Diarrhea

Diarrhea General Information

Diarrhea is a medical condition that is spread among patients of all ages around the world. If a patient has this medical condition, he or she will probably experience watery, loose stools. A patient who claims that he or she is suffering from this medical condition is known to generally pass stool at least 3 times per day. A patient who suffers from Diarrhea will probably not be able to get rid of it for a couple of days. However, it is known that this medical condition does not require any special treatment measures (or complicated surgery) as it is generally able to go away on its own. However, a patient who has experienced this condition for more than 3 days might be in need of immediate medical attention. In such cases, the condition is generally caused by another disorder (much more severe). Furthermore, it could lead to increased dehydration issues, causing the death of the individual. Dehydration is a very important matter that no patient ought to forget about. It is more dangerous in the case of elderly patients and / or children and it is known to trigger other severe complications if it is not treated properly. Any patient can suddenly develop Diarrhea. It is known that the average adult patient experiences this medical condition about 4 times each year. Each child in the US is known to have had at least 8 episodes of this medical condition by the age of 6. The acute form of this medical condition is generally triggered by a parasitic, viral or bacterial infection, while the chronic form is caused by other functional medical conditions that include inflammatory bowel disorder, irritable bowel syndrome and so on.

Diarrhea Symptoms

The average adult that suffers from Diarrhea will probably experience the signs and symptoms that are known to accompany this medical disorder. Furthermore, he or she could suffer from other adjacent disruptions that affect the natural processes that ought to take place in a healthy organism. The average symptoms that are caused by this medical condition include: nausea, abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, or urgency to use the bathroom. Other, less common symptoms that are caused by this disorder include bloody stools, fever, and so on. Children can suffer from the chronic or the acute forms of this medical disorder (Diarrhea). The causes that are known to trigger this medical condition are quite varied, as they range from: medications, bacteria, parasites, viruses, functional bowel disorders, to food allergies or sensitivities. The most commonly encountered cause of the acute form of this medical condition is the infection with the rotavirus. The proper therapy for this particular medical condition is known to last about a week (from 3 to 9 days). As this infection can also affect a child, it is recommended that all children from 6 to 32 weeks old to receive a vaccine against the rotavirus (Rotateq).
If your child’s condition does not improve after a day of therapy or if he or she starts to develop any of these signs, you must immediately alert your personal physician:  

• stools that contain pus or blood
• high temperature (over 102 degrees)
• black stools
• signs and symptoms of dehydration

A child who experiences this medical condition must receive a different treatment than the one that is generally prescribed to an adult, as therapies that are effective in the case of patients over 18 could worsen the child’s condition.

Diarrhea Treatment

In order to find out what are the exact causes that have triggered the appearance of Diarrhea, you will have to undergo several diagnostic medical tests. First, your physician will probably ask you several questions regarding any medication therapies that you have recently undergone and about your regular eating habits. Then he will perform a medical examination to see if you present any disorder exterior symptoms. One of your stool samples will have to be submitted for further testing (laboratory analysis that includes the usual check-up for parasites, bacteria, and so on). In some cases, blood tests prove to be very helpful, as they can rule out some medical disorders. In order to see whether your Diarrhea is caused by an allergy to a certain type of substance (food or medicine) your physician might ask you to avoid consuming carbohydrates, lactose, wheat, to stop taking some medicines, and so on. Some physicians ask the patient who suffers from Diarrhea to undergo a colonoscopy or other imaging medical tests.

What is most important in your Diarrhea prophylaxis is to replace as soon as possible the electrolytes (minerals and salts that affect the quantity of water that can be found in your organism; they also control other important functions such as muscle activity) and the fluid that you have lost in the past days. They are vital for your organism’s well functioning. Although consuming plenty of fluids (water) is highly important in the effective prevention of the symptoms that are caused by dehydration, simple water cannot help you with your electrolyte – imbalance. This is why we recommend all patients who are suffering from this condition to consume soft fruits, fruit juices, vegetables that contain potassium, soups and broth that are known to contain sodium and so on. There are some effective over-the-counter re-hydrating medications like Ceralyte, Pedialyte, and Infalyte that also help the patient with his or her electrolyte imbalance. Such medicines are especially indicated in the case of children who suffer from Diarrhea.

Some patients are known to develop this medical condition after undergoing a surgical procedure such as the removal of the gallbladder or other types of stomach operations. Patients who suffer from the severe forms of this medical condition should try to avoid milk products, caffeine, aliments that are high in fiber, greasy or very sweet, at least until their condition has subsided. However, all patients must be aware of the fact that in many medical cases, the correct cause that has triggered this condition is impossible to be found. This is not very important as long as the unpleasant condition has improved without further complications. An extensive search for the cause of the disorder in such cases is often unnecessary.