Frequent bowel movements: causes, symptoms, treatment features. Incomplete bowel movement: causes, symptoms and treatment. False urge to defecate Frequent defecation causes

With modern treatment methods, you can overcome any disease, you just need to carefully monitor your child’s health.

Frequent bowel movements in a baby are normal.

Even doctors have not come to a consensus on the amount that a healthy child over three years old should have.

It is believed that 4 times a week and 4 times a day are normal, it depends on nutrition and the characteristics of the body.

Parents should pay attention not to the frequency of bowel movements, but to other indicators - whether colic or other unpleasant sensations are felt during defecation and, what is very important, the consistency of the stool - it must be formed.

Reason to seek medical help

If your baby has a high temperature, you should consult a doctor.

Newborns defecate almost every time - up to 12 times a day. But breastfed children usually do this less often, and they even experience constipation.

If the stool is liquid for several days, this may be a sign of some disorder that needs to be diagnosed in a medical facility and, if necessary, treatment begun. You should see a doctor if your baby has:

1. weight loss;
2. bad breath;
3. frequent (more than 10 times) loose stools with an unnatural putrefactive odor;
4. , belching;
5. lethargy;
6. the newborn is not gaining weight.

If children over three years old defecate no more than four times a week, but feel well, the color and consistency of stool is normal, in this case it is recommended to balance the diet.

If you have stool more than four times a day, some pathology is possible. Qualified help is needed, self-medication can suppress the disease, complicate diagnosis and cure it will be much more difficult.

Defecation accompanied by diarrhea

Feeling pain during bowel movements may be a symptom of colitis.

In children, in most cases, frequent bowel movements are accompanied by diarrhea.

This can occur more than four times a day due to increased intestinal motility, impaired absorption of water in the large intestine, or the release of inflammatory secretions from the intestinal wall. The causes of diarrhea are varied:

• , inflammation of the colon - with colitis, a child suffers from abdominal pain, nausea, the frequency of bowel movements can reach 15 times a day, the stool is greenish in color with an admixture of mucus;
• enteritis, inflammation of the small intestine - this disease is characterized by frequent bowel movements (up to 20 times), an increase in the volume of stool, they are light yellow in color and may contain particles of undigested food, accompanied by pain and bloating in the abdominal area.
• infectious diarrhea due to salmonellosis - it is characterized by nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain;
• viral infections - accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting - as a sign of intoxication of the whole body;
• rotavirus infection - children suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, fever. In this case, severe dehydration of the body occurs, so the patient is advised to drink plenty of fluids;
• dyspeptic diarrhea occurs due to disturbances in the functioning of the stomach, liver, and a lack of certain enzymes;
• toxic diarrhea - occurs due to kidney failure or mercury poisoning;
• Diarrhea can be caused by taking certain medications, in particular.

Malabsorption syndrome

A proper diet will help get rid of diarrhea.

Malabsorption is a syndrome in which the intestinal absorption of nutrients is impaired.

The disease is characterized by copious feces and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract - increased gas formation, bloating, weight loss, etc.

Malabsorption syndrome includes many serious diseases - pancreatic defects, pancreatitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, intestinal infections, inflammatory processes in the intestines and others. Malabsorption syndrome in children leads to physical and mental retardation.

Celiac disease can be inherited and is characterized by a deficiency of enzymes that break down gliadin. Symptoms of celiac disease appear in children when they are fed grain products - cereals, bread. Characteristic signs include larger-than-usual volume of stool, weight loss, anemia and edema. Needed, excluding grains and gluten.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. It is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, and when the process worsens, general weakness, nausea, and weight loss are observed.

Cystic fibrosis is a severe hereditary disease that affects the exocrine glands, causing dysfunction of the respiratory system and.

With cystic fibrosis, bowel movements occur with a large volume of feces, increased gas formation and abdominal pain are noted.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Frequent diarrhea with constipation is a sign of cholecystitis.

With enzymatic deficiency, the digestion process is difficult. It occurs due to a hereditary predisposition or due to poor functioning of the pancreas.

The child has frequent bowel movements, while the stool is unformed; he may experience bloating, regurgitation, sleep disturbances, lethargy, and weight loss.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the tissues and ducts of the pancreas. Children with pancreatitis experience acute pain in the left hypochondrium, often of a girdling nature, nausea, fever, and dyspeptic disorders. During diarrhea, stool may contain inclusions - blood, mucus, undigested food fragments.

Remember! With diarrhea, stool contains more water than during normal bowel movements by an average of 30%, so dehydration occurs. You need to drink plenty of fluids.

If there are problems with the liver, diarrhea appears from insufficient production of bile acids, fats are not broken down and bile does not enter the duodenum. The color of the stool becomes pale and greasy. Viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, cholelithiasis can be identified by a larger than usual volume of stool, weight loss, anemia and edema.

Chronic intestinal diseases are characterized by periods of remission and exacerbations.

- gallbladder disease is accompanied by diarrhea, which is replaced by constipation. With cholecystitis, you may experience bad breath, belching with the smell of rotten eggs, and heaviness in the right hypochondrium. There is often a decrease in body weight, and anemia develops.

When defecation in children is not accompanied by diarrhea

Rice water is an excellent folk remedy for diarrhea.

Sometimes frequent bowel movements in children can occur in children with a shortage, when food particles are not digested sufficiently and there is an urge to empty the intestines. The stool is not liquid.

With irritable bowel syndrome - in which the nature of bowel movements constantly changes - constipation is replaced by a more liquid state.

Sometimes children feel pain that goes away after bowel movements, rumbling, nausea and a feeling that the intestines are not completely emptied.

Dysentery is not always accompanied by diarrhea - in mild forms it almost never occurs, but bowel movements occur up to 8 times a day, with mucus.

Diet – Frequent urges to go to the toilet may be the reason for consuming a lot of fiber. In this case, there is no need to worry, your health is fine.

Remember! If the symptoms cause concern for the baby’s condition, defecation is accompanied by unpleasant sensations, he must be examined in order to quickly begin drug treatment.

Traditional recipes and prevention for frequent bowel movements

As an additional treatment for frequent bowel movements in a child, after consultation with a doctor, you can use traditional medicine:

1. for diarrhea - boil 50 g of rice, strain, cool slightly and give to drink three times a day. Children over three years old should drink 100 grams at a time.
2. Chicory flower decoction - take two teaspoons of flowers per 250 g of water, boil for 10 minutes, infuse the decoction and give the decoction to children, if they are over 3 years old, then 1.5 tablespoons.
3. Dried blueberry decoction. For 50 g of dry berries - 150 g of water. Make a decoction, strain. Take several times a day.

• maintain hygiene - wash your hands more often, especially after going outside and after visiting the toilet;
• wash food thoroughly, do not feed your child raw eggs or other foods that require heat treatment;
• teach healthy eating from early childhood - no fast food, sweet carbonated water, fried foods, limit the consumption of cakes, sweet rolls, sweets, eat more fruits, vegetables, dairy products.

H baby has loose stools may be caused by various reasons. Parents of children, especially young ones, should know when it is possible to get by with a gentle diet, and when it is necessary to contact a medical institution for help.

This video will tell you about diarrhea in a child:

Defecation, or emptying the rectum, is the release of feces by the human body. Normally, defecation in an adult occurs 1-2 times a day. Also, the frequency is considered to be 1 time in 2 days. Frequent, loose stools are called diarrhea, and infrequent stools are called constipation. These pathological conditions are usually accompanied by visible changes in bowel movements.

Patients often ask a question at a doctor’s appointment: I go to the toilet a lot, why does this happen, what should be the norm in this condition, what should I do? To answer it, you need to conduct a series of examinations and analyses. If a pathology is detected, appropriate treatment will be prescribed. You and I will not be able to make a diagnosis, but we will be able to find out how often a person should have bowel movements normally and when the frequency of bowel movements indicates pathology.

Diarrhea and stool retention

Diarrhea, diarrhea - usually characterized by a liquid, and in some cases, watery consistency, occurs frequently, up to 10 times a day. When defecation is delayed, called constipation, stool hardens, becomes rough, and its consistency loses elasticity. When passing through the rectum, they can injure the mucous membrane. With constipation, bowel movements can occur once every 3 days.

Typically, such disturbances in the frequency of bowel movements are symptoms of a specific disease. If you have diarrhea or constipation, you should consult a gastroenterologist or proctologist. If an adult experiences hyperperistalsis (frequent bowel movements), several times a day, but does not bring any inconvenience or negative sensations, this can be considered normal.

However, doctors recommend, in this case, to observe the appearance of your stool (consistency, color, impurities, smell). If everything is fine with this, but the person walks very often during the day, it is recommended to visit a psychotherapist. Frequent bowel movements may indicate the presence of a somatoform disorder.

Why do I often go to the toilet for a long time? Causes of frequent bowel movements

If frequent stools of normal consistency are observed in a newborn, this indicates healthy digestion of the baby. If an adult often goes to the toilet for a long time, this may indicate some pathological conditions.

As we have already said, the norm for such trips to the toilet is considered to be once a day. Or 2 times, if you are overweight or eat a large amount of food, or if the foods eaten have a laxative effect (for example, prunes). Let me clarify that we are not talking about diarrhea. We are talking about frequent stools of normal consistency.

Sometimes frequent bowel movements in an adult are observed due to insufficient production of enzymes, when the intestines lose the ability to fully break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. In this case, the urge to go to the toilet occurs several hours after eating.

Of course, with normal metabolism, the frequency of bowel movements can also be more than 2 times a day. But in this case, the feces do not change their consistency, color, smell, have no inclusions or foreign impurities. However, in any case, it is better to consult a gastroenterologist and get tested for enzymes.

When is frequent bowel movements a symptom of what pathology?

When a patient wonders: why do I go to the toilet so often, what should I do in this case? There is only one answer - contact a specialist. Especially if bowel movements occur more than five times a day. In this case, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, since this condition cannot be considered normal and is often a symptom of certain, sometimes quite dangerous diseases. For example:

Crohn's disease, which affects the large intestine;
- various types of colitis;
- presence of salmonellosis;
- dysentery, hyperthyroidism, and intestinal tuberculosis;
- cancer - a tumor of the colon or rectum.

All these and other pathologies and intestinal diseases can be accompanied by frequent bowel movements, mainly diarrhea. The external signs of stool change: consistency, color, smell. Foreign inclusions and impurities (mucus, blood) may be observed.

If frequent stools are loose, watery, and painful, we are talking about diarrhea. This is a symptom of a wide variety of gastrointestinal diseases, including dysbacteriosis and food poisoning. There is no way around this without medical help.

Frequent trips to the toilet can occur due to insufficient production of bile acids by the body. Then the feces acquire a pale color and a greasy, shiny consistency. At the same time, the quality of vision in a person decreases, especially in the evening, bones become more fragile and brittle. Bleeding is observed in the anal area. All these are symptoms of diseases of the liver, biliary tract, or duodenum.

How to normalize frequent bowel movements? What should I do for this?

The sooner the pathology is detected, the better. If you try to endure the urge to go to the toilet for a long time, the consequences can be very unpleasant. In particular, constipation may develop, causing slagging in the body. Fecal stones will begin to form in the intestines, damaging the intestinal mucosa.

Therefore, the first step is to find the cause of this condition. To do this, you need to see a doctor, undergo the necessary examination, and take tests. You may need to undergo an ultrasound of internal organs and a colonoscopy.

The appearance of stool, its consistency, smell - all these are the most important indicators of the primary diagnosis of pathologies of the digestive system. In addition to the consistency of feces, stool frequency is also of great importance in assessing the child’s health. Normally, a child over three years old should have a bowel movement once a day. For infants, this norm is several times higher and can range from 3-4 to 8 times a day (depending on the age of the baby). If the stool has a thin or watery consistency, accompanied by intestinal spasms, tenesmus (false urge to defecate), the child is diagnosed with diarrhea, which most often has an infectious nature.

In some cases it happens that the child goes to the toilet several times a day, and there are no signs of intestinal infections. Sometimes such changes are associated with the characteristics of the children's diet and the abundant consumption of certain foods, but in half of the cases the cause of frequent bowel movements is diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. To understand whether frequent bowel movements in childhood are dangerous, it is important to understand the causes of this condition and know their characteristics.

If a child has bowel movements more than 2 times a day, this condition is considered a deviation from the norm, although it can be considered as an individual characteristic of the body. In newborns and children of the first year of life, the number of bowel movements can reach up to 6-8 times a day (if the child is breastfed) and up to 4-5 times a day if the child receives an adapted milk formula as the main diet. The frequency of bowel movements in infants decreases slightly after the introduction of complementary foods: this usually occurs at 7-8 months. After a year, the child can defecate from 4 to 3-4 times a day.

The relative norm for children three years of age and older is 1-2 bowel movements per day. If bowel movements occur more often, it is necessary to analyze the child's diet - perhaps the child eats a lot of foods with a laxative effect, containing fiber or stimulating intestinal motility. All these products must be present in the child’s daily menu, but in limited quantities that correspond to age norms and physiological needs. Foods containing a lot of mucus, which envelops feces and stimulates their evacuation into the rectum, can also cause increased bowel movements.

Products that can affect stool frequency in children of middle and older age groups include:

• some types of fruits and vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin, prunes);
• cereals with a high gluten content (oatmeal, wheat, barley);
• fermented milk drinks (bifidoc, acidophylline, kefir, yogurt, whey).

Bananas, rice, brown bread, pears, rice water, and various types of meat have a fixing effect.

Frequent bowel movements due to fermentopathy

This is one of the most common causes of bowel dysfunction in children aged 1 to 7 years. Enzymopathy is a pathological condition in which a child’s digestive tract does not produce enough necessary enzymes (or they are completely absent). Enzymopathy also includes insufficient enzymatic activity, which leads to impaired breakdown and absorption of nutrients and slower absorption.

Signs of enzyme deficiency in children include:

• frequent stools, the consistency of which can vary throughout the day from watery liquid to a dense sausage shape;
• pungent odor of feces (explained by rotting products of incomplete breakdown of proteins, fats and other elements);
• an increase in the volume of detritus in the feces (determined in the laboratory; it may appear externally as a glossy sheen on the surface of the excrement);
• anemia due to incomplete absorption of iron (pallor of the skin, gray skin tone, dryness and peeling of the mucous membranes);
• headaches, weakness, fatigue, decreased performance in children who attend educational institutions.

What to do?

If a child is diagnosed with fermentopathy, it is necessary to determine its type: drug therapy for the pathology and subsequent correction of the child’s lifestyle depend on this.

Table. Types of enzymopathy in children.

For any form of enzyme deficiency, the use of digestive enzymes (Festal, Creon, Mezim) is indicated, but only a doctor should prescribe these drugs, since not all of them are suitable for use in childhood. In case of nutritional disorders, it is recommended to increase the proportion of protein products in the children's diet by approximately 10-15%. This can be meat, cottage cheese, eggs (white), fish, as well as legumes (chickpeas, peas, lentils, beans).

Important! An increase in the volume fraction of protein products in a child’s daily menu is not allowed in case of kidney disease, as this can lead to the appearance of protein in the urine (proteinuria).

Hyperkinetic diarrhea - what is it?

Hyperkinetic diarrhea is a condition in which intestinal motility increases and accelerated movement of chyme into the rectum occurs. The pathology is often observed in children with diseases of the nervous system, neurological disorders, and psychoses (especially in the acute stage). The frequency of stool in this category of children can reach 4-5 times a day, while the excrement has a normal consistency, and its movement through the intestines does not cause pain or discomfort to the child.

In adolescents, frequent bowel movements can occur with initial and moderate forms of depressive disorders - psycho-emotional disorders manifested by bad mood, impaired thinking, and loss of the ability to experience positive emotions. Parents should monitor their child’s condition very carefully, since prolonged depression is the main cause of teenage suicide.

You can recognize the onset of depression by the following signs:

• the child experiences changes in the functioning of the body (stool becomes more frequent, the urge to urinate at night appears, sleep is disturbed);
• the child tries to spend more time alone, avoids communicating with friends and relatives, loses interest in surrounding events;
• increased absent-mindedness appears (the teenager does not immediately answer the question asked, concentrates his gaze on one point, suddenly changes the topic of conversation).

To correct the child’s emotional state when the first symptoms of possible abnormalities appear, it is possible to use plant-based sedatives (“Valerian officinalis extract”, “Motherwort”, “Corvalol”). Young children can be given sedatives in the form of dragees and syrups: “Hare”, “Bay-bye”, “Sibiryachok”, “Pomogusha”.

Note! Hyperkinetic diarrhea, accompanied by accelerated motility of the intestinal walls, may be a manifestation of insufficient secretion of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) or irritable bowel syndrome. In some cases, frequent bowel movements may occur while taking certain medications, for example, Magnesium Sulfate, antacid medications (Gaviscon, Rennie), or drugs used for chemotherapy protocols (5-fluorouracil).

Frequent bowel movements due to diseases of the digestive tract

If a child has frequent bowel movements, but there are no signs of diarrhea, the cause may be disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. To diagnose them, laboratory, ultrasound, hardware and instrumental diagnostics are used to assess the appearance and condition of the mucous membranes, measure the acidity of the stomach and duodenum, identify ulcerative and erosive defects of the epithelial membrane and signs of tumor processes.

This is a severe systemic lesion of all parts of the digestive tract (granulomatous type), which is of an autoimmune nature. In children, the prevalence of the disease ranges from 1.9% to 7.1%. Symptoms of the inflammatory process depend on its location and can manifest as painful spasms of the intestines and stomach, frequent bowel movements or, conversely, prolonged constipation, bloating, and flatulence syndrome. If the larynx is involved in the pathological process, the child will complain of sore throat when talking and swallowing.

Crohn's disease has a high risk of mortality and almost always leads to disability, so an important stage of primary prevention is regular examinations by a pediatric gastroenterologist, especially if the child is registered with chronic diseases of the digestive system.

Note! Treatment of the disease is always surgical. In advanced forms of the disease, one of the manifestations may be complete fecal incontinence, that is, the frequency of bowel movements can reach up to 6-8 times a day.

Video: Belousova O Yu Crohn's disease in children

Intestinal inflammation

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the colon is called colitis. Non-infectious colitis can be the result of atherosclerosis of the vessels through which blood flows to various parts of the intestine, autoimmune disorders, blockage of the branches of the abdominal aorta - one of the largest blood vessels in the human body. If poisoned by toxic substances or taking medications for a long time, a child may develop toxic colitis.

Manifestations of colitis in childhood may include:

• frequent bowel movements (stool may occur after every meal);
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• painful contractions of the intestinal walls (spasms);
• tension in the abdominal muscles caused by bloating and gas movement;
• putrid smell of feces;
• foul breath.

For treatment, medications, nutritional therapy, detoxification therapy, vitamin therapy and physiotherapeutic treatment (after stopping the acute process) are used.

Important! If a child does not receive the necessary treatment for a long time, the mucous membranes may become covered with ulcers. In this case, surgical therapy using partial bowel resection methods may be required. Indications for surgery are also thrombosis and progressive ischemia (oxygen starvation) of the vessels of the colon.

Frequent bowel movements in a child are one of the “alarm bells” that may be the first symptoms that the digestive system is not working properly. Ignoring this condition can lead not only to progression of the underlying disease, but also to retarded growth and development, as well as decreased immunity. If the child’s diet is balanced and contains age-appropriate amounts of essential nutrients and nutrients, but stools still remain frequent, it is necessary to contact a pediatric gastroenterologist.

The nervous system affects the functioning of various organs. Psychological difficulties can lead to disruption of the digestion process. Frequent bowel movements in an adult are not always a sign of diarrhea. Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can provoke pathology.

Causes of frequent bowel movements

What determines the frequency of bowel movements? There are several factors that force a person to visit the toilet more than 2 times a day:

How to eliminate psychological problems of the disease

The state of the nervous system affects the functioning of the digestive organs. People prone to increased anxiety suffer from frequent bowel movements. They adapt poorly to new conditions and get irritated over trifles.

Frequent bowel movements indicate that a person is experiencing the following emotions:

1. The patient is very irritated and constantly nervous.
2. The patient experiences emotional instability and a feeling of fear.
3. The patient suffers from symptoms of schizophrenia.
4. If a person cannot solve the difficulties that have befallen him, then the process of digesting food is disrupted.
5. People with an unstable nervous system perceive personal failures quite painfully. Suspicious people begin to suspect that their health is not all right. In this case, you need to contact a psychologist who will help you find a way out of this situation.

To calm an overexcited nervous system and diarrhea due to nervousness, you can use antidepressants. In combination with psychotherapy, treatment can achieve stable results. The functioning of the digestive organs should gradually normalize.

What is the danger of frequent bowel movements?

Too frequent bowel movements deprive the patient of essential vitamins and microelements. A lack of digestive enzymes leads to incompletely digested food entering the large intestine. The patient may develop vitamin deficiency and anemia.

What should you not eat if you have frequent bowel movements?

The cause of frequent bowel movements may be poor nutrition. In this case, treatment must begin with an analysis of the patient’s daily diet.

Products that stimulate bowel function include:

1. Frequent bowel movements are provoked by dishes that contain a lot of fructose.
2. Drinking milk causes frequent bowel movements.
3. Artificial sugar substitutes are the most common food additive. Many people don’t even think about the harm that they can cause if eaten regularly.

To get rid of the symptoms of indigestion, you need to completely review your menu. During illness, exclude fried foods from your diet.

Smoked meats are prohibited, as they irritate the intestinal walls.

Eating too hot food does not have the best effect on the functioning of the digestive system. The daily amount of food must be reduced.

Foods that can help relieve indigestion

Are you tormented by the desire to go to the toilet at the most inopportune moment? You can eliminate unpleasant symptoms with diet. Be sure to include the following types of foods in your diet:

1. Rusks will help you reduce the frequency of bowel movements.
2. Healthy dishes include meat or vegetable broth.
3. It is allowed to eat lean meat. It must be boiled or steamed.
4. Visits to the restroom will become less frequent if you include boiled eggs in your diet.
5. You can improve the functioning of your digestive organs using natural jelly. You should not use purchased briquettes, to which manufacturers generously add flavorings and dyes.
6. Black tea has a healing effect for frequent bowel movements.
7. Healthy foods include low-fat cottage cheese and fish.

How to eliminate digestive enzyme deficiency

Lack of enzymes is one of the reasons for frequent bowel movements. To treat patients with pancreatitis, drugs such as Festal and Mezim Forte are used.

Follow the dosage indicated in the instructions. The duration of treatment depends on the patient's condition. Typically, the course of taking medications takes from 4 to 12 days.

How to restore the functioning of the digestive organs with colitis

Frequent bowel movements can be caused by colitis. Doctors prescribe antibacterial agents (Polymyxin, Terramycin). They suppress the activity of pathogenic microorganisms that actively multiply in the intestines. The dosage depends on the patient's condition.

Treatment of dysbiosis

Taking antibiotics leads to disruption of intestinal microflora. Not having enough beneficial bacteria causes frequent bowel movements.

To restore microflora, doctors prescribe probiotics to patients (Lactofiltrum, Bifidumbacterin). With regular use of the drugs, the patient's stool normalizes and gas formation decreases.

Treatment of frequent bowel movements due to gastritis

In the body of a patient with gastritis, the production of gastric juice is disrupted. Patients complain of pain in the stomach area. Gastritis complicates the process of digesting food. A deficiency of gastric juice leads to stagnation of food.

As a result, fermentation begins and belching occurs. Chronic gastritis often causes intestinal dysfunction. The patient suffers from flatulence, as food enters the intestines in an insufficiently digested form.

The factor that provokes the occurrence of gastritis is considered to be Helicobacter pylori infection. To destroy the bacteria, the doctor prescribes antibiotics. However, this is not the only cause of this disease. Ulcers and erosions in the stomach can provoke the development of gastritis.

How to eliminate irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome

The choice of means depends on the individual characteristics of the person. Often this condition develops against the background of nervous tension. Such patients are recommended to take antidepressants. Exercise helps relieve stress. Be sure to make an appointment with a psychologist.

To reduce intestinal spasms, you can use antispasmodics (Papaverine, Drotaverine). To regulate intestinal motility, doctors prescribe prokinetics (Trimedat, Alosetron).