Diarrhea, medically also the diarrhea or diarrhea, is the defecation more often, than three times a day, where the stool is unformed and in adults exceeds a weight of 250 g per day.
What is diarrhea?
Diarrhea is also called diarrhea in medical terminology and is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea is said to occur whenever more than three bowel movements are required per day. Diarrhea is usually an uncontrollable urge to defecate, which is often the sole or main problem for the person affected. Depending on the cause, the stool may contain mucus, pus or blood. Frequent bowel movements in the case of functional intestinal disorders with normal stool weight or fecal incontinence are therefore not considered diarrhea in the medical sense. Diarrhea lasting more than two weeks is termed “chronic.” Diarrhea is also called diarrhea in medical terminology and is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. One always speaks of diarrhea when more than three bowel movements per day are necessary. The stool is often not solid, but rather liquid, with a water content of more than 75 percent. The amount of stool is also significantly increased; one speaks of diarrhea when this amount is more than 250 grams per day. Furthermore, a distinction is made between acute diarrhea, which occurs suddenly, and chronic diarrhea, which recurs at regular intervals. This condition is often accompanied by numerous other symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. A distinction is also made between small intestinal and large intestinal diarrhea. In small intestinal diarrhea, the stool is often watery, voluminous, and contains neither blood nor mucus. Food components may be excreted undigested. In large bowel diarrhea, there are often relatively small amounts of stool, often containing blood and mucus.
Causes
There are many causes of diarrhea. Often the psyche plays a very decisive role. Before a stressful situation such as an exam, many people suffer from diarrhea. However, this condition is usually triggered by another infectious disease. Bacteria, salmonella or even viruses are the most common pathogens here. Diarrhea also often occurs in cases of food poisoning or intolerance to certain foods. In addition, hyperthyroidism can be the reason for this unpleasant condition. With some medications, such as antibiotics, diarrhea also occurs as a side effect. The so-called irritable bowel syndrome also often leads to diarrhea. In the worst case, however, malignant tumors in the intestine are the reason for this disease. In most cases, however, the cause of diarrhea is harmless and it disappears on its own within a few days. Acute diarrhea is usually caused by infections – responsible for more than 90% of all acute diarrhea – or by food poisoning with bacterial toxins. Every year, almost one third of the population suffers from diarrhea once without seeking medical help. The causes of chronic diarrhea can range from harmless to dangerous: stress, food intolerance, malnutrition, excessive use of laxatives, pancreatic, liver or gallbladder dysfunction, chronic intestinal infections, parasitoses, non-infectious inflammations such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, etc.
Diseases with this symptom
- Gastrointestinal flu
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Malnutrition
- Food poisoning
- Infectious diseases
- Food intolerance
- Cholera
- Mushroom poisoning
- Inflammation of the intestine
- Drug allergy
- Irritable bowel
- Intestinal polyps
- Colorectal cancer
- Appendicitis
- Amoebic dysentery
- Salmonella poisoning
- Exam anxiety
Complications
In acute diarrhea, there is a more or less pronounced loss of fluid and nutrients. This loss of fluid must be compensated to avoid dehydration of the organism. The severe loss of fluid can lead to some complications and is the reason for the danger associated with diarrhea.Almost all complications and dangers directly caused by the symptom of diarrhea can be attributed to the loss of fluid. Dehydration of the body may occur. In extreme cases, this can lead to kidney failure and thus death. Other symptoms such as general weakness, circulatory problems, dizziness, and circulatory collapse are also directly attributable to massive loss of fluid. Children suffering from diarrhea may also develop apathy relatively quickly. The above complications are equally due to the loss of electrolytes. For this reason, the therapy of acute diarrhea focuses on replacing the lost fluid and electrolytes. Such therapy can prevent or curb the severe complications mentioned above. Especially in cases of severe diarrhea and diarrhea lasting longer than three days, a doctor should be consulted because of the possible complications mentioned above. He or she will initiate appropriate therapy that can prevent the possible complications mentioned.
When should you go to the doctor?
Diarrhea is very unpleasant, but usually not life-threatening. If diarrhea lasts for two or three days, it can severely weaken the organism. Therefore, the elderly and infants with diarrhea should be closely monitored. If there is no improvement after three days, the doctor must be consulted. The biggest problem with diarrhea is the loss of water and minerals (dehydration), which can become dangerous depending on the physical condition. A viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract is often accompanied by stomach cramps. Sick people should drink soothing teas so that the gastrointestinal mucosa can regenerate better. If there is no improvement in abdominal pain even after bowel movements, a close examination should be performed. If a patient with diarrhea is already being treated for a cancer diagnosis, the doctor should always be consulted. If he has bloody stools or vomits frequently, a visit to the internist is particularly important. The same applies to pus in the stool, in case of strong alarm as a result of the diarrhea or sudden, severe abdominal pain. A tense abdominal wall that feels hard is also a symptom that should be taken seriously. If severe diarrhea occurs after a recent long-distance trip, the traveler has probably become infected with germs. Again, a thorough examination must be performed. If highly contagious norovirus or salmonella is suspected, this must be reported to the health department.
Treatment and therapy
If diarrhea persists for a long time, a doctor should be consulted as a precaution so that he can find out the causes and rule out worse diseases. In the case of blood in the stool, a doctor should always be consulted as a matter of principle. The doctor will first ask the patient about his or her lifestyle and, above all, eating habits, and then palpate the abdomen. An examination of the rectum with a finger is also useful in many cases; this is also called a rectal examination. In most cases, a stool sample is also taken to the laboratory; this usually detects possible viruses or bacteria quickly. A colonoscopy or an X-ray examination of the intestine can be useful if the aforementioned examinations have not yielded clear results. A test for food intolerance can also help to find the cause. The first measure for diarrhea will be to compensate for the loss of fluids and minerals. This may be possible by drinking plenty of fluids alone, but often an IV is placed which supplies electrolytes to the body. There are some drugs against diarrhea, but they are not always useful. Against the frequent concomitant abdominal cramps, however, antispasmodic drugs should be taken. Infants, children and elderly people should immediately consult a doctor in case of severe diarrhea. It is always important to compensate for the loss of fluids and salts, as both are only absorbed to a reduced extent through the intestines. Sweating due to fever or vomiting exacerbates this problem. In case of diarrhea over several days, the cause must always be clarified by consulting a doctor. Some nutritionists recommend mixing 1 liter of boiled water with half a teaspoon of table salt and five teaspoons of dextrose, with the possibility of adding some fruit juice for taste reasons.
Outlook and prognosis
In the case of diarrhea, there is a relatively high probability that the problem will resolve itself and the body will return to a healthy state on its own. In this case, most diseases do not need to be treated by medication or by a doctor. In this case, the body needs rest and recovery to fight the infection that triggers the diarrhea and remove it from the body again. If diarrhea is not treated, the problem does not necessarily get worse. However, if it does not improve readily, medication for infections in the gastrointestinal tract should be taken to control the diarrhea. In severe cases, it may well happen that the diarrhea does not simply disappear. Then a doctor must be consulted and the disease is treated with medication. In this case, the patient usually has a very good chance of complete recovery of the stomach. In these cases, a light diet is suitable so that the stomach is not too stressed. The patient should drink a lot.
Prevention
To prevent diarrhea, one should pay attention to his diet. Especially in summer, one should be careful with raw eggs, as they may contain salmonella. Unwashed fruits and vegetables can also promote this disease, as can a lot of yeast. Caution is advised when traveling to foreign countries, as diarrhea is particularly common here. It is very important to have the necessary vaccinations against cholera and typhoid before such a trip. Since some types of diarrhea are contagious, it is also important to ensure adequate hygiene.
Home remedies and herbs for diarrhea
- Oak bark taken in small amounts is very effective for diarrhea and intestinal bleeding.
- In case of diarrhea, do not eat food for at least 24 hours. Allowed only chamomile or peppermint tea, unsweetened drunk in small sips. Immediately afterwards eat only apples grated with peel for a day, then start with mashed potatoes and whole grain porridge. As a tea, the following mixture helps: boil 1 tablespoon with a mixture of equal parts of chamomile, oak bark, sage and gentian root with a cup of water for a short time, strain and drink warm. Drink not less than 3 cups daily.
- For diarrhea, they make a mixture of chamomile, oak bark, sage and gentian roots (equal parts) and boil this mixture briefly (one tablespoon to one cup of water). Then pour it through a sieve and drink it warm. Drink them several cups per day.
What you can do yourself
With diarrhea, only in a few cases a doctor must be consulted. Most often, the symptom can be treated with home remedies and also often disappears on its own. Since diarrhea is a disease or an infection in the stomach and intestines, the stomach should be spared in any case. This means that no heavy, fatty and sweet food should be eaten. With light food, juices and water, the stomach is soothed and can regenerate and fight the infection. Since a lot of water is also excreted during diarrhea, the affected person must drink a lot. Mineral water is the best choice here, as it can replenish the mineral balance that is lost during diarrhea. Various teas help against diarrhea, and often a hot water bottle is used to remove possible pain from the abdominal region and from the lower abdomen. In most cases, the body can heal itself here. However, if the diarrhea persists for a long time or is associated with very severe pain, the family doctor should be consulted. In the pharmacy there are various drugs that can be taken for diarrhea. A popular and simple remedy is activated charcoal, which removes infections and bacteria from the stomach and intestines.