Why and what causes diarrhea. Causes of frequent diarrhea in adults

- this is a condition of a person in which there is frequent defecation, while the stool is watery. This condition is dangerous because it can lead to dehydration. Diarrhea can be caused by infections of the digestive tract, malnutrition, stressful conditions, drug poisoning.

Also, the cause of the disease can be the presence of worms or intestinal dysbacteriosis. It is necessary to carefully monitor the frequency of the stool, pay attention to its smell (sour, putrid), color (gray, white), blood.

There are several types of stool disorders, to determine them there are specific characteristics that, in fact, distinguish this symptom from the norm.

Clear criteria and differences between them are given in the table:

The data given in the table require a little clarification, since the boundaries of the norm and pathology are individual for each person. All generally accepted physiological indicators are of an average nature, combining a fairly wide range of them. First of all, it is worth clarifying the indicator of the number of daily bowel movements. In some people, it ranges from once every 2-3 days to 3-4 times a day. Similarly, this applies to the consistency of feces, which can be from liquid-mushy to hard-shaped.

The most important thing in evaluating these characteristics of bowel movements is their duration. If they take place for a long time (long months and years), without causing any negative manifestations in a person, then there is no need to worry, since such features are individual. It's not diarrhea.

The situation is quite different with other characteristics of the stool, such as smell and the presence of impurities. Their change always indicates diarrhea. Moreover, from time to time, by their appearance, one can clearly determine its origin. Therefore, it is so important to always pay attention to feces, because they speak about the state of digestion and the health of the body as a whole.

Diarrhea is a pathological symptom that is characterized by an increase in the number of bowel movements or the appearance of liquid feces, which were not noted until a certain point. It is almost always accompanied by the presence of various impurities in the feces.

Causes of diarrhea in adults

Diarrhea is a consequence of the improper functioning of the intestinal tract: the digestive process is accelerated, and this leads to liquefaction of stools and frequent bowel movements.

As a rule, the cause is a viral or bacterial infection or food poisoning. Diarrhea is usually caused by Escherichia coli and Salmonella bacteria, which can be found in food or water. Diarrhea, which is caused by a bacterial infection, most often affects tourists traveling to exotic countries. No wonder this type of disease is sometimes called “tourist’s diarrhea”.

The causes of diarrhea can be simple viruses or, as well as taking antibiotics.

Another cause of diarrhea can be ulcerative. It also causes severe diarrhea, but colitis is determined very late and, as a rule, during an internal examination of the intestine.

Considering the close contact of the digestive system with the external environment and the internal systems of the body, one can safely notice its persistent dependence on them. That's why she gets sick so often. Most often, any irritation or malfunction in normal functioning is manifested by the acceleration of motor skills, mucus secretion, and ultimately diarrhea.

The full list of causes of diarrhea is given below:

Viral infections

Bacterial infections

Cholelithiasis with a violation of the outflow of bile;

Fermentopathies;

Congenital intolerance to certain foods;

Bowel disease

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis;

Crohn's disease;

Whipple's disease;

Tumor growths

1. Adenocarcinomas;

   Diverticula complicated by inflammation;

Autoimmune diseases

Intestinal damage in lupus erythematosus;

Atopic dermatitis and allergic reactions;

intoxication

Nitrate poisoning;

Heavy metals;

Pesticide;

Household chemicals;

Medicamentous influences

antibiotics;

Cytostatics;

Overdose of laxatives;

Anticholinesterase agents and prokinetics;

Gastrointestinal bleeding

Small bowel bleeding;

Colonic bleeding;

Diarrhea after taking antibiotics

This is due to the fact that it is caused by iatrogenic (medical) influences, which are originally designed to help a person. They are very common and can cause serious illness and even death. First of all, this concerns the side effects of antibiotic therapy, which causes, and subsequently pseudomembranous colitis. The peculiarity of the last complication is that it responds very poorly to any methods of correction, accompanied by debilitating diarrhea.

No less important are infectious diarrhea of ​​bacterial and viral origin. They are more common than others, but fortunately, they end happily in most cases. This is due to the body's ability to eventually defeat aggressive pathogens, since they are natural components of nature. The same cannot be said about those caused by toxic influences and other external influences. They, being unnatural, cannot be overcome only by protective immune mechanisms without outside influence.

As for the mechanisms of diarrhea, they can also be different. The inclusion of a particular one depends on the cause that caused the diarrhea. The most typical pathogenetic mechanisms and their corresponding causes are presented in the table.

Usually, with diarrhea, there is not only one mechanism for its implementation. Their combination with the predominance of one over the others is characteristic.

Types of diarrhea

infectious diarrhea observed in dysentery, salmonellosis, foodborne infections, viral diseases (viral diarrhea), etc.

Alimentary diarrhea occur with malnutrition, with allergies to any products.

Dyspeptic diarrhea occur when the digestion of food masses is disturbed due to secretory insufficiency of the stomach, pancreas, with a lack of secretion of any enzymes by the small intestine.

toxic diarrhea accompanies, poisoning with mercury, arsenic.

Medical diarrhea happens when the physiological flora of the intestine is suppressed, the development of dysbacteriosis.

neurogenic diarrhea are the result of a violation of the nervous regulation of the motor activity of the intestine (for example, diarrhea that occurs under the influence of excitement or fear).

Light and short diarrhea practically does not affect the general condition of a person. Severe or chronic - depletes the body, leads to hypovitaminosis, significant changes in the organs.

diarrhea symptoms

Clinical manifestations of diarrhea are usually characterized by a standard set of complaints and objective examination data. For some of its species, there are specific distinguishing features by which you can accurately determine the specific nature of the disease. But it also happens that even additional laboratory and instrumental data are not always informative. In order not to miss anything, you need to be very attentive to everything that happens to the body, accompanying diarrhea.

High fever with diarrhea

It is noted by many patients as an additional symptom. Its development is characteristic of many types of diarrhea. First of all, this concerns its microbial (viral and bacterial) species. After all, any penetration of foreign protein structures into immune cells causes the production of antibodies, which is accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators and a temperature reaction.

Given that the gut is one of the most powerful immune organs, its appearance should come as no surprise. On the contrary, when a person has signs of an infectious bowel disease, but there is no temperature, this indicates the presence of an immunodeficiency. As for its specific values, they depend on the pathogenicity of the microbe and the reactivity of the organism and can range from 37.1°C to above 39°C.

Nausea and vomiting with diarrhea

Nausea is by far the most common symptom of diarrhea of ​​any origin. There is a logical explanation for this. After all, a violation of the normal movement of food and feces through the intestines necessarily leads to their incorrect casting in the opposite direction.

In addition, intoxication that occurs against the background of any intestinal catastrophe necessarily leads to the absorption of these toxic products into the systemic circulation with their distribution to all organs and tissues. The vomiting center of the brain is the first to react to them, which is clinically manifested in the form of nausea, followed by nausea. By the way, the last reflex act refers to one of the most physiological mechanisms for cleaning the body of toxins of any origin.

Abdominal pain

It is always a consequence of increased intestinal motility. As a rule, it has a spastic strong and intense character. It is characterized by a paroxysmal course with periods of sharp increase with a gradual subsidence and complete cessation. Usually after, or during a painful attack, there is an urge to defecate, which is manifested by severe diarrhea.

The appearance of pain is characteristic of almost all types of diarrhea, but most often occurs with its microbial types and food poisoning. All other types of it are accompanied by discomfort and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.

Rotten eructation with diarrhea

It occurs as a primary symptom or gradually against the background of diarrhea. In the first case, when it precedes diarrhea, its appearance indicates enzymatic insufficiency of the pancreas, stomach and biliary system.

As a result of the fact that the food entering the body is not digested, it rots. This eventually pours out into the formation of foul-smelling gases, which come out of the stomach by way of. Naturally, undigested particles entering the intestines cause irritation and diarrhea. When rotten belching occurs against the background of diarrhea, this is a consequence of secondary digestive disorders caused by the underlying disease, and indicates its progression.

The color of diarrhea in an adult

An experienced clinician can determine the origin of diarrhea by the color and typical characteristics of liquid stools. In this case, it is necessary to add up the remaining symptoms. This will make it possible to understand and clarify some details of the origin of the true culprit of diarrhea.

Diarrhea green

Characteristic exclusively for bacterial and viral lesions of the intestine. The appearance of greenery is associated with the direct accumulation of leukocytes in the feces, as well as the active reproduction of pyogenic coccal flora (staphylococci) against the background of weakened local immune mechanisms in the intestine.

Clinically, it looks like liquid feces of an inhomogeneous consistency with small greenish blotches or thickly coated and mixed with viscous green mucus. Usually, such diarrhea is accompanied by a pronounced hyperthermic reaction, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, signs of severe intoxication, and inflammatory changes in the blood system.

Yellow diarrhea

It belongs to the most favorable types of it, since most often it is due to increased peristalsis (contraction) of the intestine. As a result of the acceleration of the movement of fecal masses, they do not have time to fully form into a normal shape and consistency. But at the same time, their almost complete enzymatic processing and partial absorption of the active components into the bloodstream occur. As a result, the stool is of a normal color, but of a liquid consistency. The absence of additional symptoms is characteristic, with the exception of minor pains and heaviness in the abdomen.

Black diarrhea (dark in color)

Refers to very formidable or, conversely, natural symptoms. First of all, it is worth stopping at it as a threatening sign. The appearance of black, like tar or resinous feces, can only speak of one thing - bleeding from the stomach. The appearance of just such a color is due to the destruction of erythrocyte hemoglobin under the action of hydrochloric acid of the stomach. In this case, hematin hydrochloride is formed, which provides the characteristic color. In such situations, you can not waste a minute and urgently seek medical help.

The second situation, as a result of which black feces may appear, is the consumption of foods based on animal blood (bloody blood), a large amount, or certain medicines (activated charcoal, bismuth preparations - vikalin, de-nol). It is this fact that often causes people to seek medical help. The differential diagnostic criterion for the origin of black diarrhea is the presence of an appropriate history of the use of the listed substances or a decrease in hemodynamic parameters ( , ) in case of gastrointestinal bleeding.

White diarrhea (light color)

Along with black feces, it is one of the most specific, characterizing only one reason for the appearance. In this case, this is insufficient processing of food masses in the intestines by bile. This is possible with compression or blockage of the common bile duct by a tumor or stone.

In typical cases, such diarrhea is necessarily accompanied by yellowness of the skin and a strong darkening of the urine. Pain syndrome, temperature reaction and dehydration are not typical. It is often of a non-intense nature, occurring only a few times, after which the white color of the feces remains with their normal consistency.

Diarrhea with blood

The most formidable of all types of diarrhea, as it indicates ongoing active bleeding into the cavity of the intestinal tract. Usually characteristic of disintegrating tumors of the large intestine, severe intestinal infections, as a result of which there is a complete destruction of the mucous membrane of the intestinal wall.

Sometimes the appearance of bloody diarrhea can be the result of a toxic effect on the intestines of various chemical compounds and poisons. Bloody diarrhea can be represented not by pure blood, but by liquid dark cherry stools. In this case, it is safe to say that the source of bleeding is located in the right half of the large intestine.

Diarrhea with mucus

This characteristic alone cannot determine the true origin of diarrhea. After all, mucus can be completely different and stand out in different quantities. Its transparent appearance is a sign of a relatively favorable course, which may be due to food poisoning and mild poisoning. When the mucus turns greenish, brown or bloody, it always indicates a severe course of diarrhea or the absence of the effect of its treatment.

diarrhea with water

In any scientific manual or regular women's health magazine, there is only one answer to the watery stool question. It is, of course, cholera. The causative agent of the disease is so arranged that when it enters the intestine, it includes all possible mechanisms of diarrhea, which is manifested by the indomitable release of water instead of feces. The most interesting thing is that the temperature rises extremely rarely. But the number of bowel movements is so great that the patients are not able to count them. As a result, there is a sharp dehydration, which requires immediate correction by massive infusion therapy.

Treatment of diarrhea in adults

Only those who can clearly determine its nature and mechanism of occurrence can correctly and effectively treat diarrhea. The following table should help guide you a little.

Treatment of diarrhea should not be one-component. It is necessary to correctly combine different means, focusing on the group of drugs that affect the cause of its occurrence.

Type of diarrhea	Basic groups of drugs
infectious	antibiotics; Intestinal antiseptics; Slowing down peristalsis; sorbents; Enzymes;
Enzymatic	Replacement therapy with enzyme preparations
Bowel disease	antibiotics; Specific anti-inflammatory intestinal drugs; Glucocorticoid hormones;
Bleeding	Antiulcer drugs; Hemostatics;
intoxication	Gastric lavage and enemas; sorbents; Normalizers of motility;
Diarrhea after antibiotics	Antifungal; sorbents; Probiotics;

Diet for diarrhea in adults

The issue of nutrition in any disease of the digestive system should be given special attention. Especially with diarrhea. In general terms, it should be said that you can not eat rough, fried, fatty, smoked foods. Everything should be light, well digestible and not load the already loaded intestines. It must simultaneously rest and provide the body with the most necessary substances for life. Be sure to regulate the water regime with the use of a sufficient amount of liquid in any form.

What can you eat with diarrhea?	Product types	What can not be eaten with diarrhea?
Black with bran, yesterday's baking, croutons, biscuits	Bread and flour dishes	Fresh white bread, buns, pies, rolls, cookies
Diet chicken and rabbit meat, turkey, doctor's sausages	Meat products	Pork, beef, duck and other fatty meats, smoked sausage
Ryazhenka, cottage cheese, curdled milk, light yogurt	Dairy products	Whole milk, full fat sour cream, cream

Diarrhea (diarrhea ) is a condition in which there is a fairly frequent or single emptying of the intestines of a person, during which the feces of a liquid consistency are released. In an adult healthy person, from 100 to 300 g of fecal mass is excreted per day. Its amount varies depending on the amount of fiber in the food and the amount of undigested substances and water remaining. If the duration of the disease remains within two to three weeks, then in this case there is acute diarrhea . If a person has loose stools for more than three weeks, diarrhea becomes chronic. At chronic diarrhea the patient also has systematically abundant stools. In this situation, the mass of feces will exceed 300 g per day. Diarrhea occurs when the water content in a person's stool increases dramatically - from 60 to 90%. With impaired absorption of nutrients from food, patients are diagnosed with polyfecal matter : an unusually large amount of stool is released, which consists of food debris that has remained undigested. In case of impaired intestinal motility, the stool will be very liquid and frequent, but in general its mass will not exceed 300 g per day. That is, even in the case of an initial analysis of the features of the course of diarrhea, it is possible to find out what is the cause of the occurrence of such a pathology and, therefore, to facilitate the process of establishing a diagnosis and selecting subsequent therapy.

Diarrhea of ​​any kind is a pathological process in which there is a violation of absorption in the intestine of water and electrolytes. In view of this, with diarrhea of ​​any kind, approximately the same picture is observed. Both the large and small intestines have a very high water absorption capacity. So, every day a person consumes about two liters of liquid. In general, about seven liters of water enter the intestines, taking into account saliva , , intestinal and , . At the same time, only 2% of the total volume of liquid is excreted with feces, while the rest is absorbed directly in the intestine. If the amount of fluid in the stool changes even very slightly, then the stool becomes too hard. If there is too much fluid in the large intestine, then the person develops diarrhea. This disease manifests itself due to a disorder in the process of digestion, problems with absorption, secretion and intestinal motility. In the case of diarrhea, the small and large intestines are perceived as a single physiological unit.

Types of diarrhea

At secretory diarrhea there is an increased secretion of electrolytes and water into the intestinal lumen. In more rare cases, the cause of this type of diarrhea is a decrease in the absorption functions of the intestine. So, secretory diarrhea manifests itself with cholera , escherichiosis , salmonellosis . But sometimes a similar condition occurs in patients with some non-infectious pathologies. If a patient has this type of diarrhea, the osmotic pressure of the blood plasma is higher than the osmotic pressure of the stool. The patient has watery and rather abundant stools, their color is green. The causes of secretory diarrhea are the active process of secretion of sodium and water in the intestine. The occurrence of this process is provoked by bacterial toxins, enteropathogenic viruses, a number of drugs and other biologically active substances. So, provoke the occurrence of secretory diarrhea can long chain fatty acids and bile free acids , laxatives , which contain antraglycosides , Castor oil .

At hyperexudative diarrhea sweating occurs plasma , slime , blood into the intestinal lumen. This condition is typical for patients suffering from infectious and inflammatory bowel diseases ( shigellosis , salmonellosis , campylobacteriosis , clostridium ). Also, this type of diarrhea is characteristically manifested in non-communicable diseases, such as nonspecific ulcerative colitis , lymphoma , Crohn's disease . the osmotic pressure of blood plasma is higher than the osmotic pressure of feces.

The osmotic pressure of fecal matter is lower than the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. Feces are liquid, there is an admixture of pus, blood, mucus.

At hyperosmolar diarrhea the patient has a disorder of absorption in the small intestine of certain nutrients. Metabolic processes are noticeably disturbed in the body. This type of diarrhea manifests itself with excessive use of laxatives of the salt type. The osmotic pressure of fecal matter is higher than the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. This condition is characterized by loose and copious stools, in which particles of undigested food are found.

At hyper- and hypokinetic diarrhea the patient has violations of the transit of intestinal contents. The cause of this condition is low or high intestinal motility . Very often, this condition is typical for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, as well as for those who use too many laxatives and antacids. The osmotic pressure of the fecal matter in this condition is the same as the osmotic pressure of the blood plasma. The stool is not particularly plentiful, liquid or mushy consistency. The last two types of diarrhea occur only in patients with non-communicable diseases.

Causes of diarrhea

The occurrence of diarrhea is affected by the following phenomena: intestinal secretion , too much high pressure in intestinal cavity , intestinal exudation , violations in the process transportation intestinal contents . All these mechanisms have a certain connection, however, for a certain type of disease, the predominance of the corresponding type of disorder is characteristic.

diarrhea symptoms

Acute diarrhea is manifested by various infections, inflammation in the intestines and due to exposure to certain drugs. As a rule, diarrhea appears in combination with a number of other manifestations: it can be , swelling , stomach ache , weakness , feeling chilly , increase in body temperature .

Symptoms of the infectious type of the disease are the general malaise , manifestations , bad , vomit . Very often, the causes of diarrhea are poor-quality food, as well as travel (the so-called tourist diarrhea appears). The appearance of loose stools with blood elements indicates the presence of damage in the intestinal mucosa. Their occurrence is provoked by some pathogenic microbes or with enteropathogenic properties. The patient's condition with this form of the disease is severe due to septic symptoms and the presence of pain in the abdomen.

Also, the manifestations of diarrhea can provoke some medications. Level the body can be assessed already with the help of examinations of the patient. If there is a significant loss of electrolytes and water in the body, then dry skin is observed, a decrease in its turgor, and hypotension . Due to calcium losses felt by the body, there may be a tendency to convulsions .

In chronic diarrhea, that is, a disease that lasts more than three weeks, the examination should first of all be directed to find out the causes of its occurrence. The specialist studies the data of the anamnesis, conducts all relevant studies of feces. It is important in the process of diagnosis to establish the duration of diarrhea, to determine what is the volume of stool per day, the frequency and severity of intestinal motility, weight fluctuations. If there is disease of the small intestine, the stool will be bulky, watery, or greasy. Diseases of the colon are accompanied by frequent stools, but it will be less plentiful, containing pus, blood, mucus. In the pathology of the colon, diarrhea, as a rule, will be accompanied by pain in the abdomen.

Diagnosis of diarrhea

Diagnosis includes a routine physical examination. At the same time, the specialist carefully examines the condition of the patient's feces and conducts a proctological examination. If the patient's stool contains blood , there is , or , then we can assume that the patient has Crohn's disease . In the process of microscopic examination of feces, it is important to determine in it inflammatory cells, fat, the presence of eggs and protozoa.

Using the method of sigmoidoscopy, it is possible to diagnose, pseudomembranous colitis . To establish the diagnosis of "acute diarrhea", the doctor is guided primarily by the patient's complaints, anamnesis, proctological examination, and physical examination. The laboratory conducts macro- and microscopic examination of stool samples.

If during the diagnosis process it turns out that there is no inflammation in the intestines, then, most likely, diarrhea in this case will be associated with malabsorption. In some cases, the occurrence of acute diarrhea is provoked by enteroviruses. If a viral enteritis is suspected, the doctor should make sure that the symptoms and manifestations of this condition coincide. So, with viral enteritis, there are no blood and inflammatory cells in the feces, antibiotic therapy is ineffective in the treatment process, the patient can recover spontaneously. The specialist necessarily notes all the described features in the differential diagnosis of various kinds of intestinal diseases.

In the process of diagnosing chronic diarrhea, first of all, they find out if there is a connection in the occurrence of diarrhea with infections or inflammations. To do this, conduct a study of feces - microscopic , bacteriological , sigmoidoscopy . Also, to exclude inflammation, the pathogenetic mechanism of diarrhea should be determined. Often, a certain period of staying on a certain diet for diarrhea helps to establish the correct diagnosis.

Treatment of diarrhea

Some approaches to the treatment of diarrhea are common to all four types of the disease. So, symptomatic drugs and drugs with antibacterial action are equally effective. First of all, changes in eating style are practiced. So, a diet for diarrhea involves the use of foods that contribute to the inhibition of peristalsis, reduce the secretion of water and electrolytes. At the same time, it is important to exclude those products whose properties suggest an increase in the motor-evacuation and secretory functions of the intestine.

Treatment for diarrhea includes antibacterial drugs , which are designed to restore intestinal eubiosis. Patients with acute diarrhea should take antibiotics , antimicrobial and sulfanilamide drugs , antiseptics . The most preferred remedy for diarrhea is one that does not disturb the balance of the intestinal microflora.

Alternative medicine for diarrhea are considered bacterial drugs , the course of treatment which lasts up to two months. Used as a symptomatic adsorbents , which neutralize organic acids, and also prescribe binders and enveloping funds.

Also, diarrhea is treated with the help of drugs that regulate motility and reduce intestinal tone. And to eliminate the state of dehydration of the body is used rehydration . If the patient is diagnosed with an acute condition, then rehydration is carried out by the oral route, in rare cases, crystalloid polyionic solutions are infused intravenously for rehydration.

The doctors

Medications

Intestinal suffering is usually represented by two opposite types - diarrhea and . Moreover, the first delivers a lot of trouble, because of which it is impossible even to leave the house. Usually, (the official name for diarrhea) is a malaise that is expressed by frequent and very liquid, watery stools. She is, of course, unpleasant. But most importantly, it can be an indicator of a fairly serious illness caused by intestinal infections or food poisoning.

The main danger - as its consequence - dehydration which may even cause the patient to die. Of course, at the first signs of diarrhea, it is necessary to consult a doctor and correctly diagnose. The specialist will prescribe treatment in accordance with the characteristics of your body, but, perhaps, the main thing for all patients remains severe.

Both with the treatment prescribed by the doctor, and at the first signs of diarrhea, even before going to the hospital, you should drink as much mineral water without gas, fruit juice, any juice and other liquids as possible. The exception will be dairy products and coffee.

How to get rid of diarrhea?

Along with drug treatment (if the infectious nature of the disease or food poisoning is revealed), it is not only possible, but also necessary to resort to folk remedies. For example, for more than a hundred years they have been getting rid of diarrhea as follows: chicken stomach cut off the yellow shell, rinse it well and dry, then crush with a wooden pusher or rolling pin to a powder state. Take this powder for 1 tbsp. spoon - adults, and 1/2 tbsp. spoon - children. Drink plenty of water. Apply once a day.

Even easier to use potato starch : 1 tbsp. dilute a spoon in a glass of cooled boiled water and drink. Adults can resort to another fairly simple recipe: dilute 1 teaspoon of salt in less than half a glass of vodka and consume immediately.

At home, it is quite easy to prepare another version of the drug: cut the raw onion crosswise (not at the root) and put it in a glass of hot tea (not strong, without sugar). insist this way onion 10 minutes, then drink.

A solution prepared from two components also helps well - cinnamon and red pod pepper . With excellent astringent property, such decoction also helps to remove from the body gases.

Decoctions from the walls, infused in alcohol for 2-3 days, and from the peel are very common among the people. grenade, brewed with boiling water. Berries mixed with honey can also help - viburnum, cranberry marsh. And of course, rice or, more precisely, decoction of rice (1:7 - the ratio of cereals and cold water, boil until half-baked). Just use uncrushed rice.

diarrhea during pregnancy

Diarrhea is quite common with . There are a number of reasons for the occurrence of this condition in pregnant women. So, sometimes diarrhea occurs due to diseases of the intestines or the gastrointestinal tract as a whole. In some cases, the cause of diarrhea in pregnant women is general ailments. However, during pregnancy, a woman's body becomes particularly susceptible to a variety of infections, so infectious diseases and local poisoning can provoke diarrhea. So, pregnant women are highly sensitive to toxins. However, diarrhea can also be caused by disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, the presence of worms, and insufficient production of enzymes in the body. Pregnancy is often the cause of diarrhea.

In some cases, diarrhea may not pose a danger to a woman, performing the function of a kind of cleansing of the body before the upcoming childbirth . However, the causes of diarrhea should be closely monitored. After all, if this condition arose due to food or other poisoning, then it is very dangerous for both the unborn child and the woman.

During pregnancy, the treatment of diarrhea should be carried out only under the close supervision of a doctor, who will certainly take into account all individual points. In parallel, the specialist adjusts the patient's nutrition by prescribing a special diet for her. For a future mother, it is very important to constantly observe the drinking regimen, using a sufficient amount of fluid, because dehydration is an undesirable condition for the fetus and mother.

A condition that can lead to rapid dehydration of the body - frequent diarrhea, an adult may be different.

Chronic diarrhea is often a symptom of a serious illness. Because of the complications of chronic diarrhea, it should not be underestimated. See your doctor to determine the cause and start treatment as soon as possible. It should be borne in mind that during diarrhea it is necessary to consume a large amount of fluid, since the consequences of dehydration are dangerous for an adult and a child.

1 Symptom

Frequent diarrhea is a liquid stool in a patient, characterized by an increased frequency of occurrence. The stool has a liquid or semi-liquid consistency. Increased frequency is bowel movements 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 often accompanies pain, discomfort in the rectal area and.

Division of chronic diarrhea:

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

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

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

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

2 Secretory diarrhea

Secretory diarrhea may be due to the action of certain drugs, toxins, bile and fatty acids. If we are talking about drugs, then most often prolonged diarrhea is caused by laxatives from the group of stimulants (Bisacodyl, Sennosides, Aloe).

Toxins that cause diarrhea every day include chronic alcohol abuse. Bile acids in violation of their absorption can also be. A similar condition can occur with 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 may become rare:

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

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

3 Osmotic

Causes of osmotic diarrhea:

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

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

4 Fatty

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

Malabsorption disorders include diseases such as celiac disease, Whipple's disease (a bacterial infection that mainly affects the large and small intestines), and intestinal ischemia. Chronic diarrhea associated with malabsorption may persist in patients on an empty stomach.

5 Inflammatory

The cause of this diarrhea is inflammatory bowel disease, that is, 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 intestine. Chronic diarrhea of ​​this type occurs quite often.

Some diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, hyperthyroidism, and prokinetic drugs (Metoclopramide, Cisapride) may be due to the fact that they accelerate intestinal motility.

6 Differentiation of disorders

When looking for the cause of adult diarrhea, you must first determine whether you are dealing with acute or chronic diarrhea. As mentioned above, lasts less than 14 days, and chronic - more than 4 weeks. This border 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 simple, so it is worth acting in stages.

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

• secretory diarrhea is characterized by copious watery stools, often defecation is not accompanied by pain in the abdomen;
• persists on an empty stomach;
• with osmotic diarrhea, it is foamy and disappears in patients on an empty stomach;
• with diarrhea, fatty 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 pus;
• often diarrhea is accompanied by symptoms of a prolonged inflammatory process (high temperature, chills, increased sweating).

When conducting a fecal analysis, the result may indicate a specific group of causes.

7 Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis is based first on the doctor's conversation with the patient, which determines the nature of diarrhea - acute or chronic. Then a fecal analysis is performed and it is checked whether the diarrhea persists when refraining from eating food. All this and a few additional questions allows you to determine why the patient has frequent diarrhea.

When dealing with chronic diarrhea, it is important to have basic blood tests as diarrhea can lead to serious complications. Basic blood tests include:

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

Depending on the cause of diarrhea, additional studies are performed 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 eating low-fat stews. In addition, probiotics and (depending on the cause) drugs that hold intestinal motility (for example, Loperamide), as well as antibacterial drugs, are used. If the cause of diarrhea is drugs, then you should stop using them.

Not always treatment is a simple process, for example, when a patient has non-specific inflammation of the intestine (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis). Then symptomatic therapy is used, aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms. It is important to eliminate micronutrient deficiency, as it can also lead to dangerous complications.

Even the healthiest person who overate, was exposed to a viral or bacterial infection, and did not follow the rules of hygiene can have an upset stool.

Diarrhea is not just a temporary inconvenience, accompanied by negative symptoms, due to which a person experiences pain in the abdomen and may even lose his ability to work.

In some cases, this is a temporary phenomenon that disappears with the elimination of an external provocateur, but no less often diarrhea is one of the symptoms of a serious illness.

In low-health countries, just 8 years ago, diarrhea was the cause of death of 1.5 million children, whose body was dehydrated by frequent pathological defecation, according to WHO.

For an adult, chronic diarrhea can be no less dangerous if the cause of its occurrence is not found and eliminated.

Having basic medical knowledge about how dangerous the cause of loose stools, taken as a harmless disorder, can help to avoid many unpleasant consequences.

Brief description of the problem

According to the official definition, diarrhea is a sharp increase in the number of bowel movements, accompanied by pain, liquefaction of feces, often bloating, heartburn, belching, rumbling, and other pathological signs.

The scientific name for this phenomenon is diarrhea. This term covers the totality of signs necessary for making a reliable diagnosis.

One of them - for example, liquefaction of the usual consistency of feces, cannot be the basis for the diagnosis of diarrhea.

Modifications of defecation products are found both from taking medications and from stressful situations.

Grounds for alarm and claims that a person has diarrhea arise under the following conditions:

• at an individual rate of 1-2 times a day, a person empties the intestines two or more times more often than usual;
• the consistency of feces changes, becomes liquid or watery;
• the color of the increased discharge acquires an uncharacteristic color, can become frightening - white, red, black, yellow or greenish;
• discharge is heterogeneous and not formed and may be accompanied by foam;
• there is a fetid odor that is different from the usual;
• the contents of the intestine may come out in a partially digested form, often in the form of whole pieces of food;
• the act of defecation can take place with nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps and cramps;
• the above symptoms are accompanied by intoxication, in the form of weakness, lethargy, apathy, fever;
• rotten belching, flatulence, rumbling, feeling of fullness can be frequent, but not mandatory.

In such conditions, the pills that are available in every home first aid kit do not help.

A person feels sick and is in constant physical and mental stress due to the need to empty the intestines, which occurs constantly.

Such a condition is called diarrhea, and this is a phenomenon that appears due to causes of variable etiology, both physiological and pathological.

Diarrhea can be acute or chronic, and each is dangerous in its own way. Dehydration is just one of the risks that accompany diarrhea.

It is much worse if the provoking cause is a chronic or systemic disease of the body. In this case, the pathological condition appears constantly and serves not as a consequence, but as a symptom of a dangerous disease.

Types of diarrhea and objective causes

Modern schools of gastroenterology identify several reasons why there is a disorder in the normal activity of the intestine.

Differentiation by causality has become the basis for classifying the types of diarrhea according to etiological grounds.

This list includes the following causes:

Provoking factors that can potentially disrupt normal digestion and healthy peristalsis may differ in each case and affect a person depending on the state of his nervous system, emotional balance and the health of individual organs of the food digestion system.

Diarrhea does not appear out of the blue, but always occurs for a specific reason. And the sooner the doctor manages to find out why he appeared and is happening in this way, the sooner you can help the patient.

Physiological and easily explained

In a healthy person, stool disorders are understandable. Mild diarrhea passes quickly, does not lead to almost any serious changes in the body.

This is because it is caused by ordinary things, such as overeating, the abuse of fatty or food mentality that is not characteristic of the food mentality, and heavy drinking on the occasion of a solemn feast.

The most common cause of diarrhea, according to statistics, is food poisoning:

• eating stale food;
• non-compliance with personal hygiene by the patient;
• food in street catering points, where cooking is done without sanitary and hygienic standards;
• simultaneous eating of food components that are considered incompatible and cause negative processes in the stomach.

It is akin to food and alcohol poisoning, when a violation of the stool occurs if a person does not tend to systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages, and he drank, eating a lot and plentifully.

Everyone, at least once in his life, after a plentiful feast, woke up with pain in his stomach and found that he had diarrhea.

Spontaneous disorder of the digestive function is also observed with strong unrest, stressful situations, pronounced emotional experiences, mournful news.

Diarrhea, and quite prolonged, occurs with irregular meals and strict diets, or eating food that lacks the substances necessary for the human body: protein-free, carbohydrate-free or some other strict diet.

Any deviation in nutrition, from irregular and unsystematic, to excessive restrictions or abuse, can cause diarrhea.

This is both the primary and the most obvious cause of the disruption of the normal functioning of the digestive system.

With it, diarrhea becomes a frequent or chronic phenomenon, a symptom of a functional failure or a systemic disease that has arisen.

External pathogenic agents

The world around a person is full of external enemies, usually microscopic in size, which, getting into the body and starting their harmful activity there, can cause diarrhea.

Rotaviruses and adenoviruses in paramedical circles are called intestinal flu, because their course is invariably accompanied by diarrhea.

Their main activity takes place in the small intestine, where they damage and infect entire segments of the intestine.

Enteroviruses attack the epithelial intestinal tissue, which can cause natural irritation and modification of the stool in conjunction with pain.

Diarrhea is a common consequence of such poisoning. It is especially difficult for a person to tolerate food poisoning, which infects food with toxins, and already with food enters the stomach and intestines.

A modern person takes medicines without thinking that, in addition to the healing effect, the medication can also have a destructive effect.

The destruction of pathogenic bacteria and the use of antibacterial drugs, in case of excessive or incorrect prescription, can disrupt the healthy intestinal microflora.

There is an imbalance, conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, in small quantities necessary for a person, begin to multiply due to uncharacteristic conditions created by drugs.

Dysbacteriosis can lead to serious violations of the digestive process, and this leads to malfunctions of the metabolic system and violations of the absorption of nutrients from food.

Diarrhea in dysbacteriosis is a continuation of this process.

Long-term use of laxatives can also lead to permanent problems with stools, when artificially induced diarrhea is the result of a violation of the natural intestinal motility.

Therapy with certain groups of drugs can be the cause of the disorder with prolonged use.

And on the instructions for almost every medication, you can read diarrhea, nausea or vomiting in similar effects.

Do not forget that in the modern world there are many products of industrial chemistry.

Diarrhea, especially acute or chronic, occurs against the background of poisoning with nitrates, pesticides, household chemicals and salts of heavy metals.

Diarrhea is a frequent companion of people who work with such substances on duty, resulting in severe poisoning or overdose.

Chronic, systemic and autoimmune diseases

Do not delay contacting a doctor with pronounced symptoms that occur within a few days. After all, diarrhea in this case can also be a consequence of a serious illness that has just begun to develop.

Diarrhea is a typical symptom in various pathologies:

• autoimmune (caused by atopic dermatitis, allergies, intestinal damage);
• tumor growths of various etiologies (from the stomach polyp to adenocarcinoma);
• intestinal diseases (colitis, enteritis, enterocolitis);
• pathologies of the stomach (diarrhea accompanies almost all of them);
• diseases of the liver and pancreas;
• inflammation of the gallbladder.

And in each case, the answer to the question of why there is a defecation disorder of a long and negative nature, the answer lies in elementary violations of the diet.

Diarrhea, which quickly passed and did not force to take action, to be examined by a doctor, to pass tests, could be the start from which the pathology began to develop.

A person should treat his health responsibly, be attentive to what is considered to be annoying little things, and regularly undergo medical examinations.

Otherwise, diarrhea will not be a physiological phenomenon with explainable reasons, but a symptom of a serious illness.

The question why is good to ask at a stage when the answer is in harmless eating disorders. And not at the moment when it is practically difficult to help, and it is difficult to answer why this is happening.

Methods of treatment and preventive measures in each case of diarrhea are chosen differently. It depends on the etiology, provoking cause, severity and form that the defecation disorder has acquired.

And if the patient's condition is serious, then it is better to go to the doctor, undergo an examination and send tests, than bring the matter to possible dehydration, weight loss and other negative consequences.

Quite often you can encounter a situation where the general condition of a person is good, but suddenly appears diarrhea while the temperature remains within the normal range. What is the cause of this condition in this case?

Often causes diarrhea without temperature is a neurotic state. In severe stressful situations, the body can thus react. If the cause of diarrhea is a stressful situation, then it is usually accompanied by a headache. Sometimes a similar situation arises in certain cases, for example, before going to the store. If this situation continues for a long time, then you need to contact a neurologist, who will send you for an appropriate examination.

Another reason for the appearance diarrhea without temperature is a disease of the gastrointestinal system. For example, diseases such as stomach ulcers, gastritis may be accompanied by diarrhea, while the temperature will remain normal. Bloating, which appears after eating, will help determine this cause. Also, these diseases are accompanied by pain in the abdomen and heartburn. If there are suspicions of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then it is imperative to be examined by a gastroenterologist. It is impossible to ignore everything related to diseases of the digestive system.

Sometimes a similar reaction organism when taking various medications. If medications are the cause of diarrhea without fever, then you should immediately inform your doctor about this and stop taking them. Instead of these drugs, the doctor should prescribe more gentle methods of treatment.

Regardless of the cause diarrhea, which is not accompanied by an increase in temperature, it is necessary to start treatment. Otherwise, the body quickly dehydrates, which has a detrimental effect. To restore the water balance in the body, it is necessary to give the patient warm non-carbonated water or dried fruit compote.

Treatment of diarrhea without fever

After establishing causes of loose stools the question arises - how to treat diarrhea?

If the cause of the appearance diarrhea is taking medications, it is necessary to stop treatment and start taking drugs that improve the functioning of the pancreas (pancreatin, mezim). The course of treatment must be prescribed by a doctor and, as a rule, cannot last more than 14 days. If, after discontinuation of the drugs, a relapse is observed after a certain time, then you should not start taking the same medications on your own. It is necessary to consult a doctor who should combine a new method of treatment.

If the appearance diarrhea is not associated with an infection and medications, then treatment can be carried out at home. To do this, you should follow a light diet, exclude spicy and fatty foods, coffee, dairy products, and alcohol from the diet. It is necessary to consume a large amount of water per day to restore the water-salt balance. You can also try decoctions of herbs (oak bark, chamomile, St. John's wort and others). Among the drugs in the fight against loose stools, loperamide, also known as imodium, will help. It should be understood that loperamide is a treatment only for irritable bowel syndromes due to neuroses, in most cases it simply eliminates loose stools, but does not eliminate its cause.

The basic rule that necessary remember - treatment should be started immediately to avoid dehydration. In order to restore the salt balance in the body, it is necessary to purchase special mixtures at the pharmacy that contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals to restore those lost during diarrhea.

In a mandatory case need to see a doctor if diarrhea without fever occurs in or in a child under the age of three. This is due to the fact that the reasons can be quite severe. In some cases, for example, diarrhea with blood requires an emergency call for an ambulance.

Chronic diarrhea: causes and treatment

Chronic is considered diarrhea when loose stools last more than three weeks. This diagnosis is made by a doctor after the necessary examination. As a rule, chronic diarrhea is a sign of a disease, or its consequence. After a complete examination, the doctor can confidently make a diagnosis.

Cause of chronic diarrhea are disorders of the large or small intestine. Any professional after examining feces can determine what is causing frequent diarrhea.

The patient can independently determine in thick or thin intestines a malfunction has occurred. As a rule, disruption of the large intestine is accompanied by severe spasmodic pain. The urge to go to the toilet becomes quite frequent, but not every trip to the restroom is accompanied by emptying.

Causes of all of the above may be the following violations in the body:
1. Improper nutrition;
2. The presence of dysbacteriosis;
3. Allergic reaction;
4. Chronic diseases of the digestive system;
5. Disorders of the nervous system;
6. The action of a viral infection.