Diarrhea is a digestive problem that almost everyone has faced in their life. So understanding the mild and severe type of diarrhea will help you to manage it effectively and know when you should seek the help of a professional.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about diarrhea including their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. So without any further ado, let’s jump into the article.
What is Diarrhea
Diarrhea is basically a passage of watery and loose stools that may occur three or more times in a day. It is a symptom and not a disease that indicates you’re suffering issues in the digestive system. There are two types of diarrhea:
Acute Diarrhea: The diarrhea that happens for a short period of time is known as acute digestive upset. It will be cured in a few days and basically caused by infections like bacteria and viruses.
Chronic Diarrhea: In case, the diarrhea lasts for more than 4 weeks, then it is known as chronic digestive upset. It is a serious health issue that may point to irritable bowel syndrome and celiac disease.
Common Causes Of Diarrhea
Knowing the cause is the first step to determine the correct treatment. Hence, here we have mentioned some common causes of diarrhea:
Infections: Bacterial, Viral, and Parasitic infections can cause diarrhea. They are linked with consuming polluted water or food.
Food Intolerance: Gluten sensitivity and lactose intolerance are the common causes of diarrhea. A person with celiac disease has chances of getting diarrhea when they consume food that their body can’t tolerate.
Medications: Improper medications can also be a leading cause of digestive upset. For example, antibiotics disrupts the balance of bacteria in the gut, which causes diarrhea in some cases. Antacids also contain chemotherapy drugs and magnesium which causes diarrhea as their adverse effects.
Digestive Disorders: Chronic diseases like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), IBD (Inflammatory bowel disease), and Crohn’s disease may cause long-term chronic diarrhea in your body.
Symptoms Of Diarrhea
After understanding the causes, here are some symptoms of diarrhea:
- Loose Stools Frequently
- Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal Cramps
- Vomiting And Nausea
Some Major symptoms of diarrhea are:
- Dehydration: During diarrhea, your body loses some electrolytes and fluids which can lead to dehydration. Hence, staying hydrated during diarrhea is essential.
- Fever: If the diarrhea is caused by any type of infection then you may suffer from mild or high-grade fever.
- Blood in stool: Diarrhea may be caused by mucus or blood in stool. It is a symptom of severe inflammatory disease or infection.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Diarrhea is a disease that resolves in a few days itself. Still, sometimes the problem becomes serious and you should seek the help of a professional immediately. You should contact a healthcare expert if you see these symptoms:
- If the digestive upset persists for more than two days with constant pain, then you should immediately consult your doctor.
- In severe diarhea, you may face dizziness, dark urine, dry mouth, and little or no urination. If you face these problems, then immediately consult your healthcare expert.
- Mucus or blood in your stool is a serious type of disease or infection.
- Terrible abdominal pain or high fever can be the result of diarrhea and you should take immediate help of a healthcare expert.
Treatment
Well, diarrhea is a disease that is cured automatically. But still, here are some treatment ideas for you that will speed up the recovery process, and useful if you face chronic diarhea:
Over The Counter Medications
There are anti-diarrheal medications available in the market such as loperamide which is used to reduce the bowel movement’s frequency. If the diarrhea is caused by any type of infection then you should let the body remove the toxins naturally.
Hydration
When facing digestive upset , drinking fluids and water is crucial to treat the disease. To replenish the lost electrolytes, you can practice oral rehydration solutions. It is made from the mixture of water, salt, and sugar which helps your body to replenish lost electrolytes.
Probiotics
The live yeast and bacterias are known as probiotics which are very beneficial for digestive health. It will help you to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria.
Dietary adjustments
Avoiding some harmful types of food during diarhea will help to recover faster. You should stick with easily digestible foods during diarrhea to cure it as soon as possible.
Home Remedies For Diarhea
It is always better to start with home treatment because it is the most convenient and cheaper way. So, here are some home remedies for diarhea that you can apply for the cure:
- BRAT Diet: This diet plan consists only of easy to digest and low-fiber foods which are easy on the stomach. The full form of BRAT is Banana, Rich, Applesauce, and Toast, which are the health beneficial and easy to eat food that helps to ease your stomach during diarhea.
- Ginger Tea: Ginger Tea is another easy option to treat diarhea. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce the stomach’s discomfort.
- Electrolyte Solutions: You can create an electrolyte solution by mixing water with salt and sugar. This solution helps to replace lost fluids and electrolytes from the body to prevent dehydration and keep your stomach healthy and clean.
Prevention
Prevention is better than cure. Here are some ways through which you can reduce the risk of catching diarhea:
- Practice Good Hygiene: You should practice a good hygiene routine like washing your hands regularly, especially before eating. It will help you to prevent several diseases like diarhea.
- Safe Food Handling: To keep your food safe, make sure that your food is cooked. Always avoid cross-contamination in your kitchen.
- Vaccination: Vaccinating the infants to avoid rotavirus is the leading solution of diarhea. So, you should take proper vaccination to avoid such type of issues.
Diarhea In Children
It becomes a severe problem when it comes to diarhea in children. It’s crucial to understand if proper fluid requirements are fulfilled or not in a child. If this problem happens, then one should contact a pediatrician. The symptoms of diarhea are as follows to cure the problem before it becomes more problematic:
- If a child has diarhea for more than 24 Hours, one should take immediate healthcare’s help.
- If the child shows the symptoms of dehydration, such as, dry lips and reduces urine excretion, then you should take the support immediately.
- If the child catches fever or has blood in their stool, then it is a severe case, so go to the pediatrician immediately.
Connection Between Stress And Diarhea
Diarrhea causes stress everybody understands. It is because your gut and brain are connected closely. When stressed, the body releases the hormones that can fasten or slow down the digestion. You can manage the stress with stress management methods like deep breathing and meditation, so that your body becomes naturally strong to avoid diarhea.
Also read: Ayurveda Tips For Everyday Wellness
Conclusion
In the end, diarhea is a problem that should not be ignored. You have understood the causes, symptoms, and treatments of diarhea in this article, so use it in your real life and share with people for spreading the knowledge of solving everyday diseases. Remain hydrated and always take care of your gut.
