diarrhea
Diarrhea is the need to stand out three or more times a day, and the stool is soft and watery. It is a common problem, which may last for several days, and often does not require medical treatment. The problem ends on its own. Diarrhea Chronic diarrhea can last for four weeks or more. In this case, it may indicate chronic illness. Diarrhea affects people of all ages, children and adults, and can be prevented by maintaining personal hygiene.
Causes of diarrhea
The most common causes of diarrhea include:
- Infection with the virus causes gastroenteritis.
- Eat foods that are sensitive to the digestive system.
- Intestinal failure, intestinal failure to absorb nutrients efficiently, or gastrointestinal disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
- Surgery of a member of the digestive system.
- Infection with certain types of cancer.
- Take some medications, or exposure to radiation therapy.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Eat foods contaminated with germs (food poisoning).
- Diabetes.
- Hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms of diarrhea and associated complications
Here are the main symptoms of diarrhea and its complications:
- Feeling tired.
- Abdominal swelling, increased contraction.
- Lose weight.
- Fever.
- Repeat going to the toilet.
- Irritation of the area around the anus.
- Drought.
- Electrolyte Balance Disorder Any substances containing free electrons that conduct electricity, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium.
Symptoms call for doctor review:
The symptoms that require urgent medical review are:
Prevention of diarrhea
To prevent diarrhea, follow these tips:
Diagnosis
When diarrhea continues for more than four days or blood appears in the stool, the doctor will want to know the cause by:
- Identify family history of the patient to detect the presence of family members with medical conditions such as: gastrointestinal disorders, lactose intolerance, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis.
- Identify the medical history of the patient by asking questions to find out the following:
- Current and previous medical conditions.
- Medications taken by the patient.
- The presence of other symptoms in addition to diarrhea.
- Number of defecations, color and stool strength.
- How long the patient has suffered from diarrhea.
- Foods and drinks taken by the patient prior to diarrhea, to detect the sensitivity or intolerance of certain types of food.
- Clinical examination, includes:
- Check blood pressure and pulse.
- Listen to sounds from the abdomen using a stethoscope.
- Check marks of dryness and fever.
- Light knocking on the abdomen to detect the presence of pain or tenderness in it.
- Anal examination, to detect the presence of blood in the stool.
- Laboratory examination of a sample of stool to detect the presence of blood, parasites or bacteria, or signs of some diseases.
- Laboratory blood test, to detect the presence of health disorders causing diarrhea.
- The hydrogen breath test, a test used to measure the amount of hydrogen in the patient’s breath, is checked after a patient has taken a drink containing lactose, and then breathing in a container that measures the level of hydrogen, the high level of hydrogen indicates the case of lactose intolerance.
- Test fasting for some types of foods containing wheat, carbohydrates, and lactose, to detect the presence of food allergies.
- Endoscopy includes:
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
- Colonoscopy.
- Colonoscopy using a flexible X-ray telescope.
Treatment of diarrhea
The following measures are recommended to treat diarrhea:
- Drink plenty of water to compensate for lost fluids. It is recommended to start with a small amount of water and dry solutions frequently, with increasing water intake. If diarrhea persists, so that the patient has a liter of water every hour for several hours, consult your doctor if you have liver disease. , Heart, or kidney, before increasing the amount of water.
- Start eating light foods according to the ability of the casualty, and start with a few salty biscuits.
- Take anti-diarrhea, adhere to the instructions attached to the package, stop taking medication as soon as stool changes, and there are several types of anti-diarrhea drugs, such as:
Foods to avoid when getting diarrhea
In cases of diarrhea, attention should be paid to the patient’s treatment and to avoid the foods that make the situation worse, including:
Treatment of diarrhea in children
Children may have diarrhea frequently, as a result of infection, or eating a lot of candy, and diarrhea may be a sign of a health problem, should not be tolerated with cases of diarrhea in the child, and be careful not to be dehydrated, and the mother can be indicative of the child’s drought from Some signs, such as feeling thirsty, never urinating, lack of urine, dark color, crying without tears, dry mouth and skin, and lack of elasticity. Here are the most important tips that may be useful to a mother when her child has diarrhea: