Causes of loose stools in an adult - diagnosis of disorders in the body, treatment and diet. Constantly loose stools in an adult: what could be the cause

Who doesn’t know from television advertising what to do if diarrhea occurs in adults? Take a “magic” pill that will instantly stop diarrhea! However, any doctor will say that such “treatment” will not help at best, and will do harm at worst. Firstly, medications for diarrhea do not act instantly, they only reduce it, and secondly, the use of such medications is contraindicated for a number of diseases. What to do when you suffer from loose stools?

Diarrhea is not a disease, but a symptom that indicates problems in the gastrointestinal tract or in the body as a whole. Therefore, it is impossible to cure diarrhea without knowing what causes it. Diarrhea is defined as the passage of loose stool either once or with an increased frequency of bowel movements. If such a violation goes away within 2-3 weeks, we are talking about acute diarrhea, over 21 days - chronic.

In a normal state, the body of a healthy adult excretes 100–300 g of formed feces daily or at other intervals that are comfortable for a particular gastrointestinal tract. Liquefaction and accelerated evacuation of stool occurs due to a sharp increase in water content: with diarrhea, stool is 90% liquid. The amount of feces suggests the etiology of diarrhea:

disturbances of intestinal motility usually do not increase the daily volume of feces; it is excreted frequently, but in small portions;
if the problem is in the absorption of substances by the intestinal wall, there is a significant increase in the volume of feces due to the mass of undigested food.

The main causes of loose stools in adults:

Such diarrhea usually goes away within 3-4 days, and the patient will most likely be able to associate the onset of diarrhea with previous events.

However, the causes of diarrhea in an adult can be more serious:

infection with bacteria, viruses, protozoa (dysentery, salmonellosis, intestinal flu);
inflammatory diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, hepatitis, ulcers);
functional organ failure (deficiency of certain enzymes);
gastrointestinal diseases of unknown etiology (Crohn's disease);
toxic damage (poisoning with lead, mercury).

In such cases, it is not enough to simply stop the diarrhea: a diagnosis must be made and qualified treatment must be carried out, often in an inpatient setting. As for the clinical manifestations of diarrhea, they may be mild. This applies to ordinary indigestion, when in addition to loose stools, cramping pain in the abdomen and dyspeptic symptoms (boiling, bloating, etc.) may be observed.

In case of food poisoning, the pain is accompanied by weakness, fever, nausea and vomiting, refusal to eat, and the temperature may rise. Similar symptoms are accompanied by intestinal infections and viral diseases.

Alarming signs that require immediate attention are symptoms of dehydration. Dry skin and mucous membranes, cracked lips, severe thirst, rare urination, darkening of urine occur with debilitating diarrhea, and this condition poses a great danger: the pulse increases, blood pressure drops, and muscle cramps may begin.

What to do for diarrhea in an adult - first aid

To prevent dehydration, the water and salts lost by the body must be compensated by drinking plenty of fluids: it is best to take rehydrating solutions (Rehydron and analogues); in their absence, you can drink saline solution, salted water, chamomile tea. Prevention of dehydration should begin as soon as it becomes clear that loose stools are not an isolated case.

Especially if the diarrhea is profuse and constant, has been going on for several days, and is accompanied by vomiting. It is also necessary to pay attention to the presence of blood in the stool. It can appear with dysentery, ulcerative colitis,.

Depending on the diagnosis, the doctor will select a specific treatment, but there are general rules that must be followed in any case of diarrhea. This is dietary nutrition, taking adsorbent drugs, enzymes.

Diet for diarrhea in an adult

The nature of the diet obviously influences bowel movements. Many foods have an irritating effect on peristalsis, and during diarrhea you should forget about them until complete recovery. These are spices, raw vegetables, plums and other laxatives.

Some foods have a fixing effect, so in the first few days of the diet you should limit yourself to the following set of dishes:

wheat bread crackers;
vegetable purees;
slimy porridge;
pureed meat and fish of lean varieties (steamed, boiled);
tea, blueberry jelly, bird cherry fruit infusion, rice infusion.

You can start the diet on a “fasting” day: drink only strong sweet tea (8-10 cups during the day).

If diarrhea is caused by lactose or gluten intolerance, then diet is the main, and often the only, factor in treatment. For these diseases, a therapeutic diet is prescribed that completely excludes products containing milk sugar and the cereal protein gluten.

Diet is important: you need to eat often (every 3 hours) and in small portions.

The diet must be followed throughout the treatment and beyond, but after the first “hard” days, you can remove the restrictions and expand the diet, adhering to the following principles:

Thus, we list the prohibited products:

any fried meat;
offal;
rich broths;
fatty fish prepared in any way, and lean fish if it is fried, canned, smoked;
milk, high fat cream;
scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs;
cabbage in any form, beets, spicy root vegetables, turnips, radishes, cucumbers;
canned vegetables;
mushrooms;
sour berries and fruits;
pastries and bread;
carbonated drinks, kvass, cold drinks.

What then can you eat for diarrhea in adults? Here is an approximate list of dishes from which it is recommended to create a diet menu:

steamed minced meat cutlets, meat puree (can be from “children’s” jars), soufflé;
boiled fish (such as pollock, cod), fish balls, steamed cutlets;
cereal cooked in water; you can add a little milk and a piece of butter to the finished porridge;
rice pudding;
puree soups with vegetable or weak meat broth;
boiled pasta;
fermented milk drinks;
fresh cottage cheese;
omelet, soft-boiled eggs;
boiled, baked or pureed vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, green beans;
baked fruits in compote, some fresh strawberries;
jellies and mousses from berries and fruits;
white bread croutons, dryers, “Maria” cookies;
water, tea, compote, cocoa without milk.

In addition to diet, it is important to organize the correct drinking regime. The fluid entering the body should be several liters in volume in order to fully compensate for the loss of water through diarrhea.

Since microelements are washed out with loose stools, plain water is not very suitable for drinking. It is better to take glucose-salt drinks, which will replenish the loss of electrolytes, maintain normal blood sugar levels, and salt also promotes fluid retention in the body.

There are special preparations for preparing rehydrating drinks, these are Regidron, Citroglucosolan, Gastrolit, but if they are not available, you can prepare the liquid yourself by diluting it in a liter of water:

Instead of potassium chloride, you can pour a decoction of dried apricots and freshly squeezed orange juice into the solution. You need to drink in small portions, but constantly throughout the day.

Medicines to treat diarrhea in adults

As an important piece of advice, it should be noted that diarrhea in an adult that has not gone away within 3 days is a reason to consult a doctor. Chronic diarrhea can indicate the presence of serious diseases, it even occurs with some forms of cancer.

It is also worth seeing a doctor if the temperature rises above 38 during diarrhea, signs uncharacteristic of indigestion or poisoning appear: rash, yellowness of the skin and eyes, dark urine, sleep disturbances. Constant excruciating pain in the abdomen should not be the norm (spastic pain before and during bowel movements is acceptable).

Black or green diarrhea, vomiting mixed with fresh or coagulated (dark) blood, fainting, signs of severe dehydration indicate that the situation is critical: it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.

Frequent, loose stools that are passed more than 3 times a day may be a cause for concern. Regular loose stools, but not diarrhea, in an adult are usually a sign of illness, especially if there is blood, mucus or fat in the stool. In such a situation, you should abandon home treatment and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Check what diseases the symptoms described above may indicate and what are the causes of frequent urge to go to the toilet.

A characteristic feature is a constant feeling of the need to defecate. This disease can alternate and be a symptom of many serious diseases.

A factor in the development of loose stools in the morning and after each meal can be a disease:

Irritable bowel syndrome.

This is a chronic disease - its symptoms can persist throughout life. There is rarely the presence of blood, and there is also unexplained weight loss (despite the use of a balanced diet) and a feeling of fatigue. Often the need to defecate appears at night.

Colon cancer.

During illness, changes occur within the cells of the colon mucosa. Loose stools appear, which may contain blood (as a result of bleeding from the tumor). Often the only symptom of developing cancer is a change in bowel habits: diarrhea and constipation. It is worth knowing that the symptoms of rectal cancer are varied and depend on the location of the tumor.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis.

The disease consists of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum or colon. Its symptom is, in particular, frequent urges, which look like loose sediment mixed with blood. The disease is very dangerous because its complications can include liver failure, colon perforation and even cancer.

Crohn's disease.

This is an inflammatory disease of the colon of unknown etiology, leading to destruction of the intestinal wall. The inflammatory process initially involves the mucous membrane, eventually occupying all layers of the colon wall. Symptoms of the disease often include loose stools, weight loss and changes in the membrane (ulcers, abscesses, fistulas).

Celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine, the essence of which is gluten intolerance. In people who struggle with this type of malabsorption, inflammation occurs as a result of contact with gluten supplements. The consequence is slow damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine. A characteristic symptom of the disease is loose, pale, impurities with a strong pungent odor. Liquid stool is excreted from the body in large quantities.

Hyperthyroidism.

Excessive production of thyroid hormones causes the patient's metabolism to accelerate, resulting in frequent urination and diarrhea. At the same time, a decrease in body weight occurs, despite the fact that the patient’s appetite does not decrease.

Typhoid fever.

This is a disease that can be contracted while staying in tropical countries. It is caused by bacteria from the genus Salmonella. Fever and abdominal pain appear in the first week. In the second, severe headaches and dry cough are observed. Only in the third week do loose stools appear.

Cystic fibrosis.

Urination is free, severe diarrhea immediately after eating with a strong odor is one of the characteristic symptoms of this disease. Other symptoms also appear from the gastrointestinal tract: an increase in abdominal volume and blockage of the salivary glands with thick, viscous mucus.

Other causes of frequent diarrhea and dysbiosis:

taking medications - Many medications, such as diabetes pills, laxatives or hydrochloric acid antacids, can cause loose stools as an unwanted side effect of taking them. If there is a suspicion that medications are the cause of diarrhea, you should stop taking them and consult a doctor. Very often, dysbiosis is caused by antibacterial drugs;
consuming large amounts of sugar substitute (sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol).

Chronic diarrhea is a symptom of illness that lasts more than 14 days. During this period, the patient gives away more than 3 liters of fluid per day. There can be many reasons, ranging from food allergies to life-threatening diseases.

What to do if an adult has loose stools

Some patients trigger the disease. Diarrhea can last for more than a year. In this case, there is a high risk of dehydration. If you have loose stools for a long time, it is important to conduct a comprehensive examination to eliminate the risk of developing a dangerous disease.

At the first symptoms and frequently recurring diarrhea, it is important to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Drugs such as:

Smecta.
Enterosgel.
Enterofuril.
Activated carbon.
Imodium.
StopDiar.

The doctor may prescribe probiotics to improve internal intestinal motility (Linex, Bifidumbacterin).

If loose stools are accompanied by vomiting, the cause may be a rotavirus infection or gastroenteritis. Enterofuril tablets can help cope with bacterial damage. They have antibacterial and healing effects.

If you have soft stools after each meal, you are more likely to develop dehydration. You should definitely drink sweet tea or salted water in small portions. There is a special drug, Regidron, that helps cope with dehydration during rapidly developing diarrhea.

If an adult has loose stools, but not diarrhea, and has been bothering you for a long time, you should definitely undergo an examination. It will help identify provoking factors. You should not self-medicate. After all, the disease can lead to intoxication of the body, significant loss of weight and appetite.

The very fact of having diarrhea can not only worsen a person’s quality of life, but also negatively affect his overall health. Diarrhea is always accompanied by discomfort and loss of strength, not to mention the situation when an adult’s loose stools do not stop for a long time.

To such a disorder, which lasts not just for days, but for weeks or months, the concept of “protracted” or “chronic” can be applied, which means that the problem is very advanced and will no longer be able to go away on its own without unpleasant consequences. Diarrhea is just the tip of a large iceberg, signaling less visible, but therefore even more dangerous pathologies. Prolonged diarrhea leads the body to dehydration. With loose stools, there is a loss of not only moisture, but also mineral salts and nutrients - everything that takes part in metabolism and regulates the water-salt balance.

This condition cannot be ignored, but diagnosing the cause, unfortunately, is not so easy.

Main causes of prolonged diarrhea

Diarrhea is not a full-fledged disease, but only a symptom indicating impaired functionality of the gastrointestinal tract or other body systems. If diarrhea does not go away for a long time, this may be due to a number of reasons:

Irritable bowel syndrome. This disease is part of a whole complex of intestinal disorders and can occur in two formats. The first form is systematic pain in the lower abdomen and frequent loose stools, which are uncontrollable and spontaneous. The second form in adults is bloating and constipation, which causes no less painful sensations.
Poor nutrition. And the point is not that one day a person ate something spoiled and became poisoned, but rather the systematic consumption of stale and low-quality food products, which are most likely contaminated with harmful microorganisms. Continuous loose stools may also be a consequence of drinking contaminated tap water, which rarely is taken to the laboratory for additional tests. The risk group also includes people who are intolerant to any product or component, and they don’t even know about it. This may be gluten, lactose or milk sugar, which is often found in even the healthiest and most balanced diets.
Nonspecific ulcerative colitis. With this chronic disease, the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed. It is accompanied by prolonged diarrhea mixed with blood and mucus in the stool, pain in the left abdomen, rapid weight loss and even fever.
Crohn's disease. This disease is similar in nature to ulcerative colitis, which is expressed in symptoms such as prolonged diarrhea, weakening of the body and weight loss. But there is one small, but significant difference in its content: Crohn's disease affects the entire gastrointestinal tract, starting with the oral cavity and ending with the rectum. This disease can be caused by infection, stress or heredity in adults.
Dysbacteriosis. Prolonged diarrhea can be the result of a decrease in the population of beneficial microorganisms, which are always present in the intestines and help the normal functioning of all digestive processes. The cause of dysbiosis can be self-medication or improper use of antibiotics, which kill both pathogenic and necessary bacteria for health. Incessant diarrhea makes itself felt in 90% of such cases.
Infection. There are a huge number of infectious diseases that can cause long-term diarrhea: salmonellosis, dysentery and shigellosis. They are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature, nausea, vomiting and general weakness. If such a disease is not treated correctly, then the infectious agent becomes a chronic carrier, disrupting the person’s stool and habitual way of life.
Postpartum diarrhea. The entire period of pregnancy is accompanied by physiological and hormonal changes in a woman’s body, which make the digestive tract especially vulnerable. After childbirth, everything begins to return to normal, but this path may be accompanied by periodic disorders in the form of diarrhea. A balanced diet, proper rest, healthy sleep and care for observing the main rules of breastfeeding will help you cope with it.

Of course, this is not a complete list of possible causes of prolonged loose stools. If you discover such a symptom and diarrhea does not go away for a week or more, then it’s time to seek qualified help from a doctor who can conduct a thorough diagnosis of your painful condition and, with the help of additional tests, identify the exact cause and prescribe the correct treatment.

Loose stools are an unpleasant condition that can not only reduce the quality of life, but also temporarily deprive a person of full performance, which can directly affect his emotional and financial well-being.

Associated symptoms

general weakness;
change in level of consciousness;
dizziness;
fainting;
fatigue;
fever and chills;
flu symptoms;
increased heart rate and breathing;
shortness of breath;
weight loss.

When is it time to see a doctor?

Diarrhea rarely occurs as a single symptom of the disease. It is often combined with other clinical manifestations: abdominal pain, rumbling, bloating, false urge to go to the restroom, nausea and vomiting, fever, loss of fluid, which can lead to cardiovascular failure. If prolonged diarrhea in an adult continues for more than a couple of weeks, then it can already be confidently called protracted, and this is a good reason to come for a consultation with an experienced doctor.

Modern medicine allows for the most accurate diagnosis, which will become a reliable basis for developing correct and effective therapy. For an accurate diagnosis, an examination by a qualified physician alone is not enough.

There is a whole list of mandatory and desirable methods and tests that your doctor may prescribe for you.

The patient should not refuse them, since his health and well-being are at stake:

history taking and examination. The patient reports on all his symptoms, the number of bowel movements per day, his daily diet, medications used, as well as existing chronic diseases such as cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, etc. Even the presence of similar pathologies in close relatives is taken into account;
laboratory tests: stool (analysis, culture, coprogram), blood (general analysis and biochemistry);
colonoscopy, CT scan of the abdominal cavity, endoscopic examination, ultrasound, etc.

If you don’t know what to do, if diarrhea does not go away, then any doctor’s referral can save you from the danger of a pathological condition and complications, of which there are a huge number: dehydration, shock, acute renal failure, metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia and hypocalcemia, convulsions, bleeding, chronic diarrhea, etc.

Effective treatment

If unpleasant diarrhea does not go away for a week, then the person will need first aid, which consists of measures aimed at avoiding dehydration. Lost water and salts are compensated by drinking properly, including dehydrating solutions (Rehydron, salted water, chamomile tea).

You need to start taking appropriate measures already at the moment when you realize that you have had loose stools more than a few times and have not gone away for several days.

There are many popular drugs that promote intestinal motility if the patient’s diarrhea does not go away for a week, but they should be taken carefully and with the recommendations of a doctor, since self-medication can be fraught with unpleasant consequences:

The drug is prescribed for acute diarrhea not associated with various types of infections, diarrhea during travel, as well as for diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome.

Imodium is not prescribed to children under the age of 6 years, in the first trimester of pregnancy and in case of hypersensitivity to its components included in the drug.

Buy a pack of 6 pcs. 2 mg is available at any pharmacy for 230 rubles.

Used for acute intestinal infections. Prescribed for both adults and children.

Contraindications include: intestinal obstruction and fructose intolerance, hypersensitivity to the drug, etc.

A package of 10 sachets of 3 g costs about 150 rubles and is sold without a prescription.

The drug is used in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea.

Contraindications: children under 1 year of age, non-acceptance of components, presence of an installed central venous catheter.

A pack of 10 capsules costs about 300 rubles and is available at any pharmacy in your city.

Linex is a complex of bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and enterococci, which show themselves effectively in the treatment of acute forms of diarrhea, even in infants.

Contraindications: hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug or to dairy products.

The price at the pharmacy is about 300 rubles for 16 capsules.

Any drug treatment must be accompanied by compliance with the daily routine, diet and doctor’s instructions, since self-medication can help or harm a person’s health. If, even in the case of active treatment, diarrhea in adults does not go away and loose stools are observed all the time, then hospitalization may be necessary.

Traditional medicine can also contribute to a faster recovery, but you need to understand that it should be part of a whole integrated approach, and not the only way to combat diarrhea.

There are many recipes that can alleviate the patient’s condition:

Oak bark. 1 tbsp. The mixture is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for an hour, after which it is carefully filtered. The infusion should be consumed several spoons throughout the day.
Rice porrige. A decoction is prepared from rice cereals, which is taken orally in a quarter of a glass every 3 hours.
Decoction of pomegranate peels. Dried pomegranate peel is filled with water in a ratio of 1 tsp. per 1 liter of liquid and boil in a water bath for about 40 minutes. Should be taken up to 5 times a day, 2 tsp.
Blueberry infusion. Pour blueberries into a glass of water, bring to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes, filter. The decoction is cooled and drunk throughout the day as tea.
Chamomile flowers. Throw 1 tbsp into a glass of water. l. dried chamomile, the liquid is boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled and filtered. Take 100 ml before meals.

Diet and optimal nutrition

The causes and treatment of diarrhea are closely interrelated. But, regardless of the type of disorder, diet is of primary importance. Only nutritious and well-thought-out nutrition can help achieve good and quick results. During the period of illness, you need to increase the amount of fluid consumed, but exclude store-bought juices and carbonated drinks. Also, do not overuse fatty, smoked, fried, spicy and sweet foods. You can safely eat: stale bread and crackers, lean meat tenderloin and dietary fish, weak broths and boiled eggs, as well as porridge with water. It is better to replace dessert with low-fat cottage cheese and homemade jelly. As for the drinking regime, the liquid should be consumed in moderate doses, but regularly at equal intervals.

This regimen will help the body recover faster and with minimal losses and solve the problem of what to do if prolonged diarrhea does not go away.

Watch a video on long-term diarrhea

Preventive measures

Diarrhea can be treated, but it can also be prevented. To do this, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures to promote the normal functioning of the digestive tract. These include: regular hand washing with soap before and after eating, good handling of fruits and vegetables, using only fresh and proven products, caution in consuming exotic food or food whose origin you cannot trace.

Ordinary diarrhea can unsettle a person for a long time, depriving him of the ability to fully manage his life. Diarrhea should never be ignored, since even a slight manifestation of it may indicate deeper problems. And even complicated diarrhea can cause irreparable harm to health.

Arm yourself with patience and doctor's instructions and start a new day with a new approach to your health.

Note!

The presence of symptoms such as:

Diarrhea
smell from the mouth
heartburn
stomach ache
feeling of heaviness in the stomach
constipation
belching
increased gas formation (flatulence)

If you have at least 2 of these symptoms, then this indicates a developing

gastritis or ulcer. These diseases are dangerous due to the development of serious complications (penetration, gastric bleeding, etc.), many of which can lead to

LETHAL

outcome. Treatment needs to start now.

Read the article about how a woman got rid of these symptoms by defeating their main cause using a natural method. Read the material…

If an adult has loose stools for a long time, it is imperative to look for the reasons. Some begin self-treatment, but the failure of such an attempt often leads to the need to seek help from specialists.

Due to the protracted nature of diarrhea, disruptions in the functioning of some body systems occur. Lack of proper treatment leads to persistent forms of the condition. In this case, the stool has a liquid consistency, and bowel movements occur more than twice a day. This pathological condition is called chronic diarrhea.

Factors that cause loose stools

Loose stools can occur in an adult for a long time due to a number of reasons. By stopping the effects of certain factors, it is possible to restore stool consistency. Some reasons are temporary, and during this period the body only needs a little help to restore the correctness of the bowel movement. However, some factors are pathological in nature, in which diarrhea cannot go away without a diagnosis and further treatment.

The reasons for the manifestation of loose stools, which are disturbing for a long period, include:

poor nutrition;
infections;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
disorders in women due to physiological reasons;
stress.

Influence of nutrition

Diarrhea that persists for a long time may be caused by poor diet. In a completely healthy person, after a large amount of fatty foods, flavored with spicy or hot seasonings, as well as foods that contain a lot of fiber (vegetables and fruits), loose stools may occur. If such nutrition is repeated every day, then long-term diarrhea should be expected.

Also one of the reasons for loose stools are sweeteners, which are contained not only in the corresponding tablets, but also in cakes, sweets and even sweet carbonated drinks.

Some people have experienced diarrhea due to moving to another area. This process is affected by the quality of water used for drinking and cooking, as well as food unfamiliar to the stomach. Adaptation of the body to new conditions lasts up to two weeks, during which time diarrhea may not go away. No special treatment is required, but the use of tablets containing enzymes and the gradual inclusion of new foods in the menu will help the stomach quickly adapt to new water and food.

Other causes of diarrhea due to certain foods include:

Dyspepsia. This pathological manifestation also has another name that is more understandable to the average person: lazy stomach syndrome. This disorder occurs due to a violation of the motor function of the stomach, affecting the process of food digestion. Fermentative dyspepsia occurs after eating foods that provoke fermentation. Among them, kvass, beer and some fruits stand out.
Celiac disease. This is a multifactorial congenital disease. The disease is associated with gluten (protein) intolerance. It is found in large quantities in cereals (wheat, barley, rye). When the disease manifests itself, the stool becomes foamy, sometimes with mucus, has a light color and a foul odor. During illness, weight loss is observed and the person becomes lethargic.
Excessive and daily consumption of alcohol often leads to prolonged diarrhea. This is facilitated by the fact that alcohol increases peristalsis, reduces the amount of beneficial microflora, and the absorption of liquid in the intestine occurs slowly. In this case, no pills can help. Only moderate consumption of alcohol will help get rid of diarrhea.

Infectious diseases

In tuberculosis, the symptoms of inflammation are mild. If you have loose stools, you may be concerned about poor appetite, rumbling and heaviness in the abdomen, sweating and a body temperature slightly above 37 °C. Tuberculosis requires long and complex treatment.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in adults are often accompanied by long-term loose stools, nausea, bloating and rumbling in the abdomen, and heartburn. The following diseases lead to such symptoms:

the presence of a stomach or duodenal ulcer;
colitis or enteritis;
pancreatitis;
gastritis;
liver cirrhosis or hepatitis;
the appearance of tumors.

After removal of the gallbladder, diarrhea may occur. The basis of the treatment method is diet. Strict adherence to the daily routine and consumption of necessary products contribute to the normalization of stool.

Disorders in women

For many women, the period before and during menstruation is accompanied by diarrhea. Moreover, this manifestation is observed monthly. Why this happens and what measures to take are of interest to every woman who has experienced such an unpleasant repetition.

During menstruation, a lot of prostaglandins are released into a woman’s body, and they are active substances whose biological effects have a fairly wide spectrum. They affect the smooth muscles of internal organs, reduce the production of gastric juice and lower its acidity. Due to this active manifestation of prostaglandins, prolonged diarrhea may develop.

Diarrhea can also occur while pregnant. It often appears as a sign of toxicosis. Diarrhea also appears immediately before the onset of labor. This is a physiological phenomenon that helps cleanse the intestines. Sometimes, at the same time as diarrhea, amniotic fluid also leaves.

In order to get rid of such a problem as prolonged diarrhea, treatment should include not only drugs for diarrhea, but also remedies for the root cause of its occurrence.

Often, when diarrhea occurs, the first thing to do is take activated charcoal. This remedy is known to almost everyone. However, activated carbon is a sorbent whose effect is to absorb toxins. But along with harmful substances, it also removes liquid from the body. With prolonged diarrhea, dehydration is already possible, and the use of activated carbon only aggravates the situation.

For the infectious nature of diarrhea, effective remedies are Mezim forte, Bifidumbacterin, Loperamide and Imodium. The last two drugs are good when intestinal motility is increased, when it is irritated. However, these medications are not recommended for infectious diarrhea.

If diarrhea in an adult is caused by poisoning, then the first action should be gastric lavage. At home, this can be done using boiled water and potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). The drinking solution should be light pink, and its quantity should be large (up to three liters).

When treating celiac disease, it is necessary to strictly follow a diet, eliminating foods with gluten as much as possible. Lifelong therapy includes drugs containing enzymes, remedies for dysbiosis, and also helping to perform general strengthening of the body.

In case of diarrhea due to the use of antibiotics, the beginning of treatment is to take antifungal agents, for example, Linex. Antispasmodic drugs, such as No-shpa or Papaverine, are used to relieve pain in the lower abdomen. A remedy such as Regidron is used to restore the amount of useful minerals in the body.

Treatment with folk remedies

It should be remembered that long-term diarrhea cannot be cured with folk remedies. The resulting effect will only be temporary. Such prescriptions are only welcome in conjunction with medications. The following folk remedies will help with diarrhea:

Mint. To prepare the decoction you will need up to 6 leaves of the plant and 2 cups of water. Boil and leave for an hour. After straining, drink after meals up to three times a day.
Pour 2 tablespoons of potato starch into a glass of warm water. Mix well. Drink half a glass of solution four times a day.
Take 5-6 blueberries, add a glass of water and cook for 5 minutes. Strain and let cool. Use the decoction instead of tea throughout the day.
Dry the pomegranate peel, and then boil three tablespoons of the product in crushed form for 20 minutes in two glasses of water. After straining and cooling, drink three spoons 30 minutes before meals.
Boil chamomile in the amount of one spoon for 15 minutes in 200 g of water. Allow the broth to cool, strain, and take 100 g a quarter of an hour before eating.
Boil dried bird cherry fruits in the amount of one spoon in 200 g of water. After letting it cool and straining, take the broth in small sips throughout the day.
Infusion of oak bark. Bring one spoon of bark to a boil in 200 g of water, use according to the previous recipe.

It is also possible to use decoctions of thyme, St. John's wort and a number of other plants.

Intestinal upset, diarrhea, diarrhea - these names mean one not very pleasant phenomenon that affects both adults and children. We are talking about frequent liquid bowel movements that occur for various reasons and are a source of increased dehydration of the body. In addition, a person loses many essential minerals and nutrients, which disrupts metabolic processes.

Let's consider the causes and treatment of loose stools in an adult patient. Diarrhea can occur due to food poisoning or due to exposure to bacterial and viral agents. Each type of diarrhea has its own symptoms, and incorrect or untimely therapy can lead to complications. Therefore, even a seemingly frivolous disorder requires close attention.

Reasons contributing to the formation of the condition

Sometimes diarrhea is a short-term condition that goes away fairly quickly. In other cases, stool disorder is observed over a long period, which cannot but worry. Possible reasons:

The problem may be irritable bowel syndrome. This functional failure can be caused by heredity or psycho-emotional conditions. Symptoms accompanying the disease are sudden, frequent and uncontrollable urges, bloating, prolonged constipation, and impaired passage of gases. Spastic pain is observed in the lower abdomen.
Quite often people suffer from loose stools due to low-quality food and water contaminated with bacteria. There is also the possibility of intolerance to certain foods, which is associated with insufficient production of certain enzymes designed to digest food. In addition to diarrhea, this kind of pathology can be accompanied by nausea, attacks of pain, bloating and sometimes vomiting.
In chronic nonspecific ulcerative colitis, mucous secretions and blood are mixed with liquid stool. Due to ulcerative inflammation of the mucous layer of the large intestine, pain occurs in the left abdomen, weight loss is observed, frequent diarrhea is replaced by constipation, and fever is observed.
In Crohn's disease, the symptoms are very similar to the pathology described above, however, the disease affects all parts of the gastrointestinal tract - from the oral cavity to the rectum, pain develops in the lower abdomen on the right. The disease can develop against the background of stressful situations, heredity, infections and other factors.
Dysbacteriosis occurs due to an imbalance of microflora, when opportunistic organisms begin to predominate over lactobacilli. Most often, dysbiosis is provoked by long-term use of antimicrobial drugs or non-compliance with doctor’s instructions regarding their use.
The root cause of diarrhea can also be infectious diseases, including salmonellosis and dysentery. In addition to diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting and general weakness are observed.

The disorder may occur due to the consumption of unusual foods.

Diarrhea can also develop against the background of ulcerative exacerbations, the development of malignant neoplasms, poisoning with mushrooms or household chemicals, or failure to comply with basic hygiene rules.

In some cases, immediate contact with the clinic is necessary, as may be indicated by the following signs:

nausea, vomiting;
constant urge to defecate;
abdominal pain, heaviness;
increased gas formation;
body temperature is too high;
yellow tinge of liquid stool;
black color of stool or an admixture of blood in it;
green foamy diarrhea in an adult patient.

Traditional therapy for diarrhea

The main danger with diarrhea is rapid dehydration, especially if frequent bowel movements are accompanied by vomiting. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly restore the water balance - you need to drink plenty of fluids. The ideal option is boiled water and herbal teas; special solutions that help replenish the loss of microelements are most often prescribed by Regidron. When vomiting, you should drink water in small sips as often as possible.

It is impossible to effectively treat diarrhea without nutritional correction. Restoring the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract requires the appointment of a gentle diet, the main principles of which are as follows:

Drawing up a balanced menu to ensure normal life activities.
Reducing the load on the digestive system.
Gradual and careful expansion of the diet.

There are a number of rules that must be followed. Food should be boiled or cooked in a double boiler; all dishes served should not be too cold or hot. You should switch to fractional meals: increase the number of meals, while simultaneously reducing portion sizes. This will make it easier for the stomach to restore normal functioning.

For diarrhea, preference is given to the following products:

unsweetened crackers or “yesterday’s” bread products;
low-fat - preferably vegetable - broths;
dietary meat and low-fat fish dishes;
boiled eggs;
lean cottage cheese;
baked apples;
weak teas and berry jelly.

After the unpleasant symptoms disappear, the diet can be gradually expanded, while carefully monitoring the body's reaction. If there is no diarrhea, another product is introduced into the diet.

As for taking medications, they should be prescribed exclusively by a specialist. When self-medicating with antidiarrheal drugs, there is a high risk of damage to the intestinal mucosa. In cases where diarrhea occurs against the background of inflammatory processes, complex treatment is required. Infections are eliminated with antimicrobial drugs.

Acute diarrhea, accompanied by pain, spasms, and bouts of vomiting, requires taking medications to reduce intestinal motility. In case of dysbiosis, restoration of the microflora is required, for which probiotics and prebiotics are prescribed, as well as a vitamin course.

The most effective recipes for treating diarrhea

If diarrhea is not complicated by other symptoms, you can use folk recipes to eliminate it, used along with a diet. There are a number of most commonly used decoctions and infusions that have been tested by time.

Oak bark

An ideal remedy for diarrhea is a decoction of oak bark.. To prepare it, a glass of boiling water requires a pinch of crushed ingredient. Then the mixture should be kept in a water bath for ten minutes, filtered and drunk three times a day. A single serving should be 18 grams.

Decoction of walnut partitions

Pomegranate peel and nut partitions have adhesive properties. Add a large spoonful of nut partitions to 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, filter and take in the morning before breakfast. Recommended serving - 100 ml.

Vodka liqueur recipes

You can prepare a vodka tincture. The partitions of the nut in the amount of three large spoons are poured with a bottle of vodka or diluted alcohol and left in a warm place for 12 days, filtered, and drunk 100 ml in case of diarrhea.

Unripe walnut fruits collected in June and July are also used. Recipe for making tincture:

20 fruits are washed, finely cut together with the peel;
place the raw materials in a glass container;
add half a liter of vodka;
close the container and leave for two weeks;
the tincture is filtered and poured into a bottle;
store the drug in the dark.

The product should be taken in a large spoon three times a day, after main meals.

Alcohol tincture of walnut partitions

Another recipe recommends pouring 30 grams of crushed nut partitions with alcohol in a volume of 250 ml and leaving for three days, shaking the container regularly. The product is filtered and taken for diarrhea from six to ten drops three or four times a day. You should drink the product before meals, washing it down with water. Some caution should be exercised when using products made from nuts, since allergic reactions may develop if you are hypersensitive. Also, the nut is not indicated in the presence of neurodermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.

Red wine tincture

If the disorder is very severe, it is recommended to pour a liter of fortified red wine into a glass of nut partitions and leave the product in the dark for seven days, shaking it periodically. Then the drink is filtered and taken in a small spoon before meals. There should be at least three such receptions per day. The drug should be washed down with warm water.

Pomegranate peels

Dry pomegranate peels are no less effective. Three large spoons of the crushed ingredient should be poured into 500 ml of liquid and boiled for five minutes, then left until cool and filtered. If diarrhea is frequent and severe, adult patients need to drink 250 ml in the morning, evening and daytime. For mild manifestations of pathology, half a serving in the morning and before bed is enough.

Other folk remedies for treating diarrhea

In addition to nuts, pomegranate and oak bark, there are many effective ways that effectively eliminate diarrhea:

For loose stools, dry blackberry fruits are often used. The berries must be mixed with natural honey and eaten with a small spoon in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Medicinal tea is made from blueberries. The drink is consumed three times a day.
Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a large chamomile-colored spoon and leave until cool. Filter and drink 0.5 cups in the morning, evening and lunch.
Potato starch also helps curb the disease. In 250 ml of strong chilled tea you need to dilute a small spoon of the substance and drink it all at once.
You can chop rosehip branches, pour a glass of boiling water over a small spoon of the plant, and simmer the product in a water bath for half an hour. Then the drink is filtered and taken in the morning, in the afternoon and evening hours, a third of a glass.
St. John's wort is an effective herb against disorders.. Ten grams of the plant are brewed with 250 ml of boiling water, cooled, filtered, and drunk in a large spoon in the mornings, evenings and at lunchtime.
Chop the lingonberry and bird cherry leaves and mix in a 1:1 ratio. Two large spoons of the mixture are poured into 500 ml of boiling water, the liquid is infused for two hours, and 0.5 cups are drunk several times a day.
Bird cherry berries in the amount of one large spoon are brewed in a glass of boiling water, kept on the stove for another five minutes, then left for two hours. You should drink the product three times a day, a quarter of the initial volume.
One ripe pear should be cut into small pieces and thrown into boiling water (500 ml). Then cook for 15 minutes and leave for 120 minutes. You need to drink the product before meals. The number of doses per day is four, the volume of each serving is 100 ml.

Diarrhea is never an independent disease, but indicates problems in organs and systems. Diarrhea can be a symptom of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The greatest danger is dehydration during diarrhea, as well as loss of vitamins and minerals, and as a result, vitamin deficiency. Loose stools in an adult for a long time are dangerous, as they can cause hypovolemic shock if the patient is not given rehydration therapy.

Symptoms of chronic diarrhea

With chronic diarrhea, the patient experiences systematic loose stools 3 or more times a day for at least 3 weeks. If diarrhea persists for no longer than 3 weeks, it is referred to as acute diarrhea. With diarrhea, emergency, sometimes uncontrollable, urges occur. Frequent loose or pasty stools are accompanied by flatulence (increased gas production), rumbling, and abdominal pain. With diarrhea, fever and general weakening of the body may occur.

With diarrhea, the mass of unformed stool increases to 250–300 g per day, and the water content in feces increases to 60–85%.

With diarrhea, food becomes liquefied and incompletely digested, so pieces of food may be present in the feces. Depending on the pathogenesis, stool characteristics may vary.

Pathogenesis

What to do if diarrhea occurs? First you need to determine the type of diarrhea. The following types of diarrhea are distinguished:

Secretory diarrhea is profuse (more than 1 liter) watery diarrhea, usually painless. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the frequency of stool increases up to 15 times a day, no false urges are observed.
Osmotic diarrhea is a profuse, foamy stool in which inclusions of semi-digested food may be observed. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by abdominal cramps.
Exudative (invasive) diarrhea is liquid, light feces, in which pus and bloody discharge are often observed.
Motor diarrhea - moderate discharge with particles of undigested food.

Diarrhea can be infectious or non-infectious. Diarrhea is often provoked by long-term use of medications: antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, various laxatives, non-steroidal drugs. Medicines can cause mixed type diarrhea (exudative-secretory, motor-secretory, etc.).

Osmotic diarrhea

Due to an increase in the content of electrolytes in the intestinal lumen, water is discharged, followed by its retention in the intestine. Osmotic diarrhea is caused by:

An important difference between osmotic diarrhea and other types is its cessation after 2-3 days of fasting.

Secretory diarrhea

In this disorder, the secretion of electrolytes and water prevails over absorption. The reason for this may be:

infectious diseases (toxicoinfection, salmonellosis, cholera, yersiniosis, E. coli, staphylococcus),
hormonally active tumors (carcinoid, gastrinoma, VIPoma),
hereditary diseases (for example, chloridorrhea),
non-infectious causes: long-term use of medications and laxatives, acute poisoning with arsenic, mushrooms, salts of heavy metals, alcohol.

After eliminating the enterotoxin, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract improves, and the incessant diarrhea goes away.

In addition, a rare case of this type of diarrhea may be hereditary diarrhea due to gene mutation.

Exudative diarrhea

Persistent diarrhea in this form is caused by inflammation of the colon mucosa. The causes of inflammation are the following diseases:

tuberculosis,
diverticular disease,
ischemic colitis,
acute intestinal infections such as dysentery,
tumor processes in the intestines,
ulcerative colitis,
radiation colitis (radiation exposure),
vasculitis,
Crohn's disease,
adeno- and rotoviruses,

This form of diarrhea, as can be seen, can be infectious and non-infectious. Infection occurs due to the penetration and spread of pathogenic strains (for example, human immunodeficiency virus), as well as protozoa (amoebas). The non-infectious form is usually associated with ulcerative colitis.

Motor diarrhea

Irritable bowel syndrome occurs due to increased bowel movements. Often observed after removal of the stomach or parts of it. Food enters the intestines faster, and diarrhea occurs due to insufficient digestion.

A decrease in motor function is observed with dermatomyositis, diabetic polyneuropathy, and scleroderma.

Treatment of diarrhea

Since the causes of persistent bowel movements vary, it is necessary to determine the mechanism of diarrhea before treatment. If diarrhea does not go away for several days, rehydration therapy is indicated for all patients, regardless of pathogenesis.

With non-infectious diarrhea, the underlying disease is initially eliminated. Antibiotics are prescribed if diarrhea is caused by bacteria or protozoa.

Diarrhea associated with a hormone-producing tumor will require serious medical intervention. If diarrhea does not stop for this reason, surgical removal of the tumor will be required.

What to do for different types of diarrhea:

For secretory diarrhea, Smecta, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin, Furazalidone, Baktisubtil are prescribed.
For osmotic diarrhea, Imodium, Loperamide, Regidron, Codeine phosphate are prescribed; antibacterial drugs, for example, biseptol.
For motor diarrhea, Imodium and astringent adsorbents, for example, bismuth preparations, are used.
For exudative diarrhea, prebiotics and probiotics are mainly used (Bifiform, Linex, Hilak forte).

With diarrhea, as already mentioned, it is important to eliminate dehydration, that is, dehydration.

Rehydration for diarrhea

If diarrhea lasts for a long time, to restore the water-salt balance, use ready-made pharmaceutical preparations, which are diluted with water and drunk, or you can use a self-prepared drink. Add a tablespoon of salt and 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar to a liter of water, mix with a spoon of soda. The prepared infusion is drunk during the day, if there is no nausea and vomiting. The patient is supposed to drink other liquids: fruit drinks, non-mineral and mineral water without gas. Fruit juices are contraindicated.

With any diarrhea, regardless of pathogenesis, there is a disruption of the natural microflora, therefore the use of prebiotics and probiotics, for example, Hilak forte, is indicated.

Diet for diarrhea

For prolonged diarrhea, you should adhere to a special diet. Diarrhea for several days or longer is provoked by foods with a laxative effect. Following a diet will help speed up treatment. A gentle diet is especially indicated for secretory diarrhea.

During treatment, the patient needs to exclude from the menu fatty and dairy dishes, alcohol, herbs and spices, spicy foods, plums, beets, sweet foods, sauces, and black bread. Boiled white rice, white bread crackers, boiled or steamed low-fat meatballs, meatballs or cutlets, apple and potato puree are allowed.

Stomach pain and diarrhea occur most often due to indigestion and toxins entering the body. You should pay attention to the quality of food (especially expiration dates and storage conditions), the degree of water purification, personal hygiene (hand washing).

Diarrhea in an adult can be caused by lactase deficiency or intolerance to dairy products. With this pathology, milk should be excluded from the diet, in which case the diarrhea will go away in the near future.

What to do if diarrhea occurs away from home? A special form of intestinal disorder is traveler's diarrhea. Stool upset occurs due to changes in climatic conditions, food unusual for the stomach, as well as the penetration of bacteria and viruses. Tourists traveling to countries with contaminated water sources (Asia, Africa, the Middle East) should be especially careful.

When traveling, it is better to take simple filters for water purification, antibiotics and prebiotics. You should avoid dishes with raw meat and fish, unwashed vegetables. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees and bloody diarrhea appears, you should seek medical help for common viruses and microorganisms that travelers bring from vacation - Giardia, dysenteric amoeba, enterovirus, rotavirus, norovirus.

In the body of an adult, during the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, any disorders and disruptions may occur, one of them is diarrhea. It is a continuous defecation of liquid feces. Appears during minor poisoning and during the onset of a dangerous, probably permanent, illness. In the first option, diarrhea can go away on its own with virtually no treatment in 2–3 days, but in other situations, diarrhea may continue for 4 days or more, accompanied by various dangerous symptoms (fever, pain in the gastrointestinal tract, general lethargy). If you take the disease seriously enough and do not treat it, then diarrhea will provoke dehydration and the occurrence of difficult-to-treat acute and chronic diseases.

Diarrhea is not a disease, but a symptomatology that indicates disorders within the gastrointestinal tract or the entire body. Therefore, it is impossible to eliminate diarrhea without first knowing what factors caused it. Diarrhea is the discharge of liquid stool, either once or with increased frequency of bowel movements. When such a disorder disappears after 2–3 weeks, this is an acute form of diarrhea; for more than 21 days, it is chronic.

Causes of persistent diarrhea

In the normal state, the human body in adulthood is capable of excreting up to 300 g of feces every day or at other intervals convenient for the gastrointestinal tract. Liquefaction and high evacuation of stool can occur due to a sudden increase in water concentration: during diarrhea, stool is 90% liquid. The content of feces makes it possible to identify the origin of diarrhea:

disorders of peristalsis in the intestines often do not contribute to an increase in the volume of feces excreted per day; this happens often, but in small portions;
when the difficulty lies in the absorption of substances by the intestinal walls, a significant increase in the volume of feces is observed due to the mass of undigested food.

The main causes of prolonged diarrhea in adults:

indigestion after eating a large amount along with “difficult” food;
minor poisoning;
susceptibility to any products (allergy, hypolactasia);
use of certain medications (laxatives, antacids, antiarrhythmics, anticoagulants);
psycho-emotional situations (anxiety, fear, fright, in which diarrhea in an adult is the result of a hormonal surge);
traveler's diarrhea (associated with climate and nutrition changes).

Such diarrhea usually goes away on day 3 or 4, and the patient will probably associate persistent diarrhea with the above factors. If diarrhea does not go away within 5 days, this is a serious reason to consult a specialist.

But the causes of prolonged diarrhea in adults are much more serious:

infection by microorganisms, viruses;
inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
functional organ failure (lack of any enzymes);
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown origin (Crohn's disease);
damage by toxins.

Symptoms of diarrhea

In these situations, it will not be enough to just stop prolonged diarrhea: you need to diagnose and implement appropriate therapy, often while in the hospital. Regarding the clinical signs of the disease, they are mild. This refers to ordinary indigestion, when, in addition to prolonged loose stools, there are spastic pain sensations inside the abdomen and dyspepsia (boiling, bloating, flatulence).

Diarrhea is not a disease, but only a symptom. It may be a sign of one of several dozen diseases. It can be difficult to understand the causes of loose stools without specialist consultation and examinations.

Causes of loose stools

Diarrhea in an adult can be caused by various factors.

Infectious diarrhea (the most common) is a consequence of the action of pathogenic bacteria (dysentery, salmonellosis, cholera), viruses (rotavirus, enterovirus), protozoa (amoebiasis) or helminths.
Toxic diarrhea occurs against the background of poisoning with heavy metals, poisonous mushrooms or metabolic products (for example, against the background of uremia in severe kidney disease).
Drug-induced diarrhea - as a side effect of taking antibiotics, iron supplements, digitalis, some psychotropic drugs, or an overdose of laxatives.
Gastrogenic loose stools are observed against the background of gastritis with decreased secretory function, stomach cancer, after gastrectomy.
Pancreatogenic – accompanies acute and chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and cancer of the pancreas.
Hepatogenic diarrhea is associated with chronic liver diseases - hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Hereditary and congenital deficiency of one or another enzyme leads to impaired absorption in the small intestine and loose stools. Lactose deficiency is a normal variant and is manifested by diarrhea when eating dairy products.
Removal of an extended fragment of the small intestine also disrupts normal absorption processes and leads to diluted stool (“short bowel syndrome”).
Allergic reactions to food products affect not only the skin, but also the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhea (“intestinal allergosis”).
Inflammatory damage to the colon changes its motility, which is manifested by diarrhea (any colitis, irritable bowel syndrome).
Colon tumors can cause loose stools or alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Some endocrine pathologies lead to unpleasant symptoms - thyrotoxicosis, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus.
Metabolic disorders (amyloidosis, hypovitaminosis) also prevent the formation of normal stool.
Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma) may be accompanied by thinning of the stool.
Neurogenic diarrhea is also isolated against the background of neurological and mental diseases. A fairly common example is “bear sickness” - episodes of stool liquefaction associated with short-term stress (before an exam, public speaking, etc.).

What can be loose stools?

Stool with diarrhea may vary in color and consistency. This is very important for correct diagnosis and prescribing the right treatment.

Black, loose stools indicate the presence of a fairly large amount of blood. It is designated by a special term - melena. The appearance of such an alarming symptom requires emergency hospitalization, searching for the source of bleeding and its elimination.
Some foods can also stain stool. Remember whether you consumed beets, prunes, dark berries, tomatoes, coffee, and liver over the last two days.
The black color of stool can be caused by taking iron, bismuth, or activated carbon.
Infectious diarrhea usually presents as very loose stool (like water), often foamy, and with some bacterial infestations green or yellow.
With any inflammatory lesion of the colon, the stool may contain mucus and blood clots.
If you have a disease of the pancreas, the stool is not only liquid, but also greasy - it is shiny and difficult to wash off the walls of the toilet.
Loose stools with foam occur when carbohydrates are incompletely digested, for example, with lactase deficiency.

Infectious diarrhea is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and fever in the range of 37 – 38°C. Patients have a “twisting” stomach, spastic pain in the peri-umbilical (and in the case of dysentery, in the left iliac) region. There is weakness and signs of intoxication of the body. Immediately after eating, loose stools are released due to disturbances in motility or nervous regulation of the gastrointestinal tract.

A one-sided approach to treatment will not eliminate the causes of the disease. Therefore, there is no universal pill for loose stools. Each case must be correctly diagnosed. The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment, and then the diarrhea will go away along with the underlying cause. However, there are basic tenets of behavior when liquefying stool.

Stick to your diet. To avoid overloading the gastrointestinal tract, avoid fried, fatty, spicy, salty and smoked foods. Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks. Limit dairy products. The menu should be thermally, chemically and mechanically gentle. This means that dishes are best steamed, boiled or baked. Porridges, purees, and soups are welcome. Do not eat dry food, too hot or cold.
Organize a balanced diet - in small portions, but often enough. If you have an infectious disease, eat according to your appetite.
Beware of dehydration. Along with liquefied stool, the body loses a lot of water and salts. Their deficiency must be compensated for with special solutions (Regidron, Oralite). If it is impossible to drink the missing volume of fluid, intravenous administration of saline with the addition of potassium, calcium and other electrolytes is prescribed.
Taking sorbents (Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated carbon) will make trips to the toilet less frequent, since the drugs have a blocking effect. They, like a sponge, absorb toxins and fragments of microorganisms, therefore they are especially successfully used for intestinal infections.
Enzymes are usually included in the complex treatment of diarrhea. Any disruption of the gastrointestinal tract reduces the ability to digest and absorb food. The administration of medicinal digestive substances helps support weakened function.

What to do if you have diarrhea?

If stool liquefaction is not an isolated episode, there is an admixture of blood, mucus, pus in the stool, or they have changed their normal color, consult a doctor. Acute diarrhea may be a reason for emergency hospitalization in the infectious diseases department of a hospital. If you feel satisfactory, consult a therapist or gastroenterologist and complete all prescribed examinations.

If loose stools occur, do not resort to traditional methods. Self-medication is often not only useless, but also dangerous, as it delays the patient’s seeking qualified medical help. Every day of delay can threaten your health and life.

Loose stools in a person who is far from medicine always causes caution, although, according to doctors, it only serves as an alarming symptom in certain situations. In cases where the intestinal disorder is of the nature of diarrhea, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Therefore, the natural question is: is it possible to distinguish loose stools or minor intestinal upset from real diarrhea or diarrhea and how to do this? Can watery stool consistency be observed in an absolutely healthy man or woman? Let's take a closer look.

Same or different?

First, let's figure out how diarrhea differs from loose stools, and whether there is any difference between the concepts at all. To do this, let’s define what diarrhea is. Diarrhea (diarrhea) is a symptom in a child or adult in which frequent bowel movements occur with a change in the consistency of stool. All of the above are the main signs of diarrhea. However, there are other types of intestinal upset that are mistakenly called diarrhea. Other symptoms:

Frequent stools without change in consistency.
Changed consistency without increase in frequency.

Diarrhea cannot be called loose stool in a child or adult that appears once. It is important to understand that the key point that distinguishes diarrhea from intestinal disorder (indigestion) is its significant increase - more than 5-6 times a day.

Let's look at some cases of frequent bowel movements without changing the consistency of stool. The main symptoms of such an intestinal disorder will be an increased urge to go to the toilet and an increase in the volume of feces, while there is no diarrhea as such. Frequent bowel movements with thick stools can occur when consuming too much plant-based food and fiber-containing foods in combination with large amounts of water. Plant foods increase intestinal contents due to pectins, fiber swells under the influence of liquid. Both provoke mechanical irritation of the intestinal wall, increase peristalsis and lead to increased bowel movements.

Watery stool - dangerous or not?

The appearance of loose stools in children, especially newborns, as well as in adults, is always alarming, since it is almost impossible to immediately distinguish a minor eating disorder from a serious illness. To help recognize a more serious pathology, the presence of general warning symptoms, an examination and a thorough analysis of information about a person’s life, food habits, and diseases will help. Watery stools in adults are not a sign of a serious illness in the following cases:

When an adult eats a lot of plant foods (especially foods rich in fiber) and consumes a lot of water (it is important, but its excess dilutes the stool). As soon as a person normalizes his diet, stool will take on its proper form.
For dysbacteriosis. For example, after a person has been treated for a long time with antibiotics that kill beneficial intestinal microflora. Despite the appearance of symptoms, dysbiosis rarely causes complications and changes a person's condition, although it sometimes lasts more than a week. To treat the condition and speed up recovery, doctors advise taking medications containing beneficial bacteria.
With a sharp change in food preferences. The situation often happens with tourists coming to a new country and trying unfamiliar food. The symptom is called traveler's diarrhea. The stomach and intestines are not accustomed to new food and at first react to new food by disrupting the secretion of enzymes and accelerating peristalsis. Gradually the body gets used to it, and the functioning of the organs returns to normal.

If traveler's diarrhea continues indefinitely and symptoms of general intoxication increase (fever, diarrhea, vomiting, chills), the infectious nature of the disease should be excluded. A less common cause of stool disorders, especially when it comes to loose stools in infants, is food allergic reactions. The condition differs from diarrhea in the absence of significant disturbances in the general condition, as well as possible skin manifestations of allergies.

Understand the difference between a common allergy and a food intolerance to certain foods or food components, such as lactose (dairy intolerance). The cause of the condition is a decrease in the concentration or almost complete absence of enzymes that break down milk sugar. Intolerance to certain types of foods sometimes causes the development of serious diseases, such as celiac disease. The pathology is diagnosed in early childhood, when a baby, after introducing complementary foods or supplementary feeding in the form of porridges with cereals containing gluten, suddenly develops foamy and foul-smelling diarrhea.

Sometimes frequent stools can appear for reasons completely unrelated to the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, with increased anxiety. The nervous type of diarrhea appears in moments of strong excitement and is popularly called “bear disease.” The symptom is associated with a violation of the nervous regulation of peristalsis and its acceleration. It is simple to define “nervous” diarrhea - it occurs in a person in the same type of situations, does not lead to a change in the general condition and does not appear at rest.

A change in daily routine can lead to intestinal upset. If a person begins to wake up much earlier than his usual time, then in the morning he may experience liquid stool.

This type of diarrhea can be distinguished by the fact that liquid bowel movements are one-time and during the day bowel function returns to normal.

Some men complain that they have diarrhea the morning after drinking a lot of alcohol. Some representatives of the stronger sex, who are sensitive to their own health, immediately begin to take pills to escape infection. Of course, infectious causes in this situation cannot be ruled out, but frequent, loose stools may be a consequence of the effects of alcohol itself. Causes of symptoms:

Acceleration of peristalsis under the influence of alcohol.
Destruction of beneficial microflora.
Slowing down the absorption of fluid.

All symptoms should disappear in parallel with the fading manifestations of a hangover and diarrhea is not. If the symptoms persist for a long time, the stool becomes more and more liquid, diarrhea with pathological impurities (blood, mucus) appears, you should consult a doctor.

An interesting physiological cause of diarrhea is pregnancy, or more precisely, the process that ends the “interesting” situation - childbirth. At the moment before the birth of a child, the woman’s body begins the process of self-cleansing of the intestines, which in the future will allow childbirth to proceed more physiologically. In parallel with diarrhea, a woman may experience contractions, pain in the lower abdomen, and water breaking. And in the later stages of pregnancy, a woman may develop infectious diarrhea, so it would be useful to see a specialist, we are talking not only about her own health, but also about the condition of the baby.

Pathology

Disruption of normal bowel function is often a symptom of very dangerous diseases. In this situation, it will be important not only to distinguish diarrhea from loose stools, but also to determine the diagnosis and receive the correct treatment. The causes of pathological loose stools are:

Salmonellosis. Feces in case of disease are dark green (marsh) in color and resemble swamp mud in appearance. Sometimes mixed with mucus and blood. In severe cases, the general condition is disrupted: fever, chills, and general weakness appear. Other symptoms include severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Dysentery. The stool is watery, with a lot of mucus, streaks of blood, possibly pus. The general condition changes.
Typhoid fever. Feces are liquid. The disease is accompanied by the appearance of a characteristic rash and a change in general condition.
Cholera. The stool is very liquid, quickly becomes almost colorless and resembles rice water. The dangerous disease often causes complete dehydration and ends in death.

In adults, loose stools may appear due to liver diseases, including viral hepatitis. Disorder of normal bowel movements occurs after operations on the gallbladder (including after removal of the organ) and pancreas. The symptoms can hardly be called diarrhea: the stool often becomes mushy, and its frequency does not exceed 3-4 times a day.

The danger is black diarrhea, especially accompanied by severe abdominal pain. Melena (the medical name for “bloody” black stool) is the main sign of gastrointestinal bleeding. The condition of the disease quickly worsens: the person’s skin turns pale, blood pressure drops and the pulse accelerates. Gastrointestinal bleeding requires emergency surgical treatment, so if symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Black, loose stools may occur after eating large amounts of dark-colored foods that contain fiber, such as blueberries or blueberries. The condition cannot be called diarrhea: increased stool frequency can be observed only 1-2 times.

Important Factors

It happens that people completely misperceive the nature of stool, especially when it comes to small children. Young mothers are often frightened when they see their own baby’s discharge, but the doctor who comes to call the frightened mother says that everything is fine. However, the contents of the potty or diaper do not inspire confidence. Who is right?

In most situations, the truth is on the side of the specialist. The stool of small children - artificial babies and infants - is seriously different from that of an adult. Let's start with infancy:

The stool of a breastfed baby is odorless and yellow in color. Sometimes you can see light white lumps on the diaper, which are undigested mother's milk. Infants have bowel movements much more often than adults: 10–12 bowel movements are considered normal at a certain stage. However, the indicator is very individual.
A bottle-fed baby's stool has a specific fecal odor. The frequency of bowel movements is much less frequent: up to 3–4 times a day; the consistency of the mass resembles medium-thick mustard.

As the infant's diet expands, the bowel movements become more adult-like. The introduction of any complementary foods, supplementary foods or juices can lead to the short-term appearance of frequent and looser stools. If the general condition does not change, the child is cheerful and cheerful, the mother should not worry - there is no need to talk about diarrhea.

Loose stools in an adult or child can be one of the manifestations of diarrhea. Each specific situation requires a detailed analysis, but sometimes it is difficult even for a specialist to fully determine the diagnosis, so you should not delay your visit to the doctor. The speed of contacting a specialist is very important, since early treatment reduces the risk of complications and increases the chance of a speedy recovery.