Everyone has diarrhea from time to time – whether it is due to stress, because of a spoiled food or even on vacation as “Montezuma’s revenge”. In most cases, the diarrhea symptoms disappear on their own after some time. However, you can help your body to get fit again and get rid of the diarrhea as quickly as possible. How this is possible, we reveal in this article.
What is diarrhea?
One speaks of diarrhea or diarrhea when unformed, mushy or watery stools occur more frequently than three times a day. This is caused, for example, by pathogens or toxins that colonize the intestinal mucosa or damage its cells. As a result, the mucosa can no longer do its job of absorbing water from the food mush – the food mush is more liquid than usual.
In the body’s attempt to expel the harmful invaders as quickly as possible, it loses even more water and electrolytes (mineral salts). In acute diarrhea, symptoms last a few days; in chronic diarrhea, symptoms occur repeatedly in quick succession over several weeks.
What can cause diarrhea?
There are a wide variety of causes that can disturb our intestinal flora and thus lead to diarrhea. In addition to infections, for example, medications or spoiled food can be causative.
- Diarrhea due to infections:
About one-third of all cases of diarrhea are caused by viruses, e.g., adenoviruses, rotaviruses, or noroviruses. In addition, pathogenic bacteria can also stress our intestines and thus cause diarrhea.
Thus, traveler’s diarrhea is often triggered by coliform bacteria, other bacterial pathogens are salmonella, shigella and yersinia. The so-called amoebic dysentery, on the other hand, is caused by a single-celled parasite that poses a danger, for example, during long-distance travel to the tropics. - Diarrhea caused by medications:
Some drugs can cause diarrhea as one of the side effects. Especially antibiotics, which are supposed to eliminate harmful bacteria, have the side effect diarrhea. This is because they act not only on the “bad” pathogenic germs, but also on the “good” bacteria that support our digestion and immune system in the intestines.
Excessive use of laxatives can also lead to diarrhea. During treatment with cytostatic drugs, such as cancer therapy, diarrhea is also a common side effect. - Diarrhea due to toxins:
Many a diarrhea is produced not by bacteria themselves, but by toxic metabolites of the bacteria. For example, food poisoning is caused by certain staphylococci or clostridia. The heavy metals mercury or lead can also disrupt digestion, which can lead to diarrhea. - Diarrhea due to food allergy:
Allergies to certain foods can manifest themselves in many different ways – a common symptom is diarrhea. Thus, the diet can play an important role in diarrhea, but also before and after a diarrheal illness. - Diarrhea due to inflammatory bowel disease:
Diarrhea also often occurs with chronic inflammation of the intestine. These diseases include Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis. In these diseases, the intestinal mucosa is permanently damaged by the inflammation and can meet the water absorption from the food pulp only very limited, so that diarrhea can be a consequence. - Diarrhea due to stress:
Stress can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract – especially during a difficult exam or before an important lecture, many people suffer not only from wet hands or nervousness, but also from intestinal problems that can bring diarrhea.
