Diarrhea (diarrhea) as a symptom: possible causes, treatment, prevention of dehydration. Diarrhea (diarrhea). Causes, risk factors, diagnosis of causes of diarrhea, treatment of diarrhea Diarrhea in humans causes

Diarrhea is a syndrome in which the patient has an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, the stool becomes liquid and frequent, sometimes accompanied by bloody discharge. In healthy people, the frequency of stool is 1-2 times a day or once every two days. The volume of feces is about 300-400 grams per day.

If symptoms of diarrhea persist for up to 14 days, it is called acute diarrhea y. And if diarrhea is present for more than two weeks, they already talk about the development chronic diarrhea.

Causes

We can highlight the following most common reasons development of diarrhea:

Acute intestinal infections

• dysentery;
• salmonellosis;
• cholera.

Acute viral diseases

• rotavirus infection;
• enterovirus infection;
• adenovirus infection.

Intestinal diseases

• ulcerative colitis;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• oncological diseases of the intestine;
• Crohn's disease.

Disruption of digestive processes with

• pancreatitis;
• celiac disease;
• lactose intolerance.

Endocrine diseases

• diabetes;
• thyrotoxicosis.

• giardiasis;
• amoebiasis.

Diarrhea after long-term use of medications:

• antibiotics;
• laxatives;
• drugs that reduce stomach acidity and contain magnesium;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Travelers' diarrhea - develops with a sharp change in climate, diet, or water quality.

Of course, the main symptom that unites all these diseases is diarrhea. But every disease has its own characteristics development and additional symptoms. Next, let's take a closer look at the most common of them.

Features of diarrhea in various diseases

Acute intestinal infections (dysentery, salmonellosis, cholera)

They develop when consuming contaminated foods or water. Dysentery and salmonellosis develop quickly with increasing symptoms.

Loose stools can reach 20-30 bowel movements per day. At the same time, the patient experiences cramping pain in the abdomen. Signs of intoxication of the body develop. Body temperature rises to febrile levels (39-40 degrees), increases general weakness.

After bowel movement, a false urge to defecate occurs, accompanied by pain in the rectal area - tenesmus. As stool frequency increases, dehydration develops. This manifests itself in dryness skin and oral mucosa, increased heart rate (tachycardia), decreased blood pressure. Severe general weakness appears.

The most severe intestinal infection is cholera. Cholera is one of the most dangerous infections. When it appears, a huge number of people get sick, and pandemics develop.

The disease is characterized by an acute, sudden onset. The patient develops uncontrollable vomiting and profuse, loose, watery stools. There is no abdominal pain during or after defecation. Due to the severity of diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration of the body soon develops, which is accompanied by the appearance of tachycardia, hypotension (low blood pressure), convulsive syndrome. The disease often occurs without fever. The patient requires emergency medical care and isolation.

Acute respiratory diseases

Diarrhea syndrome develops with adenovirus, rotavirus and enterovirus infections. With all these infections, symptoms characteristic of damage to the respiratory tract develop: the patient develops a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Symptoms of intoxication appear - fever up to 38.5 degrees, increased fatigue, headache, body aches.

The lesion also develops gastrointestinal tract according to the type of acute gastroenteritis - there may be vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, loose stools. The patient’s symptoms of gastroenteritis go away on their own and the symptoms of damage to the upper respiratory tract come first.

Intestinal diseases

For intestinal diseases - ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, oncological diseases intestines, an inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane, erosions and ulcers occur on the mucous membrane. This leads to the release of fluid, electrolytes, and proteins into the intestinal lumen.

Constant abdominal pain appears, and there may be an increase in body temperature to 37.5-38.0 degrees. The stool is liquid with an admixture of blood, and the appearance of pus is also noted. Due to chronic blood loss, the patient develops anemia (decreased hemoglobin). When examining the intestines, signs of inflammation of the mucous membrane (hyperemia, swelling) can be detected.

There are no signs of irritable bowel syndrome organic damage intestines. Increase develops motor activity intestinal wall, motility increases. Food passes through the intestines at a higher speed and the liquid does not have time to be absorbed into the intestinal walls. This diagnosis is a diagnosis of exclusion, that is, it is made when no other diseases are detected. It often occurs at a young age and is triggered by stress. In addition to diarrhea, there may be flatulence (bloating) and minor abdominal pain.

Digestive disorders

During exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis, the digestion process is disrupted due to insufficient amounts of pancreatic enzymes. The patient develops signs characteristic of pancreatitis - pain in the umbilical area or girdling pain, which can be extremely pronounced. Such pain is accompanied by vomiting, which does not bring relief to the patient. Liquid, copious stool appears, which is difficult to flush from the walls of the toilet, due to the increased fat content in the stool (steatorrhea). At chronic pancreatitis Diarrhea is also chronic. Intensification of symptoms is caused by non-compliance with the diet for pancreatitis, consumption of fatty, smoked, spicy, and alcohol-containing drinks. At ultrasound examination signs of inflammation of the pancreas are detected; a blood test can reveal an increase in amylase, the enzyme responsible for inflammation of the pancreas.

Celiac disease develops in the absence of the enzyme responsible for breaking down grains. Diarrhea is also chronic.

Lactose intolerance lacks the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for digesting proteins. cow's milk. Diarrhea appears after eating dairy products.

Endocrinological diseases

With endocrinological diseases, fluid absorption and intestinal motility are impaired. There is an increase in the speed of food passage through the intestines and the liquid does not have time to be absorbed into the intestinal mucosa.

Traveler's diarrhea

It develops with a change in diet and water in people traveling to other climatic zones. The frequency of bowel movements can reach ten times during the day, and moderate abdominal pain may occur. Most often it goes away within 5-7 days.

Diarrhea after taking medications

It differs in that when the drugs that cause diarrhea are discontinued, the symptoms go away on their own. You may need to take medications that restore intestinal microflora.

Treatment of diarrhea

Drug treatment of diarrhea is carried out in conjunction with diet (see below).

Sorbent drugs are prescribed - they promote the rapid removal of harmful substances from the body.

*First aid for diarrhea is Enterosgel, a drug in the form of a soft paste with a neutral taste. The delicate structure of this product does not injure the internal lining of the stomach and intestines. The porous enterosorbent, like a sponge, absorbs and reliably holds bacteria and particles of harmful substances, ensuring their removal from the body naturally. The native microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract is not affected, since it is not adsorbed by this drug.

If dehydrated:

• rehydron - dilute the contents of the package in 1 liter of boiled water, consume 1 liter per day until symptoms are completely eliminated.

When increasing intestinal motility, antidiarrheal drugs are used:

• imodium,
• loperamide

Antibacterial drugs (Normax, Enterofuril) are used strictly as prescribed by a doctor.

• bifiform,
• Linux,
• bifidumbacterin.

Treatment of diarrhea during pregnancy

For diarrhea during pregnancy, treatment should begin with following a diet and taking adsorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel) in normal dosages.

If you have frequent loose stools and vomiting, you can start taking rehydron to avoid the development of dehydration. It is recommended to take drugs that restore intestinal microflora (Bifiform, Linex) in normal dosages.

Antibacterial drugs are prescribed by a doctor.

Diet

Diet plays a big role in the treatment of diarrhea. In some cases (with lactose intolerance, celiac disease, pacreatitis), diarrhea can be eliminated only by following a diet.

All measures are aimed at reducing mechanical and chemical effects on the intestinal mucosa. We recommend foods that are easily digested in the intestines.

Should be avoided

• salty, spicy, smoked;
• alcoholic beverages;
• conservation;
• sodas; caffeinated drinks;
• chocolate.

Puree soups are well digestible. To coat the mucous membrane, it is recommended to use jelly and rice water. It is better to exclude fresh yeast bread; you can eat bread in dried form (crackers).

If you have lactase deficiency, you must avoid dairy products.

For celiac disease, foods made from barley, oats, rye and wheat are excluded.

Diarrhea is very unpleasant symptom, giving a person a lot of uncomfortable sensations. When this condition is observed for more than two weeks, it may indicate various serious pathologies. Diarrhea, which for a long time does not go away and is dangerous due to its severe complications. Therefore, it should be treated immediately.

There are also some symptoms that accompany prolonged diarrhea, for which you should definitely visit a specialist.

Diarrhea accompanies various diseases. TO pathological conditions diseases that provoke prolonged diarrhea include digestive tract:

1. Enteritis
2. Dysbacteriosis
3. Enterocolitis
4. Pancreatitis
5. Colitis
6. Lactose intolerance
7. Pancreatic fibrosis
8. Irritable bowel syndrome
9. Oncological formations
10. Enzyme deficiency

Diarrhea can develop as a result internal bleeding V digestive system: for open ulcers duodenum or stomach, with damage to the small and large intestines.

Another factor in the occurrence of loose stools is chemical, food or drug poisoning.

Sometimes this condition appears when a person has experienced a stressful situation, namely after anxiety, fear, or psycho-emotional stress.

Other diseases also affect the development of diarrhea: autoimmune diseases. In addition, it promotes diarrhea poor digestion, abuse of alcoholic beverages. It is also possible for this condition to develop after surgical intervention in the gastrointestinal region.To determine the main cause of prolonged diarrhea, it is important to consult a doctor in time. He will prescribe the necessary research methods and use their results to determine the disease that causes prolonged diarrhea.

Danger signs and possible consequences

Diarrhea is usually accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms: pain and cramping in the abdomen, bloating and rumbling in the intestines. Sometimes the temperature may rise.

There are more danger signs, in which it is important to contact a specialist in time:

• Permanent weight loss.
• Stools containing blood and mucus.
• Discharge with pus.
• Pain in the anal area.
• Stool containing undigested food particles.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Severe abdominal cramps.
• Change in color of stool.

TO dangerous consequences Prolonged diarrhea refers, first of all, to dehydration. In this case, water loss occurs, the water-salt balance is disrupted, useful substances are removed during emptying, and blood circulation worsens.

Dehydration can be indicated by intervals between urinations lasting more than eight hours, as well as dark urine and a small amount of urine. Dry mouth is also a sign of dehydration. depressive state, irritability, dizziness, lack of tears, loss of coordination, hypotension, sagging and dry skin, increased heart rate, general weakness, loss of performance, convulsions.The state of dehydration is dangerous because it can lead to coma and also cause death.

Drug treatment

Therapy for prolonged diarrhea should be comprehensive. Therefore, the patient is prescribed not only drugs that help eliminate of this characteristic, but also those medications that directly affect the main cause of its occurrence.

If diarrhea is caused infectious diseases, then the patient needs to take medications that belong to the group of enzymes. Therefore, the use of the following medications is indicated:

• Mezim-forte
• Creon
• Bifidumbacterin

For intestinal irritation and increased motility, it is recommended to take Loperamide or Imodium. For infections, medications in this group are not prescribed.

When the cause of prolonged diarrhea is poisoning, it is important to urgently perform gastric lavage.

To do this, the patient should drink a lot of water to which potassium permanganate has been added (the rinsing liquid in this case should be a light pinkish tint). It is recommended to drink the solution in larger quantities at a time.If the cause of diarrhea lies in the use of antibacterial drugs, then in this case specialists usually prescribe Linex.

To others effective drugs, often prescribed for diarrhea include:

• Smecta and its analogues (Polysorb MP, Kaopectat, Neointestopan, Enterosgel).
• Enterol (Eubicor, Linex, Baktisubtil, Hilak Forte).
• Among intestinal antiseptic drugs, Nifuroxazide, Intetrix and Rifaximin have proven themselves well.
• Eliminate acute pain syndrome and spasms can be achieved with the help of medications such as Papaverine or No-shpa.
• To restore the water-salt balance in the body, take Gastrolit or Regidron. They are diluted with one liter of water. Consume in small portions, but very often, every 5-15 minutes.

Alternative medicine

Using traditional medicines in the treatment of diarrhea, it is important to remember that they are only auxiliary, so it is important to talk with a specialist about the possibility of their use.

To effective and safe drugs that are used to treat diarrhea in traditional therapy, relate:

1. Mint decoction. Several leaves of the plant are poured with boiling water, boiled a little and infused for sixty minutes. It is recommended to drink after meals three times a day.
2. Chamomile decoction. Medicinal raw materials in the amount of a tablespoon are poured with a cup of water and placed on the stove. Boil over low heat for fifteen minutes, leave for half an hour and drink before eating.
3. Blueberry tea. It is prepared in the same way as chamomile decoction. You can drink it like regular tea throughout the day.
4. St. John's wort infusion. For preparation, the same principles are followed as for the last two remedies listed above.
5. You can also use a starch solution for diarrhea. To do this, dilute two tablespoons of the product in a cup of warm water, mix and drink throughout the day.

Diet for loose stools

Rice porridge on water - " ambulance» for diarrhea

Except medications And alternative means For a patient suffering from prolonged diarrhea, it is important to follow a special diet. This will help alleviate the patient’s condition and quickly eliminate unwanted symptoms.

Therefore, it is important to know that during the period of diarrhea the following foods are not allowed:

• Fresh vegetables and fruits
• Spices
• Spices
• Coffee
• Black bread
• Large amounts of salt
• Semi-finished products
• Milk
• Carbonated drinks
• Fatty dishes
• Legumes
• Fried food
• Vegetable or fruit juices
• Flour or confectionery products
• Canned food
• Marinades
• Smoked meats
• Mushrooms

• White bread crackers
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Porridge cooked in water
• Lean fish and meat
• Low-fat soups
• Baked apples
• Vegetable broths
• Boiled eggs or steam omelet

With such a diet, it is important that dishes are steamed, baked or cooked. Fried foods are prohibited in case of prolonged diarrhea.

More information about diarrhea can be found in the video:

There are rules of prevention that experts advise to follow to avoid the development of diseases, the symptom of which is prolonged loose stools. To such preventive measures relate:

1. Be sure to wash your hands before eating food.
2. It is important to carefully process fruits, berries and vegetables intended for fresh consumption. They need to be washed well.
3. You need to make sure that the ingredients for preparing dishes are not stitched.
4. Observe hygiene rules after using the toilet.
5. It is important to use a refrigerator to store food.
6. Products should be properly cooked, especially meat and fish.
7. Pass annually medical checkup for timely identification of pathologies and their treatment.
8. Exotic and unfamiliar food should be treated with caution.

If you adhere to these preventive measures, the risk of developing diseases that are accompanied by prolonged diarrhea is minimized.

A condition that can lead to rapid dehydration of the body is frequent diarrhea; in an adult, the causes of such intestinal disorder can be different.

Chronic diarrhea is often a symptom of a serious illness. Because of the complications of chronic diarrhea, it should not be underestimated. Contact your doctor to determine the cause and begin treatment as soon as possible. It should be borne in mind that during diarrhea it is necessary to consume a large number of fluids, since the consequences of dehydration are dangerous for adults and children.

Symptom

Frequent diarrhea is a loose stool in a patient, characterized by an increased frequency of occurrence. The stool has a liquid or semi-liquid consistency. Increased frequency is defecation more than 3 times a day.

Diarrhea is divided into acute and chronic. The acute form lasts up to 14 days, and the chronic form lasts more than 4 weeks. Diarrhea is often accompanied by pain, discomfort in the rectal area and fecal incontinence.

Division of chronic diarrhea:

• secretory diarrhea;
• osmotic diarrhea;
• fatty diarrhea;
• inflammatory diarrhea.

In adults, among the causes of diarrhea there are also mental factors (stress, neurotic diseases), poisoning, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Frequent diarrhea can be caused by long-term use of antibiotics. In this case, treatment is carried out using probiotic drugs.

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Diarrhea may be accompanied by abdominal cramps and pain, general weakness, malaise, vomiting and heat, increased thirst or infrequent urination.

It is important to identify what causes diarrhea and begin timely treatment.

Secretory diarrhea

Secretory diarrhea can be a consequence of the action of certain drugs, toxins, bile and fatty acids. If we are talking about medications, then most often long-term diarrhea is caused by laxatives from the stimulant group (Bisacodyl, Sennosides, Aloe).

Toxins that cause diarrhea every day include chronic alcohol abuse. Bile acids if their absorption is impaired, they can also cause diarrhea in adults. A similar condition can occur when there is an increase in the concentration of bacteria in the intestine, inflammation of the ileum, or after resection of a section of the ileum.

Some types of cancer can cause rare causes of chronic diarrhea:

• carcinoid tumor;
• gastrinoma;
• medullary cancer thyroid gland.

Cancer in this case is accompanied by a number of other symptoms. Therefore, if you have diarrhea every day, you should not suspect you have cancer. To find out what causes diarrhea, you need to visit a specialist and undergo some tests.

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Osmotic

Causes of osmotic diarrhea:

• medications - Magnesium sulfate, Lactulose, Orlistat, constantly taken Cholestyramine, Neomycin;
• some foods and sweets containing sorbitol, mannitol;
• lactase deficiency (congenital or acquired condition as a result of inflammatory processes occurring in the intestines);
• short small bowel syndrome;
• intestinal fistulas.

This type of diarrhea is associated with excessive osmolarity of substances found in the intestinal lumen. Diarrhea persists in patients even during fasting.

Fat

This is a relatively common type of diarrhea that is caused by poor digestion or absorption. Digestive disorders are observed in diseases of the pancreas, in which this organ does not correctly perform its excretory function: it does not secrete or secretes too little pancreatic juice. Then some substances in the intestines, especially fats, are not digested or absorbed. Malabsorption occurs with an increase in the concentration of bacteria in the intestines and with certain liver diseases.

Malabsorption disorders include diseases such as celiac disease, Whipple's disease ( bacterial infection, covering mostly thick and small intestine) and intestinal ischemia. Chronic diarrhea associated with malabsorption may persist in patients even when the stomach is empty.

Inflammatory

The cause of this diarrhea is inflammatory diseases intestines, that is, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, hypersensitivity of the body, immunodeficiencies, malignant neoplasms(for example, colon cancer), drugs from the group of cytostatics and NSAIDs, as well as protozoa in the intestines. Chronic diarrhea of ​​this type occurs quite often.

Some illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome, an overactive thyroid gland, and prokinetic drugs (Metoclopramide, Cisapride) can cause diarrhea because they speed up intestinal motility.

Differentiation of disorders

When looking for the cause of diarrhea in an adult, you must first determine whether you are dealing with acute or chronic diarrhea. As mentioned above, acute diarrhea lasts less than 14 days, and chronic diarrhea lasts more than 4 weeks. This boundary is defined conditionally, but allows you to separate and distinguish the nature of diarrhea.

The next step in diagnosis is to determine the type of chronic diarrhea. In some cases, you can immediately find the cause of the disease, but it is not always so easy, so you should act step by step.

The clinical picture in each type of diarrhea is as follows:

• Secretory diarrhea is characterized by copious watery stools, often bowel movements are not accompanied by abdominal pain;
• persists when the stomach is empty;
• with osmotic diarrhea, the stool is often foamy and disappears in patients on an empty stomach;
• with fatty diarrhea, stools with the presence of fat, very shiny and difficult to wash off in the toilet, often accompanied by a very unpleasant odor;
• Inflammatory diarrhea is characterized by stool mixed with blood and pus;
• Diarrhea is often accompanied by symptoms of prolonged inflammatory process(high temperature, chills, increased sweating).

When performing a stool test, the result may indicate a specific group of causes.

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Diagnostics and treatment measures

Diagnosis is based first on a conversation between the doctor and the patient, in which the nature of the diarrhea is determined - acute or chronic. A stool test is then performed to see if the diarrhea persists while not eating. All this and a few additional questions help determine why the patient has frequent diarrhea.

When you're dealing with chronic diarrhea, it's important to get basic blood tests done, as diarrhea can lead to serious complications. TO basic research blood include:

• complete blood count;
• Ca concentration designation;
• designation of vitamin B 12 concentration;
• designation of folic acid concentration;
• Fe concentration designation;
• checking liver and thyroid function;
• studies for celiac disease.

Depending on the cause of diarrhea, additional research to confirm it and prescribe adequate treatment. The doctor may prescribe special examinations based on the patient's complaints. These include:

• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
• abdominal x-ray;
• colonoscopy with taking a biopsy of the intestinal mucosa for histopathological examination.

The basis of treatment is irrigation and nutrition with low-fat stewed foods. In addition, probiotics and (depending on the cause) drugs that maintain intestinal motility (for example, Loperamide) are used, as well as antibacterial drugs. If the cause of diarrhea is medicines, then their use should be abandoned.

Treatment is not always a simple process, for example, when a patient has nonspecific intestinal inflammation (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis). Then applies symptomatic therapy aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms. It is important to eliminate micronutrient deficiencies, as they can also lead to dangerous complications.

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Complications of the chronic form

The most common disorder is dehydration. If it is mild, it is not very dangerous, but when it comes to losing more water, the condition can be life-threatening. Symptoms of dehydration are:

• weight loss;
• dry mouth;
• decreased saliva secretion;
• loss of skin elasticity;
• dark circles under the eyes;
• pallor of the conjunctiva, skin;
• dry, cracked lips;
• severe headache, dizziness;
• the amount of urine excreted decreases;
• tachycardia, fainting.

Severe dehydration can lead to hypovolemic shock, which is why preventing and treating dehydration is so important.

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Other complications of chronic diarrhea include:

• electrolyte disturbances;
• metabolic acidosis (acid-base imbalance);
• deficiency of vitamins and microelements.

Constant diarrhea is a common symptom of many diseases. Because of possible complications Diarrhea should not be underestimated; it is necessary to consult a doctor to determine the cause of diarrhea as soon as possible and begin treatment. Please note that during frequent diarrhea, you need to drink plenty of fluids, as the consequences of dehydration can be dangerous to the health of any person.

Diarrhea (diarrhea)- frequent loose stools. It usually occurs when something causes the muscles in the digestive tract to contract too quickly (see How Diarrhea Happens).

Most people experience diarrhea from time to time, sometimes simply from stress or nervousness. In some cases, diarrhea is a way for the body to get rid of something unusual. For example, if you've been restricting your fat intake for a while and then eat something fatty, your body may quickly react with loose stools.

How does diarrhea occur?

Typically, a series of wave-like muscle contractions propel food through the digestive tract. If they become too fast, the colon cannot absorb as much liquid from food as it should. This leads to diarrhea.

Causes

In addition to stress and unusual foods, diarrhea can be caused by:

• intestinal flu;
• caffeine, spicy foods or foods that irritate the intestines, such as sauerkraut;
• food poisoning, such as salmonella or staphylococcus bacteria (see "Food poisoning");
• acute intestinal infection caused by bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms;
• painful intestinal sensitivity syndrome;
• long-term inflammation of the lining of the colon (chronic ulcerative colitis);
• growths on the inner surface of the digestive tract (polyps);
• cancer of the rectum or colon;
• lactose intolerance, caused by a lack of the enzyme lactase, which the body needs to digest the sugar in milk; undigested milk sugar (lactose) ferments and causes gas, cramps and diarrhea;
• certain medications (see “Are Your Medicines Causing Diarrhea?”).

Symptoms

Diarrhea can be acute or chronic; The frequency of loose stools can vary from day to day and varies from person to person. The stool may be bloody, contain mucus or pus, or both.

Along with diarrhea, a person usually experiences pain or cramps in the abdomen, he may have nausea, vomiting, weakness, and loss of appetite. Depending on the cause of diarrhea, the type of stool and other symptoms vary.

Symptoms of acute intestinal infection

• suddenly appearing exclusively loose stools;
• strong stool odor;
• painful and sensitive stomach;
• nausea;
• chills;
• weakness;
• poor appetite;
• weight loss.

Colon Cancer Symptoms

• bloody diarrhea interspersed with pencil-thick stools;
• abdominal pain;
• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• weakness;
• depression.

Symptoms of painful bowel sensitivity

In this case, diarrhea can alternate with constipation and normal stool:

• a painful, tender, or swollen belly;
• stomach upset;
• nausea.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis

• recurring bloody diarrhea containing pus or mucus;
• spasmodic pain in the lower abdomen;
• mild fever;
• loss of appetite;
• sometimes nausea or vomiting.

Do your medications cause diarrhea?

Diarrhea can be a side effect of many medications, such as antibiotics, which in particular include drugs from the tetracycline group.

Other medications to keep in mind:

• antacids containing magnesium;
• birth control pills;
• colchicine - a medicine for gout;
• estrogens;
• Inderal, a medicine used to reduce high blood pressure and some heart diseases;
• laxatives (can cause diarrhea if overdose);
• Lanoxin - a means of stabilizing heart contractions;
• vitamin C (can cause diarrhea if overdosed).

It is important! If you experience diarrhea from medications, consult your doctor before taking medication. They can make diarrhea worse and last longer.

What to do

If the diarrhea is prolonged and severe, check to see if the patient has symptoms of shock:

• increased heart rate;
• dizziness (especially when moving from a sitting to a standing position);
• cold, pale, damp skin.

If you notice at least one of these symptoms, call a doctor immediately. Elevate the patient's legs slightly until help arrives.

Self-medication

If your child has diarrhea, contact your doctor immediately.

Almost healthy person diarrhea usually goes away in a few days or less.

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids. Until your stool returns to normal, you need to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. Coca-Cola, coffee, milk, juices and alcohol should be avoided. You should also not swallow drinks in one gulp - this can cause a spasm, which further stimulates the digestive tract.

You should eat regularly, avoiding spicy, fried, fatty foods. Limit yourself to bananas, rice, applesauce and dry bread. These products have astringent properties.

If diarrhea continues for a day or two with plenty of fluids and an appropriate diet, an anti-diarrhea medicine such as kaopectate can be taken.

Contact your doctor if:

diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours;

• stool contains bright or dark blood or appears black (indicating the presence of blood);
• stool very copious;
• there is a suspicion of food poisoning.

What doctors are doing

Strong or prolonged diarrhea may affect the water-salt balance in the body. This entails life-threatening complications such as arrhythmia, dehydration and shock. A patient with severe diarrhea may need to be hospitalized to determine the cause. Doctors may give intravenous fluids to combat dehydration due to excess fluid loss—especially if the patient is unable to eat or drink—as well as medications to ease bowel contractions.

What else do you need to know

If your child has diarrhea, contact your doctor immediately. Why? In a small child, diarrhea can be life-threatening, as it causes dehydration due to excessive loss of large amounts of fluid, cramps and other serious complications. If your child is under three years old and has diarrhea for more than one day or has blood in his stool, call a doctor immediately.

Diarrhea(indigestion, diarrhea) is a symptom that characterizes a certain type of digestive disorder. The term “diarrhea” refers to a patient’s condition in which bowel movement, accompanied by the release of liquid stool, occurs more than twice a day. Depending on the clinical development varies acute form diarrhea, the duration of which is no more than two weeks, and chronic form, which lasts more than two weeks.

Diarrhea is the second most common complaint among children, who consulted a doctor (high temperature comes first).

As a rule, the occurrence of diarrhea is associated with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, but diarrhea can also be accompanied by some other diseases that are not associated with damage to the digestive organs.

Under normal conditions, food that enters the digestive organs is digested. The process of food digestion occurs due to the action of various enzymes that break down food components into monosaccharides, amino acids, fatty acids, i.e. to simple substances. During digestion, food moves through the intestines from the duodenum to the anus. Occurs in different parts of the intestine different stages digestion. So, in the small intestine they are broken down and absorbed food products and water, formation occurs in the large intestine feces and absorption of certain groups of vitamins synthesized by intestinal flora.

There are several main points of the digestive processes.
1. The digestive process is significantly affected quantity and quality of food. Thus, a lot of difficult-to-digest foods (foods rich in plant fiber and fats) are not fully digested, which leads to accelerated intestinal motility and increases the growth of bacteria.

2. Quality of digestive processes determines the condition of the digestive tract. On the one hand, the digestive process is affected by the amount of enzymes secreted by the pancreas, stomach and liver. On the other hand, the condition of the intestinal mucosa determines how food digested by the stomach is absorbed.

If there are not enough enzymes, food absorption does not occur completely. If the intestinal mucosa is damaged, the digested substances are not able to be absorbed. When undigested substances accumulate in the intestinal cavity, secretion of electrolytes and water occurs, that is, the release of water from the blood into the intestinal cavity. Great importance During the digestive process, intestinal peristalsis occurs, with the help of which food masses move along the intestines, which ultimately leads to their removal from the body. When peristalsis decreases, constipation occurs, and when it increases, diarrhea occurs.

3. The digestive process in the large intestine is influenced by quantitative and qualitative composition of microflora. The large (and partly small) intestine of a healthy person is inhabited by special types of “beneficial” bacteria. Their main function is to process leftover food that has not been digested and release some substances beneficial to the body.

There are cases when changes occur in the quantitative and qualitative composition of normal intestinal microflora. The consequence of this is that microbes that can cause disease (pathogenic) settle in such a “changed” intestine. Diarrhea may be one of the manifestations of such a microflora disorder.

Mechanisms of development of diarrhea

As a rule, several of the listed mechanisms are involved in the appearance of diarrhea, since if any one condition of proper digestion is violated, this also affects the functioning of others. The most common causes of diarrhea: intestinal dysbiosis, acute intestinal infections, chronic diseases organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Diarrhea in acute intestinal infections

Diarrhea caused by pathogens may continue long time and in some cases poses a threat to human life. Sometimes diarrhea can be caused by normal intestinal microflora if a large amount of undigested food enters the colon. In this case, diarrhea will end simultaneously with bowel movement.

There are two main types of diarrhea with acute intestinal infections:
1. Diarrhea with watery stools. This type of diarrhea is characteristic of acute intestinal infections, the appearance of which was caused by bacteria or viruses that secrete toxins (for example, Vibrio cholerae). At the same time, the composition of feces includes salts and water secreted by the intestinal mucosa, which has been exposed to viruses and toxins.
2. Diarrhea with bloody cases. This type of diarrhea occurs with dysentery and salmonellosis. It is caused by bacteria that penetrate the intestinal mucosa and destroy it.

In acute intestinal infections, as a rule, there is acute diarrhea. In a number of diseases, which include dysentery in particular, the acute form of diarrhea can develop into chronic.

Diarrhea due to intestinal dysbiosis

Diarrhea in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

There may be diarrhea constant symptom diseases such as inflammation of the small intestine (chronic enteritis), inflammation of the large intestine (chronic colitis), Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, which are accompanied by damage to the intestinal mucosa. With these diseases, diarrhea appears due to the fact that absorption processes are disrupted. nutrients from the intestinal cavity. Sometimes diarrhea can be caused by diseases of the liver and pancreas.

A symptom such as diarrhea can also occur in a number of diseases that are not directly related to dysfunction of the digestive tract. For example, diarrhea can appear due to hepatitis, overexertion or emotional stress, poisoning or overheating in the sun. In these diseases, the appearance of diarrhea is mainly due to the fact that intestinal motility accelerates.

In some cases, diarrhea can be caused by a lack of vitamins (niacin, vitamin B2, vitamin F). As a side effect of taking medications, diarrhea may occur when taking antiarrhythmic drugs ( Quinidine sulfate), antibiotics, medications intended to lower blood pressure, antacids, as well as in case of overdose of laxatives or after ingestion of magnesium preparations.

Warning symptoms of diarrhea

If at least one of the symptoms listed above is present, this is a serious reason to immediately seek medical help.

Diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea

The modern stage of diarrhea treatment involves solving these three problems simultaneously.

First you need to determine the reason why the diarrhea appeared. This event is extremely important because it helps to prescribe treatment that eliminates the cause of the disease (so-called etiotropic therapy). It is often quite difficult to determine the cause of diarrhea. Determining the nature of diarrhea (watery or bloody stools) can greatly facilitate the diagnostic procedure and the prescription of competent treatment.

If this is possible, the diagnosis can be clarified using a method such as stool microscopy (it allows you to clarify whether there are certain types of pathogenic bacteria in the stool). Less commonly, and mainly for epidemiological purposes, a method such as inoculation on nutrient media is used. Next, we will look at the main types of diarrhea and the methods used to treat them.

Watery diarrhea

If the patient has mild or moderate watery diarrhea, treatment should be organized in the following main areas: preventing dehydration and replenishing the water-salt balance. To achieve these goals, it is effective to use solutions such as Oralit And Regidron.

After thirst has been eliminated (for a short time must be consumed 3-5 glasses of solution), the solution should be taken half a glass after each bowel movement or 3-4 glasses per 12 hours, until the diarrhea stops.

During diarrhea, you should avoid hard-to-digest foods or foods containing fiber (for example, raw vegetables and fruits), you should give up fruit juices (mainly apple and grape), dairy products, sweet and salty foods, since these foods can only make diarrhea worse. At the same time, it is allowed to eat baked fruits and vegetables, strong tea, and crackers. Tea made from St. John's wort will be especially useful.

For adults with acute diarrhea, you can take medications such as No-shpa or Loperamide. Children during diarrhea should take Loperamide Not recommended.

Bloody diarrhea

Rehydration therapy is carried out according to the scheme we have already described. For bloody diarrhea, this direction of treatment is also very important, but, compared with antimicrobial treatment, is in second place. Based on the fact that in Lately Many microbes have become immune to “classical type” antibiotics; the use of drugs from the fluoroquinolone group will be effective (Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin). In some cases it can be used Cotrimoxazole And Metronizadol. In any case, before taking this or that drug, you must study the instructions for use and consult with your doctor.

In what cases is it necessary to immediately consult a doctor? Even taking into account that treatment of complicated diarrhea of ​​moderate or mild severity is carried out, as a rule, at home, it must be taken into account that in some cases diarrhea may be a sign of a serious illness, the treatment of which requires urgent hospitalization of the patient and provision of high-quality care. medical care. Diarrhea can be extremely dangerous for life in the elderly and children.

You should consult a doctor if:
Against the background of diarrhea, there is an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees;
Acute diarrhea occurred in an elderly person or a child under one year of age;
If during acute diarrhea there is also abdominal pain or severe vomiting;
Black stool resembling tar, or dark brown vomit containing fresh blood (this may indicate bleeding from the duodenum or a stomach ulcer);
Diarrhea continues for more than three days, despite treatment;
If, during acute diarrhea, severe dehydration develops or the patient experiences impaired consciousness;
While taking medications, diarrhea occurs adverse reactions(nausea, allergic skin rashes, irritability, sleep disturbance, abdominal pain, dark urine);
If diarrhea sometimes appears without obvious reasons.

During an appointment with a doctor, you need to tell him about all current or previous diseases, operations (even visits to the dentist), as well as how the treatment was organized.

Treatment with folk remedies

Help effectively for diarrhea: rice porridge or rice water. They need to be boiled in water, hard-boiled, without adding salt.

For gastrointestinal disorders You can use the following remedy: dried chamomile flowers (one tablespoon) per glass of boiling water. Infuse for four hours in a thermos, then strain. Drink two tablespoons four times a day after meals.

During bloody diarrhea recommended: preparations - decoction of burnet rhizome, cinquefoil erecta (according to 25 grams), 50 grams of shepherd's purse grass; infusion - according 50 grams of burnet, rhizomes of snakeweed; decoction - 10 grams of comfrey per 200 milliliters of milk, leave for an hour, take two tablespoons four to five times a day.