ve ever OD’d on Chinese food, then you already know the “binding” (read: constipating) effect that rice has on the digestive system. Take advantage of this property by drinking a glass of rice water solution. Simply cook one cup of rice in six cups of water for an hour then strain out the rice. A German study found that both carrot and rice waters were more effective at treating diarrhea than traditional rehydration drinks, including sports drinks.

2

Do: Get The Pink Drink

Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) is a drug-store staple for a reason, and it’s not because everyone loves that strange bubblegum-chalk taste. It can actually help reduce diarrhea by targeting the lumen, the inside tube of your gastrointestinal tract, Dr. James-Stevenson says. Follow the dosing directions on the bottle and if you need it for more than a few days, call your doctor.

3

Do: Eat Some Good Bacteria

If your diarrhea is due to an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your gut, replacing it with good bacteria can fix your symptoms, Dr. James-Stevenson says. This often happens after taking a course of antibiotics: The drugs kill all the bacteria (both bad and good) in your system, which gives bad germs an opportunity to take hold. Take a probiotic supplement—she recommends one with the bifidobacterium infantis strain—and up your intake of foods like sauerkraut or a kombucha drink, both of which are rich in probiotics.

One thing: Skip dairy-based yogurt even though it contains probiotics. Dairy can make diarrhea worse.

4

Do: Bump Up Your Fiber Intake

For cases of chronic diarrhea, bulking up your loose stool with fiber supplements like psyllium and methylcellulose can help slow or stop the liquid poops, she says. You can also increase fiber in your diet by eating foods like beans and oat bran. Make sure to increase intake slowly, as adding too much too fast can further upset your stomach.

5

Do: Stock Up On Immodium

For nearly instant diarrhea relief, take Immodium (loperamide), an OTC medication that slows down the movement of your gut. A slower gut means less poop explosions. A word of caution: Immodium works best for short-term relief of diarrhea symptoms, but doesn’t do anything to cure the underlying cause and it isn’t intended to treat chronic diarrhea. Follow the dosage instructions exactly and if you still have diarrhea after two days, it’s time to call the doctor.

6

Do: Try An Elimination Diet

Diarrhea from maldigestion or malabsorption of poorly absorbed carbohydrates and sugars is a common cause of chronic diarrhea, Dr. James-Stevenson says. You’ll recognize this type as it often occurs soon after eating or drinking and comes with bloating, gas or abdominal pain. The fix? Remove those foods—often dairy or grains—from your diet. If you’re unsure, you can try an elimination diet to see if it helps your symptoms. Here’s the right way to do an elimination diet.

A word to the wise: If you see blood in your stool, have diarrhea that awakens you from your sleep, or are losing weight fast, ditch these home remedies and see a doctor instead, Dr. James-Stevenson says.

7

Don’t: Eat Dairy

Even if you’re not lactose-sensitive, milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products can make diarrhea worse. Just think back to the last time you overdid it on cheese—your belly didn’t feel too great afterward, did it?

That’s because lactose is difficult to digest even when your guts are totally healthy, especially as we get older, says Rabia De Latour, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone. But it’s even worse when we have diarrhea. “When you have diarrhea you actually temporarily decrease the amount of lactate enzyme that’s in your intestines and so you’ll tolerate dairy-containing products less well than you normally would,” she says.

8

Don’t: Have “gassy” veggies

You read that right: This is one time you want to actually lay off fruits and veggies…but only temporarily, and only certain kinds.

Specifically, avoid the fruits and veggies that tend to make our stomachs bloat with gas. Generally these include things like: broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy veggies, and corn. But whether or not one of these foods give you gas is totally personal. If you know, you know.

It’s a no-brainer why gas-causing fruits and veggies make diarrhea worse. “I don’t have a hard stop recommendation on those things because it’s not dangerous to have vegetables when you’re having diarrhea,” Dr. De Latour says. But gas is uncomfortable anytime, so it’s certainly not going to be great when you have the liquid poops.

9

Don’t: Drink Coffee

Or alcohol. Or soda. When you have diarrhea, it’s not just what you eat that can make your sh*tty situation 10 times worse—what you drink plays a big part, too.

Basically, you want to avoid anything that has the potential to loosen up your stool on a normal day. “You tend to poop more after you drink coffee, especially strong coffee,” Dr. De Latour says.

Coffee has laxative effects because the caffeine gets your bowels moving. That’s why many find themselves on the toilet not too long after a morning cup of Joe. Alcohol has a similar effect, and so do sugar substitutes like sorbitol, which are often used in diet sodas.

And if there’s anything you want less when you already have diarrhea it’s something that makes you poop on a normal day.

10

Don’t: Go for your run

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wants to run when they have the runs. But for those who are the hardcore, gotta get a workout in every day-types, skip it—your GI tract will thank you.

Exercise is also kind of like a natural laxative, Dr. De Latour says. When you’re up and moving, muscles straining, your bowels start working. Lots of people have very satisfying post-workout poops because of this. But if you have diarrhea, that after-workout poop probably won’t be satisfying and it might not happen after the workout.

“If you’re exercising pretty vigorously and you’re having liquid stools, it’s not a good idea,” Dr. De Latour says. Accidents happen. What’s more, diarrhea already has a tendency to dehydrate you because you’re losing so much water every time you poop, so adding exercise on top of that is asking to dry yourself out. Give yourself a break.

A word to the wise: If you see blood in your stool, have diarrhea that awakens you from your sleep, or are losing weight fast, ditch these home remedies and see a doctor instead, Dr. James-Stevenson says.

11

Don’t: Eat Junk Food

Regardless of the cause of your upset stomach, eating a lot of sugary or fatty foods can make your diarrhea worse. Sugar causes an “osmotic effect” in your colon, meaning that it draws in even more water to your stool—exactly what you don’t want when you have the squirts. Sugars like lactose and fructose (including the high-fructose corn syrup found in so many junk foods) are particularly problematic, she says.

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Stop Diarrhea Fast With These Home Remedies — Blue Creek

How to Stop Diarrhea Fast and Restore Your Digestion

Patients often wonder why we ask them about their bowel movements. Why would your esthetician, acupuncturist, massage therapist, etc. need to know this information?

Well, it tells us how your digestive tract is functioning. And as a therapeutic health spa, we want to get a holistic sense of your health so we can recommend the best treatments and at-home remedies. We know that healing often comes from within and moves outward, so making sure your digestive tract is performing normally will help us better help you!

What is a normal bowel movement?

Frequency—1 to 2 x daily
Consistency and Shape—formed (not to hard or dry) and not pellet-like or thin-long stools, or diarrhea/loose
Color—light brown
Odor—without excessive odor
Sensation— stool should be smooth and easy to pass, without pain

What can you do at home to help alleviate and stop diarrhea fast?

Foods to Alleviate Diarrhea

There are a few things to know before you try these home remedies to stop diarrhea. First, although it might seem counter-intuitive, eating fiber can actually help with diarrhea. When eating fiber-rich foods, however, stick to soluble fibers (e.g. oats, rice). They will help absorb the extra liquid in the bowels, which will help thicken stool. Second, stick to plain, thick foods (e.g. B.R.A.T foods).

Other foods options include:

1. Sour/astringent foods—Lemon and vinegar are great options to help stop abnormal discharge of fluids.
2. Vegetables—Well-cooked, plain vegetables (without skin or seeds) are easy to digest and will soothe intestines.
3. Fruits— Soft, skinless fruits like bananas and pineapple help regulate intestines.
4. Grains—Low fiber grains, like white rice or cream of wheat, will help keep you hydrated and are easy to digest. (Try a homemade rice congee!)
5. Sodium-rich foods—Smooth peanut butter, pretzels and plain crackers can be eaten to increase sodium.
6. Meats—Low fat meats like chicken and fish will help strengthen the stomach and digestion, and are gentle enough to eat while experiencing diarrhea.

Foods to Avoid When Experiencing Diarrhea

Just as it’s important to eat certain foods when suffering from diarrhea, it’s critical to avoid specific foods as well. Here’s what to avoid when trying to stop diarrhea fast:

1. Raw vegetables—Uncooked veggies can be high in insoluble fiber, worsening diarrhea.
2. Spicy foods—The spices can upset your digestive tract further.
3. Dairy products—Lactose takes longer to digest, and your body can have a temporary sensitivity to dairy when you’re dealing with diarrhea. (And exception to this is yogurt because of its high probiotic content.)
4. Caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks—All of these can aggravate the stomach.

Drinks to Stop Diarrhea Fast

1. Water—Diarrhea is dehydrating, so make sure to drink plenty of water.
2. Tea—Both basil and cardamon seed tea are great for soothing your intestines and provide plenty of hydration. To make cardamom seed tea, stir 1 tsp. of cardamon powder (either grind up seeds or buy pre-ground cardamon) into 1 cup water, drink up to 3 times daily.
3. Electrolyte-rich drinks—To replenish electrolytes, try these natural and flavorful concoctions. Make sure to stay away from sugary sports drinks, however.

Abdominal Treatments (Topical):

There are plenty of topical treatments to stopping diarrhea fast in addition to foods and drinks. As a therapeutic spa, we understand that most health conditions can be solved with internal and external remedies, which is why we have provided the following topical treatments:

1. Ginger—take a slice of raw ginger, place on belly button, apply a heat pad for 15-20 minutes. Ginger is great for calming an upset stomach and can be used internally or topically.
2. Castor oil—apply topically to calm the intestines and inflammation.
3. Abdominal massage—In a counterclockwise motion, “wind up” the bowels to relieve pain and soothe intestines.
4. Acupressure points massage—You can also gently massage these acupressure points associated with digestion.
5. Ileocecal valve massage—Diarrhea can sometimes be caused by an ill-functioning ileocecal valve. Read more here to help close these reflex points (or watch video instructions here).

RELATED: HOW TO TREAT CONSTIPATION NATURALLY

These at-home treatments can help you stop diarrhea fast; however, if you’re suffering from diarrhea on a consistent basis, talk to your doctor as it could be a side effect of a larger medical issue.

Types, Causes, Complications & Treatment

Overview

What is diarrhea?

Going to the bathroom, having a bowel movement, pooping – no matter what you call it, stool is a regular part of your life. However, sometimes this process of getting waste out of your body changes. When you have loose or watery stool, it’s called diarrhea. This is a very common condition and usually resolves without intervention.

Diarrhea can happen for a wide variety of reasons and it usually goes away on its own in one to three days. When you have diarrhea, you may need to quickly run to the bathroom with urgency and this may happen more frequently than normal. You may also feel bloated, have lower abdominal cramping and sometimes experience nausea.

Although most cases of diarrhea are self-limited (happening for a fixed amount of time and steady level of severity), sometimes diarrhea can lead to serious complications. Diarrhea can cause dehydration (when your body loses large amounts of water), electrolyte imbalance (loss of sodium, potassium and magnesium that play a key role in vital bodily functions) and kidney failure (not enough blood/fluid is supplied to the kidneys). When you have diarrhea, you lose water and electrolytes along with stool. You need to drink plenty of fluids to replace what’s lost. Dehydration can become serious if it fails to resolve (get better), worsens and is not addressed adequately.

What’s the difference between normal diarrhea and severe diarrhea?

There are actually several different ways to classify diarrhea. These types of diarrhea include:

• Acute diarrhea: The most common, acute diarrhea is loose watery diarrhea that lasts one to two days. This type doesn’t need treatment and it usually goes away after a few days.
• Persistent diarrhea: This type of diarrhea generally persists for several weeks – two to four weeks
• Chronic diarrhea: Diarrhea that lasts for more than four weeks or comes and goes regularly over a long period of time is called chronic diarrhea.

Who can get diarrhea?

Anyone can get diarrhea. It’s not uncommon for many people to have diarrhea several times a year. It’s very common and usually not a major concern for most people.

However, diarrhea can be serious in certain groups of people, including:

• Young children.
• Older adults (the elderly).
• Those with medical conditions.

For each of these people, diarrhea can cause other health problems.

Can diarrhea harm your health?

In general, diarrhea is self-limited and goes away (resolves) without intervention. If your diarrhea fails to improve and resolve completely, you can be at risk of complications (dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, kidney failure and organ damage).

Call your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that fails to get better or go away, or if you experience symptoms of dehydration. These symptoms can include:

• Dark urine and small amounts of urine or loss of urine production.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Headaches.
• Flushed, dry skin.
• Irritability and confusion.
• Light-headedness and dizziness.
• Severe nausea and vomiting, the inability to tolerate or keep anything down by mouth.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes diarrhea?

The cause of most self-limited diarrhea is generally not identified. The most common cause of diarrhea is a virus that infects your bowel (“viral gastroenteritis”). The infection usually lasts a couple of days and is sometimes called “intestinal flu.”

Other possible causes of diarrhea can include:

• Infection by bacteria.
• Infections by other organisms and pre-formed toxins
• Eating foods that upset the digestive system.
• Allergies and intolerances to certain foods (Celiac disease or lactose intolerance).
• Medications.
• Radiation therapy.
• Malabsorption of food (poor absorption).

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Most antibiotics (clindamycin, erythromycins and broad spectrum antibiotics) can cause diarrhea. Antibiotics can change the balance of bacteria normally found in the intestines, allowing certain types of bacteria like C. difficile to thrive. When this happens, your colon can become overrun by bad (pathologic) bacteria that causes colitis (inflammation of your colon lining).

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can begin any time while you’re taking the antibiotic or shortly thereafter. If you experience this side effect, call your healthcare provider to talk about the diarrhea and discuss the best option to relieve this side effect.

What are the symptoms of diarrhea?

The symptoms you can experience when you have diarrhea can vary depending on if it’s mild or severe and what the cause of the diarrhea happens to be. There’s a link between severe cases of diarrhea and a medical condition that needs to be treated.

When you have diarrhea, you may experience all of these symptoms or only a few. The main symptom of diarrhea is loose or watery stool.

Other symptoms of mild diarrhea can include:

• Bloating or cramps in the abdomen.
• A strong and urgent need to have a bowel movement.
• Nausea (upset stomach).

If you have severe diarrhea, you may experience symptoms like:

• Fever.
• Weight loss.
• Dehydration.
• Severe pain.
• Vomiting.
• Blood.

Severe diarrhea can lead to significant complications. If you have these symptoms, call your healthcare provider and seek medical attention.

Diagnosis and Tests

Is there a color of diarrhea that I should be worried about?

The color of your poop (stool) can vary. Stool color can be influenced by the color of the food you eat. Usually, this isn’t something you need to worry about. But if you ever see red (blood) in your stool or have a bowel movement that is black, that could be something more serious. Keep a record of any bowel movements that:

• Are black and tarry.
• Have blood or pus in them.
• Are consistently greasy or oily despite non-fatty meals.
• Are very foul-smelling.

How do you diagnose diarrhea?

For the majority of mild diarrhea cases, you won’t need medical attention. These cases are self-limited (only lasts for a fixed amount of time) and get better without medical intervention. The key to mild diarrhea is supportive therapy – staying hydrated and eating a bland diet.

More serious cases of diarrhea may require medical attention. In these situations, there are a few diagnostic tests that your provider may order. These tests can include:

• Discussing a detailed family history, as well as physical and medical conditions, your travel history, and any sick contacts you may have.
• Doing a stool test on a collected stool sample to check for blood, bacterial infections, parasite and inflammatory markers.
• Doing a breath test to check for lactose or fructose intolerance, and bacterial overgrowth.
• Doing blood work to rule out medical causes of diarrhea such as a thyroid disorder, celiac sprue and pancreatic disorders.
• Doing endoscopic evaluations of your upper and lower digestive tract to rule out organic abnormalities (ulcers, infections, neoplastic process).

Management and Treatment

How is diarrhea treated?

In most cases, you can treat mild and uncomplicated diarrhea at home. By using an over-the-counter product like bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol® or Kaopectate®) you’ll usually feel better very quickly.

However, over-the-counter medications aren’t always the solution. If your diarrhea is caused by an infection or parasite, you’ll need to see a healthcare provider for treatment. A general rule is not to use over-the-counter medications for diarrhea if you also have a fever or blood in your stool. In those cases, call your healthcare provider.

When diarrhea lasts for a long period of time (several weeks), your healthcare provider will base your treatment on the cause. This could involve a few different treatment options, including:

• Antibiotics: Your healthcare provider might prescribe an antibiotic or other medication to treat an infection or parasite that’s causing the diarrhea.
• Medication for a specific condition: Diarrhea can be a sign of several other medical conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis, or bacterial overgrowth. Once the cause of the diarrhea is identified, diarrhea can usually be controlled.
• Probiotics: Groupings of good bacteria, probiotics are sometimes used to re-establish a healthy biome to combat diarrhea. Introducing probiotics can be helpful in some cases and some healthcare providers feel that it’s worth a try. Always talk to your provider before starting a probiotic or any kind of supplement.

How should I take over-the-counter medications for diarrhea?

It’s important to always follow the instructions on the packaging when you take an over-the-counter medication for diarrhea. The rules for managing diarrhea in an adult are different than in children. Always call your child’s healthcare provider before giving your child any type of medication for diarrhea.

A tip for managing diarrhea in an adult with over-the-counter medication includes:

• Taking two tablespoons of Kaopectate® or two tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol® after each loose stool. Do not take more than eight doses in 24 hours.

Can I manage diarrhea without taking any medication?

When you have an acute case of diarrhea, you can often take care of it without needing any medication. Several things you can do to care for diarrhea include:

• Drinking plenty of water and other electrolyte balanced fluids (like diluted and pulp-free fruit juices, broths, sports drinks (Gatorade®) and caffeine-free sodas). Make sure to hydrate throughout day. Your body loses water each time you have diarrhea. By drinking plenty of extra fluids, you are protecting your body from dehydration.
• Changing your diet. Instead of picking greasy, fatty or fried foods, go for the BRAT diet:
  • B: Bananas.
  • R: Rice (white rice).
  • A: Applesauce.
  • T: Toast (white bread).
• Cutting back on caffeine. Foods and drinks that have caffeine can have a mild laxative effect, which can make your diarrhea worse. Foods and drinks with caffeine include coffee, diet sodas, strong tea/green tea, and even chocolate.
• Avoiding foods and drinks that give you gas. If you experience cramping in your stomach with diarrhea, it could help to cut back on things that cause gas. These can include beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beer and carbonated beverages.

Sometimes, diarrhea can also make you lactose intolerant. This is usually temporary and it means that you need to avoid items with lactose (dairy products) until your diarrhea is gone.

Are there any foods that can help my diarrhea go away?

You actually can help your diarrhea by changing your diet. Certain low-fiber foods can help make your stool more solid.

If you have diarrhea, try adding these foods into your diet:

• Potatoes.
• Rice (white).
• Noodles.
• Bananas.
• Applesauce.
• White bread.
• Chicken or turkey without the skin.
• Lean ground beef.
• Fish.

What do I do if my baby or young child has diarrhea?

If your child has severe diarrhea, call your healthcare provider. Young children are at a higher risk of dehydration than adults. You also can’t treat a child’s diarrhea the same way you would an adult case. Over-the-counter medications can be dangerous in young children and all treatments of diarrhea in children should be guided by their healthcare provider. It’s important to keep your child hydrated. Your provider will help you determine the best way to do this, but options often include:

• Breast milk.
• Formula.
• Electrolyte drinks (Pedialyte®) for older children – this is not recommended for babies.

The best option to keep your child hydrated might change as the child ages. Always check with your provider before giving your child a new liquid or treatment of any kind.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s diarrhea, don’t hesitate to call your provider.

How can I relieve discomfort in the rectal area caused by diarrhea?

Diarrhea often means frequent trips to the bathroom. This can cause discomforts like:

• Itching.
• Burning.
• Pain during bowel movements.

If you’re experiencing any of these discomforts, there are a few things you can do to help, including:

• Sitting in a few inches of lukewarm water in a bathtub.
• Patting your rectal area dry with a clean soft towel after getting out of the tub or shower. Don’t rub the area dry because that will only make the irritation worse.
• Applying petroleum jelly or a hemorrhoid cream to your anus.

Prevention

Can diarrhea be prevented?

There are a few ways you can decrease your chances of having diarrhea, including:

• Avoiding infections with good hygiene habits: Washing your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, as well as cooking, handling, and eating, is an important way to prevent diarrhea. Washing your hands thoroughly can really help keep you and those around you stay healthy.
• Getting your vaccinations: Rotavirus, one of the causes of diarrhea, can be prevented with the rotavirus vaccine. This is given to infants in several stages during the first year of life.
• Storing food properly: By keeping your food stored at the right temperatures, not eating things that have gone bad, cooking food to the recommended temperature and handling all foods safely, you can prevent diarrhea.
• Watching what you drink when you travel: Traveler’s diarrhea can happen when you drink water or other drinks that haven’t been treated correctly. This is most likely to happen in developing countries. To avoid getting diarrhea there are a few tips to follow. Watch what you drink. Don’t drink tap water, use ice cubes, brush your teeth with tap water, or consume unpasteurized milk, milk products or unpasteurized juices. You should also be careful when trying local foods from street vendors, eating raw or undercooked meats (and shellfish), as well as raw fruits and vegetables. When in doubt, drink bottled water or something that’s been boiled first (coffee or tea).

Outlook / Prognosis

Is diarrhea fatal?

Diarrhea is extremely common, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be dangerous. In extreme cases of diarrhea, you can become very dehydrated and this can lead to serious complications. Dehydration is one of the most dangerous side effects of diarrhea. In the very young (infants and small children) and the very old, this can have serious consequences. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes when you have diarrhea. This allows your body to replace the fluid and electrolytes that are lost with the diarrhea.

In some parts of the world, diarrhea is a life-threatening condition because of dehydration and electrolyte loss.

Living With

When should I call my doctor about diarrhea?

If you have diarrhea that fails to improve or resolve completely, you should call your healthcare provider. Keep track of any other symptoms you may be experiencing – this includes fever, vomiting, rash, weakness, numbness, lightheadedness, dizziness, weight loss and blood in your stool. If you have any concerns, it’s always best to call your healthcare provider.

90,000 Diarrhea (diarrhea) – causes, types and why such a condition is dangerous – Sorbex – official site | Sorbex

Diarrhea – causes, types and what is the danger of this condition

What is diarrhea? This is one of the most common signs of intestinal disorders. In adults and children after 1 year, diarrhea is considered to be frequent loose stools more than 3 times a day.

This may cause discomfort or pain in the abdomen. Diarrhea is not a disease, but only one of the manifestations of a particular pathology.

Depending on the specific reason, it may also be accompanied by other signs, such as vomiting, nausea, high body temperature, etc. consider a change in stool consistency and an increase in its usual frequency.

Causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea can occur for various reasons. It is important to study them well when starting treatment, because otherwise it is not always effective.

If diarrhea occurs, the reasons may be as follows:

• intestinal infection – acute or chronic;
• overeating, nutritional inaccuracies;
• parasitic diseases;
• poisoning;
• violation of intestinal motility;
• deficiency of digestive enzymes;
• imbalance of intestinal microflora;
• inflammatory diseases of the digestive system;
• neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

In addition, the following factors can be identified that contribute to the development of diarrhea:

• neglect of personal hygiene;
• neuroses, stresses;
• poor chewing of food;
• immunodeficiency;
• sedentary; 90,030 90,029 children;
• period of gestation of the baby;
• taking certain medications.

It is important to take this symptom seriously and seek medical advice on how to stop diarrhea.

Types of diarrhea

Diarrhea, depending on the cause, can be of the following types:

• of an alimentary nature, arising from allergies, unbalanced nutrition;
• infectious – for bacterial and viral diseases;
• toxic diarrhea, for certain poisoning, for example, arsenic;
• dyspeptic disorder with enzyme deficiency;
• “bear disease” – diarrhea on a nervous basis.

Depending on the color and consistency of the stool, diarrhea happens:

• Yellow diarrhea – has the most favorable prognosis. Occurs as a result of increased intestinal peristalsis – feces move quickly and are not fully formed. May be accompanied by cramps, heaviness in the abdomen.
• Green liquid feces are found in viral and bacterial infectious diseases. Green color, arises from the active growth of pathogens and the accumulation of leukocytes.May be accompanied by frequent urge to vomit, abdominal pain.
• Bloody diarrhea is most often an alarming symptom that occurs with gastrointestinal bleeding. If the upper parts of the digestive system are affected, the stool turns black. Feces with scarlet blood occurs with bleeding from the rectum. Beets, blueberries, the use of activated carbon can change the color of feces to black, so this must be taken into account.
• White loose stools often result from insufficient bile processing of food. This happens when there are neoplasms or stones in the body that compress the bile duct. It is also accompanied by darkening of urine and yellowness of the skin.
• Water diarrhea occurs in cholera. In this case, bowel movements are very frequent, there is a very high risk of rapid dehydration.

Symptoms

Often in adults, diarrhea can be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• painful sensations: attacks, spasms, cramps .Occur with microbial diarrhea, food poisoning;
• vomiting, nausea – the body is trying to get rid of the toxins that have entered it;
• belching rotten – accompanies diarrhea, which occurs with a deficiency of enzymes;
• an increase in body temperature with diarrhea indicates its infectious origin or poisoning; if, with infectious diarrhea, the body temperature is within normal limits, this indicates the development of immunodeficiency.

Many pregnant women sound the alarm if they have diarrhea, what to do in this case?

Physiological intestinal disturbance can often occur early in gestation. The reason for this is the increase in hormones in the blood, which are needed for the normal course of pregnancy. Therefore, you should not worry, but it is better to consult a doctor who will help you figure out what’s what.

Loose stools are normal in newborns and toddlers. Since children of this age eat exclusively liquid food, frequent bowel movements should not cause panic. Sometimes in quite healthy children, the frequency of bowel movements can be up to 10 times a day.

Why is diarrhea dangerous?

When a large amount of pathogenic microflora enters the human body, its rapid reproduction occurs . During this, toxins are released, provoking inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract and irritation of its mucous membrane.

This impairs the absorption of nutrients and water. Microorganisms contribute to the death of beneficial intestinal microflora, namely, it is responsible for immunity and intestinal health. As a result, the disease is further aggravated. Therefore, diarrhea of ​​an infectious origin can often cause the following complications:

• violation of the water-salt balance;
• acute nutritional deficiency;
• Even after stopping diarrhea, normal bowel function remains impaired.

Diarrhea is especially dangerous for children.
Due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the body, they quickly lose a lot of fluid, resulting in a malfunction of all systems and organs. Therefore, as soon as this symptom occurs in a baby, you should immediately seek medical help to avoid more serious consequences.

It is imperative to consult a doctor if the patient’s diarrhea persists for more than 3 days. Against the background of diarrhea, breathing quickens, there is blood, mucus, greens in the feces, the body temperature is high.

Tactics for diarrhea

So, you have diarrhea, what to do in this case? Of course, the doctor should prescribe treatment, taking into account other symptoms. But, in order to alleviate the condition and prevent the risk of complications, it is recommended that the patient be given sorbents, for example, Sorbex, before the doctor’s examination.

It binds toxins that have entered the stomach and intestines, neutralizes them and removes them outside. This will allow you to briefly normalize the condition. But the use of sorbents does not exclude a visit to the doctor.Even if the patient feels better, it can only be temporary. Be sure to contact a specialist who will find out the cause of the diarrhea and decide on further tactics.

It is necessary to take the sorbent as early as possible at the first signs of the disease (diarrhea). Adults in case of poisoning – 2-6 capsules 3 times a day. The drug is taken orally with water, with an interval of 1.5–2 hours before or after a meal or taking medications. The course of treatment for acute conditions is 3-5 days, for chronic diseases caused by endogenous intoxication – 10-15 days.

Considering that a lot of water is lost during diarrhea, needs to drink plenty of fluids. not only liquid is lost, but also microelements – it is better to drink not ordinary water, but mineral or self-prepared glucose-salt solutions: per liter of water – a teaspoon of salt, half as much soda, a quarter of a spoon of potassium chloride, 4 tablespoons of sugar. If there is no potassium salt in the house (which is likely), it can be replaced with a glass of orange juice or dried apricot compote.

However, you should immediately consult a doctor if:

• Diarrhea lasts more than 3 days;
• Temperature above 38.3 degrees;
• Stools black, tarry, or bloody;
• Edema appeared;
• Lack of urination or insufficient urination;
• Drug suspected of causing diarrhea;
• Severe abdominal pain;
• Large water loss (dehydration).

Features of drug treatment

Regardless of the cause, the treatment of diarrhea requires an integrated approach. The doctor prescribes drugs that act in different directions:

• Antimicrobial agents are the basis of therapy. They allow you to eliminate the cause – to destroy the pathogen that caused the diarrhea.
• Pro- and prebiotics help to restore the normal intestinal microflora, which often perishes massively with diarrhea.
• Drugs that reduce intestinal peristalsis – inhibit the rate of movement of feces, reducing the manifestations of diarrhea. These are symptomatic remedies and should not be used for infectious diarrhea.
• Oral rehydration solutions allow you to replenish the water and electrolyte balance , which is disturbed during diarrhea, causing dysfunction of all systems and organs.In addition to the usual plentiful drink, it is imperative to give such funds.

All these drugs must be prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication is strictly prohibited!

Diet

If the patient has diarrhea, treatment must necessarily involve a special diet. It is imperative to exclude foods that irritate the digestive organs. After all, with their use, the disease will only drag on. Nutrition depends on the specific disease, but there are general principles that are important for diarrhea:

• From the diet, exclude foods that provoke gas formation and fermentation, too spicy, fatty, smoked and sweet foods.
• Try to cook or bake dishes.
• Avoid foods that are difficult to digest, such as mushrooms.
• Refuse fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Dishes must be easily digestible.
• Drink a lot, for example strong tea, rosehip broth, chamomile. Coffee, fruit juices, alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited.

Prevention

To avoid diarrhea, it is extremely important to adhere to simple rules:

• Do not forget about the rules of personal hygiene: wash your hands well before eating and preparing food, after going to the toilet, walking outside, swaddling your baby.
• Avoid bad habits such as sucking pens, pencils, fingers, weaning off nail biting, especially for children.
• Balance your diet, do not overuse sweet foods.
• Buy products only from trusted sellers, be sure to monitor their expiration date, there are no doubts about the freshness of which.
• After contact with meat or fish, all kitchen utensils are well washed with warm water and detergent.
• Do not consume unpasteurized milk.
• Do not leave cooked food warm, as this may result in the growth of dangerous microflora.
• Do not prepare food for future use, it can be dangerous.
• Fruits and vegetables should be washed well with running water immediately before use.
• Drink only clean water, avoid using water from various sources, streams, wells, the quality of which can be doubted.

Completely protecting a person from diarrhea and possible infection is unlikely to succeed.But these recommendations will help reduce the risk of diarrhea.

Remember, self-medication can harm your health!

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Enterofuril – a remedy for the treatment of intestinal infection, diarrhea and diarrhea

90,000 Six causes of “red diarrhea”

As you know, normal healthy stools are shaped, homogeneous, soft and have a brownish brown color.Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is an unpleasant condition in itself, but it is usually not a symptom of something clinically serious. Another thing is if diarrhea “red” or bloody is noted – this is an alarming sign, and possibly threatening.

Diarrhea occurs when food and liquids move through the intestines too quickly. Not having time to form into a homogeneous mass, digestion products are excreted in liquid form.

Bloody diarrhea is a serious symptom in any case, and the color of the stool may help to establish the cause.This article discusses the most likely causes and diagnostic significance of some specific shades of stool.

Causes

1. Dysentery. Inflammation of the intestines, caused by disease-causing bacteria or protozoal intestinal parasites, can be so severe that the intestinal lining begins to bleed.

2. Red food. Foods that are naturally red or contain red food coloring, especially if they are also toxic or irritating.The most common foods of this kind include beets, cranberries, red candy or red icing, licorice, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

3. Gastrointestinal bleeding. It can occur in a number of pathological conditions and conditions, including colonic polyps, ulcerative colitis, stomach cancer, etc. In such cases, blood loss can be very significant, which leads to the appearance of red diarrhea.

4. Hemorrhoids. Abnormal dilation and swelling of blood vessels inside the rectum and anus can cause rectal bleeding and red diarrhea.

5. Taking medications. Bloody stools can be a side effect of certain medications that irritate the stomach and cause bloody diarrhea. An example is liquid dosage forms of antibiotics.

6. Anal fissure. In some cases, a non-healing ulcer in the rectal-anal area also begins to bleed, which leads to the appearance of small volumes of bright scarlet blood in the stool.

Other unusual chair shades

Abnormal color of excrement can be due to various reasons.

1. Black tint. Tarry black stools or stools with the consistency of coffee grounds may indicate severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Bloody diarrhea acquires a characteristic appearance and color in connection with a longer passage of masses from the upper gastrointestinal tract. In addition, consuming large amounts of licorice syrup or grape juice can produce a similar effect.

2. Green tint. Occurs due to the presence of bile in the stool, or when taking iron-containing foods / supplements (in this case, the stool becomes dark green).

3. Colorless stools. A slightly colored stool resembling clay is often observed with cholelithiasis. If dark urine is noted at the same time, this is another indication of possible problems with the liver or gallbladder. In addition, the intake of certain antacids containing aluminum hydroxide, as well as certain forms of viral hepatitis, can lead to “fading” of the stool.

4. Yellowish, oily, fatty stools mixed with mucus are a common symptom of intestinal infection or serious disorders of intestinal absorption function (malabsorption syndrome), for example, in celiac disease.

When to Get Help

Since red diarrhea can be one of the early symptoms (or the first manifestation) of a life-threatening condition, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

In particular, this should be done in cases where, in addition to red diarrhea, the following is observed:

• – chills;
• – a tendency to a liquid table for more than two weeks, or severe diarrhea that lasts more than two days in a row;
• – semi-fainting or fainting, general weakness;
• – the temperature is above 38 degrees;
• – vomiting
• – pain or cramps, which progressively worsen over time.