How can you effectively treat diarrhea at home. What are the best remedies for quick diarrhea relief. When should you seek medical attention for persistent diarrhea. What dietary changes can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms.

Understanding Diarrhea: Causes and Symptoms

Diarrhea is a common digestive issue characterized by loose, watery stools occurring more frequently than usual. To effectively manage this condition, it’s crucial to understand its underlying causes and recognize its symptoms.

Common causes of diarrhea include:

• Viral or bacterial infections
• Food intolerances or allergies
• Medications, particularly antibiotics
• Certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Stress or anxiety

Are there specific symptoms that indicate a more severe case of diarrhea. Key symptoms to watch for include:

• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Severe abdominal pain
• High fever (102°F or higher)
• Signs of dehydration (extreme thirst, decreased urination, dry mouth)
• Dizziness or confusion

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly.

Hydration: The First Line of Defense Against Diarrhea

Maintaining proper hydration is crucial when dealing with diarrhea. Frequent bowel movements can lead to significant fluid loss, potentially resulting in dehydration if not addressed promptly.

How much fluid should you consume when experiencing diarrhea. Aim for 2-3 liters (8-12 cups) of clear liquids per day. Suitable options include:

• Water
• Clear broths
• Diluted fruit juices
• Oral rehydration solutions

Can sports drinks effectively replace lost electrolytes during diarrhea. While sports drinks can help replenish electrolytes, they may contain high levels of sugar. Opt for oral rehydration solutions specifically designed for diarrhea, or consult your healthcare provider for personalized recommendations.

Dietary Modifications to Alleviate Diarrhea Symptoms

Making appropriate dietary choices can significantly impact the duration and severity of diarrhea. While the once-popular BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) diet is no longer universally recommended, these foods can still be beneficial.

What foods should you consume when experiencing diarrhea. Consider incorporating the following into your diet:

• Bananas: Rich in potassium and easy to digest
• White rice: Helps firm up stools
• Boiled potatoes: Provide easily digestible carbohydrates
• Skinless chicken or turkey: Lean protein sources
• Yogurt with live cultures: May help restore gut bacteria balance
• Smooth peanut butter: A source of protein and healthy fats

Which foods should you avoid during a bout of diarrhea. Steer clear of:

• Fatty or fried foods
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Spicy dishes
• Caffeinated beverages
• Dairy products (except for yogurt with live cultures)
• Beans and cabbage

Over-the-Counter Medications for Diarrhea Relief

While most cases of diarrhea resolve on their own, over-the-counter (OTC) medications can provide relief from symptoms. Two main types of OTC anti-diarrheal medications are available:

1. Loperamide (Imodium)

How does loperamide work to alleviate diarrhea. Loperamide slows down the movement of fluids through the intestines, allowing for increased absorption and firmer stools.

2. Bismuth Subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol)

What is the mechanism of action for bismuth subsalicylate. This medication works by balancing fluid movement in the digestive tract and may also have antimicrobial properties.

Is it safe to combine different types of anti-diarrheal medications. It’s generally not recommended to take multiple anti-diarrheal medications simultaneously. Always follow the dosage instructions on the package and consult a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Diarrhea

While most cases of diarrhea resolve on their own within a few days, certain circumstances warrant immediate medical attention.

Under which conditions should you consult a doctor for diarrhea. Seek medical help if you experience:

• Severe abdominal or rectal pain
• Bloody or black stools
• Signs of dehydration (extreme thirst, decreased urination, dry mouth, weakness)
• Fever of 102°F (39°C) or higher
• Diarrhea lasting more than 48 hours without improvement
• Recent antibiotic use followed by persistent diarrhea

How will a healthcare provider diagnose the cause of your diarrhea. Your doctor may:

• Collect a detailed medical history
• Perform a physical examination
• Request stool samples for laboratory testing
• Order blood tests to check for infection or other underlying conditions
• Recommend a colonoscopy in certain cases

Potential Complications of Untreated Diarrhea

While most cases of diarrhea are self-limiting, prolonged or severe episodes can lead to complications if left untreated.

What are the potential risks associated with untreated diarrhea. Complications may include:

• Severe dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Malnutrition
• Weakened immune system
• Increased susceptibility to other infections

How can you prevent these complications. Stay vigilant about hydration, follow dietary recommendations, and seek medical attention if symptoms persist or worsen.

Special Considerations for Diarrhea in Children

Diarrhea in children requires special attention due to their increased susceptibility to dehydration and other complications.

Are over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications safe for children. Most OTC anti-diarrheal medications are not recommended for children. Bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) should not be given to children due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome.

How can you effectively manage diarrhea in children. Focus on:

• Maintaining hydration with oral rehydration solutions
• Continuing to breastfeed or offer formula to infants
• Gradually reintroducing solid foods as tolerated
• Monitoring for signs of dehydration or worsening symptoms

When should you seek medical attention for a child with diarrhea. Consult a pediatrician if your child:

• Shows signs of dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, lack of tears)
• Has a high fever
• Passes bloody stools
• Experiences severe abdominal pain
• Has diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours

Preventing Diarrhea: Lifestyle and Hygiene Practices

While not all cases of diarrhea are preventable, certain lifestyle and hygiene practices can significantly reduce your risk of developing this condition.

How can you minimize your chances of experiencing diarrhea. Implement the following preventive measures:

• Practice proper hand hygiene, especially before meals and after using the bathroom
• Ensure food safety by thoroughly cooking meats and washing fruits and vegetables
• Drink clean, safe water and avoid untreated water sources when traveling
• Be cautious with street food and raw seafood in unfamiliar locations
• Maintain a balanced diet rich in fiber to promote digestive health
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques and regular exercise

Can probiotics help prevent diarrhea. Some studies suggest that regular consumption of probiotics may help maintain a healthy gut microbiome and reduce the risk of certain types of diarrhea, particularly antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Traveler’s Diarrhea: A Special Case

Traveler’s diarrhea is a common ailment affecting individuals visiting regions with different sanitation standards or unfamiliar bacterial strains.

How can you protect yourself from traveler’s diarrhea. Take these precautions:

• Drink only bottled or boiled water
• Avoid ice cubes in beverages
• Eat only thoroughly cooked foods
• Peel fruits yourself
• Use bottled water for brushing teeth
• Consider taking prophylactic antibiotics if recommended by your healthcare provider

By understanding the causes, symptoms, and appropriate management strategies for diarrhea, you can effectively navigate this common but potentially disruptive condition. Remember to prioritize hydration, make informed dietary choices, and seek medical attention when necessary to ensure a swift recovery and prevent complications.

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

Imodium Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Before taking loperamide, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: stomach/abdominal pain without diarrhea, bowel obstruction (e.g., ileus, megacolon, abdominal distention).

The rapidly dissolving tablets may contain aspartame or phenylalanine. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU) or any other condition that requires you to restrict your intake of aspartame or phenylalanine, consult your doctor or pharmacist regarding the safe use of this medicine.

Antibiotics may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition due to a bacteria called C. difficile. Symptoms include: diarrhea that doesn’t stop, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, or blood/mucus in your stool. This condition may occur during treatment or weeks to months after treatment has stopped. This medication may make this condition worse. Do not use this anti-diarrhea product, especially after recent antibiotic use, if you have the above symptoms without talking with your doctor first.

This medication should not be used without seeing your doctor first if you have certain medical conditions. These symptoms/conditions may require other treatment before you can use this medication safely. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: black/tarry stool, blood/mucus in your stool, high fever, HIV infection/AIDS, liver problems, certain stomach/intestinal infections (e.g., Salmonella, Shigella), certain type of bowel disease (acute ulcerative colitis).

Loperamide may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can rarely cause serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.

The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may cause QT prolongation. Before using loperamide, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you take and if you have any of the following conditions: certain heart problems (heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in the EKG), family history of certain heart problems (QT prolongation in the EKG, sudden cardiac death).

Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you use certain drugs (such as diuretics/”water pills”) or if you have conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. Talk to your doctor about using loperamide safely.

This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis).

Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially QT prolongation (see above).

Children may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug, especially drowsiness. Children are also at a higher risk for dehydration. See also Warning and How to Use sections.

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only if clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

This drug passes into breast milk but is unlikely to have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

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.

Methods and what to avoid

Diarrhea can be uncomfortable and unpleasant and can severely disrupt a person’s day. However, most diarrhea episodes are short-term or “acute,” though some may persist for days or even weeks.

This article outlines the typical duration of diarrhea, provides tips on how to get fast relief, and offers advice on when to see a doctor.

Below are several methods that adults can use to alleviate diarrhea quickly.

Anti-diarrheal medication

The most common and convenient solution for alleviating acute diarrhea is over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as:

• Loperamide (Imodium): This medication slows down digestion so that the body can draw more water from the intestines. This helps to firm up stools and reduce the frequency of bowel movements.
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol): This medication helps to coat and kill some of the diarrhea-causing bacteria that a person may have in their gut.

The above medications are not suitable for people whose diarrhea is accompanied by the following symptoms:

Learn more about the causes of chronic diarrhea and how to treat it here.

Antibiotics

A doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help eliminate a bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

People may contract harmful bacteria as a result of eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Bacteria that commonly cause diarrhea include:

Learn about the side effects of antibiotics here.

Diet adjustment

Certain dietary adjustments may help alleviate an acute episode of diarrhea and reduce the risk of further complications. Examples include:

• Eating bland foods: Bland, easy-to-digest foods reduce the risk of further GI upset and diarrhea. A popular dietary option for an upset stomach is the BRAT diet, which is an acronym of the following bland foods:
  • banana
  • rice
  • applesauce
  • toast
• Increasing intake of soluble fiber: Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that absorbs fluid in the intestines. As such, it helps to firm up stools and alleviate diarrhea. Foods that are high in soluble fiber include:
  • fruits and vegetables
  • legumes
• Eating smaller meals: People should aim to eat smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day instead of eating two or three large meals.
• Resting after meals: Relaxing after a meal helps to slow the movement of food through the gut. This helps to reduce the frequency of bowel movements.

Learn more about what foods to eat with diarrhea here.

Hydration

Loose, watery stools cause a person to lose fluids and electrolytes. This can quickly lead to dehydration and associated complications.

Signs of dehydration include:

To prevent dehydration, a person should drink at least one cup of fluids after each bout of diarrhea. Fruit juices and sports drinks are good options as they are high in potassium and other important electrolytes.

Learn more about dehydration here.

Supplements

According to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders, the following supplements may help to alleviate diarrhea:

Psyllium, pectin, and blackberry root bark may help slow down the digestive system, reducing the frequency and urgency of bowel movements.

Probiotics may help reduce the duration of diarrhea in children. However, people who are taking antibiotics should finish the course before taking probiotics.

Find out more ways to treat diarrhea at home here.

The treatment for acute diarrhea in infants differs from that for adults. For example, OTC anti-diarrheal medications are not suitable for children unless a doctor has prescribed them.

Below are some methods for treating diarrhea in infants.

Rehydration

An infant with diarrhea must continue to feed and drink as normal. People who are breastfeeding should continue to do so if the infant is still willing to drink fluids.

Oral rehydration solutions can help replace the fluids and electrolytes lost during episodes of diarrhea. Examples of such solutions include:

• Pedialyte
• Naturalyte
• Enfalyte
• CeraLyte

Zinc supplementation

A 2014 review article notes that daily zinc supplements may help to treat and prevent episodes of acute diarrhea in infants. They suggest that children older than two months may benefit from 20 milligrams of zinc per day over 10 days.

Additional research is necessary to determine whether this type of treatment has applications for adults.

Learn more about diarrhea in children and why they might have green poop here.

People who are experiencing diarrhea should avoid foods and ingredients that could make their diarrhea worse. This includes the following:

• caffeine
• alcohol
• foods high in fructose
• prune juice and dried fruits
• sugar replacements or substitutes
• fatty foods
• fried foods
• spicy foods

Persistent or recurrent episodes of diarrhea may indicate an underlying food sensitivity or intolerance. Anyone who has a suspected food sensitivity or intolerance should avoid foods that trigger bouts of diarrhea.

Some common triggers of food sensitivities and intolerances include:

• Lactose: A natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.
• Fructose: A natural sugar found in fruits.
• Gluten: Proteins that exist in grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley.

Learn more about alcohol and diarrhea here.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) defines “diarrhea” as passing three or more loose, watery stools per day.

The NIDDK categorize diarrhea into the following three types, based on its duration:

• Acute: Diarrhea that typically lasts 1–2 days and goes away on its own. This type is the most common.
• Persistent: Diarrhea that lasts between 2–4 weeks.
• Chronic: Diarrhea that lasts at least 4 weeks. The symptoms may be persistent, or they may come and go.

The NIDDK recommend that adults see a doctor if their diarrhea lasts more than 2 days. They add that children should see a doctor if their diarrhea lasts 24 hours or more.

Acute diarrhea can take a day or two to subside. In the meantime, people can follow the tips below to help alleviate their symptoms:

• drinking plenty of water, juices, and broths to help avoid dehydration
• taking OTC anti-diarrheal medications to help relieve pain from gas and bloating
• getting plenty of rest to help slow the digestive process

Adults should see a doctor if they have diarrhea that lasts longer than 2 days or experience six or more diarrhea episodes within 24 hours. They should also see a doctor if their diarrhea is accompanied by any of the following:

• signs of dehydration
• fever
• frequent vomiting
• severe pain in the stomach, abdomen, or rectum
• bloody or tarry stools

Infants should see a doctor if they have diarrhea that lasts 24 hours or more, or if any of the following symptoms accompany their diarrhea:

• signs of dehydration
• fever
• bloody, pus-filled stools
• dark, tarry stools

Adults and children with a weakened immune system or other underlying medical conditions should see a doctor immediately if they experience diarrhea.

Diarrhea can come on suddenly and resolve on its own just as quickly. Most cases are acute, lasting up to 2 days. However, people may also experience persistent or chronic diarrhea that comes and goes over several weeks.

Thankfully, there are methods for quickly and effectively alleviating diarrhea symptoms. These methods differ somewhat for children and adults.

People should see a doctor if their diarrhea persists, or they experience other worrying symptoms. A doctor will work to diagnose the cause of the diarrhea and provide appropriate treatments.

Diarrhea – Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your medical history, review the medications you take, conduct a physical exam and may order tests to determine what’s causing your diarrhea. Possible tests include:

• Blood test. A complete blood count test can help indicate what’s causing your diarrhea.
• Stool test. Your doctor might recommend a stool test to see if a bacterium or parasite is causing your diarrhea.
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Using a thin, lighted tube that’s inserted in your rectum, your doctor can see inside your colon. The device is also equipped with a tool that allows your doctor to take a small sample of tissue (biopsy) from your colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy provides a view of the lower colon, while colonoscopy allows the doctor to see the entire colon.

Treatment

Most cases of diarrhea clear on their own within a couple of days without treatment. If you’ve tried lifestyle changes and home remedies for diarrhea without success, your doctor might recommend medications or other treatments.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics might help treat diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites. If a virus is causing your diarrhea, antibiotics won’t help.

Treatment to replace fluids

Your doctor likely will advise you to replace the fluids and salts. For most adults, that means drinking water, juice or broth. If drinking liquids upsets your stomach or causes vomiting, your doctor might recommend getting IV fluids.

Water is a good way to replace fluids, but it doesn’t contain the salts and electrolytes — minerals such as sodium and potassium — that are essential for your body to function. You can help maintain your electrolyte levels by drinking fruit juices for potassium or eating soups for sodium. But certain fruit juices, such as apple juice, might make diarrhea worse.

For children, ask your doctor about using an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte, to prevent dehydration or replace lost fluids.

Adjusting medications you’re taking

If your doctor determines that an antibiotic caused your diarrhea, he or she might lower your dose or switch to another medication.

Treating underlying conditions

If your diarrhea is caused by a more serious condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease, your doctor will work to control that condition. You might be referred to a specialist, such as a gastroenterologist, who can help devise a treatment plan for you.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Diarrhea usually clears up quickly without treatment. To help you cope with your signs and symptoms until the diarrhea goes away, try to:

• Drink plenty of clear liquids, including water, broths and juices. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Add semisolid and low-fiber foods gradually as your bowel movements return to normal. Try soda crackers, toast, eggs, rice or chicken.
• Avoid certain foods such as dairy products, fatty foods, high-fiber foods or highly seasoned foods for a few days.

• Ask about anti-diarrheal medications. Over-the-counter (OTC) anti-diarrheal medications, such as loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate, might help reduce the number of watery bowel movements and control severe symptoms.

Certain medical conditions and infections — bacterial and parasitic — can be worsened by these medications because they prevent your body from getting rid of what’s causing the diarrhea. Also, these drugs aren’t always safe for children. Check with your doctor before taking these medications or giving them to a child.

• Consider taking probiotics. These microorganisms may help restore a healthy balance to the intestinal tract by boosting the level of good bacteria, though it’s not clear if they can help shorten a bout of diarrhea. Probiotics are available in capsule or liquid form and are also added to some foods, such as certain brands of yogurt. Further research is needed to better understand which strains of bacteria are most helpful or what doses are needed.

Preparing for your appointment

You might start by seeing your primary care practitioner. If you have persistent diarrhea, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the digestive system (gastroenterologist).

Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there’s anything you need to do in advance, such as fast before certain tests. Make a list of:

• Your symptoms, including when they began and any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
• Key personal information, including any major stresses, recent life changes or travel.
• Medications, vitamins or supplements you take, including doses. If you’ve recently taken an antibiotic, note what kind, for how long and when you stopped.
• Questions to ask your doctor.

For diarrhea, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What is likely causing my diarrhea?
• Could my diarrhea be caused by a medication I’m taking?
• What tests do I need?
• Is my diarrhea likely temporary or chronic?
• What is the best course of action?
• What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you’re suggesting?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them with the diarrhea?
• Are there restrictions I should follow?
• May I take medication such as loperamide to slow the diarrhea down?
• Should I see a specialist?

Don’t hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, including:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
• Does your diarrhea awaken you at night?
• Do you see blood, or are your bowel movements black in color?
• Have you recently been around anyone who has diarrhea?
• Have you recently stayed in a hospital or nursing home?
• Have you take antibiotics recently?

What you can do in the meantime

While you wait for your appointment, you may ease your symptoms if you:

• Drink more fluids. To help avoid dehydration, drink water, juice and broth.
• Avoid foods that can aggravate diarrhea. Avoid fatty, high-fiber or highly seasoned foods.

Resource

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Travelers’ health

3 Ways to Make Diarrhea Go Away Fast Without Drugs

Most diarrhea is caused by a virus or bacteria and will go away on its own within two to three days. While many people will reach for the Imodium the moment a loose stool appears, the drugs are really more appropriate for frequent or severe diarrhea than an incidental bout.

Geri Lavrov / Getty Images 

Treating Mild Diarrhea Without Medication

In some cases, taking an antidiarrheal drug will slingshot you from water stools straight to constipation, an equally unpleasant event. To this end, try these helpful home remedies to treat a mild bout of diarrhea without the use of pills.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

One of the biggest problems with diarrhea, and what leads many people to the emergency room, is dehydration. Diarrhea causes the body to lose a lot of water and electrolytes (like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) it needs to function normally. If not treated appropriately, dehydration can become dangerous, especially in young children.

To manage a mild bout of diarrhea, you will need to replenish fluids and electrolytes (salts) lost. Drink plenty of water, clear juices, clear broths, or an electrolyte-rich sports drink.

There are also things you should avoid when you have a bout of diarrhea. Avoid coffee, caffeinated drinks, prune juice, sugary drinks, sodas, and alcohol, all of which have a laxative effect. It is also a good idea to avoid dairy products.

Young children and babies with diarrhea should be given pediatric rehydration drinks, marketed under such brand names as Pedialyte, Enfalyte, or Gastrolyte. Breastfed infants should continue to breastfeed. Children should continue with their regular diet, plus rehydrating fluids, rather than be put on a restrictive diet. 

If you want to avoid the artificial colorings or flavorings used in some commercial rehydration drinks, you can make a homemade rehydration drink using only salt, sugar, and water. You can also purchase oral rehydration salts over the counter at most drugstores. Follow the preparation instructions as too much salt can be harmful, especially to children.

Eat a Bland Diet 

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that research shows it doesn’t help to follow a restrictive diet to treat diarrhea, although there are foods to avoid and foods that are better tolerated.

The BRAT diet was a commonly-recommended food plan for easing digestive distress. It is comprised of four bland, low-fiber foods that will help to firm up stools: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Bananas are especially useful as they help restore any potassium lost through diarrhea.

Other bland, easy-to-digest foods can be added to as the diarrhea symptoms begin to resolve, including baked skinless chicken breasts, oatmeal, baked potatoes, and chicken soup with saltines.  Avoid foods and beverages that cause gas, such as carbonated drinks, beans, cucumbers, legumes, and cruciferous vegetables. 

If diarrhea lasts more than a couple of days, check the foods that you are eating. Diarrhea can be exacerbated by foods high in fiber (such as bran, whole grains, and brown rice) as well as greasy foods or those sweetened with sorbitol.

Use Probiotics

Taking probiotics in food or supplement form might help shorten a mild bout of diarrhea. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that are beneficial to your digestive system.

Diarrhea can cause you to lose a lot of the healthy bacteria in your stomach and intestines. Probiotics (which include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria and Saccharomyces boulardii yeast) can quickly replace these protective microorganisms and help restore normal bowel function. This is especially true with S. boulardii which exerts powerful antidiarrheal effects. 

While dairy products should be avoided during diarrhea, yogurt or kefir with live probiotic bacteria are extremely beneficial. Other natural probiotic sources include fermented foods like miso, kombucha, sauerkraut, aged soft cheeses, cottage cheese, green olives, sourdough bread, and tempeh.

While kimchi is often cited as a “super-probiotic,” it contains hot spices that may worsen diarrhea.

Side effects of probiotics, whether in food or supplement form, tend to be mild and may include an upset stomach, bloating, and gas. 

When to Seek Medical Help

Diarrhea should never be ignored. If you have tried the above-listed home remedies and still have loose stools, call your doctor or speak with your pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that may help.

On the other hand, you should see a doctor immediately if you or your child experience persistent or severe diarrhea and/or develop signs of dehydration, as follows:

Adults

• Diarrhea 3 days or more

• Severe abdominal pain

• Bloody or black stools

• Fever over 102 F (39 C)

• Little or no urination

• Extreme weakness

• Dry skin and mouth

• Excessive thirst

• Dark urine

Children

• Diarrhea for more than 24 hours

• No wet diapers in 3 hours

• Fever over 102 F (39 C)

• Dry mouth or tongue

• Crying without tears

• Unusual sleepiness

• Black or bloody stools

• Sunken cheeks or eyes

• Skin that doesn’t retract when pinched

Without exception, babies under 3 months of age with diarrhea should be taken to a doctor or emergency room immediately. Do not wait or try to treat the condition at home.

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

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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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90,000 How quickly and easily stop diarrhea with folk remedies!

1. Unmilled black pepper

Black pepper has antimicrobial and strengthening effect on irritated bowels, helps to get rid of some infectious agents. It can be used by anyone who does not have problems with the stomach and pancreas, as it irritates the walls of the stomach. It is not recommended to take black pepper for anemia, kidney disease. You should not resort to such treatment for children under 5 years old.

It is recommended to take 10 black peppercorns without chewing, swallow and drink a glass of water. It is best to take the pepper at night. It stimulates the production of enzymes that normalize bowel function. For children, the dose should be halved.

2. Walnuts

In the event that the diarrhea is not very strong, you do not need to prepare special medicines from the walnut to eliminate it, but you just need to eat a few kernels without drinking them with water. For adults, including pregnant women and lactating mothers, it is enough to eat, chewed well, 5 nuts.Children only need 2 nuts. This medicine is taken 1 time. For children who, due to their age, cannot chew the kernels, the treatment is not suitable.

3. Rice broth

An effective and safe method of treating diarrhea. Rice broth envelops the intestinal walls, helps relieve inflammation and irritation. To make such a broth, you need to boil 0.5 liters of water, dip 2 tablespoons of washed white rice into it and simmer over low heat for about 50 minutes. After cooling, the broth is filtered and drunk during the day.It is not only a fixative, but also a nourishing agent, which is important for dehydration and weakness caused by prolonged diarrhea.

4. Strong black tea

Strong tea has strengthening properties and prevents diarrhea, but you should use only high-quality tea without additives and flavorings (not in bags). It is worth remembering that black tea contains a large amount of caffeine, which is contraindicated for people with hypertension.

5.Tea with onions

To prepare such a drink, the vegetable is cut with a cross so that it begins to secrete juice. After that, the onion is placed in a cup with strong tea pre-brewed in it (about 200 ml). After 10 minutes, the vegetable can be removed from the container. The resulting tea is drunk without sugar, in small sips throughout the day.

6. Starch

The starch recipe can be used for both adults and children, it is safe and does not cause allergic responses.Potato starch for diarrhea in adults is most effective when taken neat. The dose is one heaped tablespoon, which can be washed down with three sips of warm water. With a little upset, this may be enough. If the diarrhea is severe, it is permissible to repeat the intake of such a medicine after a while.

7. Apples

Getting rid of diarrhea with apples is an old folk recipe. Throughout the day, you need to eat 12 whole apples (1 apple every 2 hours) without a peel, or you can rub them on a grater.It is not recommended to eat any other food or drink water. This will help cleanse and normalize the stomach. But given such a “diet” for the whole day, this recipe may not suit everyone. In any case, if there are any deviations from the norm, the treatment should be agreed with the doctor.

Such home remedies can only stop diarrhea, not aggravated by an intestinal infection. With the urge to vomit in combination with diarrhea (especially if the temperature rises), poisoning can be suspected, so it is better not to self-medicate, but to call a doctor.

How to Stop Diarrhea Quickly | Health & Life

Diarrhea or diarrhea is one of the most common digestive disorders, accompanied by many symptoms, the main of which are pain and bloating, dizziness. Diarrhea often lasts from two to four days, but in this article we will tell you how to quickly stop this ailment at home.

Read to the end to get the most useful information.

Main causes of diarrhea

Toilet paper

● viruses and bacteria. In some cases, even getting sick with the influenza virus can be accompanied by diarrhea.

● Food poisoning is one of the most common causes. The problem arises when you eat something that your body is not used to, buy food on the street, overeat, try exotic dishes, or eat undercooked food.

● alcohol. The same thing happens when you consume too much alcohol. In this case, the symptoms last two to four days, and, in addition to diarrhea, you may have abdominal pain and cramps, dizziness, weakness, and loss of appetite.

If the disorder lasts longer than a week, it is considered a chronic condition, in which a visit to the doctor is necessary, since such a condition may be caused by a serious illness.

How to quickly stop diarrhea at home?

Above all, beware of dehydration, which is very common with diarrhea. Drink plenty of water to prevent fluid loss. It is recommended to use a liquid diet, which consists of the following products:

● mineral water,

● fruit juices without pulp,

● lemonade,

● jelly,

● isotonic drinks,

● vegetable broth,

● ice cream (sugar free).

Try to gradually introduce solid foods into your diet. On the second day, try eating only banana, rice, apple, or toasted bread. Avoid fatty foods and foods that contain fiber, as these can make the situation worse.

It is also a good idea to stop drinking coffee, alcohol and artificial sweeteners for a few days. Make sure you get plenty of rest. Rest is one of the most important answers to the question “how to quickly prevent diarrhea.”

Rest can also be helpful if your problem is stress or anxiety – indigestion and anxiety go hand in hand. So meditate, try some relaxation therapy, or prepare a very hot bath.

In addition to liquid diet and relaxation, use the following products to treat diarrhea

1. Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea

These small flowers have healing properties that have been used for centuries to treat stomach problems.Chamomile has an antispasmodic effect, which helps relieve intestinal inflammation. Drink several glasses of this infusion throughout the day.

2. Carrots

Carrot puree – carrot puree

Carrot puree soup is a reliable way to fight diarrhea. The puree soup will help maintain hydration, restore the balance of intestinal microflora, and fill the body with certain minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and sulfur.

The recipe is simple: 3 carrots + 4 glasses of water (1 liter).

● peel the vegetables and cut into small pieces,

● bring the water to a boil, add the carrots and a pinch of salt,

● cook while the carrots are soft,

● beat the boiled vegetables with a kitchen mixer or blender until creamy.

● Eat hot.

3. Rice water

Rice water – rice water

Boil the rice, drain the water. A few hours after drinking the rice liquid, your condition will improve significantly – abdominal pain and cramps will disappear. Rice water is also rich in starch, which will protect mucous membranes, relieve irritation and stop diarrhea. Drink several times a day.

4. Lemon

Lemon water

Lemon has strong antibacterial and digestive properties.The fruit has an astringent effect that protects against fluid loss, and also normalizes the flow of acid into the digestive system. A lemon juice drink will help restore lost minerals. Recipe: juice from 2 lemons, 4 glasses of water (1 liter), a pinch of salt (2 g) and 1 tablespoon of baking soda (10 g). Mix the solution well and drink in small portions 4 times a day.

These 4 products will help you quickly get rid of diarrhea and stop its cause at home. If the disease continues, see your doctor.

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Useful information at Health & Life. Thank you!

LOFLATIL®: and the diarrhea was blown away

MEDICINES: 650 CAUSES OF DIARRHEA

Acute diarrhea that develops with the use of drugs is of particular clinical importance.Calculations carried out in the United States have shown that more than 1 million hospitalized patients develop complications of drug therapy annually and cause the death of about 180 thousand people (Bates D.W. et al., 1995). The economic cost of drug-related morbidity and mortality in the United States is $ 136–177.4 billion. per year (Ernst F.R. et al., 2001).

Diarrhea is one of the most common side effects of medication.The list of possible medicines presented in the table is far from complete. In the literature, more than 650 drugs are mentioned that lead to the development of acute diarrhea. It is important to remember that it occurs either immediately after the administration of the drug, or when the dosage is increased. Although in some cases, diarrhea can develop while taking a constant dose of the drug.

The most common cause of acute diarrhea is the use of antibacterial agents (antibiotic-associated diarrhea). It was found that it develops in 2–26% of patients.More often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is idiopathic or enigmatic (from the English enigma – a mystery) in nature, arising from incomplete absorption (for example, when taking cefoperazone and cefixime), the direct stimulating effect of some antibiotics on intestinal function (clavulanic acid), the effect on the intestinal bacterial flora … Idiopathic antibiotic-associated diarrhea is usually mild and stops after drug withdrawal or dose reduction. More severe course (with high fever, intoxication, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, leukocytosis, etc.)is inherent in another, less common variant of it – pseudomembranous colitis, which develops as a result of the multiplication of microorganisms Clostridium difficile against the background of the use of certain antibiotics (clindamycin, ampicillin, etc.).

CAUTION: FOOD

Even schoolchildren know that eating poor quality foods can cause diarrhea. However, diarrhea is quite common even from benign foods.There is a special concept for this condition. This term – food intolerance – is not a diagnosis, but a concept that includes a whole group of diseases and pathological conditions. All of them are united by the fact that the ingress of any unspoiled food product into the human digestive tract causes various pathological manifestations.

The clinical picture of food intolerance is very diverse. Most often, the gastrointestinal tract is affected, which is manifested by dyspeptic disorders (feeling of fullness, heaviness in the abdomen), flatulence and unstable stools (most often diarrhea).But lesions from other organs and systems are often noted: skin rashes, headache, exacerbation of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma.

The similarity of clinical manifestations of food intolerance, despite the fact that these are different diseases (food allergy, pseudoallergy, etc.), is associated with the pathophysiology of the development of these diseases. The final pathophysiological phase in all these conditions is the effect of biologically active substances (histamine, serotonin, etc.)) on the target tissue, and in this case it is no longer important how these active substances appeared in the body: as a result of an immune reaction, toxic damage to cell membranes, or came in pure form immediately from the product. I would like to note that it is sometimes difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis of food intolerance. The most common complaint is that “I have diarrhea from everything.” There are about 200 manifestations of food intolerance, which can be divided into groups:

1.food allergy,

2.pseudo-allergic reactions to food,

3.reactions associated with the toxic effects of substances contained in products,

4. fermentopathy.

A few decades ago, sweet, spicy, smoked, canned foods were considered junk food. Unfortunately, now this list has been replenished with products traditionally considered healthy food, such as cow’s milk, chicken eggs, and fish. This is due to such a common phenomenon as food allergies.This term refers to allergic reactions to food. The number of adults with food allergies is about 2–5% of the general population.

Very often, pseudo-allergies are hidden under the guise of allergic reactions to food. Pseudoallergic reactions are mainly associated with the content of biologically active substances in products – histamine, serotonin, tyramine, salicylates. When such products enter the intestine, they are absorbed into the bloodstream, followed by the development of a clinical picture of food intolerance.As a rule, this is due to insufficient metabolic activity of the liver.

If, in a food allergy, the body’s reaction develops according to a mechanism in which antigen + antibody complexes damage the cell membranes with the release of various inflammatory mediators from the latter, then in pseudoallergic reactions these mediators enter the body with food.

Pseudo-allergic reactions differ from allergic ones:

• the absence of a pathological immune response of the body, normal levels of specific IgE in the blood serum;
• dose-dependent effect – clinical manifestations and severity of pseudo-allergies depend on the amount of food eaten;
• later time of onset of symptoms after ingestion of food.

Foods that are high in histamine include sauerkraut, raw sausage, canned tuna and mackerel. A lot of tyramine is found in various cheeses; serotonin – bananas, kiwi, walnuts; salicylates – apples, apricots, grapes, raspberries, curry, strawberries, citrus fruits.

The advantage of pseudo-allergy compared to food allergy is that the patient can take “dangerous” food in small quantities without harm to health.

The third group of food intolerances is reactions caused by the toxic effects of substances contained in products. These pathological reactions are associated with artificial ingredients contained in food: preservatives, emulsifiers, dyes and flavorings. These substances can damage the membranes of intestinal epithelial cells and mast cells, with the subsequent release of active mediators (histamine, serotonin) from them and the development of pathological reactions.All of these substances are also called histamine-releasing substances.

Foods containing histamine-releasing substances include chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, crustaceans, oysters, coriander, pork, alcohol, nuts, peanuts, fish.

Food intolerances not associated with the above causes are widespread. It can be noted in the absence of enzymes that digest certain nutrients. Many adults complain that milk causes them intestinal distress, and believe that this is due to allergies.However, most often such conditions have nothing to do with allergies, and the symptoms are caused by intolerance to milk sugar, which is found in the milk of any animals. The disease is associated with low activity in the intestinal cells of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose to glucose and galactose. If there is little lactase, lactose is not broken down or absorbed and, remaining in the colon, becomes food for microbes that convert it into lactic acid with the release of a large amount of gases.

LOFLATIL ^® : DOUBLE EFFECT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DIARRHEA

Finding out the true cause of diarrhea requires patience and close cooperation with the attending physician, who, after examination, will select a diet and adjust drug treatment. And the combined preparation LOFLATIL ^® , containing loperamide hydrochloride 2 mg and simethicone 125 mg, will help to quickly eliminate diarrhea and concomitant flatulence.

Loperamide is currently the most effective antidiarrheal drug, and its effect is due to the inhibition of both the motor component of diarrhea and intestinal secretion.Loperamide belongs to the group of synthetic opiates, but binds only to peripheral opiate receptors, does not have a systemic narcotic effect and does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier. This is due to the peculiarities of its biotransformation during the first passage through the liver and the absence of active metabolites in the blood. For secretory diarrhea, loperamide is also very effective due to the presence of an antisecretory opiate-like effect.

Thus, in acute non-infectious diarrhea of ​​various etiologies (alimentary, medication, etc.)and also in case of diarrhea of ​​infectious genesis of mild and moderate course, loperamide is today a first-line drug. At the same time, data on the use of loperamide in patients with shigellosis did not confirm the initial opinion about the lengthening of the course of the disease as a result of delayed elimination of pathogens from the intestine. Scientists emphasize that the concept that diarrhea promotes the release of infectious agents is reminiscent of the medieval postulate that bloodletting leads to the clearance of harmful substances from the body (Wingate D.et al. Guidelines for adults on self-medication for the treatment of acute diarrhea, 2001).

Simethicone – the second component of LOFLATIL – has the ability to reduce the surface tension of the membrane of gas bubbles in the intestine. In this case, the destruction of the foam occurs, as a result of which the free gas is able to be absorbed through the mucous membrane or evacuated along with the intestinal contents. Thus, the effect of simethicone is based on a change in the physicochemical properties of the gas-containing foam, and not on the physiological effect on the biochemistry of the digestive process.

Simethicone is chemically inert: resistant to oxidizing agents, has oleo-, lipo- and hydrophobic properties (insoluble in fats, oils and water). It is insensitive to microorganisms, is not absorbed in the digestive tract, is excreted unchanged and does not interfere with the biochemical processes of digestion. At the same time, due to the effect of defoaming and a decrease in the gas content in the intestine, it indirectly affects the normalization of cavity and parietal digestion, absorption of nutrients.Thus, simethicone effectively eliminates flatulence (when using it, foaming of gases decreases, their absorption in the intestine improves and their elimination is facilitated), and, as a result, abdominal pain is eliminated.

LOFLATIL ^® use 2 tablets in the first dose and then 1 tablet after each act of defecation. To achieve a clinical effect, 4 tablets per day are usually sufficient. The content of 2 active ingredients in LOFLATIL ^® provides a double effect: loperamide eliminates diarrhea, and simethicone eliminates flatulence, and thanks to a successful combination, the effect of the drug exceeds the effect of each component separately.o

Oleg Mazurenko

90,000 Diarrhea after antibiotics: causes and treatment

A wide variety of microorganisms live in the intestines of each person. Some bring unconditional benefit, participating, for example, in the synthesis of vitamin B12: some are absolutely indifferent and pass through the digestive tract; some cause disease.

There is a special group of microorganisms that we call “opportunistic pathogens”.These are gram-positive obligate anaerobes, the name of which comes from the Greek “closted” – spindle. Clostridia live quietly in the intestines of many people, without causing any harm. Until a certain point.

Intake of antibiotics becomes a kind of “trigger mechanism” for activating the pathogenic properties of antibiotics of Clostridia. Antibiotics tend to kill microorganisms, and all of them indiscriminately. But for clostridia, for the most part, they are harmless. Due to the absence of competing microorganisms, “opportunistic” clostridia become “pathogenic”.Microorganisms actively multiply, create colonies. And then, at one point, as if on command, all members of the “clostridial community” begin to secrete toxins that cause a disease called “pseudomembranous colitis.”

Clostridial infection is dangerous because these microorganisms secrete 2 toxins at once – cytotoxin and enterotoxin. One causes destruction of cells of the intestinal mucosa, up to ulceration and perforation.

The second toxin freely penetrates the bloodstream through the destroyed intestinal mucosa, spreads throughout the body and causes general intoxication.

The clinical picture of pseudomembranous colitis can develop both on the 3rd day from the start of taking the antibiotic, and after 1-10 days after the end of its intake. And possibly a more delayed development of colitis – up to 8 weeks after antibiotic therapy. Therefore, it can be difficult to identify the etiology of diarrhea and make a diagnosis.

A typical manifestation of pseudomembranous colitis is loose stools, sometimes with greenish, brown or bloody mucus. The patient is tormented by cutting pains in the abdomen, aggravated by palpation.The pain is due to mucosal damage and inflammation in the intestines.

In some cases, the manifestation of the disease may begin with fever. The temperature can rise to 40 ° C, and in some cases even higher.

The severity of symptoms varies greatly from patient to patient.

When examining the intestines, whitish-yellow pseudomembranous plaques are found along the entire length of the mucosa. In severe cases, focal necrosis, deep perforated ulcers are visible.The unchanged mucous membrane in the form of bridges is thrown between the sites of ulceration.

The most common cause of activation is the intake of antibiotics such as lincomycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, ampicillin, cephalosporins. Even a single dose of antibiotics can lead to pseudomembranous colitis. With mild manifestations of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, sometimes antibiotic withdrawal is enough to cure. For more severe therapy, vancomycin and / or metronidazole are prescribed.An important role in the treatment of pain is played by rehydration and restoration of electrolyte balance. The patient should be advised more warm drinks and a gentle diet.

But taking an antibiotic is a half-measure. Along with antibiotics, it is necessary to prescribe probiotics (preparations containing live microorganisms.) If doctors remembered this and prescribed probiotics at the same time as prescribing antibiotic therapy, then the development of pseudomembranous colitis in most cases could be avoided.

There is a debate among doctors about the correctness of the term “dysbiosis”. But no matter what conclusion the disputing parties eventually come to, reality remains a reality – as a result of taking antibiotics, the normal intestinal microflora is disrupted and harmful microbes replace the bacteria habitual for the body.

Since 1995, microorganisms with specific therapeutic properties that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria have been used in official medicine and are called probiotics.These microorganisms, when administered naturally, have a positive effect on physiological, metabolic functions, as well as biochemical and immune reactions of the body.

If you believe not advertising brochures, but controlled randomized trials, then the most effective in the treatment of antibiotic-associated intestinal lesions are yeast fungi – saccharomyces. It is not for nothing that people with indigestion have long been recommended to take kefir – the fermenting agent of kefir is a symbiont of lactobacilli and saccharomyces.But the content of beneficial yeast in lactic acid products is not enough to have a therapeutic effect. Therefore, as a prevention of the development of imbalance in the bacterial flora in the intestine and for the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, it is recommended to take drugs with live saccharomycetes.

Predisposing factors for the development of pseudomembranous colitis

• Antibiotic therapy
• Age over 60 years.
• Hospitalization (especially in the same ward with an infectious patient or in the intensive care unit).
• Recent abdominal surgery.
• The use of cytostatic drugs (especially methotrexate).
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome.
• Malignant diseases.
• Intestinal ischemia.
• Renal failure.
• Necrotizing enterocolitis
• Chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Kitten diarrhea – what to do and how to treat kitten diarrhea at home

We can often observe gastrointestinal disturbances in kittens.There can be many reasons for this: from the simplest one – a sharp change in feed, to life-threatening infections. Therefore, you should never close your eyes to this with the thought “Who doesn’t happen to !? It will pass by itself! ”

First you need to understand what diarrhea is. Diarrhea (medical term – diarrhea) is a pathological condition that develops as a result of disruption of the normal functioning of the intestinal tract, acceleration of the digestive process, in which the patient has frequent bowel movements, while the feces become watery, often accompanied by pain in the abdomen and anal incontinence …

Diarrhea itself, as a symptom, is more dangerous for small kittens than for adult cats. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration, disruption of water and electrolyte balance, and as a result, rapid death. At the same time, in addition to correcting the condition of a kitten with diarrhea, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the cause of this ailment.

So, why does a kitten have diarrhea?

There are a number of reasons:

• Stress – abrupt weaning from breastfeeding, moving, changing owners and surroundings, loud and harsh sounds, etc.Anything can become stress.
• Improper nutrition – abrupt change of feed, overfeeding, food “off the table”, etc.
• Poisoning – by chemicals, plants, stale food.
• Hypoglycemia – a decrease in blood glucose levels. This is due to insufficient or late food intake and increased physical activity. Kittens should be fed small portions of highly nutritious food every 4 hours, and sometimes more often.
• Helminthic invasion.Almost every kitten has helminths to one degree or another. Even if your baby was isolated from the outside world, this cannot be a guarantee that the kitten does not have worms. Babies can become infected even when they are breastfed.
• Protozoa (lamblia, isospores, Trichomonas, etc.) are unicellular organisms, many of them have flagella on the surface for active movement, one of the most common parasites. It is very easy to get infected with them – by the fecal-oral method (through contaminated water or food, through washing and licking the paws of the cat after visiting the tray, which was used by a sick animal or an asymptomatic cat).
• Viral infections (eg, panleukopenia, coronavirus enteritis) can also be one of the causes of diarrhea. Kittens, due to their not yet formed immunity, are easily exposed to viruses.

Correction of the condition of a kitten with diarrhea, must include preventive therapy:

• Dehydration
• Loss of trace minerals

Chronic diarrhea often causes vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can lead to diseases such as anemia.

Diarrhea (especially in combination with lethargy and decreased appetite and thirst) more than 2-3 times a day leads the kitten to a loss of daily fluid intake, which is simply impossible to replenish at home, therefore, the owner should immediately contact the veterinary clinic in order to identify the disease in time and begin effective treatment.

Increased body temperature in a cat

The first thing that the owner should remember about body temperature: the nose is not an indicator of body temperature.The only possible way to measure body temperature is thermometry.

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

Diarrhea – causes, types, and why is this condition dangerous

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, for example, vomiting, nausea, high body temperature, etc.

In babies under one year old who are breastfed, the frequency of stool is equal to the number of feedings, so they have diarrhea 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;
• intestinal motility disorder;
• deficiency of digestive enzymes;
• imbalance of the intestinal microflora;
• inflammatory diseases of the digestive system;
• Gastrointestinal neoplasms.

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;
• children’s age;
• period of bearing 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 that caused it, 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 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 may 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?

Often, physiological intestinal disturbance may 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 disrupts 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.

Management of diarrhea

So, you have diarrhea, what to do in this case? Of course, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor, 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 is feeling 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;
• A drug is suspected of causing the 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 normal intestinal microflora, which often perishes massively in 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 using 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, do not have those about the freshness of which doubts have arisen.
• 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.
• Wash fruits and vegetables 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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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.

Reasons

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, resulting in small volumes of bright scarlet blood in the stool.

Other unusual chair shades

Abnormal coloration of excreta 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 quantities 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 gallstone disease. 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.

This should be done in particular 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;
• – temperature above 38 degrees;
• – vomiting
• – pain or cramps that progressively worsen over time.