Diarrhea (diarrhea). Causes, risk factors, diagnosis of causes of diarrhea, treatment of diarrhea. Foods that cause diarrhea

Everyone, even healthy people, has experienced diarrhea, or diarrhea. There are a huge number of reasons for its appearance, starting with food products that are incompatible with each other and ending with very severe infections.

In this article, we will not consider severe infections accompanied by painful diarrhea, such as cholera and others. This is a separate topic.

Watery diarrhea

Watery diarrhea occurs when the small intestine is involved in the pathological process. This may be a situation where poisoning has occurred with poor-quality food products or during acute intestinal infections.

Sometimes the number of pathogenic bacteria present in the intestines can be very small. It is not the bacteria themselves that are dangerous, but their metabolic products, the toxins they release.

In the cold season, watery stools sometimes occur due to a number of viruses that are active in winter. These are so-called rotavirus infections, which are very easy to catch.

Why is water diarrhea dangerous?

Diarrhea can be roughly divided into watery stools without pathological impurities, such as blood, and diarrhea streaked with blood. If blood appears in the intestinal discharge, this is a signal to seek medical help, because... The causes of this symptom can be very serious: intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoidal bleeding or a serious bacterial infection. All these conditions can threaten the patient's life. But this also needs to be discussed separately.

So, if water diarrhea occurs in an adult, treatment should be immediate. It should be noted that with watery stools there is a large loss of water, and if this process is also accompanied by vomiting, then we can talk about dehydration, and it can occur very quickly if emergency measures are not taken.

The human body normally contains about 85-90% water. More precisely, the brain, muscles and heart contain approximately 76% fluid, blood - 84%, and only the human skeleton consists of 15-20% water. From this you can understand how important water is for humans. Every cell of our body consists of water, and if there is a lack of fluid, all systems and organs will suffer. In addition, during diarrhea, along with water, a huge amount of minerals that the body needs is released.

For a small child, a loss of 10% of body weight due to watery diarrhea is fatal. If a child weighs 5 kg, then a loss of 500 ml of fluid will be fatal for him. For adults, losing 10% of their body weight in a short period of time is more problematic, because... their weight is much greater, so they have time to make a decision. Dehydration (dehydration) is most dangerous for children and the elderly. Diarrhea in an adult - what to do? Of course, treat.

Diarrhea is not a diagnosis, but a symptom. To choose the right treatment tactics, it is necessary to establish the true cause of loose stools. Even if an adult has loose stools 2-3 times a day, which does not pose a threat to his life, over time (if this lasts for several days), the body will be severely depleted and the water-salt balance will be disrupted. Recovery will take much longer than the duration of the illness. If an adult has water diarrhea, treatment is necessary, especially if an elderly person suffers from this symptom.

Causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea is a kind of defensive reaction to the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses and bacteria. In this way, the body itself is protected from the harmful effects of pathogenic microflora and carries out its detoxification. But if this condition does not go away within a few hours, help is needed. Especially if there is a temperature and in this case it is necessary. Hyperthermia (increased temperature) may indicate general intoxication of the body. This condition requires an appropriate attitude. You can't leave everything to chance. Some people believe that diarrhea is not really a disease. Diarrhea still needs to be treated if it lasts more than one day. This way you can save your body from serious consequences.

If the patient complains of diarrhea, abdominal pain, treatment is also necessary. Pain is a serious symptom that may indicate a serious illness such as pancreatitis, hepatitis, gallstones or appendicitis. If you experience pain with diarrhea, you should see a doctor. In some of these situations, surgical treatment is necessary.

There are other causes of diarrhea:

dyspeptic - this is the most common cause of diarrhea; it can occur due to insufficient secretion of the stomach, improper functioning of the glands and, as a result, improper digestion of ingested food;
infectious - can be caused by dysentery bacillus, various intestinal viruses, amoebas and food toxins;
nutritional is an allergic reaction to food;
toxic - poisoning with poisons and toxic substances, such as arsenic or mercury;
medicinal - caused by side effects of medications, for example, some antibiotics in the intestines kill not only pathogenic flora, but also beneficial ones, thereby causing diarrhea;
neurogenic - can be caused by strong emotions or fear; such diarrhea is also called “bear disease”.

Patients experience diarrhea differently, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. For example, loose stools 2-3 times a day cause weakness and poor health in some people, while in others diarrhea 5-6 times a day does not cause negative consequences.

If diarrhea lasts a short time, it usually does not cause negative consequences and passes without much harm to health. If diarrhea continues for a long time and is accompanied by bloating, rumbling, false urge to defecate (tenesmus), nausea, vomiting, heartburn and causes severe weakness (depletion of the body), then this condition requires emergency medical care. Often patients with such symptoms are hospitalized.

For any type of diarrhea, it is necessary to drink enough fluid. Compliance with the drinking regime can protect against negative consequences and keep the patient’s body in good shape.

It is better to drink mineral water without gas content, it will help maintain the water-salt balance. If prolonged water diarrhea occurs in an adult, treatment is necessary. If home treatment does not help, and diarrhea does not go away within a few days, this is a serious reason to seek help from a medical facility. If severe diarrhea develops, a doctor will determine the cause and treatment.

Diet for diarrhea

Gentle, regardless of the reasons that caused it, is necessary. Until the condition improves and the symptoms of intoxication disappear, you need to follow a diet.

The following products are allowed:

porridge with water;
jelly;
lean boiled or steamed meat;
steam cutlets;
boiled or steamed fish.

Prohibited products:

fatty foods;
fried foods;
sweets;
spicy dishes;
pickled products;
any canned food;
carbonated drinks;
coffee;
tea is too strong;
any alcohol.

After the diarrhea disappears and the diet improves, you need to stick to it for a few more days, at least for a week. By gradually adding other previously prohibited foods to the diet, the weakened body is prepared for the usual diet. You cannot immediately return to your usual diet. A sudden return of the wrong dish to the menu can upset the fragile and unstable balance after illness.

Diarrhea: causes and treatment

Treatment of diarrhea directly depends on the cause that caused it. What medications for diarrhea are most effective? We'll talk about this in this section.

First of all, any diarrhea should not be treated with antibiotics. This is done only in severe cases, for example, if the cause of the pathological process really poses a serious danger. This applies to diseases such as salmonellosis or cholera. In this case, the patient must be hospitalized, and further treatment will be carried out under the strict supervision of doctors. If water diarrhea is observed in an adult, treatment should be aimed at preventing dehydration and restoring water-salt balance. For these purposes, solutions such as “Regidron” or “Oralit” are suitable; you can also drink mineral water without gas.

Solutions are taken after each stool, half a glass. In addition, you should drink at least 4 glasses of one of these medications within 12 hours.

Medicines for diarrhea

Medicines for diarrhea are not a panacea at all. A range of interventions should be considered when treating diarrhea. The most important of which, as already mentioned, is the fight against Let's look at medications for diarrhea in adults, which are used most often.

All of them are divided into several pharmacological groups:

sulfonamide drugs ("Fthalazol");
antibiotics (Levomycetin, Tetracycline tablets);
nitrofurans (drug "Furazolidone");
antimicrobial drugs ("Enterofuril", "Sulgin");
antifungal (Intetrix) - used for;
enterosorbents (activated carbon);
antiviral drugs.

Let's look at the most famous ones among adults. In what case is it advisable to take this or that drug?

Activated charcoal for diarrhea

What to give for diarrhea to an adult? Enterosorbents are a group of drugs that have an adsorbing and enveloping effect. Treatment should begin with activated carbon. Sometimes this is enough. These tablets for diarrhea in adults (and children) are not absorbed in the intestines.

Activated carbon is taken at the rate of one tablet per 10 kg of patient weight. So, if the patient weighs 60 kg, then, accordingly, he should take 6 tablets and drink plenty of water.

Activated carbon absorbs all harmful toxins, bacteria and viruses, and also binds water and covers the intestinal wall with a protective layer. After this, it is excreted naturally. It should be noted that after taking tablets of this drug, the stool will be black. There is no need to be afraid of this. If diarrhea occurs due to poor-quality products, then activated carbon in most cases is sufficient for treatment.

The drug "Fthalazol" for diarrhea

This group is most appropriate to take for infectious types of diarrhea (dysentery, enterocolitis and colitis of an infectious nature). Taking the medicine "Fthalazol" for allergic types of diarrhea and ordinary indigestion will be ineffective. Its effect is noticeable only on day 2-3, when the growth of pathogenic microflora under the influence of the drug is stopped.

Imodium for diarrhea

The drug "Imodium" (its other name is "Suprelol", "Lopedium" and "Loperamide") begins to act within the first 40-60 minutes. This drug is effective for diarrhea caused by poor-quality foods, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and in the initial stages of infectious diarrhea. It helps well with frequent vomiting. This drug is convenient to take with you on the road. Diarrhea is a common companion for travelers.

Treatment with Loperamide and Simethicone

This is a new generation drug, it is a combined remedy for diarrhea “Imodium Plus” and includes the so-called antifoam agent - simethicone. This substance eliminates bloating and adsorbs unnecessary intestinal gases. Thanks to it, spastic pain and the feeling of intestinal distension disappear. These are chewable tablets for diarrhea in adults. It is not recommended to give them to children under 12 years of age.

Natural Remedies for Diarrhea

This includes drugs such as Smecta and Kaopectate. These drugs are used for rotavirus infections. It should be noted that the drug "Kaopectate" is contraindicated in childhood.

These drugs belong to the group of enterosorbents; they gradually reduce the frequency of trips to the toilet, and also relieve bloating and rumbling in the abdomen.

Tablets "Linex" for diarrhea

This product contains beneficial microflora and has a positive effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract. It includes 3 types of positive microflora:

lactobacilli - have a positive effect on the functioning of the small intestine;
enterococci - have a similar effect and help the small intestine function properly;
bifidobacteria - actively work in the large intestine.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Traditional medicine knows many ways to treat such ailments as diarrhea. Folk remedies for treating diarrhea have been proven for centuries.

A decoction of pomegranate peels is considered an effective remedy for intestinal disorders. To prepare the medicine, you need to take a well-washed peel of one fruit and pour a glass of cold water. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take this remedy every two hours, 2 tbsp. spoons.
Traditional treatment for diarrhea involves the use of rice water. Taking this remedy every 20-30 minutes for 3-4 hours will relieve bloating and stop diarrhea.
Wormwood will help cope with diarrhea. But you need to be careful with this product: do not exceed the dosage and do not use it for too long. To prepare the medicine, add 1 teaspoon of dry herb to one glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Take the medicine 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon.
A very strong folk remedy for diarrhea using an alcoholic infusion of walnut partitions has been known for a long time. It must be taken without exceeding the permissible dose (5-6 drops), otherwise it may provoke a reverse reaction - constipation. As soon as the number of trips to the toilet decreases, you need to reduce the dosage to 2-3 drops. It is clear that alcohol tinctures can only be used internally for treatment by adults. To prepare the drug, take 1 tbsp. spoon of ground walnut partitions and pour one glass of vodka. Leave in darkness for 5-7 days. This product is prepared for future use and stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to always have this medicine on hand for those who are prone to frequent intestinal disorders.

Conclusion

For ailments such as diarrhea, folk remedies can be very effective. Whatever the nature of the origin of diarrhea, this fact must be taken seriously. If you cannot cope with an intestinal disorder on your own, and pain or fever also occurs, in this case you need to seek medical help. This is especially true for elderly citizens, because... They become dehydrated much earlier than young people in full bloom.

In the absence of timely treatment, diarrhea can become chronic. What should you do if your stomach is constantly churning and diarrhea has not stopped for several weeks? Choosing the right treatment option depends on the cause of the disease.

Causes of prolonged diarrhea

There are several reasons for prolonged diarrhea:

The digestion process is affected by the composition and quantitative ratio of bacteria present in the intestine. Taking antibacterial drugs leads to disruption of normal microflora.

Antibiotics destroy lactobacilli, E. coli and bifidobacteria, which are directly involved in the digestion process. The cause of dysbiosis may be a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet.

The disease leads to impaired absorption of fluids and nutrients. Lack of timely treatment can lead to enterocolitis.

Prolonged diarrhea may be a sign of pancreatic pathologies. When the production of enzymes involved in the digestion process is greatly reduced.

The risk group includes people who are chronic alcoholics. The inflammatory process can begin after drinking ethanol.

Pancreatitis is found in people who eat too much fat. Constant overeating greatly complicates the functioning of the pancreas. Incompletely digested food enters the intestines of a sick person. As a result, the patient begins to ferment immediately after eating.

In this case, active proliferation of bacteria occurs. Pieces of poorly digested food can be seen in the patient's loose stool. This phenomenon is called creatorrhoea. Steatorrhea indicates the presence of undigested neutral fat in the stool. Fat coats the intestinal walls, making it slippery and causing diarrhea.

Diarrhea due to ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis affects the tissues of the large intestine. The patient’s mucous membranes not only become inflamed, but ulcers also form. Most patients are young people aged 20 to 35 years. Patients complain of the following symptoms:

clots of blood and mucus appear in the stool;
the lower abdomen begins to hurt;
a person feels rumbling in the stomach and diarrhea does not go away after taking antidiarrheal drugs;
the patient feels discomfort and bloating;
a person is forced to go to the toilet more than 2 times a day;
weight loss occurs.

Crohn's disease

The disease leads to inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive system. In this case, the tissues of the small intestine are affected.

There are 3 degrees of severity of Crohn's disease:

The initial stage of the disease is accompanied by a slight increase in bowel movements. Blood is very rarely present in the patient's stool.
A sign of moderate severity is an increase in stool frequency up to 6 times a day. Traces of blood appear in the patient's stool.
The latter degree leads to more severe complications. In many patients, bleeding and fistulas can be detected.

The disease affects people under 35 years of age. The patient develops characteristic symptoms:

aching pain in the abdominal area;
the person complains of weakness;
Bloody diarrhea begins, with a frequency of up to 10 times a day.

When the worm multiplies in the body, the patient feels:

Cramping pain appears in the abdominal area.
The patient (usually a child) suffers from diarrhea and flatulence;
Constantly rumbling in the stomach and diarrhea does not stop for more than a week.
The disease leads to increased gas formation.

A distinctive feature of such diarrhea is the absence of blood and mucus in the stool.

When infected with Salmonella, stool becomes characteristic. Salmonellosis is a dangerous intestinal infection that can lead to dehydration, infectious-toxic shock, and even death. Liquid gray diarrhea can be seen in patients with pancreatic pathologies.

Colonoscopy

The patient examination includes the following procedures:

Colonoscopy allows you to evaluate the surface of the patient's large intestine. Based on the data obtained, specialists draw conclusions about various diseases - ulcers, diverticula, polyps, bleeding, tumors.
Bakposev (bacteriological examination) is used to identify pure cultures of bacteria.
During a proctological examination, you can find out about cracks and fistulas in the colon.
No less valuable information can be obtained by rectomanoscopy. Using an endoscope, specialists examine the mucous membranes of different parts of the intestine. .
If additional questions arise, I can refer the patient to undergo irrigoscopy. The procedure involves examining the large intestine using a radiopaque contrast agent. The method allows you to determine the condition of the mucous membranes, the presence of tumors and damage.
Thanks to an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, inflammation of various parts of the digestive tract can be detected in a timely manner. Doctors evaluate the functioning of the pancreas, stomach and intestines.

Treatment of long-term diarrhea

Loose stools are not a disease. This is a syndrome, and it just indicates a disorder of the digestive system, which can occur for various reasons.

Antibiotics are used to treat diarrhea associated with bacterial infection.

Blackberry decoction

You can get rid of diarrhea using blackberry twigs. Before preparing the decoction, they must be cut into small pieces. Fill Art. spoon of raw material with a glass of water and cook for 15 minutes. You can replace tea with a prepared decoction. Within 3 days after starting to use blackberry decoction, you will notice an improvement in your condition.

To cope with chronic diarrhea, you can use cinquefoil root. Pour 100 grams of raw material into a liter of water and cook for 20 minutes over low heat. The solution helps with bloody diarrhea that does not go away for a long time.

Everyone, even an absolutely healthy person, is familiar with such an unpleasant manifestation of a malfunction in the body as diarrhea. There are many reasons why loose stools may appear, ranging from ordinary indigestion to severe infections. Our article will tell you what diarrhea is, what are the causes of diarrhea in adults, and how to quickly get rid of diarrhea.

To understand why changes in stool occur, you need to know that diarrhea is not a disease. Loose stool in an adult is a signal of serious problems in the body. Its consequences can affect the general health of a person and result in dehydration and even anemia.

So, diarrhea is a change in the amount of stool and its consistency. A person experiences a frequent urge to defecate, which may be accompanied by painful sensations.

What to do with diarrhea and is it worth treating?

The fight against diarrhea should begin as early as possible, because not only the restoration of intestinal function, but also the overall well-being of a person depends on how quickly the correct medical care is provided. Depending on the severity of diarrhea and the causes of its occurrence, treatment can be carried out at home or in the hospital.

Manifestation of symptoms

Most often, people assume that the symptoms of diarrhea in adults are limited to loose stools. However, as we have already said, this phenomenon is just a concomitant sign of a disease. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to other signs of diarrhea, which may include the following symptoms:

Increased body temperature. Most often occurs due to viral or bacterial infections. Since the intestines are one of the immune organs, disruption of its functioning is accompanied by high fever.
The appearance of vomiting and nausea. These symptoms of diarrhea are the most common and understandable. Since the process of movement of feces is disrupted, they are thrown in the opposite direction. Moreover, all these unprocessed waste products lead to intoxication, that is, toxins enter the circulatory system and are distributed to all organs and tissues. The first to react to such a violation is the vomiting center of the brain, which sends signals first in the form of nausea and then vomiting.
Pain in the abdominal area. When diarrhea occurs, the symptoms associated with pain are most often severe cramps and are paroxysmal in nature. At the same time, it is precisely at the moment of an attack of pain that the urge to defecate appears, which manifests itself as severe diarrhea. Severe pain is more typical of its microbial varieties, as well as food poisoning. In all other cases, the pain syndrome is less pronounced and is manifested by discomfort in the abdomen and a feeling of heaviness.
Belching with a rotten taste. When diarrhea occurs, symptoms of belching can manifest both at the beginning and during the course of the disease. If diarrhea appears after the appearance of belching, this indicates a malfunction of the pancreas and biliary system.

Since the food that enters the stomach is not digested, the process of rotting begins. Therefore, foul-smelling gases appear, which come out as belching. And food particles that remain undigested reach the intestines, irritate it and cause severe diarrhea.

It would seem that loose stools are a clinical sign of pathologies of the digestive system, which not only causes pleasant sensations, but also significantly reduces the standard of living.

However, today the popularity of the following questions is increasing. How to cause diarrhea and what means should be used? Typically, a number of medications are used to induce diarrhea.

It should be noted that there are ways when you do not need to resort to taking medications - alternative medicine methods, including certain foods in the diet.

In order to figure out which technology is most suitable in a particular case, it is worth noting the main indications and contraindications.

When can and should you induce loose stools?

For many, provoking bowel movements is a strange phenomenon, which only raises the question: why is it necessary to cause diarrhea? After all, this process is not the norm.

However, today there are several reasons when you need to quickly cleanse the intestines, that is, cause diarrhea:

Surgery, various types of medical procedures and diagnostic tests.
Improving the weight loss process. In this case, consultation with a gastroenterologist is required, and it is highly not recommended to abuse the procedures.
Severe intoxication of the body suggests the possibility of using methods to induce diarrhea in both an adult and a child.
Regular constipation. In such a situation, it is not only possible to cause diarrhea, but also necessary, since the lack of therapy and problems with bowel movements can lead to the development of hepatitis, malignant tumors, hemorrhoids, fissures, colitis, proctosigmoiditis, and reflux.
Diarrhea can be caused after deworming therapy.
The presence of toxins in the body. The villi located on the intestinal walls serve to increase absorption of the mucous membranes. When they become clogged with toxins, the body's systems no longer receive the required amount of nutritional components.

Please note that to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent the development of various diseases, experts recommend inducing artificial diarrhea for a couple of months.

Popular technologies - how to quickly cause diarrhea

At the moment, there are several methods to induce artificial defecation.

Some methods are intended to be used at home, while others involve undergoing the procedure in a hospital setting.

The list of common ways that diarrhea can be provoked includes:

Use of specialized medications;
A menu that includes foods that cause diarrhea;
Using an enema;
Traditional medicine methods;
Taking herbal medicines.

It should be noted that before choosing one or another method, it is best to obtain a recommendation from your doctor. In addition, do not forget about contraindications, when artificially inducing diarrhea is highly not recommended.

Presence of hemorrhages of internal organs;
Ulcers, erosions in the digestive system;
The period of pregnancy, regardless of trimester.

If you approach this process responsibly, you can achieve an improvement in your general condition and reduce the risks of developing gastrointestinal diseases.

How to provoke diarrhea with medications

Perhaps the most popular method used to quickly cause diarrhea is the use of pharmacological products. This method can be used both in a hospital and at home.

It should be noted that today there are quite a lot of drugs that have a laxative effect, but they all differ both in the time to achieve results and in effectiveness.

In order not to get confused among all the diversity, experts have compiled a specific list of drugs that help provoke artificial stool.

Duphalac is a medicine in the form of a syrup, the active ingredient is lactulose. The drug not only has the property of causing diarrhea, but also has a beneficial effect on peristalsis and digestion. Duphalac is used for both adults and children.
Linex is one of the most famous modern medicines and has a wide list of indications for use. Actively used for dysbacteriosis, improves intestinal microflora. In addition, Linex can be used for a child from the very first months of life.
Mucofalk is a specialized medication that can quickly cause diarrhea and normalize the functioning of the intestines.

The drug can be used at home, the main thing is to familiarize yourself with the contraindications: endocrine diseases, children under 12 years of age, intestinal obstruction and allergic reaction to components.

The list of medications also includes: Exportal, Vaseline oil, Norgalax, Bifidumbacterin, Lavacol.

Important! Before using a laxative, get a doctor's recommendation.

Use of alternative medicine

One of the common questions that many gastroenterologists are asked is: “How to cause diarrhea at home and not cause harm to the body?”

Application of oil

You can use olive oil or vegetable oil, as well as flaxseed, pumpkin, and castor oil. In order to quickly cause diarrhea using this method, you need to drink 30-40 ml of oil immediately after waking up, that is, 2-3 tbsp. l.

The effect occurs in about half an hour or an hour. This method is often used in the fight against obesity, to speed up and improve the process of losing weight.

Enema to induce diarrhea

The next method that you can use at home to provoke diarrhea is to do an enema. This method is one of the most proven, it was used several decades ago.

Also, the advantage of the method is that it can be used even for the youngest children.

But, like any other method, the use of an enema has a number of contraindications: hemorrhages in the gastrointestinal tract, the rehabilitation period after surgery, the presence of hernias and chronic pathologies of the small and large intestines.

For this procedure you will need either an enema or an Esmarch mug. The result comes within a few minutes after the procedure.

What to include in your diet

Many people are interested in the topic of what to eat to get rid of constipation, cause diarrhea, that is, artificial defecation. In this regard, gastroenterologists have compiled a list of products recommended for solving this problem.

Fruits that cause diarrhea: plums, nectarines, dried apricots, apricots, peaches, exclusively green apples.
The most popular product for inducing bowel movements is prunes, as they contain special components that improve the growth of bacteria.
Fresh vegetables: white cabbage, celery, red bell pepper, carrots.

In addition, in order to provoke the development of loose stools, you can eat incompatible foods, for example, fish and dairy products.

In what cases is it necessary to urgently contact a specialist?

If the therapeutic effect using the above methods does not bring the required effect, the condition only worsens, it is important to get medical help in a timely manner.

In addition, the reasons for emergency contact with a specialist include:

Regular occurrence of constipation without visible signs of improvement;
Within three to four days after using laxative methods, the condition does not normalize;
A history of attacks of nausea, vomiting;
Detection of blood and mucous inclusions in the stool.

It is possible to quickly provoke diarrhea as part of home procedures, but the main thing is to treat the process responsibly and not resort to methods that a specialist has prohibited.

Useful video

Constant diarrhea is an intestinal disorder that does not stop for a long time: three weeks or more, in severe cases - more than a month. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very different.

But you should always understand that diarrhea is a protective reaction of the body: in this way it tries to cleanse itself and throw out accumulated toxins.

Therefore, if an adult experiences prolonged diarrhea that does not stop for a day, two or three days, but for a whole month or more, this indicates that there are serious problems in his body.

In any case, diarrhea is accompanied by quite unpleasant symptoms: flatulence, bloating, colic, loss of appetite, and if diarrhea bothers you for several days and does not go away for more than 10 days, then it is also dehydration. Not to mention the fact that every hour you need to go to the toilet, it is simply impossible to engage in work activities and lead a full life. Therefore, this condition must be treated by finding its cause and selecting appropriate methods.

Before wondering why diarrhea does not go away for several days in a row, you must first decide what is considered diarrhea in medicine. So, diarrhea in an adult is frequent loose stools repeated three or more times a day. Prolonged acute diarrhea is diarrhea that does not go away for more than 10 days or recurs at intervals of several days every month.

The reasons may be as follows:

Inflammatory bowel diseases - colitis, enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis.
Infections caused by viruses or bacteria - adenoviruses, salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery.
Any poisoning - food, medication or chemical.
Malignant formations in the small or large intestine.
Exacerbation of gastric or intestinal ulcers.
Abuse of diets using laxatives.
Congenital functional deficiency of the digestive tract.
Changes in hormonal levels.
Taking certain medications.
Stress - diarrhea in an adult can occur due to nervous tension and chronic fatigue.

Sometimes diarrhea that does not go away for more than a month is a side effect of surgery, and is often one of the signs of helminthic infestation. It is sometimes difficult to establish the cause, since quite a long time has passed since the moment when diarrhea just began, and the clinical picture has had time to change.

Therefore, self-medication in this case is unacceptable. Only a doctor can solve the problem.

Clinical picture of prolonged diarrhea

Long-term diarrhea has the same symptoms as regular diarrhea:

bloating, rumbling and colic;
flatulence;
cramping pain in the stomach and intestines;
frequent urge to defecate - sometimes every hour throughout the day.

If severe diarrhea in an adult lasts for several days in a row, the clinical picture changes. The patient may feel feverish and chill all the time; there is often an increase in body temperature and weight loss - the reason is severe dehydration of the body, which invariably occurs if diarrhea does not go away for more than 10 days and worries every hour.

Symptoms such as blood or pus in the stool should cause concern - in this case, you cannot hesitate, every hour is expensive, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible. It is not surprising if pieces of undigested food are found in the stool - this indicates that the digestive system does not produce the enzymes necessary for the absorption of food in the required quantities; the irritated intestines simply do not accept it.

But it often happens that an adult has a bowel movement every hour or two, but at the same time he does not feel any ailments, in addition to the completely natural discomfort associated with constant trips to the toilet.

Only laboratory tests and examination of the patient will help determine the reasons.

What diagnostic methods are used

To find out why an adult has severe diarrhea that does not stop for more than 10 days, the following tests are done:

General blood and urine tests.
Stool analysis.

Bac sowing.
Testing for helminthic infestations.
Coprogram for hidden blood.
Steatorrhea detection test.
Test for identifying infectious agents of diarrhea.

Instrumental diagnostics are also used, especially if there is blood in the stool and other signs of the possible development of cancerous tumors. These are biopsy, sigmoidoscopy, irrigography. Differential diagnosis plays an important role. Sometimes the cause of prolonged stool is determined only by excluding all possible pathologies.

How to treat long-term diarrhea

If severe diarrhea has been bothering you for more than 10 days, then it can only be cured with an integrated approach.

Taking activated carbon and other sorbents at this stage no longer makes sense.

Toxins from the intestines have already moved into the blood, and charcoal still will not help remove them. But he can absorb liquid, which is already in short supply, and thereby only worsen the patient’s condition.

Typically, several different groups of drugs are prescribed:

Enzymes that will support the pancreas and help absorb food - Mezim Forte, Pancreatin, Creon.
Drugs that reduce increased irritable bowel motility are Imodium and Loperamide. But their use is contraindicated if it is determined that severe diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection.
Antibiotics only if culture shows that the causative agents of the infection were staphylococci, streptococci, dysentery bacillus and other bacteria.

If it is determined that diarrhea, which lasts three or four days, is caused by poisoning of any kind, gastric lavage is performed. To do this, you need to prepare at least two liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate and drink it in one gulp. It is also necessary to do a cleansing enema. An hour after this, you can take medications.

If the cause of diarrhea, which does not stop for a long time, is dysbiosis, medications containing probiotics and prebiotics will help. This is Linux and its analogues. You need to take drugs from this group every day for at least three weeks. To restore the water-salt balance, you can take Regidron or Electrolyte - these are powdered products that need to be diluted in warm water and drunk a little every hour. If cramps and abdominal pain are very severe, No-shpa or Papaverine are prescribed.

Folk remedies and diet for prolonged diarrhea

If you do not follow a diet during prolonged diarrhea, no medications will be effective.

First of all, the diet involves drinking large amounts of fluid to restore its loss.

But in no case should it be coffee, store-bought juices or soda.

List of foods that can be included in the diet if diarrhea bothers you for several days in a row:

stale or dried wheat bread without butter;
viscous rice porridge in water without oil;
hard-boiled eggs;
lean beef or turkey;
steamed fish of low-fat varieties (for example, cod);
mashed potatoes with water;
pureed soups with carrots and potatoes, you can add a little rice cereal;
various jelly;
baked apples and bananas.

If diarrhea is caused by dysbacteriosis and has been bothering you for more than the first or second day, fermented milk products with bifidobacteria - low-fat kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese - will be useful.

The nutritional rules are:

All dishes must be steamed or boiled, or, as a last resort, baked without oil or spices.
Drink at least one glass of compotes, tea or just water every hour. In total, you should drink at least three liters of liquid per day.
It is advisable to puree or chop meat and vegetables.
You need to eat often, every 3-4 hours up to 6 times a day, but in small portions.

Even when the functioning of the stomach and intestines is completely restored, you should not suddenly return to your usual diet, as this can provoke a relapse.

Introduce one new product per day. If everything is in order, then after 1-2 days you can introduce the next product. But you will have to follow a gentle diet for some time.

Among the folk remedies, bird cherry helps very well. You can simply pass it through a meat grinder, sprinkle with sugar and put it in a glass jar. You should take this tasty medicine every hour if you have severe diarrhea, then you can take a teaspoon three or four times a day before meals.

Pomegranate peels have a fixing effect. Take 2 tablespoons of dry and crushed peels, add boiling water and cook over low heat for at least 10 minutes. Then cool for half an hour, strain and take 1/3 cup an hour before meals.

Prolonged diarrhea usually occurs if the patient did not properly treat ordinary diarrhea, neglected the doctor’s recommendations and did not follow a diet. Sometimes this is a symptom of a serious pathology - advanced hemorrhoids, duodenal ulcer or malignant neoplasms. This condition is very dangerous due to dehydration. Therefore, under no circumstances should you tolerate it; you need to see a doctor, look for the cause and get treatment.