Why does a person have diarrhea? Causes and treatment of frequent diarrhea in adults

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Diarrhea is a symptom that manifests itself in the form of loose, frequent (more than 3 times a day) stools and is accompanied by flatulence and pain in the abdominal area. It is divided into acute (which lasts up to two weeks) and chronic.

With diarrhea, the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, and this leads to the fact that the digestive process accelerates, the stool becomes liquefied and the number of bowel movements increases accordingly.

Types of diarrhea

Causes

Most often, diarrhea occurs for the following reasons:

• Bacterial infections caused by E. coli, salmonella, dysentery, foodborne illnesses, cholera;
• Viral infections, which can cause rotavirus, adenovirus, enterovirus;
• Enzyme deficiency;
• Intestinal diseases;
• Tumors;

• Poisoning with nitrates, heavy metals, household chemicals;
• Taking medications: antibiotics, laxatives, cytostatics;
• Gastrointestinal bleeding;
• In pregnant women, diarrhea can be caused by hormonal changes;
• Diarrhea at 36–40 weeks of pregnancy may indicate that labor is approaching.

Associated symptoms

Diarrhea may be accompanied by:

What diseases may this indicate?

A symptom such as diarrhea may indicate the following pathologies:

• Infectious diseases: dysentery, salmonellosis;
• Endocrine diseases: thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus;
• Diseases of the large intestine: different types colitis, polyposis;
• Hormonally active neoplasms: thyroid carcinoma, gastrinoma;
• Diseases of the small intestine: Crohn's disease, celiac disease, Whipple's disease,;
• Disorders of the stomach after resection or with atrophic or;
• or ;
• Infectious diseases: dysentery, cholera.

The color and consistency of stool with diarrhea may indicate the disease:

• Heterogeneous stool with green specks and mucus indicates a viral or bacterial infection;
• Yellow, semi-formed stool indicates increased intestinal motility;
• Black diarrhea is a sign of bleeding from the stomach. It can also occur when eating products based on animal blood, blueberries, beets, or taking bismuth preparations;
• White diarrhea indicates problems with the liver or gall bladder.

Treatment of diarrhea

Treatment for diarrhea depends on what exactly caused it:

• If it is an infection, in this case the following are prescribed: antibiotics, drugs that slow down peristalsis, sorbents and enzymes;
• For enzymatic deficiency: enzymes;
• For diarrhea caused by taking medications, antifungal drugs, eubiotics and sorbents are prescribed;
• For intestinal diseases: glucocorticoid hormones, antibiotics.

It must be remembered that diarrhea is a symptom, and the cause of its occurrence must be eliminated.

In order to quickly relieve this symptom, you can use the following medications:

Traditional methods that help quickly get rid of diarrhea:

• Black pepper. In order to stop diarrhea, you need to take 7 peppercorns and drink it with enough water;
• Vodka with salt. To prepare the product, add 80 ml of vodka, 3 g of salt, stir and drink immediately;
• Leaf tea. Chew a pinch of black leaf tea slowly, then wash it down with water;

Complications

Since diarrhea is a symptom, the disease itself that causes it is dangerous. Its consequences are.

Diarrhea (diarrhea ) is a condition in which a person has a fairly frequent or one-time bowel movement, during which a liquid stool is released. In an adult healthy person From 100 to 300 g of feces are excreted per day. Its amount varies depending on the amount of fiber contained in the food and the amount of remaining undigested substances and water. If the duration of the disease remains within two to three weeks, then in this case there is acute diarrhea . If a person has loose stools for more than three weeks, diarrhea becomes chronic. At chronic diarrhea The patient also experiences systematically profuse stools. In this situation, the weight of feces will exceed 300 g per day. Diarrhea occurs when the water content in a person's stool increases dramatically - from 60 to 90%. In case of impaired absorption nutrients from food in patients is diagnosed polyfecal : An unusually large amount of feces is released, which consists of food debris that remains undigested. If intestinal motility is impaired, the stool will be very loose and frequent, but in general its weight will not exceed 300 g per day. That is, even in the case of an initial analysis of the characteristics of the course of diarrhea, it is possible to find out what the cause of such a pathology is and, therefore, facilitate the process of establishing a diagnosis and selecting subsequent therapy.

Diarrhea of ​​any kind is a pathological process in which the absorption of water and electrolytes in the intestine is impaired. In view of this, with diarrhea of ​​any kind, approximately the same picture is observed. Both the large and small intestine have a very high capacity for water absorption. So, every day a person consumes about two liters of liquid. In general, about seven liters of water enter the intestines, taking into account saliva , , intestinal And , . In this case, only 2% of the total volume of liquid is excreted with feces, the rest is absorbed directly in the intestine. If the amount of fluid in the stool changes even very slightly, then feces become too hard. If there is too much fluid in the colon, a person experiences diarrhea. This disease manifests itself due to disorders in the digestive process, problems with absorption, secretion and intestinal motility. In the case of diarrhea, the small and large intestine are perceived as a single physiological unit.

Types of diarrhea

At secretory diarrhea There is an increased secretion of electrolytes and water into the intestinal lumen. In more rare cases, the cause of this type of diarrhea is a decrease in the absorption functions of the intestine. Thus, secretory diarrhea occurs when cholera , Escherichiosis , salmonellosis . But sometimes a similar condition also occurs in patients with certain non-infectious pathologies. If a patient has this type of diarrhea, the osmotic pressure of the blood plasma is higher than the osmotic pressure of the feces. The patient produces watery and fairly abundant feces, their color is green. Causes of occurrence secretory diarrhea are the active process of secretion of sodium and water in the intestine. The occurrence of this process is provoked by bacterial toxins, enteropathogenic viruses, a number of drugs and other biological active substances. Thus, secretory diarrhea can be provoked by long chain fatty acids And bile free acids , laxatives , which contain anthraglycosides , Castor oil .

At hyperexudative diarrhea sweating occurs plasma , mucus , blood into the intestinal lumen. This condition is typical for patients suffering from infectious and inflammatory bowel diseases ( shigellosis , salmonellosis , campylobacteriosis , clostridiosis ). Also, this type of diarrhea typically manifests itself in non-communicable diseases, such as nonspecific ulcerative colitis , . The osmotic pressure of blood plasma is higher than the osmotic pressure of feces.

The osmotic pressure of fecal matter is lower than the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. The stool is liquid, there is an admixture of pus, blood, and mucus.

At hyperosmolar diarrhea the patient has a malabsorption of certain nutrients in the small intestine. Metabolic processes in the body are noticeably disrupted. This type of diarrhea occurs with excessive use of saline laxatives. The osmotic pressure of fecal matter is higher than the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. This condition is characterized by loose and profuse stools, in which particles of undigested food are found.

At hyper- And hypokinetic diarrhea The patient has disturbances in the transit of intestinal contents. The cause of this condition is decreased or increased intestinal motility . Very often, this condition is typical for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, as well as for those who use too many laxatives and antacids. The osmotic pressure of fecal matter in this condition is the same as the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. The stool is not particularly abundant, with a liquid or mushy consistency. Two the latter type diarrhea occurs only in patients with non-infectious diseases.

Causes of diarrhea

The occurrence of diarrhea is influenced by the following phenomena: intestinal secretion , too much high pressure V intestinal cavity , intestinal exudation , violations in progress transportation intestinal contents . All these mechanisms have a certain connection, but a certain type of disease is characterized by the predominance of the corresponding type of disorder.

Symptoms of diarrhea

Acute diarrhea occurs with various types of infections, inflammation in the intestines and due to exposure to certain medications. As a rule, diarrhea occurs in combination with a number of other manifestations: it may be , bloating , stomach ache , weakness , feeling of chills , increase in body temperature .

Symptoms of an infectious type of disease are general malaise , manifestations , bad , vomit . Very often, the causes of diarrhea are poor quality food, as well as travel (the so-called tourist diarrhea occurs). The appearance of loose stools with elements of blood indicates the presence of damage in the intestinal mucosa. Their occurrence is provoked by some pathogenic microbes or with enteropathogenic properties. The patient's condition with this form of the disease is severe due to septic symptoms and pain in the abdominal area.

Some medications can also cause diarrhea. Level the body can be assessed already through examination of the patient. If there is a significant loss of electrolytes and water in the body, then dry skin is observed, a decrease in its turgor, and may also appear. hypotension . Due to noticeable calcium losses in the body, there may be a tendency to cramps .

In case of chronic diarrhea, that is, a disease lasting more than three weeks, the examination should first of all be aimed at finding out the reasons for its occurrence. The specialist examines the medical history and conducts all relevant stool examinations. During the diagnostic process, it is important to establish the duration of diarrhea, determine the volume of stool per day, the frequency and severity of intestinal motility, and weight fluctuations. If there is a disease of the small intestine, the stool will be bulky, watery or greasy. Colon diseases are accompanied by frequent stools, but they will be less abundant, containing pus, blood, and mucus. With pathology of the colon, diarrhea, as a rule, will be accompanied by pain in the abdomen.

Diagnosis of diarrhea

During the diagnostic process, a routine physical examination is performed. In this case, the specialist carefully examines the condition of the patient’s bowel movements and conducts a proctological examination. If the patient's stool is found blood , There is , or , then we can assume that the patient has Crohn's disease . In the process of microscopic examination of stool, it is important to determine in it inflammatory cells, fat, the presence of eggs and protozoa.

Using the sigmoidoscopy method, it is possible to diagnose, pseudomembranous colitis . To establish a diagnosis of “acute diarrhea,” the doctor is guided primarily by the patient’s complaints, medical history, proctological examination, and physical examination. The laboratory performs macro- and microscopic examination of stool samples.

If, during the process of establishing a diagnosis, it turns out that there is no inflammation in the intestines, then, most likely, diarrhea in this case will be associated with malabsorption. In some cases, the occurrence of acute diarrhea is provoked by enteroviruses. If viral enteritis is suspected, the doctor must make sure whether the symptoms and manifestations of this condition coincide. Thus, with viral enteritis, there is no blood and inflammatory cells in the stool, antibacterial therapy is ineffective during the treatment process, and the patient can recover spontaneously. The specialist must note all the described features when differential diagnosis intestinal diseases of various kinds.

In the process of diagnosing chronic diarrhea, first of all, it is determined whether there is a connection between the occurrence of diarrhea and infections or inflammations. To do this, stool tests are carried out - microscopic , bacteriological , sigmoidoscopy . Also, to exclude inflammation, the pathogenetic mechanism of diarrhea should be determined. Often, a period of time on a specific diet for diarrhea helps to establish the correct diagnosis.

Treatment of diarrhea

Some approaches to treating diarrhea are common to all four types of the disease. So, it works equally effectively, symptomatic medicines and drugs with antibacterial action. First of all, changes in eating style are practiced. So, a diet for diarrhea involves consuming foods that help inhibit peristalsis and reduce the secretion of water and electrolytes. At the same time, it is important to exclude those products whose properties suggest an increase in the motor-evacuation and secretory functions of the intestine.

Treatment of diarrhea includes administration antibacterial drugs , which are designed to restore intestinal eubiosis. Patients with acute diarrhea should take antibiotics , antimicrobial And sulfonamides drugs , antiseptics . The most preferred treatment for diarrhea is one that does not disturb the balance of intestinal microflora.

An alternative medicine for diarrhea is bacterial drugs , the course of treatment of which lasts up to two months. Used as symptomatic agents adsorbents , which neutralize organic acids and also prescribe astringents And enveloping facilities.

Diarrhea is also treated with the help of drugs that regulate motility and reduce intestinal tone. And to eliminate the state of dehydration of the body it is used rehydration . If the patient is diagnosed with an acute condition, then rehydration is carried out orally; in rare cases, crystalloid polyionic solutions are infused intravenously for rehydration.

The doctors

Medicines

Intestinal suffering is usually represented by two opposing types - diarrhea And . Moreover, the first one causes a lot of trouble, because of which it is impossible to even leave the house. Usually, (official name diarrhea) is a malaise that is expressed by frequent and very loose, watery stools. She is, of course, unpleasant. But most importantly, it can be an indicator of a fairly serious disease caused by intestinal infections or food poisoning.

The main danger - as its consequence - dehydration , because of which the patient may even die. Of course, at the first signs of diarrhea, you need to consult a doctor and make a correct diagnosis. The specialist will prescribe treatment in accordance with the characteristics of your body, but, perhaps, the main thing for all patients remains severe.

Both during the treatment prescribed by the doctor and at the first signs of diarrhea, even before going to the hospital, you should drink as much as possible mineral water without gas, fruit juice, any juice and other liquid. The exception is dairy products and coffee.

How to get rid of diarrhea?

Along with drug treatment(if the infectious nature of the disease or food poisoning is revealed) it is not only possible, but also necessary to resort to folk remedies. For example, for hundreds of years now people have been getting rid of diarrhea in the following way: chicken stomach cut off the yellow shell, wash it well and dry it, then crush it with a wooden masher or rolling pin to a powder. Take this powder 1 tbsp. spoon - adults, and 1/2 tbsp. spoon - children. Wash down big amount water. Apply once a day.

Even easier to use potato starch : 1 tbsp. Dilute a spoon in a glass of cooled boiled water and drink. Adults can resort to one more simple recipe: dilute 1 teaspoon of salt in less than half a glass of vodka and consume immediately.

At home, it’s quite easy to prepare another version of the drug: cut a raw onion crosswise (not at the root) and put it in a glass of hot tea (not strong, without sugar). Insist this way onion 10 minutes, then drink.

A solution prepared from two components also helps well - cinnamon and red capsicum pepper . Possessing excellent astringent properties, such decoction It also helps remove it from the body gases.

Very common among people are decoctions from the walls, infused in alcohol for 2-3 days, and from the peel grenade, brewed with boiling water. Berries mixed with honey can also help - viburnum, cranberry swamp And of course, rice or, more precisely, rice congee (1:7 - ratio of cereals to cold water, boil until half-baked). Just use unbroken rice.

Diarrhea during pregnancy

Diarrhea occurs quite often when . There are a number of reasons for this condition to occur in pregnant women. So, sometimes diarrhea occurs due to diseases of the intestines or the gastrointestinal tract as a whole. In some cases, the cause of diarrhea in pregnant women is common ailments. However, during pregnancy, a woman’s body becomes especially susceptible to various infections, so infectious diseases and local poisoning can provoke diarrhea. Thus, pregnant women have a high sensitivity to toxins. However, diarrhea can also be caused by disruptions in work nervous system, and the presence of worms, and insufficient production of enzymes in the body. Often the cause of diarrhea is becoming pregnant.

In some cases, diarrhea may not pose a danger to a woman, performing the function of a kind of cleansing of the body before the upcoming childbirth . However, the causes of diarrhea should be closely monitored. After all, if this condition arose due to food or other poisoning, then it is very dangerous for both the unborn child and the woman.

During pregnancy, treatment of diarrhea should be carried out only under the close supervision of a doctor, who will definitely take into account all individual aspects. At the same time, the specialist adjusts the patient’s nutrition, prescribing her a special diet. It is very important for the expectant mother to constantly observe drinking regime, drinking enough fluid, because dehydration is an undesirable condition for the fetus and mother.

Diet, nutrition for diarrhea

List of sources

• Ivashkin V.T., Sheptulin A.A., Sklyanskaya O.A. Diarrhea syndrome - M.: GEOTAR-MED, 2002.
• Guide to gastroenterology: in three volumes / Ed. F.I. Komarov and A.L. Grebneva. T.Z.-M.: Medicine.-1996.
• Belousova E.A., Zlatkina A.R. Diarrhea syndrome in the practice of a gastroenterologist: pathophysiology and differentiated approach to treatment. - 2008.
• Treatment of diarrhea. - Tutorial for doctors and other categories of senior health workers. - WHO, 2006.

When persistent diarrhea occurs, people cannot lead their usual lifestyle, since the patient may experience discomfort in the abdomen, frequent urge to urinate, and bloating. There can be many reasons for the occurrence of diarrhea in an adult: from simple indigestion to serious illnesses, so if the stool is disturbed for several days, then you should think about going to the doctor.

Since diarrhea is only a clinical picture and not a disease, it is first necessary to find the root cause. You should not fall for advertising from manufacturers who claim that one tablet is enough to solve problems with stool. It is important to remember that by eliminating the symptom, the disease will not go away and, even worse, it can cause harm to health, since many medications have contraindications.

Experts divide the causes of diarrhea into infectious and non-infectious. Diarrhea is also divided into chronic - it can bother the patient for a long time, causing damage to health, and acute - the urge to go to the toilet can bother you more than 5 times a day, while diarrhea is accompanied by pain and discomfort in the abdomen.

Infectious type

If you suspect an infection that has caused loose stool, required health care. Infectious diarrhea is manifested by weakness, nausea, vomiting, stool may become green color with the presence of mucus, has an unpleasant odor, and sometimes there may be an increase in body temperature. The causes of infectious diarrhea include:

Diarrhea of ​​infectious etiology can cause complications and, first of all, the immune system suffers, so this type of stool disorder requires mandatory treatment.

Non-infectious type

The non-infectious type of diarrhea is less dangerous than the infectious type, but also requires treatment, since prolonged loose stools can cause poor circulation and dehydration. Non-infectious diarrhea can be caused by the following factors:

• frequent use of laxatives;
• antibacterial therapy;
• frequent consumption of milk;
• thyroid diseases;
• decreased level of immunoglobulin;
• pancreatic diseases;
• insufficient production of digestive enzymes;
• the presence of tumors and cysts that cause circulatory problems;
• ulcerative colitis;
• eating disorder;
• eating poor quality food;
• intolerance of the body to certain nutrients.

Chronic diarrhea is most often not infectious; it occurs almost every day for several weeks or months. The main reason for its occurrence is poor nutrition or inflammatory diseases of the digestive system.

Each disease or factor may differ in the nature of the stool: diarrhea may be accompanied by other symptoms, have a foamy or liquid consistency, a different color (white, black, green, yellow), the presence of mucus or blood in the stool, and a foul odor.

Intestinal dysbiosis

Dysbacteriosis is one of the most common causes of bowel dysfunction. As chyme moves forward, feces are formed in the intestines. Processing and assimilation occur simultaneously useful substances, as well as the absorption of water and electrolytes. Digestion of food, as well as the absorption of nutrients, occurs thanks to microflora, which, during normal functioning, contains lactobacteria, bifidobacteria, E. coli and other beneficial microbes.

Dysbacteriosis can develop as a result of taking antibiotics, insufficient intake of vitamins from fruits and vegetables, reduced immunity, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, and radiation. With this disease, grade 3 or 4 diarrhea is observed, which leads to exhaustion of the patient, weight loss and the development of chronic enterocolitis. The main reasons for the development of diarrhea due to dysbacteriosis are:

• deterioration of fluid absorption;
• increased intestinal motility;
• cluster large quantity bile acid.

With dysbacteriosis, stool disturbance is often accompanied by allergic rashes, nausea, decreased appetite, belching, pain and bloating.

Pancreatitis

With pancreatic disease, one of the clinical manifestations is diarrhea. The pancreas is actively involved in the process of digesting food and when its functioning is disrupted, namely when diagnosing chronic pancreatitis There is always a stool disorder. This disease is characterized by a decrease in the production of enzymes involved in food digestion. Pancreatitis most often develops in people who abuse alcohol, in the presence of diseases such as peptic ulcers, inflammation of the small intestine, and also when there is a predominance in the diet fatty foods and when overeating.

Diarrhea with pancreatitis occurs due to the fact that fragments of digested food enter the large intestine. A high amount of nutrients activates bacteria, resulting in a putrefactive and fermentative process, leading to bloating and stool disturbances.

Stool with pancreatitis often has a liquid consistency, usually mushy with inclusions of undigested food. In addition to diarrhea, inflammation of the pancreas also manifests itself in other symptoms: pain in the lower back or left side, nausea and lack of appetite.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis

Also, one of the causes of bowel dysfunction is diseases of the large intestine, in particular ulcerative colitis. Most often, this disease affects people from 20 to 40 years old, and it is characterized by the following symptoms:

• diarrhea;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• the presence of mucus or blood in the stool;
• bloating.

In the acute course of the disease, there may be an increase in body temperature, malaise, weakness and muscle pain. In more severe conditions, vision may deteriorate.

95% of patients with ulcerative colitis complain of the appearance of loose stools, which prevents them from living fully and enjoying life, since the frequency of bowel movements can occur about 4 times a day in the chronic form, and more than 5 times in the acute form. Often, diarrhea can be replaced by constipation.

Infectious diseases

When pathogenic microorganisms develop in a person's intestines, diarrhea often occurs - the body's reaction to their waste products. In this case, you may feel unwell, nausea, vomiting and fever.

At infectious diseases the stool becomes watery, and in a short period of time a person can lose up to several liters of fluid, which negatively affects the health of the body.

Depending on what kind of infection is present, the stool may change its appearance For example, with cholera it has a liquid state, and with dysentery it is scanty and slimy.

If treatment is not prescribed in time, the disease may develop into a more serious condition. In addition to dehydration, which negatively affects the body, there is a toxic effect of microbes, the severity of which depends on the type of pathogen. This condition should not be treated independently; you need qualified assistance from a doctor who will prescribe the necessary medications.

Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is one of the most severe diseases associated with an inflammatory process in the digestive tract, which affects all layers of the intestine: submucosal, muscular and mucosal. The inflammatory process can occur in the lower and upper segment of the digestive tube, but most often it is the small intestine that is affected.

Crohn's disease has 3 degrees of severity:

1. In mild cases of the disease, the incidence of diarrhea is no more than 4 times, streaks of blood in the stool are absent or weakly expressed.
2. Moderate severity is manifested in more frequent bowel movements, up to 6 times. The presence of blood in stool can be detected with the naked eye.
3. Severe disease is characterized by the occurrence of diarrhea more than 10 times a day, in which case complications such as bleeding, abscesses and fistulas may occur.

The causes of Crohn's disease have not yet been studied; it is most often diagnosed in people under 35 years of age. In addition to diarrhea, this disease manifests itself in severe abdominal pain, malaise and weakness. The diagnosis can only be made by a doctor after preliminary diagnosis.

Psychosomatic causes of diarrhea

The human body is a complex mechanism that reacts to any negative factors, including poor mental health. Therefore, very often diarrhea appears when a person experiences severe nervous shock. Diarrhea and frequent worries can provoke serious illnesses, and most of them are psychosomatic in nature.

For some people, when fear arises, not only their movements, but their entire body becomes stiff. Many patients, when experiencing fear, in addition to the urge to go to the toilet, are bothered by abdominal pain and other unpleasant sensations. After the fear goes away, the stool may remain liquid throughout the day. If diarrhea occurs frequently due to anxiety, experts recommend taking sedatives.

Treatment of frequent diarrhea

If frequent diarrhea occurs, you should consult a doctor, he will prescribe tests and diagnostics, which will help identify the cause of bowel dysfunction. First of all, treatment is aimed at eliminating the unpleasant symptom with the help of antidiarrheal drugs, while simultaneously treating the underlying disease.

Since diarrhea severely dehydrates the body, the doctor additionally prescribes rehydrating drugs (Normasol, Gamtrolit, Regidron, etc.), which restore the water-salt balance in the body. Also, during treatment, it is important to drink enough liquid and monitor your diet (exclude: spicy foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, alcohol).

It is important to know that all medications should be used only after a doctor's prescription.

In medicine, the term diarrhea, or as it is called in everyday life, diarrhea, means frequent or single bowel movements with the release of liquid feces.

The causes of this disorder are so varied that almost everyone can suffer from it at least once. In medicine, there are 4 types of diarrhea, differing in the mechanism of development of this disease. Depending on the reasons, causing diarrhea, diarrhea can be acute or chronic.

Read about diarrhea during pregnancy.

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is called acute when bowel movements occur more than twice a day, the stool is liquid and it lasts no more than 2-3 weeks. At the same time, there is no recurrence of such phenomena in the medical history.

Causes of acute diarrhea

There are a huge number of factors that cause diarrhea. The main ones are the following:

• inflammatory processes in the intestines
• intestinal diseases
• , eating poor quality food
• taking medications
• travel (tourist diarrhea).

Infectious diarrhea

Acute infectious diarrhea is characterized by the following symptoms:

• general malaise
• fever
• lack of appetite
• vomit.

Vomiting mainly occurs with foodborne infections caused by staphylococci. For patients with salmonellosis and dysentery, its appearance is not typical.

The most common causative agents of acute diarrhea are and. They are contagious and are transmitted both from person to person and through household items and dirty products.

If blood appears in loose stools, this may indicate damage to the intestinal mucosa by pathogenic microbes such as Shigella, with enteropathogenic properties. The possibility of venereal disease of the rectum should be kept in mind.

Acute bloody diarrhea may be the first manifestation and. In this case, severe abdominal pain and a serious clinical condition occur.

Diarrhea from antibiotics

Diarrhea when taking antibiotics is caused by a disturbance in the bacterial flora of the intestines. As a rule, it does not worsen a person’s general condition and stops after stopping the medication. However, sometimes during antibiotic therapy it can develop, which is characterized by sudden severe watery diarrhea with high temperature, blood may appear in the stool.

Traveler's diarrhea

Most often, travelers' diarrhea is detected in people visiting countries with unfavorable epidemiological conditions.

The disease is caused by consuming food and water contaminated with feces. The causative agents are most often Escherichia coli, enteroviruses, and less often - Shigella, amoeba and Giardia.

The disease is not transmitted directly from one person to another. Sources of infection are meat, eggs, milk, culinary products, and water.

Traveler's diarrhea begins acutely. Symptoms such as:

• nausea
• vomit
• rumbling
• transfusion
• stomach ache
• diarrhea.

In the case of a viral infection, the disease is accompanied by headache and muscle pain.

Treatment requires a gentle diet with the exception, first of all, of raw vegetables and fruits. Intestinal antiseptics should be taken. It is important to skillfully determine the dose of drugs so as not to cause irritable bowel syndrome.

As a preventive measure, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, wash food thoroughly, do not buy food from hand, and do not drink raw water.

What to do if you have stomach pain and diarrhea?

If diarrhea is not accompanied by fever and a noticeable deterioration in condition, then it is often enough to change your diet, drink herbal astringent decoctions or take an antidiarrheal drug. Nutrition and will be described in the article later.

But it is important not to miss the onset of a serious illness, therefore, in case of diarrhea with high fever or the presence of blood in the stool, bacteriological examinations of stool and stool are necessary. This will determine whether the cause of diarrhea is dysentery, ulcerative colitis, or pseudomembranous colitis, which is a complication when taking antibacterial drugs.

Chronic form

Diarrhea is chronic if it lasts more than 3 weeks. They talk about the chronic form and in the case of too much stool, more than 300 g per day. Although if a person consumes a lot of plant fiber, then this weight may be normal.

With chronic diarrhea, the body constantly loses fluids, electrolytes and other nutrients. Therefore, at the same time, many people suffer from insufficient weight, deficiency of vitamins and microelements and related complications. It is very important to quickly find the cause of diarrhea and begin treatment. It is especially important to make a quick diagnosis in children, since chronic diarrhea in children can cause developmental delays.

Causes

The main causes of chronic diarrhea are not only diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but also a number of other factors.

Diarrhea accompanies diseases such as diabetes, endocrine disorders, and scleroderma. It is associated with impaired motor function. Sometimes diarrhea is the first clearly visible sign of these diseases. Therefore, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis. For example, with hyperthyroidism, the main manifestation of the disease in the first stages can also be prolonged diarrhea, while the main signs of the disease (a constant feeling of heat, irritability or weight loss with a good appetite) may recede into the background and not be taken into account by the patient.

Surgical interventions

The cause of chronic diarrhea in patients who have undergone gastric or intestinal resection may be bacterial contamination of the small intestine and disruption of its motor function.

After removal of the pancreas, diarrhea occurs, as with chronic alcoholism and frequent exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis. This is due to a deficiency of all pancreatic enzymes.

Gastrointestinal diseases and diarrhea

Diarrhea accompanies Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Loose stools in such patients are usually profuse, foul-smelling, with floating fat. If you previously had or, then it is possible to assume Crohn's disease. These diseases may have extraintestinal manifestations such as arthritis or skin lesions.

Diarrhea can also be accompanied by diseases such as chronic gastritis of the stomach, diseases of the pancreas, hepatobiliary system, endocrine glands, as well as allergic reactions and hypo- and vitamin deficiencies. Inflammation of diverticula can also be the cause.

Tumors and diarrhea

Tumors of the rectum and colon may also present with diarrhea. The absence of other causes of this disorder in older patients and the presence of blood in the stool support this assumption.

In patients with carcinoid syndrome, the disease may be accompanied by episodes of profuse watery diarrhea. If the tumor is large enough and there are no liver metastases, this may be the only symptom of the disease.

Survey

In case of chronic diarrhea, it is necessary to conduct an examination to determine the degree of dehydration of the body and identify the connection with systemic diseases. Moreover, both a comprehensive diagnosis of organs and macro- and microscopic examinations of feces are necessary. In modern medicine, there are clear diagnostic algorithms for acute and chronic diarrhea.

Functional diarrhea

There are also functional intestinal disorders, which are manifested by chronic diarrhea without organic and biochemical lesions. It is believed that heredity and psycho-emotional stress play a significant role in the occurrence of functional diarrhea.

The main signs to establish functional diarrhea:

• no diarrhea at night
• morning stool (usually after breakfast)
• strong uncontrollable urge to defecate.

So, the main hallmark This disorder is a clear dependence of the rhythm of bowel movements on the time of day. As a rule, this is repeated emptying in the morning or early afternoon. At the same time, during the first stool, feces may be more dense and voluminous, then its volume decreases and it becomes liquid. Often the act of defecation is accompanied by a feeling of incomplete bowel movement.

The diagnosis is made by excluding other causes of diarrhea. This type of diarrhea is typical for.

When should you see a doctor?

If diarrhea is not accompanied by a significant deterioration in the general condition of the body, then you can get by with home remedies. However, in some cases it is necessary to see a doctor:

• diarrhea in children under 12 years of age and elderly people over 75 years of age
• diarrhea during pregnancy
• diarrhea in people with weakened immune systems
• diarrhea like by-effect or drug intolerance
• fever
• bloody diarrhea
• complaints within three months after traveling abroad
• if diarrhea continues for more than three days.

Diet

For intestinal diseases accompanied by diarrhea, it is necessary to follow a diet that will help inhibit peristalsis and reduce the secretion of water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen.

Peristalsis usually ensures that food entering the intestines moves forward and is digested as it goes. During the digestion process, more and more water is removed from food, and the stool takes on a normal, firm consistency. With diarrhea, the intestines are often “overactive”—they contract too much to quickly flush harmful bacteria, viruses, or toxins out of the body. At the same time, the food lump passes too quickly, the water does not have time to be absorbed, and too much water remains in the intestines. This is the cause of watery diarrhea. In addition, there is no time to absorb nutrients from food.

To restore peristalsis, mechanically and chemically gentle food is first necessary. Meets these requirements. It is prescribed during periods of exacerbation.

When the acute period ends, a diet is prescribed. This diet is similar to No. 4b, but all products are given in unground form. With this diet, baking foods in the oven is allowed. Additionally, ripe tomatoes, salad with sour cream, sweet berries and raw fruits are allowed.

How to get rid of diarrhea at home?

To restore peristalsis, you can take probiotics or medicinal charcoal. If there is a large loss of water, if there are no pharmaceutical means to retain fluid in the body, you can drink salted water.

Compliance simple rules will help normalize stool.

1. Proven remedies for diarrhea include finely pureed with peel, raw apples. The pectin they contain binds water and toxins in the intestines.
2. Carrot soup: When carrots are cooked, cellular structures are destroyed and ingredients appear that prevent intestinal bacteria from entering the intestinal mucosa. In addition, the salt in the soup and the carrots contain important minerals. Can also help carrot juice and grated raw carrots.
3. Bananas are a particularly valuable home remedy for diarrhea - like apples, they contain pectin. In addition, they provide the body with minerals such as potassium and magnesium. Bananas must be thoroughly mashed before eating.
4. Black or green tea: When brewed for more than 3 minutes, the tea produces a sufficient amount of tannins, which have a calming effect on the intestines.
5. Low-fat clear broth or decoction: returns energy and minerals to the body. You can cook a small amount of pasta, rice or potatoes in it until soft. You need to drink the broth in small sips.
6. Decoctions of herbs and dried berries: pour 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried blueberries, chamomile, blackberry leaves or dill seeds into a quarter liter of boiling water and bring to a boil. They help protect the intestinal mucosa from pathogens.
7. In addition, liquids even out the hydrobalance.
8. Still water and herbal teas are best. Chilled drinks are poorly tolerated by the intestines. The liquid should be at least room temperature. But warm tea has a particularly beneficial effect on the stomach and intestines.

If you have diarrhea, it is very important to drink a lot

What should you not eat if you have diarrhea?

• raw vegetables (except carrots)
• products, causing gas formation eg onions, beans, leeks, cabbage
• fatty sausages, such as salami
• fats, full-fat dairy products
• fried foods
• foods containing acids, such as citrus fruits, vinegar
• alcohol.

Often after answering the question: “What do you eat when you have diarrhea?”, the question follows: “When can you eat normally?”

After eliminating the infection, you can gradually switch to your usual diet, as soon as the intestines no longer create any problems (diarrhea, nausea and vomiting).

For chronic diarrhea caused by nutritional diseases, the diet is followed in the long term. This applies, for example, to lactose or fructose intolerance.

Thank you

The site provides background information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Loose stools, or diarrhea(from the Greek word "diarrheo", which means "to bleed"), refers to defecation more than twice a day, in which the stool acquires a liquid consistency. Diarrhea in itself is not a disease, it is a common symptom any problems in the body, which are most often localized in digestive system.

To successfully cope with this pathology, it is necessary to clearly determine its cause.

Bacterial infections
Shigellous dysentery
Bacillary dysentery is most often a sign of infection of the intestinal tract by bacteria of the genus Shigella. Incubation period in this case it lasts from one day to a week. The typical form of dysentery begins acutely, and is manifested by fever, loss of appetite, headaches, decreased blood pressure, and signs of gastrointestinal damage. Abdominal pain is initially dull, spread throughout the abdomen, and constant. Then they become more acute, cramping, and are localized in the lower abdomen, often above the pubis or on the left.

Tenesmus appears - a painful false urge to empty the bowel, which is not accompanied by defecation. In addition, there is a characteristic nagging pain radiating to the sacrum in the rectal area, which occurs during defecation and continues for 10-15 minutes after it. Bowel movements become more frequent up to 10 times a day or more. Blood and mucus appear in the stool. In more severe cases, the amount of bloody mucus increases.

Salmonellosis
A separate danger is a bacterial infection of the intestines caused by salmonella. Clinical manifestations of salmonellosis are varied - from severe forms that develop into blood poisoning to asymptomatic carriage of infectious agents.

The following types of salmonellosis are distinguished:
1. Gastrointestinal form
Salmonellosis in the gastrointestinal form most often begins acutely, accompanied by diarrhea (smelly, watery, greenish stool) and profuse vomiting.
The following symptoms are also characteristic:

• pain, rumbling and bloating;
• weakness;
• headache;
• temperature rise to 38-40°C;
• pain in joints and muscles;
• muscle spasms of the limbs.

2. Typhoid-like form
This form of salmonellosis begins in the same way as the gastrointestinal one, but it is characterized by fever for 10-14 days, enlargement of the spleen and liver. In addition, the symptoms of general poisoning of the body are more intense: lethargy, headache etc. A rash also sometimes appears on the skin.

3. Septic form
The septic form of salmonellosis is considered one of the most dangerous, since with it, after a short and acute initial period, a picture of general blood infection quickly develops.

Viral infection
Viral intestinal infections are the main cause of loose stools in children under two years of age. Among the adult population, this cause of diarrhea is registered less frequently, due to the higher activity of the body's immune system.

Rotavirus infection
The general course of the disease when infected with rotavirus is cyclical:
1. The incubation period is from 1 to 5 days.
2. Acute period - from 3 to 7 days (in severe cases - more than a week).
3. The recovery period lasts approximately 4-5 days.

In its acute form, this pathology is manifested by sudden pain (most often in the middle of the abdomen), vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. In severe cases, severe symptoms of general body poisoning, cardiovascular disorders, and even signs of dehydration may be observed.

With chronic enteritis, patients complain of nausea, weakness, mild pain in the umbilical region, rumbling in the intestines and periodic diarrhea.

It must be taken into account that in many cases these two diseases occur together, combining all the above-described symptoms. In such a situation, they talk about the development of gastroenteritis.

Stomach ulcer
The main symptom of a stomach ulcer is pain in the upper center of the abdomen. As a rule, such pain occurs during eating or immediately after eating. This symptom makes it possible to distinguish this pathology from a duodenal ulcer, which is characterized by so-called “hunger pains” that occur on an empty stomach and go away after eating.

Other signs of peptic ulcer disease may include the following symptoms:

• heartburn and/or sour belching;
• weight loss;
• nausea and vomiting after eating;
• loose stools caused by digestive disorders.

Duodenal ulcer
Duodenal ulcer is characterized by pain in the upper abdomen and in the epigastric region. The intensity of pain can vary: from slight severity to sharp, painful sensations. Pain usually appears or intensifies when physical activity, long breaks in meals, consumption of spicy foods, and alcohol. In addition, digestive disorders manifested by diarrhea are observed. Exacerbations of this disease are often associated with the season, occurring mainly in the autumn-spring period.

Pancreatitis
The inflammatory process affecting the pancreas is called pancreatitis.

In the acute form of this pathology, the constant and leading symptom is abdominal pain. Most often, it is permanent (defined as cutting or dull), and increases as the disease progresses, sometimes even leading to shock. The pain is most often localized in the left or right hypochondrium - high in the stomach. When the entire gland is affected, the pain is girdling in nature.
Symptoms such as:

• dry mouth;
• belching;
• nausea;
• frequent vomiting mixed with bile, which does not bring relief.

In addition, patients are concerned about loose or pasty stools, in which undigested food particles are detected. Often the stool has an unpleasant odor and a foamy consistency.

In chronic forms of pancreatitis, patients (even during remission) sometimes feel dull pain, nausea, complain of constipation or, conversely, loose, copious stools of a pasty, “fatty” nature. Such feces are difficult to wash off with water, which is directly related to poor digestion of fats. The occurrence of such diarrhea usually indicates a very serious violation of the digestive function of the pancreas.

Such patients quickly lose weight, they develop signs of hypovitaminosis and metabolic disorders of varying severity.

Extraintestinal signs of Crohn's disease:

• fever;
• anemia;
• inflammation of the oral cavity;
• eye damage (uveitis, iridocyclitis, episcleritis).

Colitis
Colitis is a limited inflammatory lesion of the large intestine.
Symptoms of colitis:

• frequent urge to defecate;
• bloating and rumbling stomach;
• loose stools, sometimes containing mucus and blood;
• stomach ache.

The disease can be acute and last only a few days. But in the chronic form of colitis, the listed symptoms may bother the patient for several weeks and sometimes months.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis
Nonspecific ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation with the appearance of ulcerations on the inner lining of the colon and rectum.

The leading manifestation of ulcerative colitis is frequent loose stools mixed with blood, pus or mucus, as well as spontaneous bleeding from the anus. In severe cases, the frequency of bowel movements can reach 20 or more times a day, including during the night's rest.

In addition, with nonspecific ulcerative colitis patients complain of the following symptoms:

• severe cramping pain in the abdomen, which intensifies after eating;
• false urge to defecate;
• feeling of incomplete bowel movement;
• fever with a temperature from 37°C to 39°C, depending on the severity of the disease;
• decreased appetite or complete absence of it;
• weight loss with severe and prolonged course;
• symptoms of partial dehydration;
• general weakness;
• joint pain.

Irritable bowel syndrome
Signs of this pathology are pain or discomfort in the abdomen, as well as sudden changes in stool. Defecation can occur very rarely (less than three times a week) or, conversely, often (more than three times a day). The consistency of stool also becomes unstable: “sheep”, hard or unformed watery feces with mucus. In addition, there is an urgency and straining during bowel movements, a feeling of incomplete bowel movement and bloating.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome most often present with dysfunction of the esophagus and stomach, chronic fatigue, pain in skeletal muscles, headaches and back pain. Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety or depression are also common.

Malabsorption syndrome

Malabsorption syndrome is a malabsorption of nutrients in the intestines. This pathology is characterized by the presence of loose stools, which at the onset of the disease can be irregular, and then become almost constant. Mild forms of the disease are also often encountered, in which frequent, loose stools with severe flatulence and the release of foul-smelling gases occur only temporarily.

Associated signs of malabsorption syndrome include symptoms such as:

• drowsiness;
• apathy;
• thirst;
• fast fatiguability;
• weight loss;
• muscle weakness;
• dry skin;
• phenomena of stomatitis in the oral cavity;
• development of glossitis (inflammation of the tongue) with a bright red color of the tongue and smoothness of its papillae.

Rectal cancer

One of the most common and persistent symptoms of colorectal cancer is bleeding. This symptom occurs both in early and later late stages disease, and is observed in the vast majority of patients. The intensity of intestinal bleeding in rectal cancer is usually insignificant - most often blood is found as an impurity in the stool, or in the form of individual dark clots. In addition, its appearance is inconsistent. Unlike bleeding from hemorrhoids, bleeding from cancer either precedes stool or occurs simultaneously with defecation, mixing with feces.

The second most common symptom of colorectal cancer is various disorders of intestinal function:

• changes in bowel movements;
• changes in the shape of feces;
• diarrhea;
• constipation;
• incontinence of feces and gases.

The most unpleasant and difficult for patients to tolerate are frequent false urges to defecate (tenesmus). They are often also accompanied by the discharge of small amounts of blood, pus and mucus. After defecation, such patients do not experience a feeling of relief; they still have a feeling of presence in the rectum foreign body. Such false urges can occur from 3 to 15 times a day. Before use, you should consult a specialist.