Definition
Night-time diarrhea is in most cases a chronic disease and not an acute infection. Diarrhea is defined as at least three unformed stools with an increased water content. Nocturnal diarrhea is more likely to have an organic cause or a so-called irritable bowel syndrome and is a disease caused by bacteria or viruses. The treatment varies greatly depending on the cause. For the diagnosis an exact description of the frequency and the stool consistency is important.
Causes
The causes of nocturnal diarrhea are very different. Nocturnal diarrhea is more of an organic cause and not an acute infection with bacteria or viruses. A possible cause is the so-called irritable bowel syndrome.
Those affected suffer from flatulence, diarrhoea and constipation and the symptoms increase during the course of the day. Genetic predispositions influence the occurrence of the disease as much as the existence of psychologically stressful experiences, such as abuse. It can therefore be assumed that it is a mixture of physical causes and psychosomatic causes.
Another possibility for nocturnal diarrhea is the onset of a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. These sufferers also suffer from severe abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea. Other diseases can also lead to colitis. A lack of oxygen in individual sections of the intestine can also restrict its function and thus lead to diarrhea. If discovered and treated early, however, the symptoms are reduced.
Irritable bowel
In the past, irritable bowel syndrome was considered a pure exclusion diagnosis when other diseases could not explain the symptoms. Irritable bowel is a chronic disease with severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. Those affected often complain of feeling bloated.
The symptoms increase further towards night. There is a familial predisposition for irritable bowel syndrome and stressful events also seem to play a role in its development. Treatment is therefore often not possible purely symptomatically, but psychosomatic care may also be necessary.
