Diarrhea Overview

Diarrhea is a disease condition in which the patient has three or more liquid bowel movements per day. Diarrhea leads to rapid water loss from the body and one should essentially take sufficient quantity of liquid to maintain the body balance. Children are the worst sufferers from diarrhea and it is a common cause of infant death. Diarrhea mainly occurs because of poor sanitary conditions and lack of clean drinking water. Diarrhea has a significant effect on health of a person as water and salts are lost from the body at a rapid pace. This may lead to fever, weight loss, abdominal cramps and nausea. It is a serious health problem and causes death in case adequate preventive measures are not taken in time.

Diarrhea does have outer physical manifestations and the person suffering from diarrhea suffers rapid weight loss. It also affects the inner working of the body and the person has loose, watery stools, abdominal cramps, pain, fever and dizziness due to dehydration. Viral infection is a common cause of diarrhea. Rotavirus and norovirus have been identified as the virus responsible behind the spread of diarrhea. Bacterial infection also leads to diarrhea. Escherichia coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter are the organisms that cause bacterial diarrhea. Apart from bacterial and viral infections, intestinal disorders as diverticulitis, celiac diseases and irritable bowel syndrome can also cause diarrhea.

Watery, liquid stools, abdominal cramps, fever and dehydration are the common symptoms of diarrhea. In case of severe infection, a doctor’s consultation is necessary. The doctor will perform some tests to analyze the extent of disease. Checking the sample of the stool is the first diagnostic technique that is adopted in case of infection. Blood tests, colonoscopy and imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans also help judge the exact condition of the patient.

Promotion of safe toilet habits among children should be encouraged to prevent the onset of a diarrhea attack. Ask children to wash hands with soap after using the toilet. As a precautionary measure, raw poultry meat should be cooked at recommended temperatures. Avoid use of unpasteurized milk at home and while traveling. Street food should be avoided in every circumstance.

Diarrhea can be cured by medication. Anti-motility medications such as loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate are used in acute disease conditions. Additionally, oral electrolyte solutions can also be used as they help in preventing salt deficiency. Alternative therapies are of great use in diarrhea and one needs to ensure that the patient takes sufficient quantity of liquid. BRAT diet or bananas, rice, applesauce and toasts are highly recommended for anyone suffering from diarrhea. While medications may have side effects as the drugs are anti-motility, alternative therapies are known to cure the patient quickly. As the person suffering from diarrhea gets extremely frail owing to water loss from the body, support and love from the family and friends is essential in the person getting back to normal life schedule.