Diarrhea is loose, watery stools and is defined as the change in the bowel movement characterized by an increase in water content, volume, or frequency of stools. A decrease in consistency and an increase in the frequency of more than 3 times a day is often used as a criterion to confirm diarrhea. It can be,
- Acute Diarrhea – typically lasts 1 or 2 days and goes away without any intervention
- Persistent Diarrhea – last between 2 to 4 weeks
- Chronic Diarrhea – lasts at least 4 weeks
Diarrhea is not very uncommon and generally, every individual gets acute diarrhea 2-3 times in a year because of multiple reasons and it doesn’t need any doctor’s intervention.
Causes
Acute and persistent diarrhea can be because of
-
Infections:
- Viral – Norovirus and rotavirus are the common cause of infection
- Bacterial – Several bacteria can enter the body through contaminated food and water. Common bacteria can be Salmonella, Escherichia Coli, Shigella
- Parasitic – Enters into the body through contaminated food and water and mat settles in the digestive tract. Common ones are Entamoeba Histolytica, Giardia Lamblia
Caused by food or drinks while traveling, contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It is more often acute diarrhea and settles down in a few days.
- Medications
Certain medications like antibiotics, antacids can cause diarrhea by changing the balance of bacteria found in the intestine, allowing certain types of bacteria to thrive.
Chronic Diarrhea can be because of
- Infections
Some infections don’t go away in a few days and need medical treatment. After infection, some people at times experience digestion issues with lactose or certain proteins like one in cow’s milk or soy. This can prolong the duration of diarrhea.
Allergies to seafood, nuts, grains, or intolerances like lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance can cause chronic diarrhea in individuals suffering from the same.
- Digestive Tracts Problems
Irritable bowel syndrome, Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis
- Medications
Long-term use of certain medications can cause chronic diarrhea. Antibiotics can change the gut flora and increase chances of infection with bacteria, Clostridioides difficile that prolongs the duration of diarrhea.
Symptoms and Complications of Diarrhea
Typical symptoms are passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day
People may also experience:
- An urgent need to use the bathroom
- Bloating
- Loss of control of bowel movements
- Nausea
- Heaviness in the lower abdomen
- Cramping
Also, diarrhea because of infection will have the followings symptoms additionally
- Fever and chills
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Blood in stools
Severe diarrhea can lead to two major complications with the following symptoms:
-
Dehydration – body lacks enough fluids and electrolytes to work properly
- Increased thirst
- Feeling tired
- Dark-colored urine
- Dry mouth
- Decreased skin turgor (when skin is pinched and released, it doesn’t flatten back to normal right away)
- Sunken eyes or cheeks
-
Malabsorption – nutrition absorption from food gets affected
- Bloating
- Changes in appetite
- Gas
- Weight loss
- Foul-smelling bowel movements
If the following symptoms persist, the individual should consult with the doctor right away:
- Lasting more than 2 days
- High fever and chills
- Blood or pus in stools
- Dark colored stools
- Severe pain in the stomach
- Symptoms of dehydration
- Frequent vomiting
Diagnosis
Multiple tests can be advised by the doctors to assess the cause of diarrhea
- Stool Test
To know the presence of bacteria, blood, or parasites in the stools. Accordingly, the medication for same can be advised
- Blood Test
To test for certain diseases or disorders that can lead to diarrhea
- Hydrogen breath test
To test lactose intolerance by measuring the amount of hydrogen in the mouth.
- Endoscopy
Treatment
Acute diarrhea generally settles down on its own but for persistent or chronic diarrhea, doctors may prescribe medications such as antibiotics to treat the underlying infection. Diagnostic tests will confirm the underlying disorder as well such as IBS or Crohn’s disease or Celiac disease and the treatment will be planned accordingly. In case of food intolerance or allergies, those particular food items need to be avoided to aggravate the episode of diarrhea.
To manage dehydration, lost fluids and electrolytes need to be replaced, called rehydration therapy. Drinking plenty of water always helps but along with that Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) also needs to be taken that helps to replenish the lost electrolytes.
Also, loss of appetite is a common occurrence during diarrhea, but once your appetite gets normal, return to normal eating habits, but avoid certain foods that may worsen the condition,
- Alcoholic beverages
- Dairy products such as milk, cheese, paneer
- High protein diet
- Deep-fried food
- Spicy foods
- Carbonated drinks containing fructose
- High fiber foods
Following a restricted diet doesn’t help much in case of diarrhea except when a person has a food allergy or intolerance. In that case, alternative food items need to be added to the diet to avoid any nutritional deficiency.
