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Loose stool diarrhea. Causes of loose stools in an adult - diagnosis of disorders in the body, treatment and diet

Loose stools in a person who is far from medicine always causes caution, although, according to doctors, it only serves as an alarming symptom in certain situations. In cases where the intestinal disorder is of the nature of diarrhea, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Therefore, the natural question is: is it possible to distinguish loose stools or minor intestinal upset from real diarrhea or diarrhea and how to do this? Can watery stool consistency be observed in an absolutely healthy man or woman? Let's take a closer look.

Same or different?

First, let's figure out how diarrhea differs from loose stools, and whether there is any difference between the concepts at all. To do this, let’s define what diarrhea is. Diarrhea (diarrhea) is a symptom in a child or adult in which frequent bowel movements occur with a change in the consistency of stool. All of the above are the main signs of diarrhea. However, there are other types of intestinal upset that are mistakenly called diarrhea. Other symptoms:

Frequent stools without change in consistency.
Changed consistency without increasing frequency.

Diarrhea cannot be called loose stool in a child or adult that appears once. It is important to understand that the key point that distinguishes diarrhea from intestinal disorder (indigestion) is its significant increase - more than 5-6 times a day.

Let's look at some cases of frequent bowel movements without changing the consistency of stool. The main symptoms of such an intestinal disorder will be an increased urge to go to the toilet and an increase in the volume of feces, while there is no diarrhea as such. Frequent bowel movements with thick stools can occur when consuming too much plant-based food and fiber-containing foods in combination with large amounts of water. Plant foods increase intestinal contents due to pectins, fiber swells under the influence of liquid. Both provoke mechanical irritation of the intestinal wall, increase peristalsis and lead to increased bowel movements.

Watery stool - dangerous or not?

The appearance of loose stools in children, especially newborns, as well as in adults, is always alarming, since it is almost impossible to immediately distinguish a minor eating disorder from a serious illness. To help recognize a more serious pathology, the presence of general warning symptoms, an examination and a thorough analysis of information about a person’s life, food habits, and diseases will help. Watery stools in adults are not a sign of a serious illness in the following cases:

When an adult eats a lot of plant foods (especially foods rich in fiber) and consumes a lot of water (it is important, but its excess dilutes the stool). As soon as a person normalizes his diet, stool will take on its proper form.
For dysbacteriosis. For example, after a person has been treated for a long time with antibiotics that kill beneficial intestinal microflora. Despite the appearance of symptoms, dysbiosis rarely causes complications or changes a person's condition, although it sometimes lasts more than a week. To treat the condition and speed up recovery, doctors advise taking medications containing beneficial bacteria.
With a sharp change in food preferences. The situation often happens with tourists coming to a new country and trying unfamiliar food. The symptom is called traveler's diarrhea. The stomach and intestines are not accustomed to new food and at first react to new food by disrupting the secretion of enzymes and accelerating peristalsis. Gradually the body gets used to it, and the functioning of the organs returns to normal.

If traveler's diarrhea continues indefinitely and symptoms of general intoxication increase (fever, diarrhea, vomiting, chills), the infectious nature of the disease should be excluded. A less common cause of stool disorders, especially when it comes to loose stools in infants, is food allergic reactions. The condition differs from diarrhea in the absence of significant disturbances in the general condition, as well as possible skin manifestations of allergies.

Understand the difference between a common allergy and a food intolerance to certain foods or food components, such as lactose (dairy intolerance). The cause of the condition is a decrease in the concentration or almost complete absence of enzymes that break down milk sugar. Intolerance to certain types of foods sometimes causes the development of serious diseases, such as celiac disease. The pathology is diagnosed in early childhood, when a baby, after introducing complementary foods or supplementary feeding in the form of porridges with cereals containing gluten, suddenly develops foamy and foul-smelling diarrhea.

Sometimes frequent bowel movements can appear for reasons completely unrelated to the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, due to increased anxiety. The nervous type of diarrhea appears in moments of strong excitement and is popularly called “bear disease.” The symptom is associated with a violation of the nervous regulation of peristalsis and its acceleration. It is simple to define “nervous” diarrhea - it occurs in a person in the same type of situations, does not lead to a change in the general condition and does not appear at rest.

A change in daily routine can lead to intestinal upset. If a person begins to wake up much earlier than his usual time, then in the morning he may experience liquid stool.

This type of diarrhea can be distinguished by the fact that liquid bowel movements are one-time and during the day bowel function returns to normal.

Some men complain that they have diarrhea the morning after drinking a lot of alcohol. Some representatives of the stronger sex, who are sensitive to their own health, immediately begin to take pills to escape infection. Of course, infectious causes in this situation cannot be ruled out, but frequent, loose stools may be a consequence of the effects of alcohol itself. Causes of symptoms:

Acceleration of peristalsis under the influence of alcohol.
Destruction of beneficial microflora.
Slowing down the absorption of fluid.

All symptoms should disappear along with the fading manifestations of a hangover and diarrhea is not. If the symptoms persist for a long time, the stool becomes more and more liquid, diarrhea with pathological impurities (blood, mucus) appears, you should consult a doctor.

An interesting physiological cause of diarrhea is pregnancy, or more precisely, the process that ends the “interesting” situation - childbirth. At the moment before the birth of a child, the woman’s body begins the process of self-cleansing of the intestines, which in the future will allow childbirth to proceed more physiologically. In parallel with diarrhea, a woman may experience contractions, pain in the lower abdomen, and water breaking. And in the later stages of pregnancy, a woman may develop infectious diarrhea, so it would be useful to see a specialist, we are talking not only about her own health, but also about the condition of the baby.

Pathology

Disruption of normal bowel function is often a symptom of very dangerous diseases. In this situation, it will be important not only to distinguish diarrhea from loose stools, but also to determine the diagnosis and receive the correct treatment. The causes of pathological loose stools are:

Salmonellosis. Feces in case of disease are dark green (marsh) in color and resemble swamp mud in appearance. Sometimes mixed with mucus and blood. In severe cases, the general condition is disrupted: fever, chills, and general weakness appear. Other symptoms include severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Dysentery. The stool is watery, with a lot of mucus, streaks of blood, possibly pus. The general condition changes.
Typhoid fever. Feces are liquid. The disease is accompanied by the appearance of a characteristic rash and a change in general condition.
Cholera. The stool is very liquid, quickly becomes almost colorless and resembles rice water. The dangerous disease often causes complete dehydration and ends in death.

In adults, loose stools may appear due to liver diseases, including viral hepatitis. Disorder of normal bowel movements occurs after operations on the gallbladder (including after removal of the organ) and pancreas. The symptoms can hardly be called diarrhea: the stool often becomes mushy, and its frequency does not exceed 3-4 times a day.

The danger is black diarrhea, especially accompanied by severe abdominal pain. Melena (the medical name for “bloody” black stool) is the main sign of gastrointestinal bleeding. The condition of the disease quickly worsens: the person’s skin turns pale, blood pressure drops and the pulse accelerates. Gastrointestinal bleeding requires emergency surgical treatment, so if symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Black, loose stools may occur after eating large amounts of dark-colored foods that contain fiber, such as blueberries or blueberries. The condition cannot be called diarrhea: increased stool frequency can be observed only 1-2 times.

Important Factors

It happens that people completely misperceive the nature of stool, especially when it comes to small children. Young mothers are often frightened when they see their own baby’s discharge, but the doctor who comes to call the frightened mother says that everything is fine. However, the contents of the potty or diaper do not inspire confidence. Who's right?

In most situations, the truth is on the side of the specialist. The stool of small children - artificial babies and infants - is seriously different from that of an adult. Let's start with infancy:

The stool of a breastfed baby is odorless and yellow in color. Sometimes you can see light white lumps on the diaper, which are undigested mother's milk. Infants have bowel movements much more often than adults: 10–12 bowel movements are considered normal at a certain stage. However, the indicator is very individual.
A bottle-fed baby's stool has a specific fecal odor. The frequency of bowel movements is much less frequent: up to 3–4 times a day; the consistency of the mass resembles medium-thick mustard.

As the infant's diet expands, the bowel movements become more adult-like. The introduction of any complementary foods, supplementary foods or juices can lead to the short-term appearance of frequent and looser stools. If the general condition does not change, the child is cheerful and cheerful, the mother should not worry - there is no need to talk about diarrhea.

Loose stools in an adult or child can be one of the manifestations of diarrhea. Each specific situation requires a detailed analysis, but sometimes it is difficult even for a specialist to fully determine the diagnosis, so you should not delay your visit to the doctor. The speed of contacting a specialist is very important, since early treatment reduces the risk of complications and increases the chance of a speedy recovery.

Content

The presence of constant or frequent loose stools in adults is an indicator of diarrhea. A pathological condition of this kind can be of two types - chronic or acute, depending on the cause of its occurrence. Serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract develop due to a viral or bacterial infection that has entered the body. However, these are not all possible reasons that can cause liquid feces.

What is loose stool

A disease for which the characteristic symptoms are the appearance of loose or foamy stools is commonly called diarrhea in medical practice. This syndrome is often accompanied by pain in the intestinal tract, indigestion, or high fever. Possible causes of acute or chronic diarrhea are intestinal infections and food poisoning.

Unformed stool in an adult for a long time is a very dangerous syndrome that can lead to dehydration and serious health problems. Violation of the water-salt balance in the body threatens the development of irreversible pathological changes, therefore, if signs of digestive upset are detected, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

Reasons

Watery stools cause a number of reasons, the most common of which are intestinal disorders due to poor-quality or spoiled food, as well as acute infections such as salmonellosis and dysentery. Chronic inflammatory diseases can affect the occurrence of diarrhea or liquid stool. Other factors that influence the appearance of watery, prolonged diarrhea include:

the body's response to taking medications;
metabolic disorders;
symptoms of dysbiosis;
chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
stress;
irritable bowel syndrome;
worms;
damage to the intestinal mucosa;
food allergy.

Loose stools in an adult for a long time

With a high frequency of bowel movements in adult patients, there are complications in the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms. In some cases, liquid stool is considered normal, such as during pregnancy. All other precedents indicate an intestinal disorder, so profuse infectious diarrhea with a foul odor can only be stopped with the help of therapy.

Soft stool in an adult for a long time is considered an unfavorable condition that causes signs of dehydration. To prevent liquid stool, doctors recommend that men and women follow several rules. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables before eating and cook meat or dairy products. It is important to always check the expiration date of the purchased product and under no circumstances consume spoiled food.

Loose stools, but not diarrhea

Few people know, but there is a difference between liquid feces and diarrhea. In a healthy person, bowel movements occur once or twice a day, which is considered normal. As the amount of fluid increases, the consistency of stool changes, which indicates health problems. Unlike diarrhea, which is temporary, the duration of this phenomenon is a couple of weeks.

Liquid feces is a chronic illness that, without proper treatment, can become a constant companion of a person. This reaction from the body sometimes occurs due to a sudden change in diet, for example, vegetarianism. In this case, the color of the stool will have a greenish tint, which indicates a large amount of fiber being absorbed. The cause of a constant urge to go to the toilet may be an infection, so normalizing bowel function is possible only after undergoing treatment.

Twitching stomach and loose stools

Stress, overeating, food poisoning can lead to stomach churning. However, if semi-liquid stool is added to these symptoms, then there is cause for concern. Unlike children, the appearance of constant mushy discharge in an adult throughout the week signals problems in the functioning of the stomach. The consistency of stool can take on different forms depending on the cause of the disease. Frequent loose bowel movements cause:

oncological diseases;
intestinal infection;
Crohn's disease;
stomach ulcer;
appendicitis.

In the morning

Some people suffer from daily abdominal discomfort in the morning. This problem is not gender specific; it affects both women and men equally. Pathologies of the abdominal organs or other systems are considered to be provoking factors for discomfort, which may be accompanied by flatulence. Patients experience somatic and visceral pain.

The first type is characteristic of irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, which is a frequent companion to chronic gastritis. Unpleasant sensations in the abdominal area become regular, poisoning a person’s life. Visceral pain appears due to the reaction of nerve endings to various irritants. With this pathology, discomfort is not localized in different places.

The stomach does not hurt, but the stool is loose

Digestive disorder, which is characterized by the absence of symptoms of diarrhea, such as fever, indicates the presence of a pathological process in the human body. In case of mild food poisoning, loose diarrhea without abdominal pain should go away on its own within a couple of days. If the situation remains unchanged over a long period of time, then there is every reason to seek medical help.

Rotavirus infection is most often observed among young children. However, adults can also be affected by it. Doctors know exactly what to do if you have loose stools, so if you suspect an infection, you should immediately go to the hospital. Sometimes mushy discharge appears due to severe stress or nervous tension. To solve the problem, you should at least temporarily change your occupation.

Liquid yellow stool

The color of stool can tell a lot about a person's health. So, if a patient regularly has black liquid stool, then there is an open ulcer in the stomach. Yellow and green stools are characteristic of a bacterial infection, in which a person is forced to visit the toilet six to ten times a day. When any problems arise, the body seeks to remove negative infestations through the mouth or anus. Liquid stool mixed with mucus or blood is a serious symptom, and if it occurs, you should call a doctor.

After eating

Liquid diarrhea after each meal is called functional diarrhea. This reaction of the body to food indicates disturbances in the functioning of the intestines. They can be either temporary or permanent. The probable causes of liquid stool are considered to be: dysbiosis, intestinal infection or “bear disease”. If the body cannot cope with the digestion of food, it will try with all its might to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to diarrhea.

Diarrhea and gas

Flatulence and diarrhea often appear together due to the interconnected functioning of all gastrointestinal systems. When gases accumulate in the intestines, pathological processes in the body are triggered, which interfere with its normal functioning. Therefore, a person will soon experience diarrhea. For a child in the first months of life, this state of affairs is considered the norm. As for adults, liquid green feces and flatulence signal the presence of diseases such as hepatitis or dysbiosis.

Blood mixed

Blood in the stool is an unfavorable symptom that can be caused by ailments of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Discharges are not always visible to the eye; sometimes special laboratory tests are required to detect them. However, if blood impurities are visible, it means that the damage is localized at the intestinal level. Traces of fresh blood in liquid stool indicate fissures in the anus or hemorrhoids.

Diagnostics

If symptoms of diarrhea occur, it is recommended to consult a proctologist or gastroenterologist. The specialist conducts a comprehensive examination of the patient’s digestive tract, having previously carried out an external examination. With the power of instrumental endoscopic techniques, the doctor can detect damage to the mucosa or other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. If necessary, the following procedures are carried out:

coprogram;
bacteriological culture;
examination of stool for worm eggs;

Treatment

To restore intestinal function, complex therapy is used, which involves the use of a variety of methods of healing the body. During treatment, the patient must follow a strict diet and temporarily exclude from the diet foods that stimulate the secretion of hydrochloric acid. In addition, antibacterial drugs are used, which should be taken every day.

Drug treatment

Before getting rid of loose stools, patients undergo antibiotic therapy, including drugs to suppress pathogenic microflora in the intestines. These include prebiotics, broad-spectrum antibiotics and enterosorbents. Treatment is prescribed only by a specialist. The best choice is combination drugs, such as Nifuroxazide, which do not cause additional harm to the body. This drug is destructive for most intestinal infections, for example, Vibrio cholera, Salmonella, Klebsiella.

It has a pronounced bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect, the result depends on the dose taken. The medicine disrupts the process of protein synthesis and inhibits the activity of the dehydrogenase enzyme. Nifuroxazide does not affect the normal intestinal microflora, and therefore does not harm the patient’s health. Adsorbents are used as symptomatic medications for liquid stool, which slow down gastric peristalsis and promote thickening of stool. These include drugs such as Loperamide and Somatostatin.

29.03.2017

Diarrhea is never an independent disease, but indicates problems in organs and systems. can be a symptom of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The greatest danger is dehydration during diarrhea, as well as loss of vitamins and minerals, and as a result, vitamin deficiency. Loose stools in an adult for a long time are dangerous, as they can cause hypovolemic shock if the patient is not given rehydration therapy.

Symptoms of chronic diarrhea

With chronic diarrhea, the patient experiences systematic loose stools 3 or more times a day for at least 3 weeks. If diarrhea persists for no longer than 3 weeks, it is referred to as acute diarrhea. With diarrhea, emergency, sometimes uncontrollable, urges occur. Frequent loose or pasty stools are accompanied by flatulence (increased gas production), rumbling, and abdominal pain. With diarrhea, fever and general weakening of the body may occur.

With diarrhea, the mass of unformed stool increases to 250–300 g per day, and the water content in feces increases to 60–85%.

With diarrhea, food becomes liquefied and incompletely digested, so pieces of food may be present in the feces. Depending on the pathogenesis, stool characteristics may vary.

Pathogenesis

What to do if diarrhea occurs? First you need to determine the type of diarrhea. The following types of diarrhea are distinguished:

Secretory diarrhea is profuse (more than 1 liter) watery diarrhea, usually painless. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the frequency of stool increases up to 15 times a day, no false urges are observed.
Osmotic diarrhea is a profuse, foamy stool in which inclusions of semi-digested food may be observed. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by abdominal cramps.
Exudative (invasive) diarrhea is liquid, light feces, in which pus and bloody discharge are often observed.
Motor diarrhea - moderate discharge with particles of undigested food.

Diarrhea can be infectious or non-infectious. Diarrhea is often provoked by long-term use of medications: antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, various laxatives, non-steroidal drugs. Medicines can cause mixed type diarrhea (exudative-secretory, motor-secretory, etc.).

Osmotic diarrhea

Due to an increase in the content of electrolytes in the intestinal lumen, water is discharged, followed by its retention in the intestine. Osmotic diarrhea is caused by:

An important difference between osmotic diarrhea and other types is its cessation after 2-3 days of fasting.

Secretory diarrhea

In this disorder, the secretion of electrolytes and water prevails over absorption. The reason for this may be:

infectious diseases (toxicoinfection, salmonellosis, cholera, yersiniosis, E. coli, staphylococcus),
hormonally active tumors (carcinoid, gastrinoma, VIPoma),
hereditary diseases (for example, chloridorrhea),
non-infectious causes: long-term use of medications and laxatives, acute poisoning with arsenic, mushrooms, salts of heavy metals, alcohol.

After eliminating the enterotoxin, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract improves, and the incessant diarrhea goes away.

In addition, a rare case of this type of diarrhea may be hereditary diarrhea due to gene mutation.

Exudative diarrhea

Persistent diarrhea in this form is caused by inflammation of the colon mucosa. The causes of inflammation are the following diseases:

tuberculosis,
diverticular disease,
ischemic colitis,
acute intestinal infections such as dysentery,
tumor processes in the intestines,
ulcerative colitis,
radiation colitis (radiation exposure),
vasculitis,
Crohn's disease
adeno- and rotoviruses,

This form of diarrhea, as can be seen, can be infectious and non-infectious. Infection occurs due to the penetration and spread of pathogenic strains (for example, human immunodeficiency virus), as well as protozoa (amoebas). The non-infectious form is usually associated with ulcerative colitis.

Motor diarrhea

Irritable bowel syndrome occurs due to increased bowel movements. Often observed after removal of the stomach or parts of it. Food enters the intestines faster, and diarrhea occurs due to insufficient digestion.

A decrease in motor function is observed with dermatomyositis, diabetic polyneuropathy, and scleroderma.

Treatment of diarrhea

Since the causes of persistent bowel movements vary, it is necessary to determine the mechanism of diarrhea before treatment. If diarrhea does not go away for several days, rehydration therapy is indicated for all patients, regardless of pathogenesis.

With non-infectious diarrhea, the underlying disease is initially eliminated. Antibiotics are prescribed if diarrhea is caused by bacteria or protozoa.

Diarrhea associated with a hormone-producing tumor will require serious medical intervention. If diarrhea does not stop for this reason, surgical removal of the tumor will be required.

What to do for different types of diarrhea:

For secretory diarrhea, Smecta, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin, Furazalidone, Baktisubtil are prescribed.
For osmotic diarrhea, Imodium, Loperamide, Regidron, Codeine phosphate are prescribed; antibacterial drugs, for example, biseptol.
For motor diarrhea, Imodium and astringent adsorbents, for example, bismuth preparations, are used.
For exudative diarrhea, prebiotics and probiotics are mainly used (Bifiform, Linex, Hilak forte).

With diarrhea, as already mentioned, it is important to eliminate dehydration, that is, dehydration.

Rehydration for diarrhea

If diarrhea lasts for a long time, to restore the water-salt balance, use ready-made pharmaceutical preparations, which are diluted with water and drunk, or you can use a self-prepared drink. Add a tablespoon of salt and 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar to a liter of water, mix with a spoon of soda. The prepared infusion is drunk during the day, if there is no nausea and vomiting. The patient is supposed to drink other liquids: fruit drinks, non-mineral and mineral water without gas. Fruit juices are contraindicated.

With any diarrhea, regardless of pathogenesis, there is a disruption of the natural microflora, therefore the use of prebiotics and probiotics, for example, Hilak Forte, is indicated.

Diet for diarrhea

For prolonged diarrhea, you should adhere to a special diet. Diarrhea for several days or longer is provoked by foods with a laxative effect. Following a diet will help speed up treatment. A gentle diet is especially indicated for secretory diarrhea.

During treatment, the patient needs to exclude from the menu fatty and dairy dishes, alcohol, herbs and spices, spicy foods, plums, beets, sweet foods, sauces, and black bread. Boiled white rice, white bread crackers, boiled or steamed low-fat meatballs, meatballs or cutlets, apple and potato puree are allowed.

Stomach pain and diarrhea occur most often due to indigestion and toxins entering the body. You should pay attention to the quality of food (especially expiration dates and storage conditions), the degree of water purification, personal hygiene (hand washing).

Diarrhea in an adult can be caused by lactase deficiency or intolerance to dairy products. With this pathology, milk should be excluded from the diet, in which case the diarrhea will go away in the near future.

What to do if diarrhea occurs away from home? A special form of intestinal disorder is traveler's diarrhea. Stool upset occurs due to changes in climatic conditions, food unusual for the stomach, as well as the penetration of bacteria and viruses. Tourists traveling to countries with contaminated water sources (Asia, Africa, the Middle East) should be especially careful.

When traveling, it is better to take simple filters for water purification, antibiotics and prebiotics. You should avoid dishes with raw meat and fish, unwashed vegetables. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees and bloody diarrhea appears, you should seek medical help for common viruses and microorganisms that travelers bring from vacation - Giardia, dysenteric amoeba, enterovirus, rotavirus, norovirus.

Loose stools cause a lot of inconvenience to a person, be it an adult or a child. The symptom is unpleasant and negatively affects well-being, health and lifestyle.

What is loose stool

During normal functioning of the stomach, bowel movements occur once or twice a day.

If disruption of the gastrointestinal tract occurs over a long period of time, they speak of chronic diarrhea (not diarrhea). How to determine the cause and begin treatment correctly is a question that requires a serious approach and attention.

Chronic loose stools in an adult indicate health problems. This is not only unpleasant, but also a dangerous phenomenon that can lead the body to dehydration. Together with feces, a large volume of water, useful microelements, minerals, and nutrients are released. They are necessary to maintain water-salt balance and normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Signs of dehydration include:

Lethargy, drowsiness, constant feeling of weakness;
Dry skin;
Loss of body weight;
Feeling thirsty, dry mouth;
Reducing the number of urinations.

Remember! Long-lasting, loose, smelly stools in an adult should not be ignored. The symptom is dangerous for the body. If you ignore the symptoms, there is a risk of serious harm to your health and serious treatment will be required.

There is a noticeable difference between loose stools and diarrhea. Loose stools differ from diarrhea in that the stool acquires a liquid consistency; it can persist for a long period of time without other symptoms. It appears daily, every other day, or occurs periodically. Diarrhea is frequent and sudden bowel movements. Accompanied by a number of symptoms: acute abdominal pain, high temperature, and health quickly deteriorates.

Causes of prolonged loose stools in adults

If a person is bothered by loose stools at least once a day for a long time, this indicates pathological processes in the body. They can cause serious illness and lead to complications. Difficulties with stool vary in nature.

Factors contributing to indigestion:

The list of reasons is incomplete. The main factors that provoke loose stools are given.

When to see a doctor

If a symptom is observed, you should not ignore it, even if nothing hurts. It is recommended to call an ambulance immediately if:

Unformed, odorless feces are observed for a long time, daily (month);
Severe weight loss has occurred;
Feeling of constant nausea, bitter taste in the mouth;
After treatment, the symptom does not go away;
A foul odor appeared;
The man experiences severe shortness of breath and an increased heart rate;
The stool is very watery;
Blood clots and mucus appeared in the stool. This means complications of the disease have begun.

If stomach difficulties persist for a long time, consult a doctor. An adult must undergo a medical examination, take tests and undergo a course of treatment.

How to cure loose stools for an adult

It is necessary to quickly find out the exact cause, determine the diagnosis and prescribe comprehensive treatment, which includes:

Taking medications (anti-inflammatory, probiotics, prebiotics, antibacterials, sorbents, etc.).
The second tip is to follow a dietary menu (exclude foods that can have a laxative effect or overload a sore stomach).

The treatment method directly depends on the cause of the stomach upset. The diagnosis may be different for each person with this symptom. How and with what to treat is determined by the attending physician. Self-medication is prohibited! If treated incorrectly, there remains a risk of harm to health.

Enterosorbents will help provide first aid in this situation. The substances in the drug absorb and help remove toxic compounds from the body. Harmful substances, together with sorbents, naturally leave the body. The drug is used if there is a case of food poisoning. Sorbents include: Polysorb, Activated carbon, Smecta, Enterosgel, etc.

Medicine offers a choice of drugs that restore the stomach. Taking probiotics helps normalize digestion (Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Bifiform).

It is important to drink more water to replace lost fluids. You can make water with added salt. Rehydration medications are recommended to normalize the water-salt balance.

With the correct diagnosis and compliance with treatment, you can get rid of loose stools in a week.

Diet for loose stools

Proper nutrition will help quickly improve the functioning of the stomach. Strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations regarding diet will shorten the treatment period.

The diet includes:

Eating low-fat foods;
Lenten broth;
Rusks, crackers;
Porridge with water (oatmeal, rice porridge);
Boiled potatoes;
Vegetables cooked in a steam bath;
Bananas.

If you have loose stools, you should refrain from alcoholic beverages, coffee, dairy products, fatty and spicy foods, baked goods, carbonated water, and fruit juices.

Prevention

It is better to prevent a disease than to treat it. Preventive measures:

Always wash your hands before eating;
Choose food carefully;
Lead a healthy lifestyle;
Undergo an annual preventive examination.

A single, rare loose stool is not dangerous, but if a person has it for no reason and regularly, the symptom requires surgical treatment.

What to do if you constantly have loose stools, what are the causes of this condition and what to do to improve your well-being - the answers to these and other questions are in the article.

Why does loose stool occur?

Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is a pathological condition in which there is copious and frequent bowel movements (more than 2 times a day).

Feces are liquefied and watery. Diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain, flatulence, and weakness.

Why does constant loose stool occur? In most cases, the reasons for constant loose stools are quite prosaic.

The state of the gastrointestinal tract is especially affected by a person’s lifestyle.

If you eat fatty and fried foods for several years, exercise little, and experience excessive emotional and physical stress, then it is very likely that your body will malfunction.

The digestive system is one of the first to react to stress and poor lifestyle. In such situations, a person may complain that he is constantly bothered by loose stools.

If an adult has constantly loose stools, the first step is to exclude the possibility of an intestinal infection.

Pathogenic bacteria that enter the gastrointestinal tract produce toxins and disrupt the balance of intestinal microflora. Diarrhea is a protective reaction to the presence of pathogens.

Causes of loose stools include liver and gallbladder diseases.

Due to disruptions in the functioning of these organs, the absorption of vitamins and microelements necessary for the proper functioning of the body and good health deteriorates. Constant loose stools are one of the symptoms of diseases of these organs.

The normal functioning of the digestive system also depends on the production of certain hormones by the thyroid gland - thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

An increase in the hormonal activity of the gland (hyperthyroidism) leads to disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and often causes constant loose stools.

When considering the causes of chronic diarrhea, one should not exclude quite rare diseases - Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

These conditions are accompanied by constant loose stool mixed with mucus, blood and pus.

Lack of timely treatment can lead to exhaustion of the body and the occurrence of other associated pathological conditions. If blood and pus are detected in the stool, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnosis of persistent diarrhea

If symptoms of persistent loose stools are detected, it is recommended to begin treatment for the condition to avoid dehydration and subsequent intoxication.

Any intervention in the body should be agreed with a doctor. To make a correct diagnosis and choose a treatment regimen, you need to contact a gastroenterologist and proctologist.

During a general examination, the gastroenterologist will first of all clarify the symptoms of the condition. The patient may complain of frequent bowel movements (2-3 times a day) for more than 14 days.

Feces with diarrhea are copious and liquid. Diarrhea is often accompanied by bloating and asymmetry of the abdominal area. When palpating the abdomen, painful sensations are possible.

To make a correct diagnosis, the gastroenterologist will prescribe several blood and stool tests, which will help clarify the condition of the liver, gallbladder and identify the presence of infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

The causes of constant loose stools may be hidden in abnormalities of the internal organs. To identify possible pathological changes in the structure and functioning of the organs of the digestive system, radiography, ultrasound and colonoscopy are prescribed.

X-rays without the introduction of a contrast agent are not very informative, so specialists often conduct ultrasound diagnostics to exclude the presence of tumors in the abdominal area, which could lead to a malfunction of the digestive system and the appearance of constant loose stools.

During a consultation with a proctologist, the doctor will pay attention to the condition of the anus, traces of blood and pus in it.

To clarify the diagnosis, in addition to stool tests, a colonoscopy may be performed.

Such a study allows you to assess the condition of the intestines, identify the presence of ulcers, small tumors and polyps.

The colonoscopy procedure sometimes includes the collection of material - cells or tissues (biopsy).

A biopsy will help determine the presence of inflammation and precancerous conditions of the digestive system.

These pathologies can significantly disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and lead to the appearance of chronic loose stools.

Treatment of chronic diarrhea

Different approaches to the treatment of persistent loose stools are explained by the wide range of causes of its occurrence.

Since most cases of chronic diarrhea are associated with the patient’s lifestyle, therapy for this condition is based on changes in diet and adjustments to the regimen.

An increase in physical activity and a decrease in the level of everyday stress should be combined with dietary adjustments.

Thus, the diet of a patient with chronic diarrhea must include food that stops the processes of fermentation and gas formation.

The basis of this diet is dishes baked in the oven or cooked in a double boiler. To improve the digestion process and reduce the load on a weakened intestine, it is recommended to grind all food to a puree.

In folk medicine, for constant loose stools, rice water is used or rice porridge is simply included in the daily menu. This choice is explained by the strengthening effect that cereal produces on the intestines.

The danger of constant loose stools lies in the leaching of microelements and water from the body.

This increase in the amount of fluid is also associated with the need to accelerate the removal of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract.

Many gastroenterologists advise taking a course of probiotics for chronic loose stools. These drugs are created to restore intestinal microflora and improve the absorption of nutrients from food. Taking them has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and pancreas.

If the cause of constant loose stools is an inflammatory process of the digestive organs, then the doctor will prescribe antibacterial agents.

Antibiotic therapy must be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor, who, based on the results of tests and examinations, will establish an individual dosage and develop a medication regimen.

Self-medication in such a situation can provoke a deterioration in the patient’s condition and delay the recovery process.

Prevention of persistent loose stools

Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Prevention of constant loose stools is based on monitoring the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

One of the factors that provokes the appearance of chronic diarrhea is failure to comply with simple hygiene rules.

When E. coli or other harmful bacteria enter the body, the intestinal microflora is disrupted - the toxins produced by these microorganisms provoke a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to the appearance of loose stools.

Prevention of intestinal infection involves washing your hands with soap after visiting the toilet and before eating.

Due to the alkali contained in soap, most bacteria are destroyed and the likelihood of pathogenic microorganisms entering the intestines is reduced.

Harmful bacteria live not only on hands or household items, but also on raw fruits and vegetables, in water and in meat and dairy products.

Meat and dairy products must be subjected to heat treatment. Hygiene should be especially careful in the summer, as bacteria multiply faster in a warm environment.

When preventing chronic diarrhea, the main focus should be on diet.

Malfunctions of the digestive system are often associated with deterioration of blood supply to the abdominal organs.

To prevent weakening of blood flow to internal organs, it is recommended to lead an active lifestyle.

Fast walking, simple exercises in the morning or playing sports will help improve blood circulation and oxygen saturation of organs.

If you have had chronic diarrhea in the past, after recovery, it is recommended to visit a gastroenterologist once a year for consultation and examination. After 60 years, doctors advise examining the digestive system every six months.

Constant loose stools are an unpleasant and delicate problem that people often prefer to keep silent about.

But don’t be shy about seeking medical help, because timely treatment under the supervision of a specialist and following simple rules of prevention will allow you to forget about the disease forever.

What is loose stool

Reasons

the body's response to taking medications;
metabolic disorders;
symptoms of dysbiosis;
chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
stress;
irritable bowel syndrome;
worms;
damage to the intestinal mucosa;
food allergy.

Loose stools in an adult for a long time

Loose stools, but not diarrhea

Twitching stomach and loose stools

oncological diseases;
intestinal infection;
Crohn's disease;
stomach ulcer;
appendicitis.

In the morning

The stomach does not hurt, but the stool is loose

Liquid yellow stool

After eating

Diarrhea and gas

Blood mixed

Diagnostics

coprogram;
bacteriological culture;
examination of stool for worm eggs;

Treatment

Drug treatment

They successfully regulate intestinal motility and affect secretory function, thereby reducing the amount of fluid and feces released. The drugs increase the tone of the anal sphincter, due to which feces are retained. If liquid bowel movements were caused by an infection, then drugs that reduce intestinal motility are not used.

Gentle diet

If you have loose and smelly stools, it is recommended to follow a diet that excludes the consumption of fatty, salty or smoked foods. The diet should mainly consist of fresh vegetables and fruits, meat products must be properly thermally processed. Boiled or baked foods are allowed. Before eating, you should wash your hands thoroughly to avoid intestinal infections and food poisoning.

Video

Diarrhea has occurred in every person's life. But not everyone knows the reasons for the appearance, what to do in such a situation and how to prevent similar cases in the future.

Why does the stomach growl and diarrhea occur in adults?

Diarrhea is not an independent disease, but a consequence of dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. There are many reasons for the occurrence of dysfunction:

Antimicrobial drugs are not selective, destroying any microorganisms. The consequence of use is dysbacteriosis, which disrupts the digestion process.

Why does a child have diarrhea and a grumbling stomach?

The body of a child, especially one under 1 year of age, is very different from that of an adult. The immune and digestive systems are formed or do not function fully. Therefore, children are often susceptible to this symptom.

In children under one year of age, a distinction should be made between diarrhea and loose stools. For a baby, loose stools are a consequence of feeding with milk or a milk substitute. Diarrhea is an abnormal phenomenon and requires elimination.

The main causes of rumbling in the abdomen and diarrhea in a child include:

Violation of the diet by a nursing mother (for children under one year);
Eating dirty fruits, berries, sweets;
Inability to digest certain foods;
Food allergies;
Poisoning from household chemicals;
Lack of personal hygiene;
Infection with helminths.

Treatment of diarrhea in children

You should not treat the child yourself, but providing first aid is recommended. It is allowed to take sorbents and replenish fluid loss with special solutions.

In addition to taking medications, you need to make the diet gentle on the gastrointestinal tract. Heavy foods (fried, fatty, smoked), carbonated drinks, apples, beans, cabbage, tomatoes, and baked goods are excluded from the diet.

Products allowed for diarrhea:

Porridge made from rice and oatmeal without adding milk;
Kefir, yogurt;
Mashed potatoes with water;
Lean meat (chicken or turkey fillet);
Crackers.

Children's diseases develop rapidly, so you need to carefully monitor the patient's condition and, if the condition worsens, immediately contact a medical facility.

Stomach rumbling and diarrhea in pregnant women

For women in the “position”, digestive disorders are normal. This is due to several processes that occur exclusively during pregnancy:

Associated symptoms

Diarrhea in many cases is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms:

Temperature rises to 38.5. This is a serious symptom that signals the onset of an inflammatory process in the body.
Nausea and vomiting. Nausea and dizziness occur with mild poisoning. In severe poisoning, vomiting is profuse and can lead to dehydration.
Belching. The manifestation of a symptom indicates a violation of the diet or functioning of the digestive system. Belching after eating is caused by swallowing excess air along with a bolus of food.
Abdominal pain. Pain in the left side is a signal of difficulties with the stomach or pancreas. If it hurts near the navel and below, the intestines are not in order. Pain on the right side – problems with the liver, gall bladder or appendicitis.
Flatulence, or, in other words, bloating. The cause of the symptom is the gases released by bacteria when digesting food. Occurs for reasons similar to diarrhea.

What can the color of loose stool tell you?

Yellow color indicates excessive intestinal motility. His muscles are working harder than usual. Therefore, seething and slight pain in the abdomen may appear.

Stool becomes green if diarrhea is caused by an infectious disease. This color is acquired due to pathogens and leukocytes. Mucus is often present and smells rotten.

White feces confirm the fact of unsatisfactory functioning of the bile ducts due to cholelithiasis.

Black color indicates internal bleeding. Blood, passing through the gastrointestinal tract, acquires a similar color. Consumption of certain foods (blueberries, beets) and drugs (activated carbon) gives a similar effect.

The presence of red streaks in the stool may indicate damage to the intestinal walls, tumor disintegration, or the appearance of holes in the gastrointestinal tract due to an ulcer.

Mucus in diarrhea indicates intoxication of the body. By its color it is possible to determine the degree of poisoning. If the mucus is clear, it is minor. Brown, green or in the form of foam indicates the opposite.

Excess water in the stool is a symptom of cholera. Its pathogen, penetrating the intestines, causes it to secrete more digestive secretions. This can lead to dehydration and death.

When to Seek Medical Help

Medical intervention is necessary if loose stools do not go away within 2-3 days, and the body temperature constantly remains at around 39. If streaks of blood appear in the stool or it contains mucus, this is a reason to immediately seek medical help. These symptoms may simultaneously signal peritonitis or internal bleeding.

How is the disease that causes diarrhea detected?

The gastroenterologist prescribes a laboratory examination, the list of which includes:

Analysis of urine, blood, feces;
Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity;
Examination of the esophagus, stomach, rectum and colon.

Based on the events preceding the disease (disease history) and the results of examinations, a diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed: outpatient or inpatient. This depends on the patient’s condition at the time of examination.

What to do if an adult has diarrhea and a gurgling stomach?

Sometimes you don’t need to go to the hospital to eliminate dysfunction, since it often appears due to a diet disorder. After diarrhea, it is permissible to take activated carbon yourself in a dosage of 1 tablet per 10 kilograms of weight. There is no point in taking other medications after charcoal - it neutralizes the active substances. It is allowed to cleanse the intestines of irritants with an enema.

To replenish lost fluid, it is recommended to take Regidron solution. You can buy it at the pharmacy or prepare it yourself: dilute 1 teaspoon of table salt and 4 teaspoons of sugar in 1 liter of boiled water. The resulting solution should be taken every 5-10 minutes, a teaspoon for children and a tablespoon for an adult.

If the measures taken on the 2nd day of illness do not have an effect, you must call your local doctor at home or go to the emergency room of an infectious diseases hospital.

Treatment prescribed by a specialist involves the use of antibiotics and drugs that stimulate the growth of the patient’s own beneficial bacteria. In addition to medications, a special diet is required, the adherence to which will speed up recovery.

Nutrition for diarrhea

The presence of gastrointestinal dysfunction forces one to refuse:

Alcoholic drinks and coffee;
Fatty and fried foods;
Any products containing yeast.

It is recommended to include rolled oats or rice porridge, fruits, and boiled vegetables in the diet during treatment. Fermented milk products are good helpers in restoring microflora: kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk. Water should not be neglected - it is vital for the body.

Prevention

To avoid the appearance of such an unpleasant symptom as diarrhea, you need to follow simple to follow tips. The habit of keeping your hands clean and washing them after a walk, visiting the restroom, or contact with an animal is a guarantee of good health!

Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly. You can use regular toilet soap. And when cooked, they cook well.

Meat, milk, eggs - the listed products must be heat treated before consumption.

You should not eat sour ready-made meals. Products that have expired should be thrown away. You shouldn’t rely on “maybe” and risk your health.

Diarrhea is an unpleasant, painful, unexpected phenomenon. Its appearance signals a serious malfunction in the body or nutrition. Incorrect treatment or lack of treatment can cost a person his life.

Severe diarrhea with water is a problem that every adult has encountered at least once. There are quite a few reasons for bowel dysfunction. This could be an infection in the intestines or simply a poor-quality product eaten at dinner. Water diarrhea most often occurs due to pathologies of the small intestine.

Know! Watery diarrhea in an adult can be a symptom of a serious illness, and therefore it is necessary to find out the reason why diarrhea appeared and eliminate it as soon as possible.

Water diarrhea in an adult can occur at the most unexpected moment. It’s good if the urge to go to the toilet is rare and lasts for one to two days. However, water diarrhea in an adult can last longer. If loose, watery stools persist for more than three days, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination to find out the cause of the disease. The digestive tract is connected to all systems in the body, so any external influence can increase intestinal motility, thereby causing watery stools in an adult. The most common causes of diarrhea are:

Dyspeptic factor. This reason occurs due to disruption of the production and regulation of the gastric glands, which leads to the inability to digest food and absorb nutrients into the body.
Infectious cause is one of the most common causes. As a rule, in the presence of an infectious disease, the patient has a virus in the intestines or toxic substances remaining from low-quality products.
Nutritional factor. This reason lies in the body’s reaction to one of the substances contained in the products.
Toxic cause. Diarrhea like water in an adult can occur due to poisoning with poisonous and toxic substances.
The drug factor is provoked by the influence of strong drugs. For example, water diarrhea in an adult is often caused by treatment with antibacterial agents. Antibiotics do an excellent job of fighting pathogenic microflora; however, they also destroy beneficial bacteria, causing dysbacteriosis.
The neurogenic cause is also called bear disease. In this case, loose stools, like water, appear in an adult due to strong and frequent experiences.

There are other factors that provoke the appearance of diarrhea in an adult. Many people wonder what to do if they have diarrhea with water. In this case, it is important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. For example, if in addition to diarrhea with water you also experience a high temperature, most likely you have intoxication of the body. It can occur due to poisoning with poisons or low-quality products. In addition, sometimes diarrhea is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, which may indicate other serious diseases.

Additional symptoms

Diarrhea in the form of water from the intestines can be a sign of various ailments. In order to have more complete information about the disease, it is necessary to take into account other factors. For example, you should pay attention to how the disease progresses, what additional symptoms appear, and also what color the stool is.

Loose stools in an adult are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature. The maximum temperature is usually recorded at 39 degrees. This sign is considered normal because it indicates immunodeficiency. Diarrhea is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting; abdominal pain and an unpleasant feeling of heaviness may occur. In addition, many people also note belching with the smell of rotten eggs, which is easily explained by the flow of gases from the intestines into the stomach.

Almost any doctor can easily determine the cause of the disease by the color of the stool. Also, any patient can independently draw some conclusions. The first thing to ask yourself is how often do I go to the toilet. If the answer is more than three times a day, you should start to worry. Secondly, you should also ask yourself how long it takes to go to the toilet with liquid feces. An alarming sign is the continuation of dysentery for three days or more. The color of stool may indicate the following:

Green color is a sign of the presence of pathogenic microflora in the intestines. These can be harmful bacteria or viruses of various natures.
Yellow stool indicates increased intestinal motility. This disease is most easily eliminated, so yellow color can be considered a good sign.
Black stool may be evidence of eating certain foods, such as blueberries, beets, or activated charcoal. If no similar products were consumed the day before, then this sign indicates the presence of bleeding in the body.
White liquid stool is a sure sign of a stone in the bile duct or a neoplasm.
If the stool is clear and looks like water, it is possible to talk about the presence of cholera, which provokes all the signs of diarrhea.

Consequences of water diarrhea in adults

If diarrhea is not treated with water, an adult can experience many complications. The most likely and common consequence of diarrhea is dehydration. During diarrhea, the body loses quite a lot of water. If you do not replenish its amount in the body, you can easily develop disturbances in the water, electrolyte and salt balance in the body.

Water and minerals are necessary for absolutely all body systems. In addition, the human skeleton is approximately one-fifth water, and the brain and heart are three-quarters. This is why the body simply cannot survive without the right amount of water. Recovery from dehydration is very long.

Treatment of diarrhea

Many people wonder how to treat diarrhea with water for an adult. It would not be amiss to begin with by saying that the causes and treatment of diarrhea are closely interrelated.

Important! Before starting therapy, it is imperative to determine the reason why loose stools are bothering you. It is best to contact a specialist for this, since in most cases the problem can only be identified through special research.

The first thing you need to worry about is to prevent dehydration. It is necessary to restore the balance of water and salt; the drug Regidron is excellent for this. If you don’t have it on hand, you can simply pour boiled water into a liter jar and add half a teaspoon of soda, a tablespoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. It is advisable to start drinking the solution within the first 6-10 hours of the onset of diarrhea. After taking the solution, after some time you can also add mineral water. It is not recommended to drink juices, milk and coffee during diarrhea.

You should not try to cure the disease yourself with antibacterial agents. Antibiotics are extremely rarely prescribed during diarrhea, since in this case they can do more harm than good. In general, independent treatment most often results in complications, so it is not recommended to neglect qualified help. Many infectious diseases can lead to rather dire consequences.

How to eat during diarrhea?

An important part of treating diarrhea is following a special diet. It involves giving up sweets and starchy, spicy and fatty foods. In addition, alcoholic and carbonated drinks are prohibited. You should also not include pickled or canned foods in your menu. All dishes must be steamed or boiled. You should eat more cereals and vegetables. It is better to replace bread with crackers.