What does prolonged diarrhea mean? Treatment of chronic diarrhea in adults and its causes. Causes of three-week and two-month diarrhea

The situation when the stomach hurts and diarrhea is not so rare. There are many reasons why this condition develops. Diarrhea is accompanied by stools supersaturated with water, sometimes with an admixture of blood. In the first case, everything is not so scary, because healing process short, and is aimed at replenishing the lost trace elements and fluids. If a bowel movement is accompanied by bloody inclusions in the feces, this signals the development of a serious illness in the patient's body.

This article will talk about the reasons that provoke liquid stool in an adult (occurring constantly), types of diarrhea in a chronic form, symptoms of a pathological condition, features of treatment and prevention of persistent diarrhea.

Chronic diarrhea - dangerous pathology which causes dehydration in the body. Intestinal dysfunction develops different reasons, causing its division into several types. According to the timing of the flow, they distinguish:

acute diarrhea lasting up to 14 days;
frequent diarrhea that has become chronic, lasting 4 weeks or more.

Loose stools are accompanied unpleasant sensations, pain, discomfort near the rectum, fecal incontinence.

Permanent diarrhea in an adult also has its own classification, and it happens:

secretory;
fatty;
osmotic;
inflammatory.

Frequent loose stools in an adult develop under the influence of psycho-emotional factors (for example, chronic stress, depression, neuroses), gastrointestinal diseases, intoxications. Frequent diarrhea that occur in adults also appear as a result of prolonged use of potent antibiotics.

The development of secretory diarrhea in adults is due to exposure to potent medicines, fatty and bile acids, toxic substances. Chronic loose stools are caused by laxative stimulant medications (such as Aloe or Bisacodyl). Daily diarrhea and abdominal pain are caused by regular alcohol consumption. The reason that an adult develops chronic diarrhea may be poor absorption of bile acids.

A condition where a person’s stomach boils and liquid stools appear, occurs due to the accumulation of bacteria in the intestines, inflammation in ileum, its full or partial removal. It rarely happens that frequent diarrhea occurs due to the course of cancer:

gastrinoma;
carcinoid tumors;
oncological diseases of the thyroid gland.

If diarrhea appears against the background of cancerous pathologies, then it is usually accompanied by additional symptoms. However, a patient with persistent diarrhea should not immediately suspect the presence of cancer. It is better to visit a specialist and pass necessary tests, which will allow to confirm or refute fears.

Frequent diarrhea of the osmotic type occurs due to an increased number of osmolar components located in the lumen of the rectum. A feature of this type of diarrhea is that liquid stools appear even with complete starvation.

The reasons frequent diarrhea osmotic type:

products containing mannitol or sorbitol components;
taking medications with Lactulose, Magnesium sulfate, Oristat or the constant use of Neomycin or Colestyramine;
syndrome of shortening of the small intestine;
fistulas in the intestines;
lack of lactase in the body (this condition can be both congenital and acquired due to inflammation in the intestines).

Inflammatory type diarrhea develops against the background of intestinal inflammation resulting from:

Constantly loose stools in an adult may be the result of increased activity of the pancreas, irritable bowel syndrome, taking prokinetic drugs (Cytapride, Metoclopramide). All these problems accelerate the contraction of the intestinal walls, and as a result, a disorder of its functions occurs.

Fatty diarrhea

Fatty diarrhea is one of the most common disorders that develop as a result of a malfunction in the digestive system and malabsorption of food. Such conditions are often provoked by diseases of the pancreas. The diseased organ is unable to fully fulfill its excretory functions or, conversely, produces pancreatic juice in large quantities. Because of this, individual components (for example, fats) are not absorbed in the intestine. A similar problem arises due to certain liver diseases, prolonged starvation, bacterial infections.

Diarrhea is pathological condition that occurs in a person, regardless of his age category and manifested frequent urges to a bowel movement. More than three trips to the toilet are implied, while the feces become liquid, in some cases pieces of undigested food are observed in them. Diarrhea cannot be attributed to independent diseases. This is a symptom associated with various diseases that affect the digestive system.

Stages of the disease

Diarrhea can be observed every day for quite a long time. And if the diarrhea differs in duration, it can be suspected that the body develops dangerous disease chronic form.

There are three stages of pathology, taking into account the duration of the course of the disease:

acute diarrhea observed within 7-10 days;
prolonged diarrhea lasts 2-11 weeks;
diarrhea chronic nature can last from three months to one or more years.

If diarrhea does not go away for a long time, it is necessary to full examination body to fix the problem. Below we will consider what factors can cause this unpleasant phenomenon.

Diarrhea lasts more than seven days

If diarrhea lasts for a week or more, it is necessary to call a specialist at home to determine the reasons that provoked such a phenomenon. Common causative agents of this type of pathology are food allergies or intolerance to any products, a disturbed diet or acute reaction appointment pharmaceutical agent. Often acute form pathology occurs as a response to the penetration of intestinal infections into the body, the entry of viruses and toxins or the simplest dangerous microorganisms into the digestive system.

The list of reasons primarily includes:

Food intoxication.
Bacterial enterocolitis.
Viral gastroenteritis.
Penetration into the body of helminths.
Long-term use of certain medications.

Another factor that can provoke a problem is the so-called "traveler's diarrhea", which develops against the background of visiting exotic countries.

Weekly diarrhea symptoms

Each disease is accompanied by symptoms peculiar only to it, the diseases also differ in the mechanisms of development, therefore it is necessary to evaluate other symptoms:

At viral gastroenteritis in addition to liquid frequent stools, there is noticeable nausea, vomiting attacks, spasms in the intestinal area. There are blood or pus in the stools.
At food poisoning diarrhea is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, fever, nausea, vomiting.
Traveler's diarrhea can additionally manifest itself as severe stomach pain, nausea, and significant vomiting attacks.
With bacterial enterocolitis, against the background of inflammation of the mucous membrane, pus or blood appears in the stool, the temperature rises, accompanied by fever, abdominal pain.

2 week problem

If diarrhea has been observed for two weeks in an adult or a child, the list of provoking factors includes:

Long-term use of antimicrobials.
Infectious bowel diseases that have not been adequately cured.
The presence of malnutrition.
development of malabsorption syndrome.
The appearance of avitaminosis.
If a we are talking about a baby under the age of 12 months, transferring him to artificial food can provoke a phenomenon.
The development of diathesis in a child.

The main danger that diarrhea does not go away for 14 or more days is the loss of body weight against the background of deteriorating absorption. important trace elements, a decrease in bone density, which leads to increased fragility. If the diarrhea persists, the risk of beriberi increases.

In young children, such serious diseases often provoke a delay in development, both mental and physical.

Causes of three-week and two-month diarrhea

It happens that diarrhea does not go away for a long time - at least for three weeks.

In this case, one speaks of chronic disorder and include in the list of influencing factors:

Irritable bowel syndrome, accompanied by pain in the abdomen, discomfort during bowel movements, fever and vomiting.
Availability infectious diseases- it can be giardiasis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of a chronic nature.
This may be dysbacteriosis, when opportunistic organisms in the intestines turn into pathogens.
Oncology formed in the colon.
Prolonged use of laxatives.
Development endocrine diseases type of hyperthyroidism.

If diarrhea in an adult or baby does not go away for two months, you can suspect the presence food allergies, intolerance to any product, this may be a reaction of the body to the constant use of synthetic substances - flavors or food additives and dyes.

What to do if diarrhea does not go away for a long time

The main danger of prolonged diarrhea is dehydration, loss of vitamins, useful minerals, salts. These elements need to be replenished regularly, for which the best option is the reception of Regidron and its analogues. If this tool is not available in home first aid kit, can be used saline or salted water, brew chamomile tea. But prevention of dehydration should be started at the same moment when repeated diarrhea becomes apparent.

The situation deserves increased attention when the bowel movements are plentiful, constant, last for several days and are accompanied by vomiting attacks and bloody inclusions in the feces - such symptoms are possible with the development of dysentery, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Based on the cause that provoked diarrhea, the specialist selects the required treatment, but at the same time observes a number of rules that must be followed if there is a stool disorder.

These include:

Diet prescription.
The use of adsorbents.
Appointment of enzymes.

Competent diet in the event of a disorder

When prescribing a diet, many factors should be taken into account, when choosing products, taking into account their effect on peristalsis. Can have an annoying effect raw vegetables, plum fruits, spices and other elements.

Certain foods can cause a fixing effect, so at the beginning of the diet, it is proposed to limit the menu:

wheat crackers;
grated boiled vegetables;
well-boiled cereals;
mashed lean meat and fish dishes steamed or boiled;
from drinks, preference is given to teas, jelly from blueberries, a decoction of bird cherry fruits, steep rice broth.

The diet can begin with a hungry day, during which it is allowed to use only strong sweetened tea, drinking 8 to 10 cups a day. Nutrition should be fractional - with a decrease in portions, their volumes are also reduced, also reducing the intervals between meals. The diet should be followed throughout the course of treatment, however, a rigid menu may cease to be such when the condition improves.

What to take from medicines

There are a number of tools, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by time.

With the development of diarrhea, the following drugs are prescribed:

Sorbents that remove toxins, adsorb gases, reduce flatulence. The list of drugs includes Smecta, Polyphepan, De-Nol, Calcium salts.
As drugs to reduce the production of intestinal mucus. They are taken during the entire course of the pathology. In Crohn's disease, the hormones Prednisolone and Metipred are used.
Herbal medicines, which include oak bark, alder cones and bird cherry berries, Potentilla root and chamomile. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from plants.
Enzymes are necessary when the disorder is associated with pathologies of the digestive system; Creon, Mezim, Festal and Pancytrat can be prescribed.
Antispasmodics improve peristalsis, these include No-Shpu, Papaverine.

Antimicrobials are prescribed for intestinal infections, Arbidol is most often used.

Also among the drugs that allow you to stop the impact of pathology on the body, there are intestinal antiseptics. Probiotics are indicated in all cases of manifested disease. These are Enterol, Hilak-Forte, Lineks and others.

With absence timely treatment, diarrhea can become chronic. What to do if your stomach is constantly bubbling and diarrhea has not stopped for several weeks? Choice correct option treatment depends on the cause of the disease.

Causes of prolonged diarrhea

Several reasons can be identified prolonged diarrhea:

The composition and quantitative ratio of bacteria in the intestine affects the digestion process. Reception antibacterial drugs leads to disruption of the normal microflora.

Antibiotics destroy lactobacilli, coli and bifidobacteria, which are directly involved in the process of digestion. The cause of dysbacteriosis may be a lack in the diet fresh vegetables and fruits.

The disease leads to impaired absorption of fluid and nutrients. Lack of timely treatment can lead to enterocolitis.

Prolonged diarrhea can be a sign of pancreatic pathologies. With greatly reduced production of enzymes involved in the process of digestion.

The risk group includes people who are chronic alcoholics. Inflammatory process may start after drinking ethanol.

Pancreatitis is found in people who eat too much fat. Constant overeating greatly complicates the work of the pancreas. Not fully digested food enters the intestines of a sick person. As a result, the patient begins to ferment immediately after eating.

In this case, the active reproduction of bacteria occurs. In the liquid stool of the patient, pieces of poorly digested food can be seen. This phenomenon is called creatorrhoea. Steatorrhea indicates the presence of undigested neutral fat in the feces. Fat, covering the walls of the intestine, makes it slippery, and this provokes diarrhea.

diarrhea in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis affects the tissues of the large intestine. The patient not only becomes inflamed mucous membranes, but also ulcers form. Most patients are young people between the ages of 20 and 35. Patients complain of the following symptoms:

clots of blood and mucus appear in the feces;
the lower abdomen begins to hurt;
a person feels rumbling in the stomach and diarrhea does not go away after taking antidiarrheal drugs;
the patient feels discomfort and swelling;
a person is forced to go to the toilet more than 2 times a day;
weight loss occurs.

Crohn's disease

The disease leads to inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive system. This damages the tissues of the small intestine.

There are 3 degrees of severity of Crohn's disease:

The initial stage of the disease is accompanied by a slight increase in stool. Blood in the patient's stool is very rare.
sign medium degree severity is an increase in the frequency of stools up to 6 times a day. There are traces of blood in the patient's stool.
The last degree leads to more severe complications. In many patients, bleeding and fistulas can be detected.

The disease affects people under the age of 35. The patient has characteristic symptoms:

aching pain in the abdomen;
a person complains of weakness;
bloody diarrhea begins, with a frequency of up to 10 times a day.

When the worm multiplies in the body, the patient feels:

Cramping pains appear in the abdomen.
The patient (most often a child) suffers from diarrhea and flatulence;
Constant rumbling in the stomach and diarrhea does not stop for more than a week.
The disease leads to increased gas production.

A distinctive feature of such diarrhea is the absence of blood and mucus in the feces.

When infected with salmonella, feces acquire a characteristic. Salmonellosis is a dangerous intestinal infection that can lead to dehydration, infectious toxic shock, and even to lethal outcome. Liquid diarrhea gray color can be seen in patients with pathologies of the pancreas.

Colonoscopy

The examination of the patient includes the following procedures:

Colonoscopy allows you to evaluate the surface of the large intestine of the patient. Based on the data obtained, experts draw conclusions about various diseases- ulcers, diverticula, polyps, bleeding, tumors.
Bakposev ( bacteriological examination) is used to identify pure cultures bacteria.
During a proctological examination, you can find out about cracks and fistulas in the colon.
No less valuable information can be obtained with rectomanoscopy. With the help of an endoscope, specialists examine the mucous membranes different departments intestines. .
If additional questions arise, the patient can be referred for an irrigoscopy. The procedure consists in examining the large intestine using a radiopaque substance. The method allows you to determine the condition of the mucous membranes, the presence of tumors and damage.
Thanks to ultrasound abdominal cavity early detection of inflammation various departments digestive tract. Doctors evaluate the work of the pancreas, stomach and intestines.

Treatment for prolonged diarrhea

Loose stools are not a disease. This is a syndrome, and it just indicates a disorder in the digestive system, which can occur for various reasons.

Antibiotics are used to treat diarrhea associated with bacterial infection.

Decoction of blackberries

You can get rid of diarrhea with blackberry sprigs. Before preparing the broth, they must be cut into small pieces. Fill in st. a spoonful of raw materials with a glass of water and cook for 15 minutes. Ready broth can be replaced with tea. Within 3 days after the start of drinking blackberry broth, you will notice an improvement in your condition.

Potentilla root can be used to treat chronic diarrhea. Pour 100 grams of raw materials into a liter of water and cook for 20 minutes over low heat. The solution helps bloody diarrhea which does not pass for a long time.

Persistent diarrhea is intestinal disorder that doesn't stop long time: three weeks or more severe cases- More than a month. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very different.

But it should always be understood that diarrhea is defensive reaction body: in this way it tries to cleanse itself and throw out the accumulated toxins.

Therefore, if an adult has prolonged diarrhea that does not stop for a day, two or three days, but whole month and more, this suggests that there are serious problems in his body.

In any case, diarrhea is accompanied by enough unpleasant symptoms: this is flatulence, bloating, colic, loss of appetite, and if diarrhea bothers you for several days, does not go away for more than 10 days, then this is also dehydration of the body. Not to mention the fact that every hour is required to use the toilet, it is simply impossible to do labor activity and lead full life. Therefore, this condition must be treated by finding its cause and choosing the appropriate methods.

Before wondering why diarrhea does not go away for several days in a row, you first need to decide what is considered diarrhea in medicine. So, diarrhea in an adult is frequent loose stools, repeated three or more times a day. Long-term acute diarrhea is diarrhea that does not go away for more than 10 days or recurs at intervals of several days every month.

The reasons may be as follows:

Inflammatory bowel disease - colitis, enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis.
Infections caused by viruses or bacteria - adenoviruses, salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery.
Any poisoning - food, drug or chemical.
Malignant tumors in the small or large intestine.
Exacerbations peptic ulcer stomach or intestines.
Abuse of diets with the use of laxatives.
Congenital functional insufficiency of the digestive tract.
Hormonal changes.
Taking certain medications.
Stress - diarrhea in an adult can occur due to nervous overexertion and chronic overwork.

Sometimes diarrhea that doesn't go away for more than a month is side effect surgical intervention often one of the signs helminthic invasion. It is sometimes difficult to establish the cause, since quite a long time has passed since the moment when the diarrhea just started, clinical picture had time to change.

Because self-medication this case unacceptable. Only a doctor will help solve the problem.

Clinical picture of persistent diarrhea

Prolonged diarrhea has the same symptoms as regular diarrhea:

bloating, rumbling and colic;
flatulence;
cramping pains in the stomach and intestines;
frequent urge to defecate - sometimes every hour throughout the day.

If severe diarrhea in an adult it lasts for several days in a row, the clinical picture changes. The patient can have a fever all the time, shiver, often there is an increase in body temperature and weight loss - the reason is severe dehydration, which invariably occurs if diarrhea does not go away for more than 10 days and worries every hour.

Anxiety should be caused by symptoms such as the admixture of blood or pus in feces- in this case, you can’t hesitate, every hour is expensive, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible. It is not surprising if pieces are found in the feces undigested food- this means that digestive system does not produce in the right amount enzymes necessary for digestion of food, the irritated intestine simply does not perceive it.

But it often happens that a chair occurs in an adult every hour or two, but at the same time he does not feel any ailments, in addition to the quite natural discomfort associated with constant trips to the toilet.

To establish the reasons will help only laboratory tests and examination of the patient.

What diagnostic methods are used

To find out why an adult does not stop having severe diarrhea for more than 10 days, the following tests are done:

General blood and urine tests.
Fecal analysis.

Bakposev.
Testing for worm infestations.
Coprogram for occult blood.
Steatorrhea test.
Identification test infectious agents diarrhea.

Also used instrumental diagnostics especially if there is blood in the stool and other signs possible development cancerous tumors. This is a biopsy, sigmoidoscopy, irrigography. Important role plays differential diagnosis. Sometimes the reason prolonged stool established only by the exclusion of all possible pathologies.

How to treat prolonged diarrhea

If severe diarrhea has been bothering you for more than 10 days, then it can only be cured with an integrated approach.

Accept at this stage Activated carbon and other sorbents no longer makes sense.

Toxins from the intestines have already moved into the blood, and coal still will not help to remove them. But he can absorb liquid, which is already so small, and thereby only worsen the patient's condition.

Usually prescribed drugs of several different groups:

Enzymes that support the pancreas and help digest food - Mezim Forte, Pancreatin, Creon.
Drugs that reduce increased irritable bowel motility are Imodium and Loperamide. But their use is contraindicated if it is established that severe diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection.
Antibiotics only if bakposev showed that the causative agents of the infection were staphylococci, streptococci, dysenteric bacillus and other bacteria.

If it is determined that diarrhea that lasts three or four days is caused by poisoning of any kind, a gastric lavage is performed. To do this, you need to prepare at least two liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate and drink it in one gulp. It is also necessary to do cleansing enema. One hour later, you can take medications.

If the cause of diarrhea that does not stop for a long time is dysbacteriosis, preparations containing probiotics and prebiotics will help. This is Linex and its analogues. You need to take drugs from this group every day for at least three weeks. Recovery water-salt balance you can take Regidron or Electrolyte - these are powdered products that need to be diluted in warm water and drink a little every hour. If cramps and pains in the abdomen are very strong, No-shpa or Papaverine are prescribed.

Folk remedies and diet for prolonged diarrhea

If you do not follow the diet during prolonged diarrhea, none of the medications will be effective.

First of all, the diet involves the use a large number fluid to replace its loss.

But in no case should it be coffee, purchased juices or soda.

The list of foods that can be included in the diet if diarrhea bothers you for several days in a row:

stale or dried without butter wheat bread;
viscous rice porrige on water without oil;
hard-boiled eggs;
lean beef or turkey;
steam fish low-fat varieties(for example, cod);
mashed potatoes on the water;
pureed soups with carrots and potatoes, you can add a little rice cereal;
various kissels;
baked apples and bananas.

If diarrhea is caused by dysbacteriosis and has been bothering you for more than the first or second day, it will be useful dairy products with bifidobacteria - low-fat kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese.

The food rules are:

All dishes must be steamed or boiled, in last resort- bake without oil and spices.
Drink compotes, tea or just water every hour for at least one glass. In total, you should drink at least three liters of fluid per day.
It is advisable to wipe or chop meat and vegetables.
You need to eat often, every 3-4 hours up to 6 times a day, but in small portions.

Even when the functioning of the stomach and intestines is fully restored, you can not abruptly return to your usual diet, this can provoke a relapse.

Introduce one new product per day. If everything is in order, then after 1-2 days you can enter next product. But a sparing diet will have to be followed for some time.

From folk remedies, bird cherry helps very well. You can simply pass it through a meat grinder, sprinkle with sugar and put it in glass jar. accept this delicious medicine follows every hour with severe diarrhea, then you can three or four times a day for a teaspoon before meals.

Pomegranate peels have a fixing effect. Take 2 tablespoons of dry and crushed peels, pour boiling water and cook over low heat for at least 10 minutes. Then cool for half an hour, strain and take 1/3 cup an hour before meals.

Prolonged diarrhea usually occurs if the patient has not properly treated ordinary diarrhea, neglected the recommendations of the doctor and did not follow the diet. Sometimes it is a symptom of a serious pathology - advanced hemorrhoids, peptic ulcer duodenum or malignant neoplasms. This condition is very dangerous dehydration. Therefore, in no case should you endure, you need to see a doctor, look for the cause and be treated.

One of the manifestations of bowel problems is diarrhea, which can sometimes last for a very long time. Are you worried about prolonged diarrhea? Find out what to do in such a situation in this article.

The reasons

If the symptoms last long enough for you, and are accompanied by pain, you should not limit yourself to self-medication. Indeed, in such situations, hospitalization and the intervention of professionals are often necessary.

Often the problem of prolonged diarrhea is various intestinal infections, which we can bring into the body through raw water or stale foods. In this case, the disease does not last for a long time. It is necessary to react in time to a deterioration in well-being, to cleanse the body, and to follow a sparing diet for some time.

Causes of diarrhea without fever

Sometimes prolonged diarrhea viral nature, which is more typical for winter, pores of seasonal viral diseases. It is important to follow a diet, and actively work on the treatment of the disease. It is important to remember here that without eliminating the root cause, it is difficult to get rid of diarrhea, but to prevent its recurrence.

disease can be caused by various chronic diseases, which may be exacerbated as a result of a weakened immune system or other factors that can provoke an exacerbation. The causes of prolonged diarrhea are quite different, so that the methods of eliminating problems can also be very diverse.

Treatment for prolonged diarrhea

If diarrhea does not go away for a long time, it is worth following a diet until it is defeated. This will help your body not to be overloaded and protect it from possible complications.

In a situation with diarrhea, it is important to contact a specialist who will be more qualified to determine the cause and conduct a course of treatment. Remember that diarrhea is just one of the signs of more serious problems in the body. And they do not always concern the digestive system.

What to do at home?

Causes and treatment of chronic diarrhea folk remedies. They are different, here we will give two of the most effective and effective.

treatment of prolonged diarrhea with apples. If the diarrhea does not stop, but is not accompanied by a headache with fever, then the following can be done. During the day, eat 12 grated apples, after peeling the peel, after 2 hours, 1 apple. Do not drink or eat anything, do not take medication. Most often, this method completely stops diarrhea.

A pinch of oak bark in 1.5 cups of water, boil over low heat for 7-10 minutes, so that a glass of liquid remains in the end. Take one tablespoon three times a day.

Before prevention and therapy, be sure to consult your doctor.

Why is diarrhea dangerous?

If you notice symptoms of this type: pain or bleeding is a signal that hospitalization is imminent. You should not delay the appeal to the doctor, so as not to create unnecessary difficulties and problems for yourself.

Video: Elena Malysheva about the causes and treatment of prolonged diarrhea