Dorothy FarrarDiarrhea
Diarrhea , also referred to in medicine as diarrhea or diarrhea , is the frequent emptying (more than three times a day) of mushy or watery, mostly increased stool. Depending on the cause, this can also be mixed with mucus, pus and blood. Gastrointestinal infections, food poisoning or food intolerance are often the reasons for diarrhea. There may also be symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches and fever.
What is diarrhea?
In technical jargon, diarrhea is referred to as (diarrhea). The doctor speaks of diarrhea when the bowel is emptied more than 3 times a day.
In addition, the stool is mostly liquid and usually empties in a gush. A distinction is made between acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea. In addition to diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain can occur.
A distinction is also made between large and small intestine diarrhea. Colonic diarrhea often involves relatively small amounts of stool, which often contains mucus and blood. This is different with small bowel diarrhea. The stool contains neither mucus nor blood, but is much more watery and voluminous. In some cases, food components can also be excreted undigested.
Causes
Causes of diarrhea can B. inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, drugs, food components, a faster intestinal transit or digestive disorders.Infectious diarrhea (caused by bacteria, viruses , rotavirus or protozoa; enteritis ) frequently occurs, which is a dangerous disease with a high mortality rate (dysentery, cholera, typhus), especially in developing countries. Tourists in southern countries often suffer from diarrhea. Causes are contaminated food or contaminated water.
The most common reason for diarrhea is infection with the so-called noro virus. Noroviruses are transmitted by smear infections as a result of poor hand hygiene after going to the toilet (stool-mouth transmission).
Food poisoning is often caused by toxins from bacteria (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus or Clostridium botulinum) in contaminated food and drink.
But also chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) or digestive disorders (chronic pancreatitis , sprue, intestinal surgery, lactose intolerance due to lactase deficiency) are among the causes of diarrhea.
A large number of drugs (e.g. antibiotics , laxatives , chemotherapeutics), but also food allergies (e.g. to strawberries, carrots, bananas) can trigger diarrhea. Intestinal tumors often cause alternation of diarrhea and constipation. Hormonal causes ( hyperthyroidism , carcinoid) or psychological influences can also lead to diarrhea.
When to the doctor?
Diarrhea does not always require a doctor’s visit. Diarrhea needs to be checked out by a doctor if it persists for more than two days and is accompanied by fever, blood or mucus in the stool, severe stomach pain and other symptoms.
Diarrhea in small children under the age of two, the elderly or weakened people and pregnant women must be clarified by a doctor in any case. A doctor’s visit is also advisable for children if they refuse to eat or drink, if they have a high fever or if they have underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart or kidney disease. A specialist should also be consulted in the event of circulatory problems and possible previous illnesses.
In general, the following applies: if the symptoms do not decrease after a maximum of 48 hours or if further complaints occur, a doctor should examine the disease more closely. Patients who regularly take medication, have an underlying medical condition, or observe diarrhea after traveling or eating certain foods should consult a doctor immediately. In the case of severe pain, signs of dehydration or a circulatory collapse, an emergency doctor should be alerted immediately.
symptoms and course
One speaks of diarrhea when the stool is watery and mushy and the bowels are emptied more than 3 times a day. In addition, the stool may contain pus and blood.
The course and severity of diarrhea can vary widely. In most cases, diarrhea is mild and goes away on its own after a few days.
Severe diarrhea can be accompanied by side effects such as nausea , vomiting , abdominal pain and symptoms such as dehydration, circulatory failure and shock.
Diagnose
If the affected person visits the doctor, questions about the onset of the disease, frequency and appearance of the diarrhea provide important information about the underlying cause. In the case of uncomplicated diarrhea, no specific diagnosis is often necessary. In addition to stool culture and laboratory tests, especially in the case of chronic diarrhea, further clarification by means of ultrasound diagnostics of the abdomen and a stomach (gastroscopy) or colonoscopy (colonoscopy) may be necessary.
complications
Diarrhea usually subsides after a few days. The prognosis depends on the duration and severity of the disease and the constitution of the patient. Elderly people, sick people and children are particularly at risk, since the ongoing loss of fluids can lead to circulatory problems and sometimes also to serious accompanying symptoms such as dehydration and shock. With early treatment and sufficient bed rest, the prognosis can still be assessed as positive.
Chronic diarrhea , on the other hand, permanently weakens the body and also massively restricts those affected in their quality of life. In addition, due to the diarrhea, other diseases can develop or be promoted, which in connection with the existing diarrhea favor a negative prognosis. In the long term, dehydration and overloading of the gastrointestinal tract lead to organ damage and impairment of cognitive performance. If it is possible to balance the fluid and electrolyte balance, the disease will heal without permanent damage. Due to the large number of possible causes and influencing factors, an exact prognosis can only be made by a doctor.
treatment and therapy
In the treatment of acute diarrhea in particular, it is necessary to take in plenty of fluids (e.g. glucose and electrolyte solutions), and in the case of severe courses or massive vomiting also as an infusion. Constipating drugs (e.g. loperamide) also have a beneficial effect. In addition, the respective cause of diarrhea must be treated.
In the case of infections, no antibiotic therapy is usually necessary, but it is recommended for complicated courses, certain pathogens or patients with a serious underlying disease.
Infant diarrhea (formerly infant dyspepsia) is the main symptom of acute nutritional disorders and, in a mild form, the most common intestinal disease in infancy. Signs are restlessness, reduced food intake, fever , thin, light yellow or green stool with an acidic or foul smell.
If the diarrhea is not remedied (as is easily done with the diet-related form by correcting the diet), water and electrolyte depletion can occur within a few hours, with the signs of pale grey, shriveled, dry skin , accelerated pulse, the onset of acidosis and blood thickening (pretoxicosis). .
Missing or insufficient treatment leads to toxicosis with somnolence, coma and death. Diarrhea with additional vomiting (emetic diarrhea) is particularly dangerous because these patients cannot be compensated for with fluids without an infusion.The causes of diarrhea and diarrhea with vomiting in infants are mostly infections of the digestive tract, but also general (e.g. pneumonia ) or local (e.g. umbilical or otitis media) infections. The best prevention is breastfeeding.
outlook and prognosis
As a rule, diarrhea can be treated relatively well and easily. This is especially true if the diarrhea was caused by an intolerance or an allergy . In some cases, this can also occur due to bad foods. The diarrhea usually disappears after a few hours or a few days and does not lead to any further symptoms or complications. If the diarrhea is caused by a virus or an infection, taking certain medications can also help and stop the diarrhea. In most cases, however, it heals itself, so that a visit to the doctor is not absolutely necessary.
If the diarrhea is caused by another disease in the stomach or intestines, the further course of this complaint depends heavily on the underlying disease. In the case of a tumor , the diarrhea can be permanent and significantly reduce the quality of life of the person affected. As a rule, diarrhea is also not associated with a reduction in life expectancy.
prevention
Hygiene is generally the best preventive measure against diarrhea. Foods that may be tempted with salmonella should be kept separate from other foods at a temperature below 10 degrees. Potentially hazardous foods include game, poultry, crustaceans, fish, and molluscs and shellfish. They should also be prepared separately.
Fish, meat and poultry should be well cooked before consumption, minced meat should be consumed on the day of production. Dishes with raw eggs, such as tiramisu, should be eaten immediately after preparation.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.