Traditional medicine

How does diarrhea manifest? What could be causing persistent diarrhea? Features of diarrhea provoked by various factors

There are a number of diseases that many people who suffer from them do not like to talk about and are even ashamed of. And diarrhea (in common parlance - diarrhea) is one of them. Meanwhile, this condition is often a sign of very serious disorders in the body. Not to mention, diarrhea itself is dangerous and can even be fatal. However, practice shows that not all people know how to treat diarrhea properly.

What is diarrhea?

First of all, let's define this concept. Diarrhea in medicine is usually called a condition when a person performs an act of defecation, or bowel movements too often. Of course, frequent bowel movements is an imprecise criterion, so it should be clarified. A person who eats normally and consumes a normal amount of water should have bowel movements from 1 time in 2 days to 2 times per day. If defecation occurs more often than twice a day, then this condition can be considered one of the characteristic signs of diarrhea.
The second determining factor is the consistency of the stool. Normally, human excrement is cylindrical in shape and quite hard. With diarrhea, the type of stool is always different from usual - it is a semi-liquid, liquid or mushy mass, or even just water. If these symptoms of diarrhea - frequent urge to defecate and loose stools - continue for more than two weeks without a break, then the diarrhea is considered acute. Otherwise, it should be classified as chronic.

Generally speaking, diarrhea can be a symptom of many diseases. However, this disease cannot be determined by the mere fact of diarrhea. Other symptoms also play a huge role. It is extremely rare to find a case where diarrhea occurs against the background of complete health and is not accompanied by other characteristic signs.

The main symptoms that often accompany diarrhea:

elevated temperature;
weakness;
nausea;
gas formation in the intestines;
pain in the lower or upper abdomen.

You should also pay attention to such characteristics of diarrhea as stool consistency. Pasty, liquid, watery diarrhea may indicate various gastrointestinal diseases. Also, with diarrhea, some additional discharge may be observed - blood, mucus, pieces of undigested food. What matters is the color of the discharge, its volume - abundant or scanty, the smell - foul or not.

Causes of diarrhea

What causes diarrhea? The causes of this condition can be varied. It is important to know well the cause of diarrhea, as otherwise treatment may not be effective.

Additional factors contributing to the occurrence of diarrhea are:

insufficient personal hygiene;
insufficient chewing of food, incorrect eating habits;
stress and neuroses;
sedentary lifestyle;
use of certain types of medications;
reduced immunity;
pregnancy;
childhood.

However, whatever the causes, diarrhea requires serious treatment and adequate treatment.

The main viral and bacterial infections that can cause diarrhea are:

salmonellosis,
dysentery,
rotavirus infection,
enterovirus infection.

As a rule, the main symptom indicating that diarrhea is caused by an infection is fever. Also, infections of the gastrointestinal tract are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and general weakness. Patients often complain that they have a stomach ache or pain in the lower abdomen. Stools with infectious diarrhea are frequent. Diseases such as dysentery are characterized by very liquid stool, which usually has a foul odor and contains mucus or blood.

Lack of digestive enzymes

Digestion is a complex chemical process. It involves many substances, whose task is to break down the organic substance entering the digestive tract into those simple compounds that can be absorbed by the body’s tissues. Many of the substances necessary for digestion are produced by various organs - the liver, stomach, pancreas. Such compounds include pepsins, bile, pancreatic enzymes - protease, lipase, amylase. If any of the enzymes is missing, this means that undigested food remains will accumulate in the intestines. This causes irritation and upset of the intestines, which causes diarrhea.

Poisoning

Often, loose stools are the body’s reaction to toxic substances. There may well be some toxins in the food we eat. This may mainly apply to stale or expired products, products treated with some chemicals or containing poisons (mushrooms, fruits and vegetables). It is also possible that drugs and chemicals may be ingested in large doses. This circumstance may well cause poisoning of the body, accompanied by diarrhea. As a rule, in case of poisoning, not only loose stools are observed, but also other symptoms. Typically, poisoning is initially accompanied by pain and stomach cramps. As the pathological process develops, poisoning begins to manifest itself with cramping pain, vomiting, nausea, sometimes headaches, neurological symptoms, or symptoms of cardiovascular failure.

One of the varieties of this type of diarrhea is the so-called “travelers’ diarrhea”. Although in fact this disease has a whole range of causes. It occurs in people who try large quantities of unusual and unfamiliar food. Most often, this behavior is typical for people who travel to distant and exotic countries and want to get new sensations. However, the problem is that our gastrointestinal tract and the body as a whole are conservative in nature and, to a certain extent, are tuned to the diet to which they have been accustomed since childhood. And when faced with something new, their work becomes disorganized, resulting in loose stools and an upset stomach.

Inflammatory processes of the digestive organs

Diarrhea often accompanies inflammatory diseases of the digestive system that are not directly caused by infectious agents. With these diseases, inflammation or ulcers of the surface of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines are observed, which, in turn, leads to gastrointestinal disorders. In addition to stool disorders, inflammatory diseases of the stomach and duodenum are often accompanied by heartburn, characteristic belching, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth (bitter or metallic). Such diseases include:

enteritis,
cholecystitis,
autoimmune diseases (for example,).

Intestinal motility disorder

In diseases of this type, undigested food remains due to malfunctions of the autonomic nervous system of the intestine move too quickly through it and do not have time to form solid feces. Most often, this type of diarrhea is characteristic of a disease called “irritable bowel syndrome.” The urge to defecate with this syndrome may appear more often than usual and be associated with moments of nervous tension. However, the total amount of feces usually does not exceed the norm, and dehydration of the body, characteristic of other types of diarrhea, is usually not observed.

Dysbacteriosis

Many of the bacteria that live in our intestines are not pathogenic, but take part in the digestive process. If the number of intestinal bacteria drops catastrophically, for example, in the case of taking antibiotics, then a proliferation of other microorganisms may be observed, as well as disruptions in the digestion process, which often leads to diarrhea. After restoring the balance of the microflora, the stool, as a rule, returns to normal.

Diagnostics

What to do if diarrhea is chronic? To identify the causes of the pathology, you must consult a doctor. Although not all patients do this. But this is not always prudent, because it is completely unknown what pathology manifests itself due to diarrhea. This could be an accidental mild food poisoning, a relatively harmless irritable bowel syndrome, which, in principle, you can not pay much attention to, ulcerative colitis requiring long-term treatment, salmonellosis, in which the patient is subject to immediate hospitalization, and extremely dangerous tumors.

As for acute diarrhea, especially in severe form, here, of course, any doubts about the advisability of seeing a doctor should be discarded. If diarrhea occurs in an acute form, then the acute dehydration accompanying the disease can often lead to death. Statistics show that diarrhea kills more than a million children every year around the world. It must be remembered that most infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are dangerous not in themselves, but in the complications associated with diarrhea.

In some cases, if we are talking about relatively mild diarrhea, the patient himself can determine the causes of diarrhea - for example, overeating or food poisoning, and draw appropriate conclusions about how treatment should be carried out.

Treatment

How to treat diarrhea? It must be remembered that this is not an independent disease, but only a symptom, although quite dangerous in itself. Therefore, in order to eliminate diarrhea, it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate the pathology that caused it. However, symptomatic treatment of diarrhea is also very important in many cases.

Let's look at the main methods that can successfully treat diarrhea. They can be both medicinal and non-medicinal. Non-drug ways to combat diarrhea include diet, methods for cleansing the stomach, etc.

Drug treatment

First of all, medications will help get rid of diarrhea. They can be divided into several main groups:

sorbents,
antibiotics and antiseptics for intraintestinal action,
probiotics,
antidiarrheals,
means for restoring fluid in the body (rehydration).

Enterosorbents are products that absorb the contents of the stomach and intestines, bind and neutralize them, and then excrete them with feces. Thus, if loose stools are caused by some foreign agents (microorganisms or toxins), then with the help of enterosorbents they can be removed from the body.

Diarrhea is most often treated with antidiarrheals such as loperamide, which affect intestinal motility and slow down the movement of feces through it. This type of medication, however, may not be effective for all diarrhea, and sometimes they can even be harmful. Therefore, before using this type of drug, it is necessary to clarify the cause of diarrhea.

To relieve severe pain, you can use antispasmodics, painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs. However, it should be firmly understood that they can only be used if the source of pain is accurately identified, the disease is diagnosed and does not threaten the patient’s life. Therefore, you should consult your doctor before taking these medications. In some cases, painkillers can mask the development of life-threatening infectious and inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Fluid replenishers are a type of medication that is often not taken seriously. And it’s completely in vain, because they help the body fight dehydration. Most often, saline solutions, such as Regidron, are used for this purpose.

Probiotic drugs are usually used if diarrhea is caused by dysbiosis. If the amount of normal intestinal microflora decreases, probiotics will help restore balance in the gastrointestinal tract and normalize digestion. However, in most cases, the use of these drugs alone will not correct the situation.

The choice of drugs from any group depends on the etiology of the disease. Therefore, in order to know how to treat diarrhea, you must first identify the source of the problem.

If frequent loose stools are caused by food or household poisoning, then the most effective method of treatment is gastric lavage and/or taking enterosorbents. It is also necessary to take means to restore fluid in the body.

If diarrhea is caused by an infection, then it is necessary to use antibiotics prescribed by a doctor, anti-inflammatory drugs as an auxiliary element of therapy, and rehydration agents.

For irritable bowel syndrome, non-infectious colitis, enteritis and gastritis, antidiarrheal and anti-inflammatory drugs will be most effective. The method of treating inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract is quite complex and the treatment strategy should be determined by a doctor.

How to treat diarrhea caused by a lack of digestive enzymes? This is quite simple - first of all, you should take enzyme preparations containing pancreatic enzymes and bile. Antidiarrheal medications will also be helpful.

Diet

Diet is an important part of therapy. First of all, it is necessary for those who do not know how to get rid of diarrhea. Taking any medications in most cases will be useless if the patient simultaneously eats foods that irritate the digestive organs and help prolong the disease.

The diet largely depends on the type of disease. However, there are a number of principles that must be followed when eating.

Excessively fatty and sweet foods, foods that provoke active fermentation and gas formation in the stomach, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, and alcohol should be excluded from the diet. Preference should be given to boiled food rather than raw food, and especially not fried or smoked. Food should be easily digestible, that is, hard-to-digest foods such as mushrooms should be excluded from the diet. Drinking is also important. In case of severe dehydration, it is useful to drink saline solutions; for intestinal infections - decoctions of chamomile, rose hips, and strong tea.

Prevention

Prevention includes, first of all, personal hygiene, washing and proper heat treatment of food. It is also important to follow a proper diet, not to eat expired or spoiled foods, products of dubious origin, and to ensure that hazardous chemicals do not get into your food. It is also important to monitor your eating habits, do not eat on the go or dry food, avoid stress and overwork, monitor your health and treat chronic diseases in a timely manner.

Diarrhea(indigestion, diarrhea) is a symptom that characterizes a certain type of digestive disorder. The term “diarrhea” refers to a patient’s condition in which bowel movement, accompanied by the release of liquid stool, occurs more than twice a day. Varies depending on clinical development acute form of diarrhea, the duration of which is no more than two weeks, and chronic form, which lasts more than two weeks.

Diarrhea is the second most common complaint among children, who consulted a doctor (high temperature comes first).

As a rule, the occurrence of diarrhea is associated with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, but diarrhea can also be accompanied by some other diseases that are not associated with damage to the digestive organs.

Under normal conditions, food that enters the digestive organs is digested. The process of food digestion occurs due to the action of various enzymes that break down food components into monosaccharides, amino acids, fatty acids, i.e. to simple substances. During digestion, food moves through the intestines from the duodenum to the anus. Different stages of digestion occur in different parts of the intestine. Thus, in the small intestine, food products and water are broken down and absorbed; in the large intestine, feces are formed and certain groups of vitamins synthesized by the intestinal flora are absorbed.

There are several main points of the digestive processes.
1. The digestive process is significantly affected quantity and quality of food. Thus, a lot of difficult-to-digest foods (foods rich in plant fiber and fats) are not fully digested, which leads to accelerated intestinal motility and increases the growth of bacteria.

2. Quality of digestive processes determines the condition of the digestive tract. On the one hand, the digestive process is affected by the amount of enzymes secreted by the pancreas, stomach and liver. On the other hand, the condition of the intestinal mucosa determines how food digested by the stomach is absorbed.

If there are not enough enzymes, food absorption does not occur completely. If the intestinal mucosa is damaged, the digested substances are not able to be absorbed. When undigested substances accumulate in the intestinal cavity, secretion of electrolytes and water occurs, that is, the release of water from the blood into the intestinal cavity. Intestinal peristalsis is of great importance during the digestive process, through which food masses move along the intestines, which ultimately leads to their removal from the body. When peristalsis decreases, constipation occurs, and when it increases, diarrhea occurs.

3. The digestive process in the large intestine is influenced by quantitative and qualitative composition of microflora. The large (and partly small) intestine of a healthy person is inhabited by special types of “beneficial” bacteria. Their main function is to process leftover food that has not been digested and release some substances beneficial to the body.

There are cases when changes occur in the quantitative and qualitative composition of normal intestinal microflora. The consequence of this is that microbes that can cause disease (pathogenic) settle in such a “changed” intestine. Diarrhea may be one of the manifestations of such a microflora disorder.

Mechanisms of development of diarrhea

There are the following main mechanisms for the development of diarrhea:
the release of salts (electrolytes) and water into the intestinal cavity increases,
acceleration of dynamics (intestinal motility),
the process of absorption of digested food from the intestinal cavity is disrupted,
due to a lack of digestive enzymes, the process of food digestion is disrupted.

As a rule, several of the listed mechanisms are involved in the appearance of diarrhea, since if any one condition of proper digestion is violated, this also affects the functioning of others. The most common causes of diarrhea: intestinal dysbiosis, acute intestinal infections - acute intestinal infections, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Diarrhea in acute intestinal infections

With acute intestinal infections, diarrhea occurs due to the fact that the functioning of the digestive tract is disrupted due to the influence of various microorganisms. In summer, acute intestinal infections are caused in most cases by bacteria, and in winter - by viruses. In this case, microbes can disrupt the digestive processes both by penetrating the intestinal mucosa (enteroinvasive E. coli, salmonellosis) and by producing harmful substances that paralyze the intestines.

Diarrhea, which is caused by pathogenic microbes, can last for a long time and in some cases poses a threat to human life. Sometimes diarrhea can be caused by normal intestinal microflora if a large amount of undigested food enters the colon. In this case, diarrhea will end simultaneously with bowel movement.

There are two main types of diarrhea with acute intestinal infections:
1. Diarrhea with watery stools. This type of diarrhea is characteristic of acute intestinal infections, the appearance of which was caused by bacteria or viruses that secrete toxins (for example, Vibrio cholerae). At the same time, the composition of feces includes salts and water secreted by the intestinal mucosa, which has been exposed to viruses and toxins.
2. Diarrhea with bloody cases. This type of diarrhea occurs with dysentery and salmonellosis. It is caused by bacteria that penetrate the intestinal mucosa and destroy it.

In acute intestinal infections, as a rule, there is acute diarrhea. In a number of diseases, which include dysentery in particular, the acute form of diarrhea can develop into chronic.

Diarrhea due to intestinal dysbiosis

Main characteristics intestinal dysbiosis– violation of the quantitative and qualitative composition of normal intestinal microflora. During dysbiosis, the number of “useful” microbes living in the intestines decreases (sometimes to the point of disappearing completely), and the number of bacteria that are not characteristic of normal microflora increases. As a result of disruption of the normal intestinal microflora, an excess amount of harmful bacteria appears in it - the main cause of diarrhea. During dysbacteriosis, diarrhea of a chronic nature is observed, it is not constant.

Diarrhea in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Diarrhea can be caused by all kinds of chronic diseases of the digestive tract.

Diarrhea can be a constant symptom of diseases such as inflammation of the small intestine (chronic enteritis), inflammation of the large intestine (chronic colitis), Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, which are accompanied by damage to the intestinal mucosa. With these diseases, diarrhea appears due to the fact that the processes of absorption of nutrients from the intestinal cavity are disrupted. Sometimes diarrhea can be caused by diseases of the liver and pancreas.

A symptom such as diarrhea can also occur in a number of diseases that are not directly related to dysfunction of the digestive tract. For example, diarrhea can appear due to hepatitis, overexertion or emotional stress, poisoning or overheating in the sun. In these diseases, the appearance of diarrhea is mainly due to the fact that intestinal motility accelerates.

In some cases, diarrhea can be caused by a lack of vitamins (niacin, vitamin B2, vitamin F). As a side effect of taking medications, diarrhea may occur when taking antiarrhythmic drugs ( Quinidine sulfate), antibiotics, medications intended to lower blood pressure, antacids, as well as in case of overdose of laxatives or after ingestion of magnesium preparations.

Warning symptoms of diarrhea

the appearance of mucus and blood in the stool;
profuse, watery stools that appear more than 15-20 times in 24 hours;
copious light-colored stools, lower body temperature below normal.

If at least one of the symptoms listed above is present, this is a serious reason to immediately seek medical help.

Diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea

There are a number of priority actions when treating diarrhea:
1. It is necessary to eliminate the cause of diarrhea.
2. It is important to take measures to prevent the development of complications.
3. It is necessary to take measures to restore the body’s resources after suffering from diarrhea.

The modern stage of diarrhea treatment involves solving these three problems simultaneously.

First you need to determine the reason why the diarrhea appeared. This event is extremely important because it helps to prescribe treatment that eliminates the cause of the disease (so-called etiotropic therapy). It is often quite difficult to determine the cause of diarrhea. Determining the nature of diarrhea (watery or bloody stools) can significantly facilitate the diagnostic procedure and the prescription of competent treatment.

If this is possible, the diagnosis can be clarified using a method such as stool microscopy (it allows you to clarify whether there are certain types of pathogenic bacteria in the stool). Less commonly, and mainly for epidemiological purposes, a method such as inoculation on nutrient media is used. Next, we will look at the main types of diarrhea and the methods used to treat them.

Watery diarrhea

It occurs when the small intestine is affected by bacterial toxins (food poisoning or acute intestinal infections). However, in some cases the number of bacteria present in the intestines may be small. Watery diarrhea associated with viruses may also occur in winter. At the same time treating diarrhea with antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs is not recommended, with the exception of cases of severe diarrhea if salmonellosis or cholera is suspected. In this scenario, hospitalization of the patient is required.

If the patient has mild or moderate watery diarrhea, treatment should be organized in the following main areas: preventing dehydration and replenishing the water-salt balance. To achieve these goals, it is effective to use solutions such as Oralit And Regidron.

After thirst is eliminated (in a short time it is necessary to consume 3-5 glasses of solution), the solution should be taken half a glass after each bowel movement or 3-4 glasses per 12 hours, until the diarrhea stops.

During diarrhea, you should avoid hard-to-digest foods or foods containing fiber (for example, raw vegetables and fruits), you should give up fruit juices (mainly apple and grape), dairy products, sweet and salty foods, since these foods can only make diarrhea worse. At the same time, it is allowed to eat baked fruits and vegetables, strong tea, and crackers. Tea made from St. John's wort will be especially useful.

For adults with acute diarrhea, you can take medications such as No-shpa or Loperamide. Children during diarrhea should take Loperamide not recommended.

Bloody diarrhea

Its treatment is mainly based on eliminating the cause of the disease (all kinds of microbes) with the help of antibiotics and antimicrobial drugs of synthetic origin. It is worth emphasizing that bloody diarrhea is a sufficient factor for hospitalization of the patient, therefore, attempting to treat such a patient at home is not recommended.

Rehydration therapy is carried out according to the scheme we have already described. For bloody diarrhea, this direction of treatment is also very important, but, compared to antimicrobial treatment, it comes in second place. Based on the fact that recently many microbes have become immune to “classical type” antibiotics, the use of drugs from the fluoroquinolone group will be effective (Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin). In some cases it can be used Cotrimoxazole And Metronizadol. In any case, before taking this or that drug, you must study the instructions for use and consult with your doctor.

In what cases is it necessary to immediately consult a doctor? Even taking into account that treatment of complicated diarrhea of moderate or mild severity is carried out, as a rule, at home, it is necessary to take into account that in some cases diarrhea can be a sign of a serious illness, the treatment of which requires urgent hospitalization of the patient and provision of high-quality medical care. Diarrhea can be extremely dangerous for life in the elderly and children.

You should consult a doctor if:
Against the background of diarrhea, there is an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees;
Acute diarrhea occurred in an elderly person or a child under one year of age;
If during acute diarrhea there is also abdominal pain or severe vomiting;
Black stool that resembles tar, or dark brown vomit containing fresh blood (this may indicate bleeding from the duodenum or a stomach ulcer);
Diarrhea continues for more than three days, despite treatment;
If, during acute diarrhea, severe dehydration develops or the patient experiences impaired consciousness;
While taking medications for diarrhea, adverse reactions occur (nausea, allergic skin rashes, irritability, sleep disturbance, abdominal pain, dark urine);
If diarrhea sometimes appears without obvious reasons.

During an appointment with a doctor, you need to tell him about all current or previous diseases, operations (even visits to the dentist), as well as how the treatment was organized.

Treatment with folk remedies

Good remedy for any, even bloody, diarrhea and dysentery: dry the inner films of chicken stomachs, grind them into powder. Accept two or three once a day, one teaspoon with water.

Help effectively for diarrhea: rice porridge or rice water. They need to be boiled in water, hard-boiled, without adding salt.

For gastrointestinal disorders You can use the following remedy: dried chamomile flowers (one tablespoon) per glass of boiling water. Infuse for four hours in a thermos, then strain. Drink two tablespoons four times a day after meals.

During bloody diarrhea recommended: preparations - decoction of burnet rhizome, cinquefoil erecta (according to 25 grams), 50 grams of shepherd's purse grass; infusion - according to 50 grams of burnet, rhizomes of snakeweed; decoction - 10 grams of comfrey per 200 milliliters of milk, leave for an hour, take two tablespoons four to five times a day.

Many people wonder what to do with diarrhea, how to reduce the symptoms of the disease. Treatment of diarrhea, after identifying the disease, should be very delicate.

The restoration of the proper functioning of the intestines and stomach, as well as the patient’s health, directly depends on the speed of the solution.

Severe diarrhea can provoke extremely negative consequences, the most dangerous of which will be dehydration, often leading to death.

When, due to various circumstances, a consultation with a doctor is not possible, and the patient’s general health is satisfactory, then you can try to get rid of diarrhea at home.

Severe diarrhea: causes and treatment

Diarrhea is not a disease, but only a symptom that indicates disorders of the intestines or stomach, or within the body as a whole. Therefore, it is impossible to eliminate diarrhea without identifying the factors that provoked it.

Diarrhea is the release of liquid stool once or with an increased frequency of bowel movements.

When such a violation occurs within 21 days, then in this situation we can talk about acute diarrhea, more than 3 weeks - chronic.

If these symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a specialist. He will tell you what to do if you have diarrhea, what remedies can eliminate this phenomenon.

Reasons

The main causes of diarrhea in adults are the following:

indigestion after a heavy meal with “heavy” dishes;
food intoxication;
susceptibility to certain products (allergy, hypolactasia);
use of certain medications (laxatives, antacids, drugs against arrhythmia, anticoagulants, sweeteners);
psycho-emotional shocks (anxiety, fear, during which diarrhea is a consequence of a hormonal surge);
diarrhea during travel (associated with climate and nutritional changes). Such diarrhea usually goes away after 3-4 days, and the patient associates the appearance of diarrhea with these events.

But the provoking factors of diarrhea in adults are much more serious:

infection by pathogenic microorganisms;
inflammation of the digestive organs (gastritis, hepatitis, colitis), ulcers;
functional organ failure (lack of enzymes);
gastrointestinal diseases of unknown origin (Crohn's disease);
intoxication (poisoning with lead, mercury).

In such situations, it will not be enough to simply stop the diarrhea: you need to make a diagnosis and then select the appropriate therapy, often in a hospital.

Regarding laboratory signs of diarrhea, they are mild.

This applies to simple indigestion, when in addition to loose stools, spastic pain inside the abdomen and dyspepsia (grumbling, bloating, accumulation of gases inside the gastrointestinal tract) are observed.

Treatment

Self-therapy for diarrhea at home is possible only in a situation where the patient does not have additional symptoms indicating the presence of complex pathological processes.

Treatment for diarrhea at home, after establishing the causes of the pathology, involves the following directions:

following a gentle daily routine;
dietary food;
fluid replenishment;
therapy with folk remedies or medications.

To know what to do if you have diarrhea, you need to consult your doctor.

Diet for diarrhea in an adult

Nutrition directly affects bowel movements. Many foods have an irritating effect on motor skills, and in case of severe diarrhea, you should forget about them until the final recovery. These are spices, raw vegetables, some fruits.

Certain products are characterized by a fixing effect, therefore, after the pathology has been established, in the first 3-6 days of dietary nutrition, the following dishes should be eaten:

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

It is optimal to start your diet on a “hungry” day: you only need to drink strong tea (8-10 cups throughout the day).

When diarrhea is caused by lactose or gluten sensitivity, then dietary nutrition is the main factor in therapy.

After identifying this pathology, a therapeutic diet is prescribed that completely excludes products that contain milk sugar and gluten.

Diet plays a big role: meals should be frequent (every 3 hours) and in small portions.

Dietary nutrition must be followed throughout the entire therapy and beyond, but after the first strict days it is permissible to remove restrictions and saturate the menu, observing the following principles:

Remove products that mechanically and chemically irritate the intestines (spicy, salty, sour, which contain coarse fiber).
It is forbidden to eat foods that stimulate the release of bile (tomatoes and carrots, grape juice).
Exclude from the menu foods that cause fermentation and increased gas formation (apples, cabbage, black bread).

Prohibited products:

fried meat;
offal;
rich broths;
fatty fish, prepared in any way, and low-fat fish, fried or canned;
whole milk, heavy cream;
hard-boiled and fried eggs;
cabbage, beets, radishes, cucumbers;
canned vegetable products;
sour berries and fruits;
flour;
highly carbonated water, cold drinks.

steamed cutlets made from meat puree, soufflé;
boiled fish, steam cutlets;
porridge with water;
pasta;
fermented milk products;
cottage cheese;
soft-boiled eggs;
boiled vegetables;
baked fruits;
berry mousses;
white bread crackers;
tea, compote

Drug therapy

Medications for the treatment of diarrhea in adults, after detection of the disease:

Sorbents. They are an important component of pathology therapy. They help remove toxic substances and infectious agents from the gastrointestinal tract, help absorb gases, and reduce bloating. It is recommended to use these medications during an intestinal infection or intoxication, but they must be taken separately from any other medications (it is optimal to leave a gap of 2 hours, otherwise the drugs will not be absorbed). In case of severe absorption disorder within the intestine, medications are not prescribed so as not to aggravate the lack of nutrients. The list of these remedies is long, from standard activated carbon to the latest medicines based on calcium and bismuth salts.
Medicines that reduce the production of mucus in the intestines. They are used 1 day after the onset of pathology. These are anti-inflammatory drugs like Diclofenac, Indomethacin. When Crohn's disease is detected, hormonal drugs (Metypred, Prednisolone) are used for these purposes, with appropriate prescription from a specialist.
Herbal medicines. Plants with astringent characteristics help reduce secretion and intestinal motility. These include oak bark, bird cherry, alder cones, chamomile, and cinquefoil. From these raw materials, decoctions and tinctures are made for internal use throughout the day. In order to eliminate diarrhea, various traditional medicines with a fixing effect are suitable.
Enzymes. When diarrhea is associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, enzymes make it possible to replenish the lack of digestive juices. Failures in absorption within the intestine also require auxiliary stimulation. For these purposes, drugs based on pancreatin (Creon, Festal, Mezim) will be effective.
Medicines that eliminate diarrhea and reduce intestinal motility. The choice of remedy varies depending on the factors that provoked the disease. Loperamide is a well-known component; medications based on it eliminate diarrhea as a phenomenon (Imodium, Lopedium). It is forbidden to use during an intestinal infection, since some pathogens remain inside the body and will not be eliminated.
During the period of enteropathy, hormonal drugs are prescribed that simultaneously paralyze the motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract and enhance its absorption (Somatostatin, Octreotide).
Antispasmodic medications eliminate excessive motor skills (Papaverine, No-shpa).
Antibacterial agents are prescribed by a specialist after receiving information from the tests performed and identifying the factors that provoked diarrhea. In general, broad-spectrum antimicrobials are recommended when an intestinal infection is present. In situations with a viral origin of the disease, antiviral or immunoglobulins are used. However, such diarrhea can disappear on its own without medical intervention. Antibacterial agents that act directly in the gastrointestinal tract and do not penetrate the bloodstream. They have a detrimental effect on staphylococcus, streptococcus, salmonella and other pathogenic microorganisms, but retain beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics. These medications are indispensable during the treatment of diarrhea of various origins, since diarrhea, no matter what factor it is provoked, contributes to an imbalance of microflora in the intestines. For example, Acipol, Normobact, Linex, Florok. The drugs reduce the activity of pathogenic microorganisms, help remove toxic substances, help restore the intestinal mucosa and strengthen local immunity, and also stimulate the restoration of positive bacteria.
Intestinal immunomodulators. Specialists can include in the therapeutic regimen for diarrhea a remedy such as Galavit, which is recommended during any viral diarrhea. The drug eliminates the symptoms of poisoning and quickly improves well-being in adult patients (contraindicated in children).

Traditional medicine

Walnuts. A proven remedy that eliminates diarrhea. Usually, they help improve the functioning of the stomach and the proper formation of stool. It is permissible to make an infusion with vodka or water.
Black bread. It is an extremely common folk remedy for diarrhea. It is soaked in water and then taken orally. It is recommended to consume more crackers - they help make stool more stable in composition.
Sagebrush. A popular remedy for relieving diarrhea. It is recommended to make an infusion of wormwood in a dosage of 1 tsp. three times a day.
Every hour, until the diarrhea stops, you need to drink 1 tsp. potato starch, which is dissolved in warm water.
Oak bark. An effective remedy for diarrhea. A decoction of it is a strong antibacterial drug. In addition, it is characterized by excellent astringent properties. 1 tsp crushed raw materials, which must be infused in 2 glasses of cold water (at least 6 hours), significantly alleviates and often eliminates pathology. This product should be used three times a day, 100 g each. The only condition is that it is contraindicated for children with diarrhea.
Cranberry during pathology is suitable for everyone, regardless of age. It must be done as follows: brew berries with leaves - 2 tbsp. 2 cups boiling water, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Use chilled for diarrhea 4 times a day. Dosage – 100 g at a time.
St. John's wort. 1 tbsp. l. crushed herbs are steamed with 1 glass of boiling water and infused. One-time diarrhea goes away quickly. However, the remedy will also cope with long-term, 2-week diarrhea. You only need to drink 150 g of decoction three times a day for diarrhea. It will also be effective to make enemas from it.

Prevention

Preventing diarrhea is much easier than treating it. Preventive measures to eliminate pathology are as follows:

compliance with hygiene rules;
washing fruits and vegetables before eating;
heat treatment of products of animal origin;
taking medications directly according to a doctor’s prescription;
eating fresh and high-quality products;
drinking boiled water.

When the measures taken to improve well-being are not crowned with a positive result or the patient’s condition has deteriorated significantly, you should immediately seek help from doctors.

Diarrhea is an unpleasant symptom of many pathologies, indicating problems with the intestines or stomach. Diarrhea is characterized by frequent bowel movements with changes in stool consistency.

A condition in adults that has not gone away within 3 days is a reason to visit a specialist.

Chronic diarrhea indicates the presence of dangerous diseases, and regular pain inside the abdomen is not the norm.

Black or green diarrhea, a gag reflex with blood, or severe dehydration can indicate the severity of the condition: you should immediately call a doctor.

Useful video

The human body is very fragile and vulnerable, especially the digestive system. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract can occur in a person of any age and gender, and the consequences can be very serious.

One of these unpleasant diseases is diarrhea.

Diarrhea (diarrhea)- This is an intestinal disorder. You can classify it as a separate disease, but it would be more correct to say that diarrhea occurs as a result of gastrointestinal disorders and is more of a symptom.

Diarrhea can be fatal, and children under two years of age are at risk if a diagnosis is not made in time, the cause of this disorder is not determined, and immediate treatment is not started.

If measures are not taken, dehydration occurs, which can be life-threatening for the patient.

There are two forms of diarrhea: acute and chronic.

Acute form, as a rule, begins suddenly and lasts no more than two weeks. Most often it is caused by infections that affect the gastrointestinal tract. In the acute form, two types of diarrhea can be distinguished: when it is just liquid discharge and when it is bloody.

Chronic form diarrhea occurs from more serious illnesses and can last a long time. In this case, doctors try to extend the period of remission for the maximum period.

1. Causes of diarrhea

2. Symptoms

Severe pain in the intestines and stomach;
Increase in temperature;
Nausea, vomiting, bloating;
Liquid stool that may be watery, bloody, or slimy.

If symptoms of this kind appear, you should immediately contact a specialist, for an adult - no later than 2-3 days, but for a small child - already in the second, since the child’s body is more vulnerable and suffers more from diarrhea.

3. Diagnostics

With the help of differential diagnosis, specialists can understand the most important thing - what is the cause of diarrhea. To make a diagnosis, they examine the body and study the symptoms, since they may vary for different pathogens of diarrhea.

Doctors pay attention to the color and smell of stool, how abundant and frequent they are, but this may not be enough to prescribe precise treatment. The patient also undergoes tests; only by studying them in the laboratory can one find out the cause and prescribe the necessary treatment.

4. Diseases that cause diarrhea

Diarrhea syndrome can occur not only from infections or inappropriate food, but also due to some kind of disease. For example, diarrhea is caused by:

Crohn's disease;

This disease is not always associated with the gastrointestinal tract; a patient with nervous system disorders may also have diarrhea. Hepatitis, disorders of the biliary tract can also manifest themselves in the form of loose stools.

5. Treatment and prediction of diarrhea

If this is ordinary food poisoning, a diet is prescribed, and after a couple of days the stool should improve. Hospitalization of a patient is necessary in cases where his fluid balance is already disturbed due to the extent of the disease, loose bloody stools, and when he has been diagnosed with life-threatening diseases - salmonellosis or cholera.

The specialist prescribes medications that relieve spasms and pain in the abdominal area, for example Nosh-pa or Spazmalgon, and solutions or tablets that help stop loose stools.

When treating diarrhea, antibiotics are used in cases where the condition has noticeably worsened. In some cases, the patient requires additional treatment to restore the body, in which case the specialist will tell you what vitamins need to be taken.

Treatment of diarrhea with folk remedies

A person does not always need drug treatment. In cases where diarrhea is caused by a common food infection and is not complex in nature, it can be treated at home. The most common methods of treatment are drinking strong tea and St. John's wort decoction. In the second case, you cannot overdo it, since St. John's wort is a highly stool-fastening herb.

If you have diarrhea with bloody discharge, dried chicken gizzards can help. They should be ground into powder and taken several teaspoons per day as a decoction. Pharmacy chamomile is well suited as a general tonic. You should not overdo it in self-medication, and if it does not help within a few days, it is recommended to go to the hospital to avoid complications.

Diarrhea - causes, symptoms, treatment

Almost every person has encountered such a problem as diarrhea. But what to do if diarrhea does not go away for a week in an adult?

Description of the disease

Diarrhea is a condition in which a person passes loose stool several times a day. This condition has 2 forms:

spicy. Diarrhea may not stop for up to two weeks;
chronic. Diarrhea may last more than two weeks.

Diarrhea is not considered a separate disease. It is rather a symptom that indicates any disruption in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea can be caused by various reasons. It manifests itself in adults and children. The condition is unpleasant and brings a lot of discomfort if it occurs in adults. But, if it is observed in a child, parents are overwhelmed with anxiety and not in vain.

You can ignore the malaise, which lasts 1–2 days, but if the diarrhea cannot stop on the 6th day, you need to contact a specialist. If you do not seek help in a timely manner, various complications may arise. It is very important to know the reasons for prolonged diarrhea and how to get rid of diarrhea.

If, in the presence of diarrhea, an adult does not have stomach pain, then the body independently cleanses the gastrointestinal tract of toxins, mucus, and rotting products that accumulate after stagnation inside the tract. This functional disorder may disappear on the second day after following the diet. If diarrhea persists for 4 days or more, contact a specialist.

Why does diarrhea occur?

Diarrhea that lasts 1 to 2 days and does not cause pain can be caused by:

food poisoning;
alcohol poisoning.

Loose stools for 1, 2, 3 days can be observed during pregnancy and menstruation. The body is cleansed, then the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is improved.

The cause of diarrhea may be:

neurosis;
food poisoning;
intolerance to certain foods;
acclimatization of the body;
long-term use of medications that provoke diarrhea (anticoagulants, laxatives, synthetic sweeteners, antiarrhythmic drugs).

Diarrhea that occurs for one of these reasons goes away very quickly, literally in 3 to 4 days. If diarrhea is caused by one of these factors, it will not be difficult for you to figure it out. If stool disorder does not go away after 3-4 days, seek help from a specialist.

Weekly diarrhea may indicate one of the following diseases:

intestinal infection (rotavirus, influenza, cholera);
dysentery;
intestinal tuberculosis;
salmonellosis;
exacerbation of an existing chronic disease (dysbacteriosis, colitis);
enzyme deficiency.

Features of diarrhea provoked by various factors

During diarrhea, the following processes occur in the body:

increased secretion of salts and water into the intestinal cavity;
disruptions in the process of absorption of food (digested) from the intestinal cavity;
accelerated intestinal motility;
disruption of food digestion.

OKI. Diarrhea caused by acute intestinal infections occurs due to the influence of various microorganisms on the gastrointestinal tract. Microbes produce toxins that paralyze the intestines. Usually, with ACI, diarrhea has an acute form, sometimes it develops into a chronic form (with dysentery).

Dysbacteriosis. It is characterized by a disruption of the normal intestinal microflora (there is an increase in bacteria that are not characteristic of the intestinal microflora, a decrease in the number of “useful” microbes. Diarrhea is characterized by a chronic course. Diarrhea can last three days or more.

Chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Diarrhea can last all day with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:

chronic enteritis;
Crohn's disease;
chronic colitis;
ulcerative colitis.

The danger of prolonged diarrhea in a child

If diarrhea is not in an adult, but in a child, you need to be careful. If the diarrhea is severe and lasts for 2, 3, 4 days, signs of dehydration may appear. This condition is dangerous due to the occurrence of dysfunction of all internal organs. When diarrhea is observed in a child for a long time, you need to carefully monitor his condition, any changes, deviations from the norm. It is imperative to call a doctor if diarrhea does not stop for several days or abdominal pain appears.

If diarrhea does not go away for a week, dehydration occurs, which is not safe, especially for a child’s body. The child may lose about 3% of his weight. To determine the moisture balance, you should monitor the frequency and number of urinations. Alarming symptoms are:

darkening of urine;
concentrated urine;
long breaks between urination (more than 8 hours).

In this case, the patient experiences:

nervousness;
dry mouth;
dizziness;
depression;
disorientation.

If diarrhea does not stop for a week, it can cause coma or death without timely treatment. You should not put off going to a specialist if your child has watery diarrhea and the fluid released is greenish in color.

First aid for diarrhea

If you have prolonged diarrhea, you need to visit a specialist to determine the cause of its occurrence and select the appropriate treatment. The duration of diarrhea should be the impetus for making a decision on diagnosis and treatment. You don't have to endure diarrhea every day. You can try to eliminate this unpleasant symptom yourself, for this you need:

Take a sorbent drug (“Smecta”, “Activated carbon”, “Filtrum-Sti”).
Drink more water (boiled), weak weak tea. This will help avoid dehydration.
To restore the supply of lost nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, it is recommended to drink herbal teas. If you have a fever, it is useful to drink tea with currants and linden.
Cleansing enema (can be given once). Through a cleansing enema, we remove bacteria from the intestines. This procedure also helps lower the temperature due to the absorption of water into the intestinal walls.

The need for a diet for diarrhea

Diet for diarrhea is also important. Past diarrhea can return after the substances that caused it (poor food, medications, bacteria) enter the body. After undergoing the treatment recommended by a specialist, you need to be more attentive to your body. To restore normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, a diet is necessary. Experts recommend that adult patients and children follow it.

The diet is based on drinking large amounts of liquid. After diarrhea, the patient must follow basic nutritional rules:

Consume liquid foods (light pureed purees, low-fat soups, broths).
Cereal porridges should be prepared as mucous, semi-mucous. It is forbidden to consume large grains so as not to injure the intestinal walls.
You should eat foods containing a lot of fiber (dried fruits, bananas, apples).
You need to eat white, bran bread.
You can eat lean meat and fish.

The following should be excluded from your usual products:

vegetables, fruits (fresh);
canned food, smoked meats;
dried products;
tea (green), coffee;
seasonings;
salt, sugar in large quantities;
dairy products;
soda;
fatty foods.

Drug treatment for diarrhea

If diarrhea does not go away on the third or fourth day, contact a specialist to find out the cause. After making a diagnosis and clarifying the cause that triggered the onset of diarrhea, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment. Usually it consists of taking the following means:

Sorbents (“Smecta”, “Activated carbon”).
Antidiarrheal drugs (Imodium, Loperamide).
Drugs aimed at restoring ionic balance (Regidron). They are needed after dehydration of the body.
Pro/prebiotics (“Linex”, “Bifiform”). They are needed to restore the microflora inside the intestines.

If the diarrhea is of an infectious nature, the specialist prescribes:

Intestinal antiseptics (“Sulgin”, “Fthalazol”, “Furazolidone”).
Antibiotics (macrolides, tetracyclines, amoxicillins).

You should not use these medications for self-medication for diarrhea. Each of the drugs should be selected taking into account such features as: the condition of the patient, the cause of diarrhea. Medicines are prescribed in a course that should be completed to the end, and not stopped after the unpleasant symptom (diarrhea) disappears. Also, don't forget about your diet. It is an important aspect in the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.