Loose stools in an adult for a long time: causes and treatment. Loose stools: how to solve a delicate problem

Diarrhea significantly impairs the quality of life of the patient, and also negatively affects his health. Loose stools are almost always a concept, the manifestations of which are also characterized by a complete breakdown. Not stopping for a long time, diarrhea becomes protracted. The solution to the problem is relegated to the background. Along with this, it becomes increasingly difficult for the patient to endure the symptoms of loose stools that have become chronic. The body loses moisture and nutrients, its water-salt balance is disturbed. If problems arise, it is necessary to treat frequent loose stools in an adult: the causes and treatment are described in detail in the article below.

Abdominal pain

Symptoms of chronic diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea in adults manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms:

the appearance of the urge to empty at least 3 three times a day for 20-25 days;
liquid nature of the stool;
concomitant flatulence;
abdominal pain and constant rumbling;
body weakness.

The mass of stool, which is observed with diarrhea, is about 300 grams per day, up to 85% of this mass is water. At the same time, food is digested poorly, so its remains can also be observed in feces. The characteristics of the stool vary and depend on the pathogenesis of the disease that provoked diarrhea.

Etiology

The main causes of diarrhea in adults are:

Persistent diarrhea in adult men for a long time is a sign of bacterial infection. Viruses, bacteria and protozoa that enter the body through the mouth release enterotoxins and consume much-needed nutrients. This causes severe intoxication, an indicator of which is the fetid smell of stools and their greenish color.
Severe liver damage in women and men also causes liquid dark stools in the morning, which does not stop for more than three weeks. You should be especially careful about health in situations where parallel symptoms are accompanied: yellowing of the white of the eye, heaviness in the right side, pain in the spine.
Elevated temperature is an indicator of the inflammatory process that develops in the body, for example, in the digestive tract. The reasons why this may be due may be very different.

Temperature rise

With loose stools, a person should pay attention to its structure and contents. When protozoa are found, it is important to understand that their presence is a possible cause of chronic diarrhea.

Osmotic diarrhea

Osmotic diarrhea occurs when a patient has consistently abused laxatives. Substances that could not be absorbed into the body increase intra-intestinal pressure. The secretion of water at the same time increases significantly.

Symptoms of the disease include:

bloating;
thrush;
increase in body temperature;
frothy stool;
the presence of undigested food in the feces;
dehydration;
pain attacks.

Treatment of persistent osmotic diarrhea begins only after the nature of the change in stool is determined.

secretory diarrhea

The main sign of secretory diarrhea is an increase in the transport of electrolytes. The amount of fluid removed is greatly increased. Basically, the stool changes due to a decrease in the ability of the intestine to absorb water.

This type of diarrhea occurs for the following reasons:

infections;
poisoning;
hereditary diseases;
oncological diseases (tumors that depend on the level of hormones in the body).

Sometimes the character of the stool becomes different after the body receives bile or fatty acids. This is especially true for older people. Insufficiency of pancreatic lipase is another reason for the development of loose stools. The frequency of defecation reaches 15 times in a row, but the patient may not experience pain. Body temperature is almost always elevated, feces may contain green impurities.

Exudative diarrhea

This type of disease is characterized by the appearance of holes in the walls of the intestine. Perforation can be through, as a result of which the exudate (a mixture of pus, blood and mucus) enters the peritoneum. This may be the beginning of the development of peritonitis.

The development of this type of diarrhea is due to the vital activity of protozoa, for example, salmonella, giardia or amoebas. Due to their functioning, the intestinal contents consist not only of digested food residues, but also of exudate. The stools are filled with pus or blood. Fever and severe intestinal pain is a reason to see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if the victim is a traveler. Complications received in another country are difficult and expensive to treat.

Motor diarrhea

This type of diarrhea is caused by abnormalities in intestinal motility. Often this situation develops against the background of diabetes, weight loss, chemotherapy, stress, cancer, scleroderma. Semi-formed feces are excreted in small portions. The digestive track constantly shrinks urgently and also relaxes. Motor diarrhea is accompanied by such "companions" as gas formation, bloating, weakening of the anal sphincter and loose stools.

Treatment

It is possible to cure diarrhea at home. Therapy should include a set of measures aimed at both eliminating the symptoms and curing the patient of the disease that provoked the disease. Before starting the process, it is necessary to pass tests.

To a greater extent, the normalization of the patient's nutrition can have an effect on watery stools. In parallel, it is necessary to take a number of medications. Drip administration of sodium chloride will help restore the water-salt balance. Rehabilitation measures are also needed to restore the body's field of moisture loss.

Diet for diarrhea

A patient under treatment for diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids because chronic diarrhea causes dehydration. To restore the balance of fluid in the body, you should use clean drinking water or special preparations containing salts. With vomiting, the frequency of fluid intake is increased, and the portion size is reduced.

To eliminate the symptoms of dysfunction of the rectum and the problem that provoked it, the use of the following groups of drugs is recommended:

antidiarrheal medicines;
Antibiotics to eliminate infection;
Medicines that reduce intestinal motility;
Preparations containing bile acids for malabsorption.

In addition, it is necessary to drink a course of vitamin preparations or give injections, because during the ongoing loose stools, the body has lost a lot of useful substances. Do not neglect folk remedies.

Rehydration for diarrhea

With prolonged diarrhea, it is necessary to understand that the body needs to restore the water-salt balance. Pharmaceutical preparations are perfect for this, which must be diluted in a certain amount of water before taking. Some of them should be used with great care when breastfeeding.

Sodium chloride

A similar remedy for diarrhea can be prepared independently. To do this, a spoonful of salt and 4 tablespoons of sugar are dissolved in a liter of water, adding a spoonful of soda there. The resulting composition should be divided into several parts and drunk in equal portions throughout the day. In the absence of vomiting, the patient can also take other drinks. It will be useful to use probiotics and prebiotics to restore normal microflora. Often doctors prescribe Hilak Forte, useful for the intestines, stomach and other organs.

Diet for diarrhea

Recovery of the body after prolonged diarrhea with blisters requires increased attention to nutrition. So, a certain number of products should be completely excluded from the diet:

fatty foods;
dairy products;
spices;
alcohol;
plums and beets;
sauces;
sugar cookies.

When compiling the menu, it is worth including products recommended for diarrhea:

stale bread;
low-fat cottage cheese;
lean meat or fish;
boiled eggs;
weak tea or coffee;
meat broth;
natural kissel.

Expansion of the diet is possible only after the full restoration of frequent stools. The better the treatment received by the patient, the faster the problem will go away and it will be possible to diversify the diet. The rate of recovery depends on the choice of drugs used in the treatment of diarrhea. Self-medication should not be done, the appointment of tablets is the competence of the attending physician.

If loose stools are observed in an adult for a long time, it is necessary to look for the causes. Some begin self-treatment, but the futility of such an attempt often leads to the need to seek help from specialists.

Due to the protracted nature of diarrhea, there are violations of the performance of some body systems. Lack of proper treatment leads to persistent forms of the condition. In this case, the stool has a liquid consistency, and acts of defecation occur more than twice a day. Such a pathological condition is called.

Loose stools can occur in an adult for a long time due to a number of reasons. By stopping the impact of some factors, it is possible to restore the consistency of the stool. Some causes are temporary, and during this period it is only necessary to help the body a little in order to restore the correct defecation process. However, some factors are pathological in nature, in which diarrhea cannot go away without a diagnosis and further treatment.

The reasons for the manifestation of loose stools, disturbing for a long period, include:

infections;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
disorders in women due to physiological causes;
stress.

Influence of nutrition

The cause of diarrhea that persists for a long time may be malnutrition. In a completely healthy person, after a large amount of fatty foods flavored with spicy or spicy seasonings, as well as foods that contain a lot of fiber (vegetables and fruits), loose stools may appear. If such a diet is repeated every day, then one should expect the occurrence of a long-term diarrhea.

Also, one of the causes of liquid stools are sweeteners, which are contained not only in the corresponding tablets, but also in cakes, sweets and even sweet carbonated drinks.

Mint. To prepare a decoction, you need up to 6 leaves of the plant and 2 cups of water. Boil, insist for an hour. After straining, drink after meals up to three times a day.
Pour potato starch in the amount of 2 tablespoons into a glass of warm water. Mix well. Drink half a glass of the solution four times a day.
Take 5-6 blueberries, pour a glass of water and boil for 5 minutes. Strain, let cool. The decoction should be used instead of tea throughout the day.
Dry the pomegranate peel, and then boil three tablespoons of the product in crushed form for 20 minutes in two glasses of water. After straining and cooling, drink three tablespoons 30 minutes before meals.
Boil chamomile in the amount of one spoon for 15 minutes in 200 g of water. Allow the broth to cool, strain, take 100 g a quarter of an hour before eating.
Boil dry fruits of bird cherry in the amount of one spoon in 200 g of water. Allow to cool and strain, take the broth in small sips throughout the day.
Infusion of oak bark. Bring one spoonful of bark to a boil in 200 g of water, use according to the previous recipe.

It is also possible to use decoctions of thyme, St. John's wort and a number of other plants.

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, since the treatment process is 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 causes that provoke liquid stools in an adult (occurring constantly), types of diarrhea in a chronic form, symptoms of a pathological condition, treatment features and prevention of persistent diarrhea.

Chronic diarrhea is a dangerous pathology that causes dehydration of the body. Disorder of bowel functions develops for various 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 by discomfort, pain, discomfort around 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, and intoxications. Frequent diarrhea that occurs in adults also appears as a result of prolonged use of potent antibiotics.

The development of secretory diarrhea in adults is due to exposure to potent drugs, fatty and bile acids, and 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.

The condition when a person seethes in the stomach and liquid stools appear, occurs due to the accumulation of bacteria in the intestines, inflammation in the ileum, its complete 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 the necessary tests that will confirm or refute the 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.

Causes of frequent osmotic diarrhea:

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.

If for a long time defecation in an adult occurs more than twice a day and at the same time the feces have a liquid consistency, this may indicate an ongoing inflammatory process in the body.

Most likely, this may be due to a disease in the gastrointestinal tract. Every person has experienced discomfort during diarrhea.

Causes of loose stools

The appearance of loose stools may indicate the presence of a viral or bacterial infection in the body. But sometimes this symptom can be a sign of other diseases.

The reasons for the appearance of loose stools must be determined. Self-treatment of prolonged diarrhea can lead to a weakening of the body and violations of its ability to work.

With improper treatment or its absence, loose stools can acquire a chronic type of disease. Treating the disease will be more difficult.

Patients have high fever with diarrhea. This symptom is characteristic of many varieties of diarrhea. The very first is a disorder associated with viruses and bacteria.

It is known that when microorganisms enter the body and collide with human immune cells, the production of antibodies begins. This process is constantly accompanied by high temperature.

In the absence of temperature in the body of an adult, this symptom may indicate an immunodeficiency state.

Why nausea and vomiting with diarrhea

Bouts of nausea with loose stools are quite common. This is due to a violation of the promotion of fecal and food mass, because of this, they are thrown in the opposite direction.

When intoxication occurs, then the absorption of harmful products into the bloodstream occurs. Thus, the intake of toxins passes through all organs. The brain reacts to this process always with a vomiting reaction.

Causes of abdominal pain with diarrhea?

Pain during an attack of diarrhea is a characteristic phenomenon. Most often it manifests itself in food and microbial poisoning. As a result, with pain, motility in the intestines always increases.

Pain sensations are paroxysmal in nature, they can intensify and subside until complete cessation. With a painful attack, a signal is given to defecate, after which diarrhea occurs.

The appearance of loose stools in an adult for a long time can be due to many reasons.

In order to stop the disease, it is necessary to determine what are its causes, why this symptom appeared. Only then will it be possible to stop the influence of the factors causing diarrhea.

Why there is an unpleasant belching with diarrhea

An unpleasant odor when belching is the primary symptom of diarrhea. It usually precedes the appearance of loose stools.

Its manifestation as the fact that enzymatic deficiency occurs in the pancreas, biliary system and stomach.

When food enters the body, it is not digested and the process of its decay begins. Thus, there is the formation of gases with an unpleasant odor, which comes out of the stomach with the help of belching.

Undigested food, moving into the intestines, provokes irritation and the appearance of a weak stool. A rotten smell on the background of diarrhea is the second sign of digestive disorders.

This indicates the disease and its further development. Don't waste your time, seek the advice of a specialist.

Symptomatic manifestations of disorders in the gastrointestinal tract

The appearance of diarrhea is associated with a symptomatic manifestation of a violation in the gastrointestinal tract. With loose stools, a person has a stomach ache, vomiting, nausea, and high fever.

During the day, the patient may have a bowel movement more than three times. The chair is plentiful, with frequent desires, general weakness is observed. If no action is taken, dehydration may occur.

In this situation, an urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary, do not waste time, call an ambulance, after examination by a specialist, treatment will be prescribed. He will tell you what to do in this situation.

Fecal masses in humans are almost seventy-five percent ordinary water, everything else is a mass consisting of fiber enzymes, mucous compounds, some microorganisms, particles of intestinal epithelial cells, partially or completely digested food.

Diarrhea can be caused by an allergic reaction to a certain food. It can also be a reaction after taking the drug.

Loose stools appear if there is damage to the mucosa in the large intestine.

Or pathogenic bacteria have gathered in it. If the patient ate poor-quality food. Or it was not suitable for his body, due to the complex process of digestion in the gastrointestinal tract.

Also, if a person has undergone a stressful situation or he suffers from a mental illness, then a stool disorder may appear after this.

The main reasons for the appearance of loose stools:

oncological formations;
diseases associated with ulcerative colitis;
diseases associated with pancreatic disease;
disorders in the processes associated with the absorption of fluid;
allergies to certain foods;
intolerance to fermented milk products;
loose stools caused by infection, bacteria, fungus, worms;
with hemorrhoids;
diarrhea after drug treatment;
diarrhea after a stressful situation;
lack of enzymes;

The appearance of loose stools in irritable bowel syndrome comes from excessive activity of the nervous system in an adult associated with a mental disorder.

If a person is in a stressful situation for a long time, then there may be disturbances in the work of the intestines associated with its motility.

In this regard, a sharp pain appears in the abdomen, flatulence and uncontrollable urge to empty. Loose stools (mushy type) after the completion of the defecation process temporarily stops.

Usually, activated charcoal is taken to get rid of loose stools. Activated charcoal has the property of removing fluid, adsorbing toxins and other harmful substances formed in the body after diarrhea.

Since watery stools already remove fluid from the body, dehydration can occur, activated charcoal can complicate the situation. Treatment may be lengthy.

With diarrhea after poisoning, it is imperative to rinse the stomach. To do this, boil water and add ordinary potassium permanganate to it.

The prepared solution should be light pink in color, you need to drink about 3 liters of water.

With celiac disease, it is necessary to exclude all foods containing gluten and follow a diet. A long process of therapy is also observed.

This disease needs to be treated for many years. Preparations with enzymes are connected, as well as medicines for dysbacteriosis and to strengthen the body.

If diarrhea was caused after taking antibiotics, treatment with the probiotic preparation "Linex" should be carried out.

To relieve pain, "No-shpa", "Papaverine" are used (all actions must be coordinated with the attending physician). "Regidron" helps to restore the water-salt balance in the body after diarrhea.

When treating diarrhea, you do not need to waste time on self-treatment, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist to determine the cause of the onset of the disease. Otherwise, the treatment may be long.

Useful video

Diarrhea is not a disease, but only a symptom. It may be a sign of one of several dozen diseases. It can be difficult to understand the causes of loose stools without consulting a specialist and examinations.

Causes of loose stools

Diarrhea in an adult can be caused by various factors.

Infectious diarrhea (the most common) is the result of the action of pathogenic bacteria (with dysentery, salmonellosis, cholera), viruses (rotavirus, enterovirus), protozoa (amebiasis) or helminths.
Toxic diarrhea occurs against the background of poisoning with heavy metals, poisonous mushrooms or products of one's own metabolism (for example, against the background of uremia in severe kidney disease).
Drug diarrhea - as a side effect of taking antibiotics, iron preparations, foxglove, some psychotropic drugs, with an overdose of laxatives.
Gastrogenic loose stools are observed against the background of gastritis with reduced secretory function, gastric cancer, after gastric resection.
Pancreatogenic - accompanies acute and chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer.
Hepatogenic diarrhea is associated with chronic liver diseases - hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Hereditary and congenital deficiency of one or another enzyme leads to malabsorption in the small intestine and loose stools. Lactose deficiency is a normal variant and is manifested by diarrhea when eating dairy products.
Removal of an extended fragment of the small intestine also interferes with normal absorption and leads to thinning of the stool (“short bowel syndrome”).
Allergic reactions to food affect not only the skin, but also the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhea (“intestinal allergy”).
Inflammatory damage to the colon changes its motility, which is manifested by diarrhea (any colitis, irritable bowel syndrome).
Colon tumors can cause stools to thin or alternate between diarrhea and constipation.
Some endocrine pathologies lead to unpleasant symptoms - thyrotoxicosis, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus.
Metabolic disorders (amyloidosis, hypovitaminosis) also prevent the formation of a normal stool.
Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma) may be accompanied by liquefaction of feces.
Neurogenic diarrhea is also distinguished against the background of neurological and mental diseases. A fairly common example is "bear disease" - episodes of stool liquefaction associated with short-term stress (before an exam, public speaking, etc.).

What is loose stool

Fecal masses with diarrhea can vary in color and consistency. This is very important for proper diagnosis and proper treatment.

Black liquid stool indicates the admixture of a sufficiently large amount of blood. It is designated by a special term - melena. The appearance of such an alarming symptom requires emergency hospitalization, search for the source of bleeding and its elimination.
Certain foods can also stain stool. Remember if you have consumed beets, prunes, dark berries, tomatoes, coffee, liver over the past two days.
The black color of feces can be caused by taking iron, bismuth, activated charcoal preparations.
Infectious diarrhea is usually very loose stools (like water), often frothy, and in some bacterial infestations green or yellow.
With any inflammatory lesion of the colon, the stool can be with mucus and blood clots.
With a disease of the pancreas, the feces are not only liquid, but also fatty - they shine and are poorly washed off the walls of the toilet bowl.
Loose stools with foam occur when carbohydrates are not completely digested, for example, with the same lactase deficiency.

Infectious diarrhea is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever in the range of 37 - 38 ° C. In patients, the stomach “twists”, spastic pains are expressed in the umbilical (and in dysentery - in the left iliac) region. There is weakness and signs of intoxication of the body. Immediately after eating, loose stools are released when there is a violation of the motility or nervous regulation of the gastrointestinal tract.

A one-sided approach to treatment will not eliminate the causes of the disease. Therefore, there is no universal pill for loose stools. Each case must be correctly diagnosed. The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment, and then the diarrhea will go away along with the main cause. However, there are basic postulates of behavior when stool is thinned.

Stick to your diet. In order not to overload the gastrointestinal tract, give up fried, fatty, spicy, salty foods and smoked meats. Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks. Limit dairy products. The menu must be thermally, chemically and mechanically gentle. This means that dishes are best steamed, boiled or baked. Porridges, mashed potatoes, soups are welcome. Do not eat dry food, too hot or cold.
Organize a rational diet - in small portions, but often enough. In case of an infectious disease, eat according to your appetite.
Beware of dehydration. Together with liquefied stools, the body loses a lot of water and salts. Their deficiency must be filled with special solutions (Rehydron, Oralit). If it is impossible to drink the missing volume of fluid, intravenous saline is prescribed with the addition of potassium, calcium and other electrolytes.
Taking sorbents (Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated charcoal) will make going to the toilet less frequent, since the drugs have a locking effect. They, like a sponge, absorb toxins and fragments of microorganisms, therefore they are especially successfully used for intestinal infections.
Enzymes are usually included in the complex treatment of diarrhea. Any failure of the gastrointestinal tract reduces the ability to digest and absorb food. The appointment of medicinal digestive substances allows you to maintain a weakened function.

What to do with diarrhea?

If stool thinning is not a single episode, there is an admixture of blood, mucus, pus in the feces, they have changed their normal color, consult a doctor. Acute diarrhea may be a reason for emergency hospitalization in the infectious diseases department of a hospital. If you feel satisfactory, consult a general practitioner or gastroenterologist, perform all the prescribed examinations.

If loose stools occur, do not resort to folk methods. Self-treatment is often not only useless, but also dangerous, as it delays the patient's request for qualified medical care. Every day of delay can threaten health and life.