Diarrhea Treatment, Causes, Types, Symptoms, Medication And Facts

Diarrhoea is a disorder of defecation characterized by an increase of the release of the daily amount of feces (usually > 200 g) with a decrease in their abundance and an increased frequency of discharge of the hive. It is mostly triggered by infectious agents (in 70% of cases) but can also reflect the use of drugs (e.g. chemotherapy) in the presence of fecal impaction, reintroduction of solid foods after a period of fasting, and to radiation other pathological conditions (diverticulitis, poisoning by heavy metals, ischemic bowel, allergies or intolerances).

There are plenty of micro-organisms that can cause acute diarrhoea, it includes: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, Clostridium, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., Shigella., Giardia lamblia (or intestinalis), Entamoeba histolytica, Rotaviruses, Adenovirus, some species of helminths. The list, however, is extremely long.

The cause of acute infectious diarrhoea is a serious problem in developing countries as it is believed to cause, annually, killing at least 4 million children under the age of 5 years. These diseases are an easy ground propagation conditions in areas with poor sanitation: lack of drinking water, crowding, presence of waste not disposed of, inadequate preparation of certain foods.

Causes infectious diarrhoea can accompany other symptoms, depending on the type of organism responsible for the pathological condition. You may have nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhoea can be watery or bloody. In case of ingestion of foods that are bacterial toxins, generally, there is vomiting, nausea and pain Cramping widespread but not very strong. The fever, however, is uncommon.

Micro-organisms can invade the intestinal epithelium (Salmonella, Shigella, etc.). Cytotoxic or to produce toxins (Clostridium) cause abdominal pain and high fever and bloody diarrhoea The micro-organisms that invade the intestinal mucosa (e.g., Giardia), or those that invade it produces little inflammation (virus) to determine the most watery diarrhoea. There are also hemorrhoid condition that can only be cured with hemorrhoid treatment.

Chronic diarrhoea

Most often it is caused by irritable bowel syndrome but can be caused even by celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis). They can be linked with other causes including: eosinophilic gastroenteritis, radiation, pancreatic insufficiency, lactase deficiency, short bowel syndrome, Whipple disease, carcinoid syndrome, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, tumors or endocrine disruption, fecal impaction , abuse of laxatives.

Secretory diarrhoea

They are characterized by a high stool volume because it has a considerable loss of fluids. Are triggered by the presence of endogenous or exogenous substances able to bind to specific receptors located on the membrane of intestinal epithelial cells. This leads to the activation of molecular cascades of various types (depending on the receptor involved) that culminate in phosphorylation of transport proteins that increase the permeability of the cell to chlorine (apical section) and potash (Section basolateral). The strong outside secretion of chlorine is the driving force for the recall of sodium, potassium and water. It also occurs in bicarbonate secretion, but not the mechanism by which this happens.

Osmotic diarrhoea

The osmotic diarrhoea occur when the osmolarity of the intestinal lumen exceeds 50-100 mOsm / kg, while plasma. This means that water is drawn from the cells, a process opposite to that which occurs physiologically and that is due to the absorption of sodium. The causes of this are due to carbohydrate malabsorption, lactase deficiency, use of laxatives or antacids containing magnesium.

Docusate Sodium with the brand name of Colace is more than likely the best medication on the market today for constipation.

“Being regular” in medical terminology means you will use the bathroom anywhere from 3x a day to 3x a week. To actually feel good this is not good enough. It should be at the minimum 5x a week. The act of being constipated also can involve the how large and what consistency your stool actually is. It also concerns if you strain when you or have stomach pains or always feel the need to utilize the toilet.

The most frequent reason for constipation is most likely due to not eating enough fiber. Your age also is a factor and the elderly have constipation more often.

What is the plan if you have constipation? First you need to increase your fruits and vegetables. Think of taking a fiber supplement. Also get more exercise in the form of walking after meals.

Docusate sodium is good because it can soften the stool so it is not so painful to actually go to the bathroom. You could also try mineral oil or something like Ex-Lax. If you are going to use Ex-Lax do not use it for more than 48 hours as it completely clears your bowels.

Worst case scenario for most people would be enemas. Castor oil if you can stand it can also be used for constipation. If the constipation involves a baby or young child make sure and check with your doctor.

Is there any natural solutions? Flatulence is often the cause of not having gut flora. This is good bacteria in your digestive system. Think about taking a digestive enzyme when you eat. There is always flaxseed that you could consider taking.

Rather rare but good is the yellow powdered aloe vera. This has a natural laxative that is in it. Start off by trying the Docusate Sodium.

The pain of volvulus can be excruciating. Volvulus is the medical term for a twisted colon. This occurs when a portion of the colon is twisted normally around a bowel creating a type of barrier. What pain this causes.

One main factor in a cecal volvulus is a possible lack of fiber in nutritional intake. Some other possibilities include pathogenic organisms, constant constipation, some type of nutritional deficiency or toxins in your colon. When a cecal volvulus or twisted colon occurs it can also present problems such as constrictions, ballooning and prolapses that should not be happening in the colon.

The two types of twisted colons are: Sigmoid volvulus and cecal volvulus respectively.

Sigmoid Volvulus

Background: This is the most common type of volvulus and is responsible for eight percent of all intestinal impediments. Sigmoid volvulus is very common in the elderly. What pain these patients have include distension, more abdominal pain and total constipation. Some factors that may predispose one to getSigmoid Volvulus include a propensation to have constipation a lot, a large colon or a very active colon. The problem is usually found through radiographs. For treatment a stiff tube may be inserted into the rectum and an endoscopy or fluoroscopy may be performed. Sigmoid Volvulus can lead to death if not treated.

Cecal Volvulus

In Cecal Volvulus the twisted bowel is usually located in the higher colon near the ileocecal valve. The pain level is very high. A partial rotation of this valve is required for Cecal Volvulus to occur. There is a high death rate with this type of colon issue so early diagnosis and treatment is extremely important. If left untreated this could lead to perforation of the colon and possible gangrene.

Be careful of what you eat. This is the watchword to prevent diarrhoea, particularly infectious. In summer, therefore, care creams are not well preserved or eggs. For the rest it is very difficult to prevent diarrhoea Much easier is the cure, which, in addition to a constant supply of fluids (especially citrus juices), but a few simple dietary rules. Stop milk and green rice and boiled potatoes, with astringent. And also to products available in pharmacies (such as lactic acid bacteria) capable of restoring the normal intestinal flora and accelerate healing.

Prevention
Bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause diarrhoea, typically, come from the feces of infected subjects, then, the practice of some simple hygiene measures to avoid contact of bodies, food, hands or anything that can enable them to reach the mouth, is undoubtedly an important form of prevention. Here are some useful tips:
* Personal hygiene: it is good to wash your hands frequently, especially after the completion of biological functions, but also in the kitchen when you touch food, especially fish or raw meat and eggs, or when there are frequent contacts with other people (for as when you shake hands frequently), or after contact with animals.
* Environmental hygiene: it is good to keep properly clean the premises as kitchens and bathrooms.
* Food Hygiene (in particular to prevent traveller’s diarrhoea): Avoid raw or undercooked foods and beverages not packaged.
* In the case of food intolerance, follow a diet that provides for the exclusion of the substance to which you are intolerant.
* When used with the particular conditions of stress, the best prevention is, of course, try to avoid or at least to contain the emotional involvement.

When you are ready to travel to exotic destinations, they often take little account of the health risks that may lead to stay, partly because unfortunately not always travel agencies emphasize this aspect of the holiday. One of the most common medical problems they face those who go on the road to ‘foreign, mainly in tropical and sub-tropical, it is the traveller’s diarrhoea, called by the press “Montezuma’s revenge” or “the curse of Tutankhamen.”

Traveller’s diarrhoea (traveller’s diarrhoea, also abbreviated “TD”) affects 20-50% of those who go to countries with lower sanitation standards than the area of origin. One of the most significant factors is the region of the world that is half the journey. The areas of the world that pose a high risk are South America, sub-Saharan West Africa and eastern Europe, South Asia. There is also a second band in which the risk of traveller’s diarrhoea is average and includes some Caribbean islands. Northern Mediterranean countries, those in the Middle East and South Africa. Finally there is the low risk area which includes the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

The risk of contracting traveller’s diarrhoea also varies greatly according to the foods consumed. The foods most at risk are those with high water content and that are served or maintained for some time at room temperature, especially undercooked or raw meat, seafood, fruits and raw vegetables. Another important factor seems to be the place where food is prepared: the risk increases ranging from private home, in restaurants, retailers of road. Who does adventure trips or comes into contact with the local population, presents a higher risk than those who stay in hotels best.

The major cause of traveller’s diarrhoea is represented by infectious agents, which are usually bacteria (Escherichia coli-ETEC, Vibrio cholera, Salmonellae) and less parasites (Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica) and viruses (Rotavirus, Calicivirus, Enterovirus) and who as a vehicle of transmission contaminated food and water.

There are many and various reasons for which a person is suffering from diarrhoea in all its features. It is often due to malnutrition, but sometimes it is also because of a simple virus that enters our gut and create imbalances. Most of the time you have to wonder if, perhaps with a little more than foresight, all this will also be able to avoid.

Infectious causes: bacteria, viruses and parasites in summer are more common forms of bacteria, in winter the virus. Among the various types of infectious diarrhoea or infectious cough include: cholera, tuberculosis, salmonellosis, typhoid. One particular type is the so-called “traveller’s diarrhoea” caused by an organism called Campylobacter jejuni, which can contaminate water and food, especially in low hygienical standards. The toxins produced by this bacterium are destroyed by adequate cooking.

Psychological problems: stress, irritability
Motor dysfunction: irritable bowel.
Causes inflammation: Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
Medicines: laxatives, antibiotics, NSAIDs, etc..
Food: food intolerances, allergies
Malabsorption: congenital (cystic fibrosis) or acquired (pancreatic insufficiency)
Anatomical lesions: mainly post-surgery (ileal resection, intestinal bypass)
Causes Endocrine: hyperthyroidism, diabetes, hypoparathyroidism, carcinoid, Zollinger-Ellison
Vascular causes: acute mesenteric
Malignancies: lymphoma and intestinal cancer
Immunological causes: gastroenteritis esosinofila deficiency of immunoglobulin

Complications

Chronic diarrhoea can cause death by dehydration of the individual and / or metabolic acidosis. In the presence of diarrhoea would increase the body’s water loss due to incomplete absorption of water, excessive liquid booster by some undigested substances and / or related with hyper secretion and intestinal inflammation. Dehydration are also connected to the electrolyte disturbances that exacerbate the situation further to cause hypo tension, metabolic acidosis, renal calculi, oliguria, lethargy and tachycardia with pulse small and frequent.

Diarrhoea can become dangerous for the phenomena of dehydration associated with it, especially in the elderly, children and debilitated subjects.

Care and treatment of diarrhoea

An examination of the possible complications of diarrhoea, often undervalued, makes us understand the importance of proper therapy. Actually, since the origin of the disturbance there may be very different causes, treatment of diarrhoea should be differentiated according to the pathological process in place. In any case it is important to act quickly to combat dehydration, as we have seen, is one of the most feared and common symptoms of diarrhoea In the presence of this disorder should therefore be of fluids, minerals and sugars lost through food or intravenous electrolyte solutions (in relation to the degree of dehydration).

Antibiotics are generally not used since the diarrhoea itself contributes to the elimination of pathogenic micro-organisms that have affected the intestine. However, in case of severe infections in which it clearly identified the causative agent (typhoid, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Clostridium difficile) the use of antibiotics is strongly recommended. The anti-diarrhoeal drugs do not cure the disease upstream, but attenuate the symptoms (diarrhoea).

Diet and Medication
The care and treatment of less severe forms of diarrhoea can be done at home: drink lost of fluids to keep the body hydrated; avoid rich foods such as fruit and vegetable waste; avoid iced drinks, strong tea, foods high in fat and therefore difficult to digest; limit the intake of fructose and sorbitol in the diet (fruit juice); avoid alcohol, coffee and any substances that can aggravate allergies (dairy products, excess gluten, soy, etc..). Effectiveness of lactic acid bacteria is questioned by many, which is why it is recommended to discuss with your doctor beforehand.