Diarrhea refers to the frequent passage of loose, soft, and watery stool with or without flatulence, bloating, and pressure. It is caused by bacterial infections, irritable bowel syndrome, parasites, food intolerances, reactions to medications, and intestinal disorders. It is widespread and occurs in everyone a few times, but those most affected are the elderly, crawling children, and those with a medical condition.
Dr. Bharat Pothuri, a gastroenterologist, treats most Cypress diarrhea. Below is what you need to know about diarrhea.
Causes
Whether it is acute, persistent, or chronic diarrhea, it is caused by various factors, which are as follows:
Viral infections- Are caused by viruses such as adenovirus, rotavirus, and norovirus, which cause diarrhea with mild to moderate watery bowel movements, abdominal cramps, and low or weak fevers.
Bacterial infection- Causes severe diarrhea. It is caused by eating contaminated food and drinks. It causes frequent water stool, fever, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain.
Parasites- Such as Giardia lamblia and entamoeba histolytica cause diarrhea.
Intestinal diseases- Disorders such as celiac disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and malabsorption causes chronic diarrhea, which is yellow.
Reaction to medication- Pressure medicine, weight loss, cancer, antacids, gout, and antibiotics cause drug-induced diarrhea.
Food allergies- Intolerance to food sweeteners can cause chronic diarrhea.
Therapy and surgery- Chemotherapy and digestive surgery cause diarrhea.
Alcohol and laxative abuse- Chronic alcoholism and frequent taking of laxatives cause diarrhea.
Symptoms
The watery stool, which signifies diarrhea, may be accompanied by different signs such as:
- Weight loss.
- Abdominal pain.
- Bloating and gas.
- Fever, chills, and body aches.
- Bloody stool.
- Vomiting.
- Dehydration.
- Weakened immune system.
Prevention
Diarrhea can be easily stopped by:
- Drinking enough clean water and cutting down on caffeine.
- Breastfeeding infants often and giving them electrolytes.
- Drinking herbal tea such as chamomile and watching what you drink and eat during traveling.
- Getting rotavirus vaccination and educating oneself on the spread of infection.
- Storing food properly and avoiding drinks and food that give you gas.
- Avoiding contaminated foods, drinks, alcohol, and laxative abuse.
- Avoiding strenuous exercises and having good hygienic practice.
Treatment
The treatment options vary with the cause of diarrhea. The following is how mild to severe diarrhea is treated:
Over–the–counter medication- Such as oral electrolytes for infants and atropine, are used as anti-diarrhea.
Antibiotics- Decrease the severity of diarrhea.
Probiotics- Are used to combat diarrhea. Before using probiotics, seek advice from the health care provider.
Medication for a specific condition- Other conditions such as ulcerative colitis induce diarrhea; therefore, taking medicines particular to the disease helps stop diarrhea.
Hospitalization- Chronic diarrhea requires hospitalization for you to receive IV fluids and frequent observation.
Intravenous hydration- Is used to treat severe dehydration due to chronic diarrhea.
Talk to a Gastroenterologist Today
Diarrhea can be devastating if it does not heal fast. There is no pleasure in enjoying public events, and even performing simple tasks can take you a long time to complete. If you are concerned about your diarrhea symptoms, consult Dr. Bharat, a gastroenterologist at GastroDoxs PLLC, and be able to move beyond the discomfort and inconveniences of diarrhea. By walking into the clinic or booking an appointment, you will be one step of beating the diarrhea menace.