Diarrhea Treatment and Some Great and Effective Pills for Diarrhea - By: Dr. Lee Mikal

Loose, watery stools. Having diarrhea is passing loose stools three or more times a day. Acute diarrhea is a common problem that usually lasts 1 or 2 days and goes away by itself.

Diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days may be a sign of a more serious problem. Chronic diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts at least 4 weeks may be a symptom of a chronic disease. Symptoms of chronic diarrhea may be continuous or may come and go.

Diarrhea of any duration may cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid and electrolyte salt chemicals, including sodium, potassium and chloride-to function properly. Soft stools contain more fluid and electrolytes and weigh more than solid stool.

People of all ages can get diarrhea. In the United States, adults average an attack of acute diarrhea each year, 1 and young children have an average of two episodes of acute diarrhea each year.2

DuPont HL, practice parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology. Guidelines on acute infectious diarrhea in adults. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 1997, 92 (11) :1962-1975.

What causes diarrhea?

Acute diarrhea is usually caused by a bacterial, viral or parasitic. Chronic diarrhea is usually related to a functional disorder like irritable bowel syndrome or intestinal illness Crohn's disease.

The most common causes of diarrhea are:

Bacterial infections. Several types of bacteria consumed through contaminated food or water can cause diarrhea. Common culprits include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Viral infections. Many viruses cause diarrhea, including rotavirus, norovirus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and viral hepatitis. Infection with rotavirus is the most common cause of acute diarrhea in children. Rotavirus diarrhea usually resolves in 3 to 7 days, but can cause trouble digesting lactose for a maximum of one month or more.

Parasites. Parasites can enter the body through food or water and settle in the digestive system. The parasites that cause diarrhea include Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium.

Functional bowel disorders. Diarrhea can be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome.

Intestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and celiac disease often lead to diarrhea.

Food intolerances and sensitivities. Some people have difficulty digesting certain ingredients such as lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products. Some people may have diarrhea if they take certain types of sugar substitutes in excessive amounts.

Reaction to medicines. Antibiotics, cancer drugs and antacids containing magnesium can cause diarrhea.

Some people develop diarrhea after stomach surgery, which can cause food to move through the digestive system faster.

People who visit certain foreign countries are at risk for traveler's diarrhea, caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites. Traveler's diarrhea can be a problem for people traveling to developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Visitors from Canada, European countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand do not face much risk for traveler's diarrhea.

In many cases, the diarrhea can not be found. As long as diarrhea goes away on its own within 1 to 2 days, finding the cause is usually not necessary.
What other symptoms of diarrhea?

Diarrhea may be accompanied by cramping, abdominal pain, nausea, urge to go to the bathroom, or loss of bowel control. Some infections that cause diarrhea can also cause fever and chills, bloody stools.

Dehydration

Diarrhea can cause dehydration. Electrolytes lost through dehydration affects the amount of body water, muscle activity, and other important functions.
Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Dehydration should be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems such as organ damage, shock or coma, a dream-like state in which a person is not conscious.

Signs of dehydration in adults are

1. Thirst
2. Urinating less often than usual
3. Dark urine
4. Dry skin
5. Fatigue
6. Dizziness
7. Dizziness

The signs of dehydration in babies and young children are

1. Dry mouth and tongue

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2. No tears when crying
3. No wet diapers for 3 hours or more
4. Sunken eyes, cheeks, or weakness in the skull
5. High fever
6. Apathy or irritability

Also, when people are dehydrated, the skin returns to normal immediately after being gently pinched and released.

Anyone with signs of dehydration should consult a doctor immediately. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization.

Although it is important to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, the water does not contain electrolytes. Adults can prevent dehydration, in addition to drinking fluids containing electrolytes, such as fruit juices, sports drinks, caffeine, soft drinks and wines. Children with diarrhea should be given oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Infalyte and Ceralyte to prevent dehydration.

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