Carries on all day. What to do if diarrhea does not go away for a week? Folk remedies for diarrhea

When a person experiences diarrhea every day, this is an alarming symptom. Why might this phenomenon indicate a disease or internal pathology? Let's figure it out.

Specifics of the disease

Short-term diarrhea is something everyone has experienced. In most cases, the causes of this disease lie in poor nutrition.

For example, short-term diarrhea can be caused by overeating or prolonged consumption of high-calorie foods. But if this disease occurs in a chronic form, the person needs treatment.

Diarrhea is not a separate disease, even if it occurs in a chronic form.

If it occurs in an adult every day, this indicates that he may have problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. To cope with this problem, the patient needs to go to the hospital.

Factors that trigger daily diarrhea

To cope with this disease, it is necessary to determine the factors that provoke diarrhea. Main factors:

Long-term use of medications. This is one of the most common causes of loose stools in adults. Intestinal upset can be caused by taking laxative medications. If a person was treating constipation with laxatives and overdosed, he may experience diarrhea.
Frequent consumption of foods high in fiber. Why does diarrhea occur? This disease can be caused by a difficult process of digesting food that is rich in fiber.
Sudden climate change. The reasons for loose stools that occur every day may be due to the body’s inability to quickly adapt to new climatic conditions. For example, if a person traveled to hot Mexico, and a few days later arrived in the frosty Arctic, he will most likely develop diarrhea.
Psycho-emotional shocks. It’s not for nothing that people say that the causes of all diseases are related to nerves. Why does diarrhea occur?

This disease can occur in a chronic form, that is, it lasts every day until the person regains a state of psychological comfort.

The functioning of the digestive system returns to normal after a person copes with stress and calms down.

These are not all the factors that provoke loose stools. If the problem arose due to these reasons, the person does not need therapy.

You can eliminate a problem with the intestines by eliminating the factor that provoked its occurrence.

For example, if daily diarrhea is a consequence of long-term use of antibiotics, then the digestive process will normalize after the patient stops taking them.

And if this illness appeared after a person flew to another continent, it is worth waiting a few days for the body to adapt to the new climatic conditions.

Causes of diarrhea indicating illness

Now let's talk in more detail about all the possible reasons that could provoke diarrhea that a person experiences every day.

The causes of this disease may lie in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, one of the symptoms of pancreatic disease may be frequent watery diarrhea. This phenomenon is also observed in various intestinal pathologies.
Causes of daily diarrhea may also be due to a viral disease. An infectious pathogen enters the human stomach, leading to intestinal upset. If you do not start treating a viral disease in time, it can lead to the death of the patient.
Frequent loose stools can occur with irritable bowel syndrome.
Problems of the small and large intestines also provoke the occurrence of this problem.

If frequent bowel movements with liquid stools were caused by one of these reasons, the patient should immediately begin treatment.

To do this, he needs to undergo a medical examination. After the doctor determines the cause of loose stools, he will prescribe the appropriate therapy to the patient.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the factors that most often provokes diarrhea that occurs every day. The exact causes of this disease are unknown.

Symptoms of IBS:

Watery and frequent diarrhea. Sometimes foam or mucus is present in the stool. The excreted stool resembles granules.
A person does not leave the feeling of complete emptying, even if the rectum is empty.
Sometimes diarrhea can alternate with constipation.
Painful sensations in different parts of the abdomen. Sometimes the pain is localized in the center of the abdomen, and sometimes at the bottom. The person does not leave the feeling of discomfort. The pain decreases after defecation, which is accompanied by the release of gas.
The urge to defecate occurs suddenly. With irritable bowel syndrome, a person experiences strong urgency, especially in the morning.
Muscle pain. The patient may complain of body aches.
Frequent nausea.
Belching.
Fatigue. The patient may complain of weakness and complete lack of strength.
Drowsiness. The patient may complain of drowsiness even during active waking hours.
Irritable bladder syndrome.
Quick satiety after every meal.
Heartburn after every meal.

Patients who have irritable bowel syndrome are unable to function normally in society. This disease causes them a lot of unpleasant sensations, discomfort, and causes nerves.

The disease negatively affects not only health, but also a person’s mood. Due to the painful and unpleasant symptoms of IBS, a person becomes irritable and anxious.

Therefore, if, in addition to daily loose stools, the patient complains of other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, therapeutic measures should be taken immediately.

Why else does chronic diarrhea occur?

The reasons why diarrhea occurs every day are not always associated with diseases and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

If loose stools are a consequence of a person’s unhealthy lifestyle, he will not experience any other symptoms other than belching and occasional nausea.

One-time unformed bowel movements do not indicate any danger to human health, but if they occur daily, this is a reason to think about your health.

So, why else might you experience daily diarrhea?

Errors in nutrition. Improper nutrition always leads to malfunctions and disruptions of the gastrointestinal tract. Failure to follow healthy eating rules leads to impaired functioning of the digestive system and, as a result, watery diarrhea.
Long-term consumption of high-calorie foods.
Eating large amounts of vegetables contributes to loose stools. Diarrhea is frequent and watery.
Treatment of constipation with laxatives. It is important to always consult your doctor before treating constipation with any laxative. In this case, the stool will be soft and watery.
Pregnancy. During pregnancy, diarrhea occurs frequently, especially in the last stages. Why does it occur? It's all about hormonal disruptions that happen to all pregnant women.

Also, loose stools occur due to the fact that the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the intestines.

Also, pregnant girls may experience a false urge to defecate for the same reasons. The desire to empty the intestines does not leave them even if the intestines are completely empty.

Treatment measures

To get rid of such a systematically occurring problem as loose stools, therapeutic measures should be taken.

It is necessary to normalize the consistency of stool. This can be done by taking appropriate medications. For example, Imodium is used to treat chronic diarrhea in adults.
If diarrhea is caused by a viral infection, only antibiotics can cure it. You cannot prescribe an antibiotic yourself; only a doctor can do this.
You should stop taking medications that caused diarrhea. Loose stools are one of the side effects of many medications. It is not recommended to treat any disease for a long time with the same medication, as this negatively affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
If diarrhea is one of the symptoms of allergies, the patient is prescribed a hypoallergenic diet. Sometimes an allergy occurs as a result of eating a contraindicated product. For example, some people are lactose intolerant.

If a person with this syndrome eats a dairy product that is contraindicated for him, he may experience an allergic reaction accompanied by watery diarrhea.

Diet

To get rid of prolonged diarrhea, you must follow a therapeutic diet. So, in order for the body to cope with this problem as effectively as possible, the patient needs to follow these recommendations:

Diarrhea leads to dehydration. To avoid this, you should replenish your fluid supply in a timely manner. After each act of defecation, a person should drink at least one glass of water. It is advisable to drink mineral water without gas.
Teas, juices, fruits and broths will also help replenish the fluid balance in the body. It is not recommended to drink coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine.
During the therapeutic diet, you should abstain from alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol will only worsen the patient's condition.
The therapeutic diet should include eating foods rich in pectin. We are talking about products such as yoghurts (preferably low-fat), apples, bananas, etc. Thanks to the pectin contained in these products, digestion quickly normalizes and diarrhea goes away.
Also, the therapeutic diet should include the consumption of foods that contain potassium. This substance is found in bananas, boiled potatoes, fruit nectars, etc. Potassium-rich foods should be eaten because diarrhea helps remove this substance from the body.
All dishes must be salted. Why? Salt helps retain fluid in the body, which prevents dehydration. You need to add salt to broths, vegetables, steamed cutlets and other dishes and products.
To prevent fatigue and sleepiness, you need to eat foods rich in protein. The patient should eat fried beef, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, turkey, etc.
It is recommended to eat fruits and vegetables only after hot processing. Why? The fact is that some vegetables and fruits increase the acidity of the stomach. In such an environment, bacteria multiply, preventing the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract.

The main rule of a therapeutic diet is to avoid eating foods and dishes that are difficult for the stomach to digest.

Useful video

Frequent, loose stools that are passed more than 3 times a day may be a cause for concern. Regular loose stools, but not diarrhea, in an adult are usually a sign of illness, especially if there is blood, mucus or fat in the stool. In such a situation, you should abandon home treatment and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Check what diseases the symptoms described above may indicate and what are the causes of frequent urge to go to the toilet.

Causes of loose stools

Loose stools for a long time may be accompanied by chronic diarrhea. In this case, free (semi-liquid) impurities of a large volume are observed, containing traces of blood, pus or mucus, they occur more often than 3 times a day.

A characteristic feature is a constant feeling of the need to defecate. This disease can alternate and be a symptom of many serious diseases.

A factor in the development of loose stools in the morning and after each meal can be a disease:

Irritable bowel syndrome.

This is a chronic disease - its symptoms can persist throughout your life. There is rarely the presence of blood, and there is also unexplained weight loss (despite the use of a balanced diet) and a feeling of fatigue. Often the need to defecate appears at night.

Colon cancer.

During illness, changes occur within the cells of the colon mucosa. Loose stools appear, which may contain blood (as a result of bleeding from the tumor). Often the only symptom of developing cancer is a change in bowel habits: diarrhea and constipation. It is worth knowing that the symptoms of rectal cancer are varied and depend on the location of the tumor.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis.

The disease consists of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum or colon. Its symptom is, in particular, frequent urges, which look like loose sediment mixed with blood. The disease is very dangerous because its complications can include liver failure, colon perforation and even cancer.

Crohn's disease.

This is an inflammatory disease of the colon of unknown etiology, leading to destruction of the intestinal wall. The inflammatory process initially involves the mucous membrane, eventually occupying all layers of the colon wall. Symptoms of the disease often include loose stools, weight loss and changes in the membrane (ulcers, abscesses, fistulas).

Celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine, the essence of which is gluten intolerance. In people who struggle with this type of malabsorption, inflammation occurs as a result of contact with gluten supplements. The consequence is slow damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine. A characteristic symptom of the disease is loose, pale, impurities with a strong pungent odor. Liquid stool is excreted from the body in large quantities.

Hyperthyroidism.

Excessive production of thyroid hormones causes the patient's metabolism to accelerate, resulting in frequent urination and diarrhea. At the same time, a decrease in body weight occurs, despite the fact that the patient’s appetite does not decrease.

Typhoid fever.

This is a disease that can be contracted while staying in tropical countries. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella. Fever and abdominal pain appear in the first week. In the second, severe headaches and dry cough are observed. Only in the third week do loose stools appear.

Cystic fibrosis.

Free urination, severe diarrhea immediately after eating with a strong odor is one of the characteristic symptoms of this disease. Other symptoms also appear from the gastrointestinal tract: an increase in abdominal volume and blockage of the salivary glands with thick, viscous mucus.

Other causes of frequent diarrhea and dysbiosis:

taking medications — Many medications, such as diabetes pills, laxatives or hydrochloric acid antacids, can cause loose stools as an unwanted side effect of taking them. If there is a suspicion that medications are the cause of diarrhea, you should stop taking them and consult a doctor. Very often, dysbiosis is caused by antibacterial drugs;
consuming large amounts of sugar substitute (sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol).

Chronic diarrhea is a symptom of illness that lasts more than 14 days. During this period, the patient gives away more than 3 liters of fluid per day. There can be many reasons, ranging from food allergies to life-threatening diseases.

What to do if an adult has loose stools

Some patients trigger the disease. Diarrhea can last for more than a year. In this case, there is a high risk of dehydration. If you have loose stools for a long time, it is important to conduct a comprehensive examination to eliminate the risk of developing a dangerous disease.

At the first symptoms and frequently recurring diarrhea, it is important to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Drugs such as:

Smecta.
Enterosgel.
Enterofuril.
Activated carbon.
Imodium.
StopDiar.

The doctor may prescribe probiotics to improve internal intestinal motility (Linex, Bifidumbacterin).

If loose stools are accompanied by vomiting, then the cause may be a rotavirus infection or. Enterofuril tablets can help cope with bacterial damage. They have antibacterial and healing effects.

If you have soft stools after each meal, you are more likely to develop dehydration. You should definitely drink sweet tea or salted water in small portions. There is a special drug, Regidron, that helps cope with dehydration during rapidly developing diarrhea.

If an adult has loose stools, but not diarrhea, and has been bothering you for a long time, you should definitely undergo an examination. It will help identify provoking factors. You should not self-medicate. After all, the disease can lead to intoxication of the body, significant loss of weight and appetite.

Everyone, even healthy people, has experienced diarrhea, or diarrhea. There are a huge number of reasons for its appearance, starting with food products that are incompatible with each other and ending with very severe infections.

In this article, we will not consider severe infections accompanied by painful diarrhea, such as cholera and others. This is a separate topic.

Watery diarrhea

Watery diarrhea occurs when the small intestine is involved in the pathological process. This may be a situation where poisoning has occurred with poor-quality food products or during acute intestinal infections.

Sometimes the number of pathogenic bacteria present in the intestines can be very small. It is not the bacteria themselves that are dangerous, but their metabolic products, the toxins they release.

In the cold season, watery stools sometimes occur due to a number of viruses that are active in winter. These are so-called rotavirus infections, which are very easy to catch.

Why is water diarrhea dangerous?

Diarrhea can be roughly divided into watery stools without pathological impurities, such as blood, and diarrhea streaked with blood. If blood appears in the intestinal discharge, this is a signal to seek medical help, because... The causes of this symptom can be very serious: intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoidal bleeding or a serious bacterial infection. All these conditions can threaten the patient's life. But this also needs to be discussed separately.

So, if water diarrhea occurs in an adult, treatment should be immediate. It should be noted that with watery stools there is a large loss of water, and if this process is also accompanied by vomiting, then we can talk about dehydration, and it can occur very quickly if emergency measures are not taken.

The human body normally contains about 85-90% water. More precisely, the brain, muscles and heart contain approximately 76% fluid, blood - 84%, and only the human skeleton consists of 15-20% water. From this you can understand how important water is for humans. Every cell of our body consists of water, and if there is a lack of fluid, all systems and organs will suffer. In addition, during diarrhea, along with water, a huge amount of minerals that the body needs is released.

For a small child, a loss of 10% of body weight due to watery diarrhea is fatal. If a child weighs 5 kg, then a loss of 500 ml of fluid will be fatal for him. For adults, losing 10% of their body weight in a short period of time is more problematic, because... their weight is much greater, so they have time to make a decision. Dehydration (dehydration) is most dangerous for children and the elderly. Diarrhea in an adult - what to do? Of course, treat.

Diarrhea is not a diagnosis, but a symptom. To choose the right treatment tactics, it is necessary to establish the true cause of loose stools. Even if an adult has loose stools 2-3 times a day, which does not pose a threat to his life, over time (if this lasts for several days), the body will be severely depleted and the water-salt balance will be disrupted. Recovery will take much longer than the duration of the illness. If an adult has water diarrhea, treatment is necessary, especially if an elderly person suffers from this symptom.

Causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea is a kind of defensive reaction to the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses and bacteria. In this way, the body itself is protected from the harmful effects of pathogenic microflora and carries out its detoxification. But if this condition does not go away within a few hours, help is needed. Especially if there is a temperature and in this case it is necessary. Hyperthermia (increased temperature) may indicate general intoxication of the body. This condition requires an appropriate attitude. You can't leave everything to chance. Some people believe that diarrhea is not really a disease. Diarrhea still needs to be treated if it lasts more than one day. This way you can save your body from serious consequences.

If the patient complains of diarrhea, abdominal pain, treatment is also necessary. Pain is a serious symptom that may indicate a serious illness such as pancreatitis, hepatitis, gallstones or appendicitis. If you experience pain with diarrhea, you should see a doctor. In some of these situations, surgical treatment is necessary.

There are other causes of diarrhea:

dyspeptic - this is the most common cause of diarrhea; it can occur due to insufficient secretion of the stomach, improper functioning of the glands and, as a result, improper digestion of ingested food;
infectious - can be caused by dysentery bacillus, various intestinal viruses, amoebas and food toxins;
nutritional is an allergic reaction to food;
toxic - poisoning with poisons and toxic substances, such as arsenic or mercury;
medicinal - caused by side effects of medications, for example, some antibiotics in the intestines kill not only pathogenic flora, but also beneficial ones, thereby causing diarrhea;
neurogenic - can be caused by strong emotions or fear; such diarrhea is also called “bear disease”.

Patients experience diarrhea differently, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. For example, loose stools 2-3 times a day in some people cause weakness and poor health, while in others diarrhea 5-6 times a day does not cause negative consequences.

If diarrhea lasts a short time, it usually does not cause negative consequences and passes without much harm to health. If diarrhea continues for a long time and is accompanied by bloating, rumbling, false urge to defecate (tenesmus), nausea, vomiting, heartburn and causes severe weakness (depletion of the body), then this condition requires emergency medical care. Often patients with such symptoms are hospitalized.

For any type of diarrhea, it is necessary to drink enough fluid. Compliance with the drinking regime can protect against negative consequences and keep the patient’s body in good shape.

It is better to drink mineral water without gas content, it will help maintain the water-salt balance. If prolonged water diarrhea occurs in an adult, treatment is necessary. If home treatment does not help, and diarrhea does not go away within a few days, this is a serious reason to seek help from a medical facility. If severe diarrhea develops, a doctor will determine the cause and treatment.

Diet for diarrhea

Gentle, regardless of the reasons that caused it, is necessary. Until the condition improves and the symptoms of intoxication disappear, you need to follow a diet.

The following products are allowed:

porridge with water;
jelly;
lean boiled or steamed meat;
steam cutlets;
boiled or steamed fish.

Prohibited products:

fatty foods;
fried foods;
sweets;
spicy dishes;
pickled products;
any canned food;
carbonated drinks;
coffee;
tea is too strong;
any alcohol.

After the diarrhea disappears and the diet improves, you need to stick to it for a few more days, at least for a week. By gradually adding other previously prohibited foods to the diet, the weakened body is prepared for the usual diet. You cannot immediately return to your usual diet. A sudden return of the wrong dish to the menu can upset the fragile and unstable balance after illness.

Diarrhea: causes and treatment

Treatment of diarrhea directly depends on the cause that caused it. What medications for diarrhea are most effective? We'll talk about this in this section.

First of all, any diarrhea should not be treated with antibiotics. This is done only in severe cases, for example, if the cause of the pathological process really poses a serious danger. This applies to diseases such as salmonellosis or cholera. In this case, the patient must be hospitalized, and further treatment will be carried out under the strict supervision of doctors. If water diarrhea is observed in an adult, treatment should be aimed at preventing dehydration and restoring water-salt balance. For these purposes, solutions such as “Regidron” or “Oralit” are suitable; you can also drink mineral water without gas.

Solutions are taken after each stool, half a glass. In addition, you should drink at least 4 glasses of one of these medications within 12 hours.

Medicines for diarrhea

Medicines for diarrhea are not a panacea at all. A range of interventions should be considered when treating diarrhea. The most important of which, as already mentioned, is the fight against Let's look at medications for diarrhea in adults, which are used most often.

All of them are divided into several pharmacological groups:

sulfonamide drugs ("Fthalazol");
antibiotics (Levomycetin, Tetracycline tablets);
nitrofurans (drug "Furazolidone");
antimicrobial drugs ("Enterofuril", "Sulgin");
antifungal (Intetrix) - used for;
enterosorbents (activated carbon);
antiviral drugs.

Let's look at the most famous ones among adults. In what case is it advisable to take this or that drug?

Activated charcoal for diarrhea

What to give for diarrhea to an adult? Enterosorbents are a group of drugs that have an adsorbing and enveloping effect. Treatment should begin with activated carbon. Sometimes this is enough. These tablets for diarrhea in adults (and children) are not absorbed in the intestines.

Activated carbon is taken at the rate of one tablet per 10 kg of patient weight. So, if the patient weighs 60 kg, then, accordingly, he should take 6 tablets and drink plenty of water.

Activated carbon absorbs all harmful toxins, bacteria and viruses, and also binds water and covers the intestinal wall with a protective layer. After this, it is excreted naturally. It should be noted that after taking tablets of this drug, the stool will be black. There is no need to be afraid of this. If diarrhea occurs due to poor-quality products, then activated carbon in most cases is sufficient for treatment.

The drug "Fthalazol" for diarrhea

This group is most appropriate to take for infectious types of diarrhea (dysentery, enterocolitis and colitis of an infectious nature). Taking the medicine "Fthalazol" for allergic types of diarrhea and ordinary indigestion will be ineffective. Its effect is noticeable only on day 2-3, when the growth of pathogenic microflora under the influence of the drug is stopped.

Imodium for diarrhea

The drug "Imodium" (its other name is "Suprelol", "Lopedium" and "Loperamide") begins to act within the first 40-60 minutes. This drug is effective for diarrhea caused by poor-quality foods, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and in the initial stages of infectious diarrhea. It helps well with frequent vomiting. This drug is convenient to take with you on the road. Diarrhea is a common companion for travelers.

Treatment with Loperamide and Simethicone

This is a new generation drug, it is a combined remedy for diarrhea “Imodium Plus” and includes the so-called antifoam agent - simethicone. This substance eliminates bloating and adsorbs unnecessary intestinal gases. Thanks to it, spastic pain and the feeling of intestinal distension disappear. These are chewable tablets for diarrhea in adults. It is not recommended to give them to children under 12 years of age.

Natural Remedies for Diarrhea

This includes drugs such as Smecta and Kaopectate. These drugs are used for rotavirus infections. It should be noted that the drug "Kaopectate" is contraindicated in childhood.

These drugs belong to the group of enterosorbents; they gradually reduce the frequency of trips to the toilet, and also relieve bloating and rumbling in the abdomen.

Tablets "Linex" for diarrhea

This product contains beneficial microflora and has a positive effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract. It includes 3 types of positive microflora:

lactobacilli - have a positive effect on the functioning of the small intestine;
enterococci - have a similar effect and help the small intestine function properly;
bifidobacteria - actively work in the large intestine.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Traditional medicine knows many ways to treat such ailments as diarrhea. Folk remedies for treating diarrhea have been proven for centuries.

A decoction of pomegranate peels is considered an effective remedy for intestinal disorders. To prepare the medicine, you need to take a well-washed peel of one fruit and pour a glass of cold water. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take this remedy every two hours, 2 tbsp. spoons.
Traditional treatment for diarrhea involves the use of rice water. Taking this remedy every 20-30 minutes for 3-4 hours will relieve bloating and stop diarrhea.
Wormwood will help cope with diarrhea. But you need to be careful with this product: do not exceed the dosage and do not use it for too long. To prepare the medicine, add 1 teaspoon of dry herb to one glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Take the medicine 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon.
A very strong folk remedy for diarrhea using an alcoholic infusion of walnut partitions has been known for a long time. It must be taken without exceeding the permissible dose (5-6 drops), otherwise it may provoke a reverse reaction - constipation. As soon as the number of trips to the toilet decreases, you need to reduce the dosage to 2-3 drops. It is clear that alcohol tinctures can only be used internally for treatment by adults. To prepare the drug, take 1 tbsp. spoon of ground walnut partitions and pour one glass of vodka. Leave in darkness for 5-7 days. This product is prepared for future use and stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to always have this medicine on hand for those who are prone to frequent intestinal disorders.

Conclusion

For ailments such as diarrhea, folk remedies can be very effective. Whatever the nature of the origin of diarrhea, this fact must be taken seriously. If you cannot cope with an intestinal disorder on your own, and pain or fever also occurs, in this case you need to seek medical help. This is especially true for elderly citizens, because... They become dehydrated much earlier than young people in full bloom.

Everyone has experienced diarrhea. This condition, expressed in frequent loose stools, brings a lot of anxiety. And under certain circumstances it can cause significant harm to the body.

The main causes of diarrhea are food poisoning, infectious diseases, ill-conceived diet, uncontrolled medication, nervous disorders, helminthic infestation, and intestinal dysbiosis.

Diarrhea indicates indigestion.

Before identifying the causes of diarrhea, you need to learn how to identify the disorder that has actually begun.

After all, the number of bowel movements is a fairly average indicator. For some, 2 bowel movements a day is already a lot, but for others, 4 bowel movements are a common occurrence.

A fairly wide range is also characteristic of the consistency of stool. Sometimes the discharge is solid and has a shaped appearance. But the consistency of thick sour cream is also not in itself a sign of violations.

Therefore, they look not so much at the quantity and quality characteristics, but at the familiarity of these phenomena. If the liquid consistency of the stool is observed for several months, and does not affect the general condition in any way, then this is the norm. This is how the body functions.

If a person monitors the characteristics of his stool, he will quickly be able to identify diarrhea by its characteristic odor. The presence of impurities in the stool is another sign that it has begun. There should be no impurities in the stool of a healthy person.

Important! The onset of diarrhea is determined by the increased number of bowel movements, the appearance of watery stool and impurities in it. The general nature of bowel movements should be fundamentally different from the usual.

The main reason for the onset of diarrhea is a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract, as a result of which all digestive processes are accelerated to an unacceptable level. As a result, undigested food, along with a large amount of undigested liquid, comes out.

This not only leads to thinning of the stool, but also to an increase in the number of bowel movements. starts to malfunction in the following situations:

penetration of rotavirus / enterovirus / adenovirus / bacterial infections into the gastrointestinal tract;
salmonellosis;
food poisoning;
herpes viruses in the digestive organs;
Escherichiosis;
lack of enzymes;
pancreatitis;
, Whipple;
diverticulitis;
rheumatoid arthritis;
allergic manifestations;
chemical poisoning;
treatment with antibiotics, cytostatics, anticholinesterase agents and prokinetics;
drug overdose;
bleeding in the intestines.

For information about the causes of diarrhea, watch the video:

Since the most common pathogens of intestinal diseases enter the body through food and drinking water, it is necessary to maintain strict control over everything that ends up on the table.

Infection often occurs during tourist trips, when a person encounters many bacteria that are unusual for the body. Due to the high frequency of diarrhea among lovers of tropical countries, the concept of “tourist diarrhea” has been introduced into practice.

Since digestion depends both on the state of the internal organs and on many external factors, any negative impact on this system from the outside or from the inside can lead to diarrhea.

Therefore, the appearance of mucus, other special inclusions, and an increase in the amount of bowel movements may signal the presence of a certain pathology in the body. For effective treatment, you need to learn to differentiate between diarrhea caused by food poisoning, stress and other factors.

If diarrhea is caused by taking certain medications, it should be treated with special attention. After all, this condition is considered very dangerous, capable of developing into a serious condition and even causing death.

This development of events is possible with long-term use. First, this leads to dysbacteriosis, and then to pseudomembranous colitis. This disease is accompanied by diarrhea, which is difficult and sometimes simply impossible to stop.

Diarrhea caused by a viral or bacterial infection is also dangerous, but with timely and adequate treatment, the condition quickly returns to normal. With the help of medications, the body can quickly overcome the disease, because any viruses and bacteria are part of nature, just like the human body. But if diarrhea began due to toxins, it is much more difficult to regulate the situation.

The mechanisms of development of diarrhea depend on the reasons that provoked this condition. The pathogenetic mechanisms correspond to the reasons due to which the diarrhea began. It should be taken into account that only one mechanism for the development of a pathological condition rarely operates. Usually there is a combination of several models, among which one mechanism acts as the predominant one.

Types of diarrhea

Diarrhea is divided into several types.

In accordance with the causes and mechanism of development, several types of diarrhea are distinguished:

Infectious. This variety develops as a result of the penetration of a dangerous infection into the body that can cause illness. Such diseases include salmonellosis and others. The cause may be other infections that enter the body with food.
Nutritional. It becomes a consequence of allergic manifestations, as well as an incorrectly formulated diet.
Dyspeptic. This type develops when there is insufficient supply of enzymes and bile to the intestines, or when there is a lack of gastric juice. As a result, the bolus of food cannot be digested properly.
Toxic. It occurs after poisoning with mercury and other chemicals.
Medication. This is a consequence of the use of drugs that have a detrimental effect on the intestinal flora.
Neurogenic. can develop under the influence of factors that irritate the nervous system. Excessive anxiety and stress often become a provoking factor for disruption of the digestive system.

If diarrhea lasts a short time, it will not have any significant effect on the person. But if the trouble drags on, you can expect dehydration, hypovitaminosis, and changes in the functioning of internal organs.

Symptoms

Diarrhea may cause abdominal pain.

With diarrhea, almost all patients present the same complaints. However, each type of diarrhea has its own unique symptoms.

To make a correct diagnosis, all symptoms, as well as laboratory diagnostic data, are taken into account. Signs that you need to pay close attention to include:

Body temperature. If it is elevated, most likely the problem is a viral or bacterial infection. After all, when foreign immune cells enter the body, they lead to an acceleration of the production of antibodies, because of this. However, fever with diarrhea is a common occurrence.
, vomit. Diarrhea is often accompanied by nausea. These are practically 2 inseparable phenomena. This fact is explained by the inability of the food bolus to move normally through the digestive tract. Food fragments are thrown back, causing vomiting. The second cause of nausea is considered to be intoxication of the body. Toxins, entering the blood, quickly spread throughout the body, causing systemic disorders. The vomiting center reacts in its own way to the spread of toxins, signaling the need to develop vomiting as one of the methods of cleansing. Thus, nausea and vomiting are the result of improper functioning of the digestive organs and the desire of the brain to protect the body from toxins.
. Pain in the abdominal area has several causes. Firstly, the acceleration of motor skills is accompanied by a pain factor that occurs due to spasms. Attacks of pain may wax and wane. The pain becomes more intense before defecation, and after it subsides for a while.

This condition most often develops from food poisoning and when an infection enters the body.

Other types of diarrhea cause heaviness in the abdomen, discomfort, and cramping pain, as a rule, is absent.

Stool color

The color of stool can tell a lot about a person's health. If diarrhea begins, color takes on special meaning. If an experienced doctor looks at the color of stool during diarrhea, he will be able to give a pretty good diagnosis.

Green color

Stool may vary in color.

Greenness in stool, like the green color of all stool, indicates the presence of infection. These can be both viruses and bacteria.

This color is a consequence of the presence of leukocytes and pyogenic coccal flora in the feces. Pathogenic flora in a weakened intestine multiplies quickly and gives the stool a green tint.

Greens usually appear in liquid stool as mucus, which is mixed with stool and covers the top of the stool.

Such diarrhea without high fever is rare. Usually the thermometer readings are elevated. The condition is characterized by pain, nausea,... The changes occurring in the body are reflected in the state of the blood; the blood test will show signs of inflammation and intoxication.

Yellow

This color indicates a relatively normal condition. The most common cause of yellow diarrhea is accelerated intestinal motility.

However, even at increased speed, much of what the body needs has time to be absorbed normally. True, such fecal masses cannot form, they simply do not have enough time. You may experience minor cutting pains and heaviness in the lower abdomen.

Black color

Black stool may indicate a serious illness.

Blackness in stool does not appear by chance; this color can be a harbinger of life-threatening conditions.

But before you think about the bad, you should analyze your diet.

Some foods can cause blackness, such as beets or blueberries. The reception will also not be asymptomatic; the stool will turn black. The same consequences occur with taking de-nol, vikalin and similar drugs.

The deep black color appears due to internal bleeding. Gastric bleeding is accompanied by erythrocyte hemoglobin, which is unstable to gastric juice. The formation of hydrochloric acid hematin produces black feces, reminiscent of tar in color.

This condition is extremely dangerous, therefore, if black diarrhea appears, you should immediately call an emergency hospital. The hospital should do tests and also see if hemodynamic parameters are reduced.

White color (light shades)

Light diarrhea is also an alarming indicator. It appears almost only when the bile flows are damaged, as a result of which the food bolus loses the opportunity to receive bile processing at a normal level.

Therefore, white diarrhea is a signal of the presence or neoplasm in the bile ducts. As an additional sign of making one of the above diagnoses, you can use dark urine and yellowness of the skin.

The temperature in this condition rarely rises, pain is not felt.

Presence of blood in diarrhea

If streaks of blood are noticeable in the stool, it means that the integrity of the intestinal wall is compromised. This may be the result of mucosal damage or destruction.

This condition is characteristic of serious toxic lesions. If the blood comes from an area located in the upper part of the large intestine, then the blood will not appear as separate inclusions, but will simply give the stool a cherry tint.

Mucus with diarrhea

The presence of mucus in the stool is not considered a pathological sign. To determine its condition, you need to look at its color. Transparent mucus is a normal variant.

But green, yellow, brown, bloody - this is already a clear symptom of a serious condition. The cause can be either simple or due to a severe infection.

If, despite treatment, mucus persists, it means that the medications were chosen incorrectly and there is no effect from the therapy. This is a sure signal to change measures to counteract this condition.

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Who doesn’t know from television advertising what to do if diarrhea occurs in adults? Take a “magic” pill that will instantly stop diarrhea! However, any doctor will say that such “treatment” will not help at best, and will do harm at worst. Firstly, medications for diarrhea do not act instantly, they only reduce it, and secondly, the use of such medications is contraindicated for a number of diseases. What to do when you suffer from loose stools?

Diarrhea is not a disease, but a symptom that indicates problems in the gastrointestinal tract or in the body as a whole. Therefore, it is impossible to cure diarrhea without knowing what causes it. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of loose stool either once or with an increased frequency of bowel movements. If such a violation goes away within 2-3 weeks, we are talking about acute diarrhea, over 21 days - chronic.

In a normal state, the body of a healthy adult excretes 100–300 g of formed feces daily or at other intervals that are comfortable for a particular gastrointestinal tract. Liquefaction and accelerated evacuation of stool occurs due to a sharp increase in water content: with diarrhea, stool is 90% liquid. The amount of feces suggests the etiology of diarrhea:

disturbances of intestinal motility usually do not increase the daily volume of feces; it is excreted frequently, but in small portions;
if the problem is in the absorption of substances by the intestinal wall, there is a significant increase in the volume of feces due to the mass of undigested food.

The main causes of loose stools in adults:

Such diarrhea usually goes away within 3-4 days, and the patient will most likely be able to associate the onset of diarrhea with previous events.

However, the causes of diarrhea in an adult can be more serious:

infection with bacteria, viruses, protozoa (dysentery, salmonellosis, intestinal flu);
inflammatory diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, hepatitis, ulcers);
functional organ failure (deficiency of certain enzymes);
gastrointestinal diseases of unknown etiology (Crohn's disease);
toxic damage (poisoning with lead, mercury).

In such cases, it is not enough to simply stop the diarrhea: a diagnosis must be made and qualified treatment must be carried out, often in an inpatient setting. As for the clinical manifestations of diarrhea, they may be mild. This applies to ordinary indigestion, when in addition to loose stools, cramping pain in the abdomen and dyspeptic symptoms (boiling, bloating, etc.) may be observed.

In case of food poisoning, the pain is accompanied by weakness, fever, nausea and vomiting, refusal to eat, and the temperature may rise. Similar symptoms are accompanied by intestinal infections and viral diseases.

Alarming signs that require immediate attention are symptoms of dehydration. Dry skin and mucous membranes, cracked lips, severe thirst, rare urination, darkening of urine occur with debilitating diarrhea, and this condition poses a great danger: the pulse increases, blood pressure drops, and muscle cramps may begin.

What to do for diarrhea in an adult - first aid

To prevent dehydration, the water and salts lost by the body must be compensated by drinking plenty of fluids: it is best to take rehydrating solutions (Rehydron and analogues); in their absence, you can drink saline solution, salted water, chamomile tea. Prevention of dehydration should begin as soon as it becomes clear that loose stools are not an isolated case.

Especially if the diarrhea is profuse and constant, has been going on for several days, and is accompanied by vomiting. It is also necessary to pay attention to the presence of blood in the stool. It can appear with dysentery, ulcerative colitis,.

Depending on the diagnosis, the doctor will select a specific treatment, but there are general rules that must be followed in any case of diarrhea. This is dietary nutrition, taking adsorbent drugs, enzymes.

Diet for diarrhea in an adult

The nature of the diet obviously influences bowel movements. Many foods have an irritating effect on peristalsis, and during diarrhea you should forget about them until complete recovery. These are spices, raw vegetables, plums and other laxatives.

Some foods have a fixing effect, so in the first few days of the diet you should limit yourself to the following set of dishes:

wheat bread crackers;
vegetable purees;
slimy porridge;
pureed meat and fish of lean varieties (steamed, boiled);
tea, blueberry jelly, bird cherry fruit infusion, rice infusion.

You can start the diet on a “fasting” day: drink only strong sweet tea (8-10 cups during the day).

If diarrhea is caused by lactose or gluten intolerance, then diet is the main, and often the only, factor in treatment. For these diseases, a therapeutic diet is prescribed that completely excludes products containing milk sugar and the cereal protein gluten.

Diet is important: you need to eat often (every 3 hours) and in small portions.

The diet must be followed throughout the treatment and beyond, but after the first “hard” days, you can remove the restrictions and expand the diet, adhering to the following principles:

Thus, we list the prohibited products:

any fried meat;
offal;
rich broths;
fatty fish cooked in any way, and lean fish if it is fried, canned, smoked;
milk, high fat cream;
scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs;
cabbage in any form, beets, spicy root vegetables, turnips, radishes, cucumbers;
canned vegetables;
mushrooms;
sour berries and fruits;
pastries and bread;
carbonated drinks, kvass, cold drinks.

What then can you eat for diarrhea in adults? Here is an approximate list of dishes from which it is recommended to create a diet menu:

steamed minced meat cutlets, meat puree (can be from “children’s” jars), soufflé;
boiled fish (such as pollock, cod), fish balls, steamed cutlets;
cereal cooked in water; you can add a little milk and a piece of butter to the finished porridge;
rice pudding;
puree soups with vegetable or weak meat broth;
boiled pasta;
fermented milk drinks;
fresh cottage cheese;
omelet, soft-boiled eggs;
boiled, baked or pureed vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, green beans;
baked fruits in compote, some fresh strawberries;
jellies and mousses from berries and fruits;
white bread croutons, dryers, “Maria” cookies;
water, tea, compote, cocoa without milk.

In addition to diet, it is important to organize the correct drinking regime. The fluid entering the body should be several liters in volume in order to fully compensate for the loss of water through diarrhea.

Since microelements are washed out with loose stools, plain water is not very suitable for drinking. It is better to take glucose-salt drinks, which will replenish the loss of electrolytes, maintain normal blood sugar levels, and salt also promotes fluid retention in the body.

There are special preparations for preparing rehydrating drinks, these are Regidron, Citroglucosolan, Gastrolit, but if they are not available, you can prepare the liquid yourself by diluting it in a liter of water:

Instead of potassium chloride, you can pour a decoction of dried apricots and freshly squeezed orange juice into the solution. You need to drink in small portions, but constantly throughout the day.

Medicines to treat diarrhea in adults

As an important piece of advice, it should be noted that diarrhea in an adult that has not gone away within 3 days is a reason to consult a doctor. Chronic diarrhea can indicate the presence of serious diseases, it even occurs with some forms of cancer.

It is also worth seeing a doctor if the temperature rises above 38 during diarrhea, signs uncharacteristic of indigestion or poisoning appear: rash, yellowness of the skin and eyes, dark urine, sleep disturbances. Constant excruciating pain in the abdomen should not be the norm (spastic pain before and during bowel movements is acceptable).

Black or green diarrhea, vomiting mixed with fresh or coagulated (dark) blood, fainting, signs of severe dehydration indicate that the situation is critical: it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.