Loose stools, but not diarrhea in an adult: causes and treatment. Loose stools in various diseases

Diarrhea is just the tip of the iceberg floating on the surface. The problem lies much deeper. It is not only unpleasant, but also quite insidious and dangerous.

Long-term frequent loose stools in an adult can lead the body to a state of dehydration, when large volumes of water, mineral salts and nutrients necessary for normal metabolic processes and regulation of water-salt metabolism are lost along with liquid feces.

In this case, the result will be weakness, dry skin, weight loss, thirst, impaired urine output and much more.

Therefore, under no circumstances should such a disorder of the body as prolonged diarrhea be left without due attention.

Why does diarrhea last for a long time, and what diseases should you think about first?

1) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disease from the group of functional intestinal disorders, which can occur in two forms.

In the first case, it is characterized by spastic pain in the lower abdomen and prolonged frequent loose stools of an imperative nature - the urge to go to the toilet is very frequent and sudden, uncontrollable.

In the second case - bloating, impaired gas discharge and prolonged constipation. IBS can be a hereditary disease, but most often it is caused by psycho-emotional experiences.

2) The problem may lie in the food you eat.– this may be the regular consumption of stale, poor-quality food or water contaminated with microorganisms, or it may be due to intolerance to a particular product.

For example, intolerance to gluten, which is found in cereals, is called celiac disease, and intolerance to lactose, or milk sugar, is called hypolactasia. They are associated with a congenital deficiency of the enzyme responsible for the digestion of a particular food product.

In addition to loose stools, such diseases will occur with nausea, cramping pain and bloating in the abdomen, possibly vomiting.

3) Nonspecific ulcerative colitis (UC)– a chronic disease characterized by ulcerative inflammation of the colon mucosa.

It is quite severe and is accompanied by pain in the left abdomen, weight loss, lingering loose stools mixed with blood and mucus, alternating with constipation, and fever.

4) A disease similar in clinical picture to UC is Crohn's disease.

It is also characterized by prolonged diarrhea, weakness, weight loss, however, unlike nonspecific ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease affects all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, starting with the oral cavity and ending with the rectum, and the pain is localized mainly in the right lower abdomen.

These diseases can be based on a variety of factors - infectious agents, stress, hereditary predisposition, etc.

5) Dysbacteriosis– a decrease in the number of beneficial microorganisms – lactobacilli, which normally populate our intestines and help the digestive processes.

Most often, the occurrence of dysbiosis is provoked by the irrational use of antibiotics, inconsistent with the doctor, which destroy not only pathogenic, “harmful” bacteria, but also the lactobacilli we need.

The result is long-term loose stools in adults and children.

6) Infectious diseases- such as salmonellosis, dysentery, or shigellosis - can also be the root cause of long-term diarrhea.

As a rule, diarrhea due to intestinal infections is often accompanied by elevated body temperature, nausea, vomiting and weakness.

An improperly treated disease can lead to the development of chronic carriage of an infectious agent, which results in dysbacteriosis, and hence all stool disorders.

These are not all possible reasons that can contribute to the development of lingering loose stools in an adult. If you have this symptom, then you need to take this problem seriously and immediately seek help from a specialist.

How is loose stool treated in an adult?

Of course, this will depend primarily on the underlying cause of loose stools. Only a doctor can tell you how to get rid of this unpleasant symptom after an examination.

Treatment will depend entirely on the diagnosis, for example:

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome is complex and includes both drugs that regulate intestinal motility (for example, loperamide) and drugs that normalize a person’s psycho-emotional state. Only in this case can you achieve results.
If you have an intolerance to any product, you can get rid of the unpleasant symptom of diarrhea by eliminating one or another food product from your diet (for example, cereals for celiac disease and cow's milk for hypolactasia).
Nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease require special attention, and treatment should only be carried out by a competent specialist in this field. The drugs of choice in this case are anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as hormonal drugs, the action of which will also be aimed at reducing the inflammatory response.
To reduce the symptoms of dysbiosis, probiotics will be especially effective - preparations containing live beneficial bacteria, which, when colonized in the large intestine, will promote a better digestion process and minimize diarrhea. These include products such as Bifiform, Linex, Primadophilus and much more.
If persistent diarrhea was caused by an infectious agent that persists in the body for a long time, then antibiotics will come to the rescue, which should only be prescribed by a doctor.

Regardless of the cause of diarrhea, medications that replace fluid loss by the body should be a mandatory component of treatment. These are Ringer's, Regidron, and Acesol saline solutions.

You can prepare your own saline solution from Regidron powder, which is sold at the pharmacy.

It must be taken without waiting for a doctor. Because the most expected complication of diarrhea is dehydration.

The body has a hard time withstanding the loss of fluid and electrolytes. Convulsions and cardiac arrest may develop from a lack of potassium in the blood plasma.

Replenishing fluids and salts is the primary task in the treatment of diarrhea of any etiology (cause), which must be done before contacting a specialist, while we are waiting for an examination!

How can a doctor help you?

Of course, a mandatory component of competently prescribed treatment is a correct diagnosis.

In turn, the correct diagnosis cannot be made without a thorough examination.

It is necessary to conduct a general analysis of blood, urine, stool, stool examination for occult blood, a biochemical blood test; additional highly informative research methods, such as irrigoscopy or colonoscopy, may be required.

Also, the doctor, without waiting for the results of the examination, first prescribes intravenous infusions of special saline solutions, which ensures rapid replenishment of water and electrolytes in the blood plasma.

Only after a thorough diagnosis does the doctor prescribe a specific treatment that will be effective and efficient.

Be healthy!

Loose stool in an adult for a long time not only causes inconvenience in everyday life, interferes with work and forces you to stay at home. It should be considered as a symptom signaling health problems that require identification of the cause and targeted treatment. Acting at random, taking folk recipes, antidiarrheal drugs without knowing the reason is irrational and can be dangerous. With these actions you are only stalling for time, but you need to act wisely.

Let's look at what could be the reasons for constant loose stools and what to do at home, what sequence of actions needs to be carried out.

The normal functioning of the digestive organs can be judged by the regular act of defecation, which normally occurs more often than once, sometimes twice a day or every other day. In this case, feces are shaped, colored in different shades of brown, and do not have a very pungent putrefactive odor.

Chronic diarrhea

If you experience constantly loose stools for a long time, which occurs almost without symptoms, every day or at frequent intervals, you must definitely look for the cause before a dangerous state of dehydration and deficiency of microelements necessary for normal functioning in the body occurs.

Acute diarrhea, in contrast to prolonged loose stools, is characterized by repeated frequent bowel movements, accompanied by abdominal pain, fever, deterioration of general condition, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.

Clinical symptoms of chronic loose stools:

defecation of liquid stool more often than 3 times a day for 4 days in a row or more;
abdominal pain, flatulence, rumbling;
coated tongue, dry oral mucosa, viscous saliva;
skin tone is reduced;
lethargy, weakness, headache;
sometimes increased body temperature;
irritation of the anus - hyperemia, small painful cracks.

Acute diarrhea is called acute diarrhea if the diarrhea does not go away for a week; longer-term intestinal upset is chronic; in some cases, the disease becomes permanent with some interruptions. And this is a clear signal of problems in the body; it is necessary to identify the cause of prolonged loose stools, this will help in its proper treatment.

Causes of long-term diarrhea

Systematic long-term diarrhea can be a consequence of chronic diseases of internal organs - hepatitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, thyroid diseases. In addition, the causes of prolonged diarrhea can be:

Irritable bowel syndrome. Functional disorders are usually hereditary in nature or appear against a background of constant stress. The disease is indicated by symptoms - unexpected sharp cramps in the lower abdomen, increased gas formation, bloating, loud rumbling in the intestines.

Dysbacteriosis. This is a reduction in the intestines of microorganisms involved in the process of food digestion. As a result, food is subjected to putrefactive processes, and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa occurs throughout. Dysbacteriosis can be caused by long-term treatment with antibiotics, which have a detrimental effect not only on pathogenic microflora, but also on normal ones. Dysbacteriosis usually manifests itself as loose stools until the normal microflora in the intestines is restored.

Some kidney diseases also cause digestive upset.

Constant consumption of low-quality, expired products or water. Such nutrition leads to irritation of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, destroys normal microflora, and the intestines react to this with disorder.

Ulcerative enteritis or colitis. Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the small or large intestine. Along with prolonged loose stools, the patient loses weight, complains of pain in the abdomen, often below, on the left; over time, streaks of blood and mucus appear in the stool.

Individual sensitivity to certain foods, most often fresh milk protein, gluten (cereal protein), or lactose, which is present in many medications. In addition to lingering loose stools without abdominal pain, the patient is worried about nausea and flatulence.

Crohn's disease. The disease is characterized by ulcerative lesions of all parts of the digestive tract, starting with the oral cavity. The cause of the pathology is a hereditary predisposition, and provoking factors are general infectious diseases of the body, including the digestive organs, or stressful situations.

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons, some of them require accurate diagnosis, instrumental examination of the body, blood and stool tests.

What to do if diarrhea does not go away

If diarrhea persists for more than a week, choosing the right treatment strategy requires finding the source of the problem.

First you need to measure your body temperature, if it is elevated, suspect an inflammatory process in the internal organs. Perhaps pathogenic bacteria, fungi or protozoan microorganisms have entered the intestines, causing inflammation and disrupting its functioning.
Look at the stool, determine its color, consistency, presence of blood or mucus.
Observe whether the problem is connected with psycho-emotional experiences or stress.
Analyze your diet. If the quality of food and water is beyond doubt, remember whether fresh milk, cream, ice cream or baked goods or pastries were consumed. Some people have an inability to digest milk protein and gluten.

The basis of nutrition during the period of indigestion should be porridge with water from rice, semolina, oatmeal, boiled or baked potatoes. Soups based on vegetable broths without beets and cabbage. Meat can be boiled or baked chicken, turkey, rabbit. Low-fat boiled fish - pike perch, pollock, hake - are allowed. You can have stewed and boiled potatoes, zucchini, carrots, applesauce. Day-old white bread.

For the entire period of treatment and for some time after, you should refrain from raw vegetables and fruits, dairy products, anything fatty, fried, spicy, salty, or pickled. And in the future it is better to refuse all those products to which the body responds with an allergic reaction.

Then consult a doctor with the results of independent observations. A gastroenterologist can determine the cause of prolonged diarrhea and, after an examination, prescribe the necessary treatment in this case.

Treatment of long-term diarrhea will consist of the following:

You need to start treating long-term diarrhea on your own by replenishing the fluid and microelements lost during the period of illness. For this purpose, pharmacies have a large number of over-the-counter rehydration drugs: Regidron, Trihydron, Gidrovit and others. Also drink more sweet tea, rosehip infusions, herbs, and still mineral water.
Enterosorbents - Polysorb, Smecta, activated carbon, Enterosgel - can be used to effectively help the intestines. These drugs bind toxins and waste products of pathogenic microorganisms and, together with feces, remove them from the intestines. They should be taken 1-2 hours before or after meals or other medications.

Why does diarrhea persist for 3 or more days?

If, after using rehydration agents and enterosorbents, diarrhea does not go away and continues for 3-4-5 days or more, you should consult a doctor.

Since a prolonged intestinal disorder can be caused by various diseases, drug treatment should be prescribed by a doctor depending on the type of pathology. Loose stools for a long time in an adult are a dangerous syndrome and should not be ignored. This may be a sign of serious changes in the internal organs, especially the digestive tract or endocrine system, and “non-intervention” can lead to serious health problems.

The very fact of having diarrhea can not only worsen a person’s quality of life, but also negatively affect his overall health. Diarrhea is always accompanied by discomfort and loss of strength, not to mention the situation when an adult’s loose stools do not stop for a long time.

To such a disorder, which lasts not just for days, but for weeks or months, the concept of “protracted” or “chronic” can be applied, which means that the problem is very advanced and will no longer be able to go away on its own without unpleasant consequences. Diarrhea is just the tip of a large iceberg, signaling less visible, but therefore even more dangerous pathologies. Prolonged diarrhea leads the body to dehydration. With loose stools, there is a loss of not only moisture, but also mineral salts and nutrients - everything that takes part in metabolism and regulates the water-salt balance.

This condition cannot be ignored, but diagnosing the cause, unfortunately, is not so easy.

Irritable bowel syndrome. This disease is part of a whole complex of intestinal disorders and can occur in two formats. The first form is systematic pain in the lower abdomen and frequent loose stools, which are uncontrollable and spontaneous. The second form in adults is bloating and constipation, which causes no less painful sensations.
Poor nutrition. And the point is not that one day a person ate something spoiled and became poisoned, but rather the systematic consumption of stale and low-quality food products, which are most likely contaminated with harmful microorganisms. Continuous loose stools may also be a consequence of drinking contaminated tap water, which rarely is taken to the laboratory for additional tests. The risk group also includes people who are intolerant to any product or component, and they don’t even know about it. This may be gluten, lactose or milk sugar, which is often found in even the healthiest and most balanced diets.
With this chronic disease, the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed. It is accompanied by prolonged diarrhea mixed with blood and mucus in the stool, pain in the left abdomen, rapid weight loss and even fever.
Crohn's disease. This disease is similar in nature to ulcerative colitis, which is expressed in symptoms such as prolonged diarrhea, weakening of the body and weight loss. But there is one small, but significant difference in its content: Crohn's disease affects the entire gastrointestinal tract, starting with the oral cavity and ending with the rectum. This disease can be caused by infection, stress or heredity in adults.
Dysbacteriosis. Prolonged diarrhea can be the result of a decrease in the population of beneficial microorganisms, which are always present in the intestines and help the normal functioning of all digestive processes. The cause of dysbiosis can be self-medication or improper use of antibiotics, which kill both pathogenic and necessary bacteria for health. Incessant diarrhea makes itself felt in 90% of such cases.
Infection. There are a huge number of infectious diseases that can cause long-term diarrhea: salmonellosis, dysentery and shigellosis. They are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature, nausea, vomiting and general weakness. If such a disease is not treated correctly, then the infectious agent becomes a chronic carrier, disrupting the person’s stool and habitual way of life.
Postpartum diarrhea. The entire period of pregnancy is accompanied by physiological and hormonal changes in a woman’s body, which make the digestive tract especially vulnerable. After childbirth, everything begins to return to normal, but this path may be accompanied by periodic disorders in the form of diarrhea. A balanced diet, proper rest, healthy sleep and care for observing the main rules of breastfeeding will help you cope with it.

Of course, this is not a complete list of possible causes of prolonged loose stools. If you discover such a symptom and diarrhea does not go away for a week or more, then it’s time to seek qualified help from a doctor who can conduct a thorough diagnosis of your painful condition and, with the help of additional tests, identify the exact cause and prescribe the correct treatment.

Loose stools are an unpleasant condition that can not only reduce the quality of life, but also temporarily deprive a person of full performance, which can directly affect his emotional and financial well-being.

Associated symptoms

general weakness;
change in level of consciousness;
dizziness;
fainting;
fatigue;
fever and chills;
flu symptoms;
increased heart rate and breathing;
shortness of breath;
weight loss.

When is it time to see a doctor?

Diarrhea rarely occurs as a single symptom of the disease. It is often combined with other clinical manifestations: abdominal pain, rumbling, bloating, false urge to go to the restroom, nausea and vomiting, fever, loss of fluid, which can lead to cardiovascular failure. If prolonged diarrhea in an adult continues for more than a couple of weeks, then it can already be confidently called protracted, and this is a good reason to come for a consultation with an experienced doctor.

Modern medicine allows for the most accurate diagnosis, which will become a reliable basis for developing correct and effective therapy. For an accurate diagnosis, an examination by a qualified physician alone is not enough.

There is a whole list of mandatory and desirable methods and tests that your doctor may prescribe for you.

The patient should not refuse them, since his health and well-being are at stake:

history taking and examination. The patient reports on all his symptoms, the number of bowel movements per day, his daily diet, medications used, as well as existing chronic diseases such as cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, etc. Even the presence of similar pathologies in close relatives is taken into account;
laboratory tests: stool (analysis, culture, coprogram), blood (general analysis and biochemistry);
colonoscopy, CT scan of the abdominal cavity, endoscopic examination, ultrasound, etc.

If you don’t know what to do, if diarrhea does not go away, then any doctor’s referral can save you from the danger of a pathological condition and complications, of which there are a huge number: dehydration, shock, acute renal failure, metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia and hypocalcemia, convulsions, bleeding, chronic diarrhea, etc.

Effective treatment

If unpleasant diarrhea does not go away for a week, then the person will need first aid, which consists of measures aimed at avoiding dehydration. Lost water and salts are compensated by drinking properly, including dehydrating solutions (Rehydron, salted water, chamomile tea).

You need to start taking appropriate measures already at the moment when you realize that you have had loose stools more than a few times and have not gone away for several days.

There are many popular drugs that promote intestinal motility if the patient’s diarrhea does not go away for a week, but they should be taken carefully and with the recommendations of a doctor, since self-medication can be fraught with unpleasant consequences:

The drug is prescribed for acute diarrhea not associated with various types of infections, diarrhea during travel, as well as for diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome.

Imodium is not prescribed to children under the age of 6 years, in the first trimester of pregnancy and in case of hypersensitivity to its components included in the drug.

Buy a pack of 6 pcs. 2 mg is available at any pharmacy for 230 rubles.

Used for acute intestinal infections. Prescribed for both adults and children.

Contraindications include: intestinal obstruction and fructose intolerance, hypersensitivity to the drug, etc.

A package of 10 sachets of 3 g costs about 150 rubles and is sold without a prescription.

The drug is used in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea.

Contraindications: children under 1 year of age, non-acceptance of components, presence of an installed central venous catheter.

A pack of 10 capsules costs about 300 rubles and is available at any pharmacy in your city.

Linex is a complex of bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and enterococci, which show themselves effectively in the treatment of acute forms of diarrhea, even in infants.

Contraindications: hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug or to dairy products.

The price at the pharmacy is about 300 rubles for 16 capsules.

Any drug treatment must be accompanied by compliance with the daily routine, diet and doctor’s instructions, since self-medication can help or harm a person’s health. If, even in the case of active treatment, diarrhea in adults does not go away and loose stools are observed all the time, then hospitalization may be necessary.

Traditional medicine can also contribute to a faster recovery, but you need to understand that it should be part of a whole integrated approach, and not the only way to combat diarrhea.

There are many recipes that can alleviate the patient’s condition:

Oak bark. 1 tbsp. The mixture is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for an hour, after which it is carefully filtered. The infusion should be consumed several spoons throughout the day.
Rice porrige. A decoction is prepared from rice cereals, which is taken orally in a quarter of a glass every 3 hours.
Decoction of pomegranate peels. Dried pomegranate peel is filled with water in a ratio of 1 tsp. per 1 liter of liquid and boil in a water bath for about 40 minutes. Should be taken up to 5 times a day, 2 tsp.
Blueberry infusion. Pour blueberries into a glass of water, bring to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes, filter. The decoction is cooled and drunk throughout the day as tea.
Chamomile flowers. Throw 1 tbsp into a glass of water. l. dried chamomile, the liquid is boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled and filtered. Take 100 ml before meals.

Diet and optimal nutrition

The causes and treatment of diarrhea are closely interrelated. But, regardless of the type of disorder, diet is of primary importance. Only nutritious and well-thought-out nutrition can help achieve good and quick results. During the period of illness, you need to increase the amount of fluid consumed, but exclude store-bought juices and carbonated drinks. Also, do not overuse fatty, smoked, fried, spicy and sweet foods. You can safely eat: stale bread and crackers, lean meat tenderloin and dietary fish, weak broths and boiled eggs, as well as porridge with water. It is better to replace dessert with low-fat cottage cheese and homemade jelly. As for the drinking regime, the liquid should be consumed in moderate doses, but regularly at equal intervals.

This regimen will help the body recover faster and with minimal losses and solve the problem of what to do if prolonged diarrhea does not go away.

Watch a video on long-term diarrhea

Preventive measures

Diarrhea can be treated, but it can also be prevented. To do this, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures to promote the normal functioning of the digestive tract. These include: regular hand washing with soap before and after eating, good handling of fruits and vegetables, using only fresh and proven products, caution in consuming exotic food or food whose origin you cannot trace.

Ordinary diarrhea can unsettle a person for a long time, depriving him of the ability to fully manage his life. Diarrhea should never be ignored, since even a slight manifestation of it may indicate deeper problems. And even complicated diarrhea can cause irreparable harm to health.

Arm yourself with patience and doctor's instructions and start a new day with a new approach to your health.

Note!

The presence of symptoms such as:

Diarrhea
smell from the mouth
heartburn
stomach ache
feeling of heaviness in the stomach
constipation
belching
increased gas formation (flatulence)

If you have at least 2 of these symptoms, then this indicates a developing

gastritis or ulcer. These diseases are dangerous due to the development of serious complications (penetration, gastric bleeding, etc.), many of which can lead to

LETHAL

outcome. Treatment needs to start now.

Read the article about how a woman got rid of these symptoms by defeating their main cause using a natural method. Read the material…

Most adults are accustomed to the fact that human stool should be hard, densely formed, and brownish in color.

And when the stool becomes liquid, panic arises, what to do?

First you need to find out why loose stools appeared, and only then sound the alarm if necessary.

Loose stools or diarrhea

Loose stools are a normal state of the body, which is accompanied by the excretion of large amounts of liquid feces due to the physiological needs of the body. A person should have stool every day or twice a day, but not more often. Normally, stool has a dense consistency, but sometimes it is slightly runny, but not watery. If a person has bowel movements more often than 3-4 times a day, then we can already talk about diarrhea or diarrhea.

Diarrhea is a symptom of malfunctioning intestines or diseases of the body.

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between these two concepts, but it is possible. To do this, it is necessary to take into account such criteria as:

stool frequency;
consistency;
color and smell;
side symptoms (stomach cramps, flatulence, pain during bowel movements, weakness, nausea);
the presence of inclusions in the stool (mucus, pus, blood, undigested food debris).

Depending on what indicators are missing or do not correspond to the norm, we can say that this is loose stool, but not diarrhea, or vice versa.

To distinguish loose stools from diarrhea, you can use the table below.

Frequency of bowel movements	1-2 times a day	3-4 times a day or more often
Consistency	Pasty	Liquid
Color	Dark yellow to brown	Yellow, red (with blood), white, black, brown
Peculiarities	Uniformity	Heterogeneity, presence of foam
Presence of inclusions	Possible clear mucus	Clear or green mucus, undigested food
Smell	Characteristic	Harsh, fetid, sour

If all parameters show that this is loose stool, then the adult has no reason to worry. But if diarrhea is diagnosed, it is better to consult a doctor to avoid the undesirable consequences of this phenomenon. He will tell you what to do in this case and how to treat diarrhea.

The reasons for the appearance of daily loose stools can be completely different. Namely:

Alcohol consumption. The liver tries to more actively remove “poison” from the body and therefore produces more enzymes that speed up the process of defecation. Because of this, feces often become liquid. It is enough to wait until the hangover passes and the loose stool becomes hard.
Allergic reactions on food components, or on individual types of food.
Hormonal disbalance. Hormones such as thyroxine and triiodothyronine actively influence the organs of the digestive tract and their activity. Problems with their production can cause the stool to become more liquid.
Constant stress and nervous tension.
Tourist syndrome. When a person finds himself in a climate unfamiliar to him and begins to take completely new food, the body first adapts to it and liquid feces is proof of this. Several days pass and the stool acquires a normal consistency.
Constant consumption of large amounts of plant products.
Consequences of long-term use of antibiotics, inhibiting intestinal microflora. Constantly taking them will always cause such a reaction in the body.
Infectious diseases, affecting the intestinal tract.
Intolerance to certain foods. If the body does not produce enough enzymes to digest any product, then loose stools will not take long to occur.
Often loose stools precede the moment of labor, as a way for the body to cleanse itself.

Diarrhea differs from loose stools in that there is a lot of watery discharge, trips to the toilet occur more than five times a day, the stomach constantly hurts and weakness is felt, symptoms of intoxication are noted, namely:

nausea;
vomit;
pale skin;
darkening of urine;
temperature increase;
stool mixes with mucus, pus, or even blood.

Diarrhea is already a sign of a serious illness, or a pathological condition of the digestive tract. Diarrhea can be caused by:

Infectious diseases such as cholera, salmonellosis, shigelosis, typhoid fever. Each of these diseases will differ in the nature of the stool, its consistency, color, smell; tenesmus and characteristic symptoms of the disease may be present.
Viral hepatitis.
Gastrointestinal bleeding. They are extremely dangerous for the body and are marked by characteristic black diarrhea.
Operations on the digestive organs: pancreas, stomach, intestines, liver.
Crohn's disease.
Diverticulosis.
Nonspecific ulcerative colitis.
Bowel cancer.

If the cause of frequent loose stools is one of these diseases, then you should immediately consult a doctor to stop the disease at an early stage.

Young mothers always panic when they see something in their baby that they are not used to noticing in themselves. And in vain.

A child's chair has different characteristics than an adult's. The baby may have bowel movements up to 15 times after each meal, and this is normal.

Frequent loose stools in infants are due to the immaturity of the food system. When the baby begins to eat like adults, then his stool will be similar to theirs. It is important to say that the consistency and color of feces in babies is unstable. It may be yellow, light yellow, with white specks, but absolutely odorless. Moreover, it should not normally be smelly. If, despite frequent bowel movements, the baby remains cheerful and continues to eat well and gain weight, then there is no reason to worry. It's just loose stools, not diarrhea.

If your stool becomes profuse, there are various kinds of impurities and the general condition of the body leaves much to be desired, then this is a reason to consult a doctor.

The specialist will prescribe tests and examinations that will help determine the cause of this phenomenon. A coprogram, test for eggworms, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, colonoscopy, endoscopy will help you find out what could be causing the liquid stool.

Further treatment will be aimed not only at eliminating the symptoms, but also at eliminating the cause of this failure.

Having identified a disease that has caused the appearance of liquid or semi-liquid feces, the doctor will prescribe drug treatment with antibiotics, anthelmintic drugs, enzymes, hormones, or whatever the circumstances require. But the most important thing and the first thing the doctor will prescribe is diet. The diet for loose stools and diarrhea should be as follows:

Wheat bread crackers, day-old white bread, dry biscuits	Bread and flour products	Other bakery products
In low-fat, weak meat or fish broth with the addition of mucous decoctions of cereals, steamed quenelles and meatballs	Soups	Soups with cereals, vegetables, pasta, dairy, strong and fatty broths
Lean meats, skinless poultry, steamed or boiled cutlets, quenelles, meatballs. Minced meat with boiled rice. Boiled meat soufflé	Meat and poultry	Fatty meats, pieces of meat, sausages, smoked meats and other meat products
Low-fat types of fresh fish, pieced or chopped (quenelles, meatballs, cutlets), steamed or boiled in water	fish	Fatty species, salted fish, caviar, canned food
Freshly prepared calcined or unleavened mashed cottage cheese, steam soufflé	Dairy	Whole milk and other dairy products
Boiled and steam pureed	Vegetables
Puree porridge with water or low-fat broth - rice, oatmeal, buckwheat, cereal flour	Cereals	Millet, pearl barley, barley, pasta, legumes
Up to 1-2 per day, soft-boiled, steam omelet and in dishes	Eggs	Hard-boiled, raw, fried eggs
Jelly and jelly from blueberries, dogwoods, bird cherry, quince, pears. Mashed raw apples. Sugar – limited	Fruits, sweet dishes, sweets	Natural fruits and berries, honey, jam and other sweets
Tea, especially green tea. Decoctions of rose hips, dried blueberries, black currants, bird cherry, quince. If tolerated, diluted fresh juices, except grapes, plums and apricots	Beverages	Coffee and cocoa with milk, carbonated and cold drinks

In addition to diet, it is important to lead an active lifestyle and stick to a daily routine. If you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, loose stools will soon acquire a normal consistency and will no longer bother you.

Video: How to stop diarrhea?

Frequent, loose stools that are passed more than 3 times a day may be a cause for concern. Regular loose stools, but not diarrhea, in an adult are usually a sign of illness, especially if there is blood, mucus or fat in the stool. In such a situation, you should abandon home treatment and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Check what diseases the symptoms described above may indicate and what are the causes of frequent urge to go to the toilet.

Causes of loose stools

Loose stools for a long time may be accompanied by chronic diarrhea. In this case, free (semi-liquid) impurities of a large volume are observed, containing traces of blood, pus or mucus, they occur more often than 3 times a day.

A characteristic feature is a constant feeling of the need to defecate. This disease can alternate and be a symptom of many serious diseases.

A factor in the development of loose stools in the morning and after each meal can be a disease:

Irritable bowel syndrome.

This is a chronic disease - its symptoms can persist throughout life. There is rarely the presence of blood, and there is also unexplained weight loss (despite the use of a balanced diet) and a feeling of fatigue. Often the need to defecate appears at night.

Colon cancer.

During illness, changes occur within the cells of the colon mucosa. Loose stools appear, which may contain blood (as a result of bleeding from the tumor). Often the only symptom of developing cancer is a change in bowel habits: diarrhea and constipation. It is worth knowing that the symptoms of rectal cancer are varied and depend on the location of the tumor.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis.

The disease consists of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum or colon. Its symptom is, in particular, frequent urges, which look like loose sediment mixed with blood. The disease is very dangerous because its complications can include liver failure, colon perforation and even cancer.

Crohn's disease.

This is an inflammatory disease of the colon of unknown etiology, leading to destruction of the intestinal wall. The inflammatory process initially involves the mucous membrane, eventually occupying all layers of the colon wall. Symptoms of the disease often include loose stools, weight loss and changes in the membrane (ulcers, abscesses, fistulas).

Celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine, the essence of which is gluten intolerance. In people who struggle with this type of malabsorption, inflammation occurs as a result of contact with gluten supplements. The consequence is slow damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine. A characteristic symptom of the disease is loose, pale, impurities with a strong pungent odor. Liquid stool is excreted from the body in large quantities.

Hyperthyroidism.

Excessive production of thyroid hormones causes the patient's metabolism to accelerate, resulting in frequent urination and diarrhea. At the same time, a decrease in body weight occurs, despite the fact that the patient’s appetite does not decrease.

Typhoid fever.

This is a disease that can be contracted while staying in tropical countries. It is caused by bacteria from the genus Salmonella. Fever and abdominal pain appear in the first week. In the second, severe headaches and dry cough are observed. Only in the third week do loose stools appear.

Cystic fibrosis.

Urination is free, severe diarrhea immediately after eating with a strong odor is one of the characteristic symptoms of this disease. Other symptoms also appear from the gastrointestinal tract: an increase in abdominal volume and blockage of the salivary glands with thick, viscous mucus.

Other causes of frequent diarrhea and dysbiosis:

taking medications - Many medications, such as diabetes pills, laxatives or hydrochloric acid antacids, can cause loose stools as an unwanted side effect of taking them. If there is a suspicion that medications are the cause of diarrhea, you should stop taking them and consult a doctor. Very often, dysbiosis is caused by antibacterial drugs;
consuming large amounts of sugar substitute (sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol).

Chronic diarrhea is a symptom of illness that lasts more than 14 days. During this period, the patient gives away more than 3 liters of fluid per day. There can be many reasons, ranging from food allergies to life-threatening diseases.

What to do if an adult has loose stools

Some patients trigger the disease. Diarrhea can last for more than a year. In this case, there is a high risk of dehydration. If you have loose stools for a long time, it is important to conduct a comprehensive examination to eliminate the risk of developing a dangerous disease.

At the first symptoms and frequently recurring diarrhea, it is important to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Drugs such as:

Smecta.
Enterosgel.
Enterofuril.
Activated carbon.
Imodium.
StopDiar.

The doctor may prescribe probiotics to improve internal intestinal motility (Linex, Bifidumbacterin).

If loose stools are accompanied by vomiting, the cause may be a rotavirus infection or gastroenteritis. Enterofuril tablets can help cope with bacterial damage. They have antibacterial and healing effects.

If you have soft stools after each meal, you are more likely to develop dehydration. You should definitely drink sweet tea or salted water in small portions. There is a special drug, Regidron, that helps cope with dehydration during rapidly developing diarrhea.

If an adult has loose stools, but not diarrhea, and has been bothering you for a long time, you should definitely undergo an examination. It will help identify provoking factors. You should not self-medicate. After all, the disease can lead to intoxication of the body, significant loss of weight and appetite.

Diarrhea is never an independent disease, but indicates problems in organs and systems. Diarrhea can be a symptom of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The greatest danger is dehydration during diarrhea, as well as loss of vitamins and minerals, and as a result, vitamin deficiency. Loose stools in an adult for a long time are dangerous, as they can cause hypovolemic shock if the patient is not given rehydration therapy.

Symptoms of chronic diarrhea

With chronic diarrhea, the patient experiences systematic loose stools 3 or more times a day for at least 3 weeks. If diarrhea persists for no longer than 3 weeks, it is referred to as acute diarrhea. With diarrhea, emergency, sometimes uncontrollable, urges occur. Frequent loose or pasty stools are accompanied by flatulence (increased gas production), rumbling, and abdominal pain. With diarrhea, fever and general weakening of the body may occur.

With diarrhea, the mass of unformed stool increases to 250–300 g per day, and the water content in feces increases to 60–85%.

With diarrhea, food becomes liquefied and incompletely digested, so pieces of food may be present in the feces. Depending on the pathogenesis, stool characteristics may vary.

Pathogenesis

What to do if diarrhea occurs? First you need to determine the type of diarrhea. The following types of diarrhea are distinguished:

Secretory diarrhea is profuse (more than 1 liter) watery diarrhea, usually painless. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the frequency of stool increases up to 15 times a day, no false urges are observed.
Osmotic diarrhea is a profuse, foamy stool in which inclusions of semi-digested food may be observed. Prolonged diarrhea is accompanied by abdominal cramps.
Exudative (invasive) diarrhea is liquid, light feces, in which pus and bloody discharge are often observed.
Motor diarrhea - moderate discharge with particles of undigested food.

Diarrhea can be infectious or non-infectious. Diarrhea is often provoked by long-term use of medications: antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, various laxatives, non-steroidal drugs. Medicines can cause mixed type diarrhea (exudative-secretory, motor-secretory, etc.).

Osmotic diarrhea

Due to an increase in the content of electrolytes in the intestinal lumen, water is discharged, followed by its retention in the intestine. Osmotic diarrhea is caused by:

An important difference between osmotic diarrhea and other types is its cessation after 2-3 days of fasting.

Secretory diarrhea

In this disorder, the secretion of electrolytes and water prevails over absorption. The reason for this may be:

infectious diseases (toxicoinfection, salmonellosis, cholera, yersiniosis, E. coli, staphylococcus),
hormonally active tumors (carcinoid, gastrinoma, VIPoma),
hereditary diseases (for example, chloridorrhea),
non-infectious causes: long-term use of medications and laxatives, acute poisoning with arsenic, mushrooms, salts of heavy metals, alcohol.

After eliminating the enterotoxin, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract improves, and the incessant diarrhea goes away.

In addition, a rare case of this type of diarrhea may be hereditary diarrhea due to gene mutation.

Exudative diarrhea

Persistent diarrhea in this form is caused by inflammation of the colon mucosa. The causes of inflammation are the following diseases:

tuberculosis,
diverticular disease,
ischemic colitis,
acute intestinal infections such as dysentery,
tumor processes in the intestines,
ulcerative colitis,
radiation colitis (radiation exposure),
vasculitis,
Crohn's disease,
adeno- and rotoviruses,

This form of diarrhea, as can be seen, can be infectious and non-infectious. Infection occurs due to the penetration and spread of pathogenic strains (for example, human immunodeficiency virus), as well as protozoa (amoebas). The non-infectious form is usually associated with ulcerative colitis.

Motor diarrhea

Irritable bowel syndrome occurs due to increased bowel movements. Often observed after removal of the stomach or parts of it. Food enters the intestines faster, and diarrhea occurs due to insufficient digestion.

A decrease in motor function is observed with dermatomyositis, diabetic polyneuropathy, and scleroderma.

Treatment of diarrhea

Since the causes of persistent bowel movements vary, it is necessary to determine the mechanism of diarrhea before treatment. If diarrhea does not go away for several days, rehydration therapy is indicated for all patients, regardless of pathogenesis.

With non-infectious diarrhea, the underlying disease is initially eliminated. Antibiotics are prescribed if diarrhea is caused by bacteria or protozoa.

Diarrhea associated with a hormone-producing tumor will require serious medical intervention. If diarrhea does not stop for this reason, surgical removal of the tumor will be required.

What to do for different types of diarrhea:

For secretory diarrhea, Smecta, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin, Furazalidone, Baktisubtil are prescribed.
For osmotic diarrhea, Imodium, Loperamide, Regidron, Codeine phosphate are prescribed; antibacterial drugs, for example, biseptol.
For motor diarrhea, Imodium and astringent adsorbents, for example, bismuth preparations, are used.
For exudative diarrhea, prebiotics and probiotics are mainly used (Bifiform, Linex, Hilak forte).

With diarrhea, as already mentioned, it is important to eliminate dehydration, that is, dehydration.

Rehydration for diarrhea

If diarrhea lasts for a long time, to restore the water-salt balance, use ready-made pharmaceutical preparations, which are diluted with water and drunk, or you can use a self-prepared drink. Add a tablespoon of salt and 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar to a liter of water, mix with a spoon of soda. The prepared infusion is drunk during the day, if there is no nausea and vomiting. The patient is supposed to drink other liquids: fruit drinks, non-mineral and mineral water without gas. Fruit juices are contraindicated.

With any diarrhea, regardless of pathogenesis, there is a disruption of the natural microflora, therefore the use of prebiotics and probiotics, for example, Hilak forte, is indicated.

Diet for diarrhea

For prolonged diarrhea, you should adhere to a special diet. Diarrhea for several days or longer is provoked by foods with a laxative effect. Following a diet will help speed up treatment. A gentle diet is especially indicated for secretory diarrhea.

During treatment, the patient needs to exclude from the menu fatty and dairy dishes, alcohol, herbs and spices, spicy foods, plums, beets, sweet foods, sauces, and black bread. Boiled white rice, white bread crackers, boiled or steamed low-fat meatballs, meatballs or cutlets, apple and potato puree are allowed.

Stomach pain and diarrhea occur most often due to indigestion and toxins entering the body. You should pay attention to the quality of food (especially expiration dates and storage conditions), the degree of water purification, personal hygiene (hand washing).

Diarrhea in an adult can be caused by lactase deficiency or intolerance to dairy products. With this pathology, milk should be excluded from the diet, in which case the diarrhea will go away in the near future.

What to do if diarrhea occurs away from home? A special form of intestinal disorder is traveler's diarrhea. Stool upset occurs due to changes in climatic conditions, food unusual for the stomach, as well as the penetration of bacteria and viruses. Tourists traveling to countries with contaminated water sources (Asia, Africa, the Middle East) should be especially careful.

When traveling, it is better to take simple filters for water purification, antibiotics and prebiotics. You should avoid dishes with raw meat and fish, unwashed vegetables. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees and bloody diarrhea appears, you should seek medical help for common viruses and microorganisms that travelers bring from vacation - Giardia, dysenteric amoeba, enterovirus, rotavirus, norovirus.

What to do if you constantly have loose stools, what are the causes of this condition and what to do to improve your well-being - the answers to these and other questions are in the article.

Why does loose stool occur?

Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is a pathological condition in which there is copious and frequent bowel movements (more than 2 times a day).

Feces are liquefied and watery. Diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain, flatulence, and weakness.

Why does constant loose stool occur? In most cases, the reasons for constant loose stools are quite prosaic.

The state of the gastrointestinal tract is especially affected by a person’s lifestyle.

If you eat fatty and fried foods for several years, exercise little, and experience excessive emotional and physical stress, then it is very likely that your body will malfunction.

The digestive system is one of the first to react to stress and poor lifestyle. In such situations, a person may complain that he is constantly bothered by loose stools.

If an adult has constantly loose stools, the first step is to exclude the possibility of an intestinal infection.

Pathogenic bacteria that enter the gastrointestinal tract produce toxins and disrupt the balance of intestinal microflora. Diarrhea is a protective reaction to the presence of pathogens.

Causes of loose stools include liver and gallbladder diseases.

Due to disruptions in the functioning of these organs, the absorption of vitamins and microelements necessary for the proper functioning of the body and good health deteriorates. Constant loose stools are one of the symptoms of diseases of these organs.

The normal functioning of the digestive system also depends on the production of certain hormones by the thyroid gland - thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

An increase in the hormonal activity of the gland (hyperthyroidism) leads to disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and often causes constant loose stools.

When considering the causes of chronic diarrhea, one should not exclude quite rare diseases - Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

These conditions are accompanied by constant loose stool mixed with mucus, blood and pus.

Lack of timely treatment can lead to exhaustion of the body and the occurrence of other associated pathological conditions. If blood and pus are detected in the stool, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnosis of persistent diarrhea

If symptoms of persistent loose stools are detected, it is recommended to begin treatment for the condition to avoid dehydration and subsequent intoxication.

Any intervention in the body should be agreed with a doctor. To make a correct diagnosis and choose a treatment regimen, you need to contact a gastroenterologist and proctologist.

During a general examination, the gastroenterologist will first of all clarify the symptoms of the condition. The patient may complain of frequent bowel movements (2-3 times a day) for more than 14 days.

Feces with diarrhea are copious and liquid. Diarrhea is often accompanied by bloating and asymmetry of the abdominal area. When palpating the abdomen, painful sensations are possible.

To make a correct diagnosis, the gastroenterologist will prescribe several blood and stool tests, which will help clarify the condition of the liver, gallbladder and identify the presence of infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

The reasons for constant loose stools may be hidden in abnormalities of internal organs. To identify possible pathological changes in the structure and functioning of the organs of the digestive system, radiography, ultrasound and colonoscopy are prescribed.

X-rays without the introduction of a contrast agent are not very informative, so specialists often conduct ultrasound diagnostics to exclude the presence of tumors in the abdominal area, which could lead to a malfunction of the digestive system and the appearance of constant loose stools.

During a consultation with a proctologist, the doctor will pay attention to the condition of the anus, traces of blood and pus in it.

To clarify the diagnosis, in addition to stool tests, a colonoscopy may be performed.

Such a study allows you to assess the condition of the intestines, identify the presence of ulcers, small tumors and polyps.

The colonoscopy procedure sometimes includes the collection of material - cells or tissues (biopsy).

A biopsy will help determine the presence of inflammation and precancerous conditions of the digestive system.

These pathologies can significantly disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and lead to the appearance of chronic loose stools.

Treatment of chronic diarrhea

Different approaches to the treatment of persistent loose stools are explained by the wide range of causes of its occurrence.

Since most cases of chronic diarrhea are associated with the patient’s lifestyle, therapy for this condition is based on changes in diet and adjustments to the regimen.

An increase in physical activity and a decrease in the level of everyday stress should be combined with dietary adjustments.

Thus, the diet of a patient with chronic diarrhea must include food that stops the processes of fermentation and gas formation.

The basis of this diet is dishes baked in the oven or cooked in a double boiler. To improve the digestion process and reduce the load on a weakened intestine, it is recommended to grind all food to a puree.

In folk medicine, for constant loose stools, rice water is used or rice porridge is simply included in the daily menu. This choice is explained by the strengthening effect that cereal produces on the intestines.

The danger of constant loose stools lies in the leaching of microelements and water from the body.

This increase in the amount of fluid is also associated with the need to accelerate the removal of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract.

Many gastroenterologists advise taking a course of probiotics for chronic loose stools. These drugs are created to restore intestinal microflora and improve the absorption of nutrients from food. Taking them has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and pancreas.

If the cause of constant loose stools is an inflammatory process of the digestive system, then the doctor will prescribe antibacterial agents.

Antibiotic therapy must be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor, who, based on the results of tests and examinations, will establish an individual dosage and develop a medication regimen.

Self-medication in such a situation can provoke a deterioration in the patient’s condition and delay the recovery process.

Prevention of persistent loose stools

Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Prevention of persistent loose stools is based on monitoring the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

One of the factors that provokes the appearance of chronic diarrhea is failure to comply with simple hygiene rules.

When E. coli or other harmful bacteria enter the body, the intestinal microflora is disrupted - the toxins produced by these microorganisms provoke a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to the appearance of loose stools.

Prevention of intestinal infection involves washing your hands with soap after visiting the toilet and before eating.

Due to the alkali contained in soap, most bacteria are destroyed and the likelihood of pathogenic microorganisms entering the intestines is reduced.

Harmful bacteria live not only on hands or household items, but also on raw fruits and vegetables, in water and in meat and dairy products.

Meat and dairy products must be subjected to heat treatment. Hygiene should be especially careful in the summer, as bacteria multiply faster in a warm environment.

When preventing chronic diarrhea, the main focus should be on diet.

Malfunctions of the digestive system are often associated with deterioration of blood supply to the abdominal organs.

To prevent weakening of blood flow to internal organs, it is recommended to lead an active lifestyle.

Fast walking, simple exercises in the morning or playing sports will help improve blood circulation and oxygen saturation of organs.

If you have had chronic diarrhea in the past, after recovery, it is recommended to visit a gastroenterologist once a year for consultation and examination. After 60 years, doctors advise examining the digestive system every six months.

Constant loose stools are an unpleasant and delicate problem that people often prefer to keep silent about.

But don’t be shy about seeking medical help, because timely treatment under the supervision of a specialist and following simple rules of prevention will allow you to forget about the disease forever.

Chronic diarrhea is a pathological condition in which bowel movements for longer than 2–3 weeks occur more than 2 times a day. In this case, the consistency of the stool differs from normal. This condition indicates the presence of persistent disorders that the body’s compensation mechanisms could not cope with.

What are the causes of chronic diarrhea?

Loose stools in an adult, which are observed for a long time, can be the result of a number of factors and diseases. They determine the course, prognosis and treatment of diarrhea. The main reasons for frequent bowel movements:

Diagnosis of the causes that led to chronic diarrhea should be carried out by a specialist. There is only one reason that the patient can easily detect and eliminate on his own - loose stools when changing his diet. It can occur with daily consumption of a triggering food factor. These products include:

A feature of this type of stool disorder is a clear connection with a change in diet.

Symptoms of diarrhea

The main symptom is frequent loose stools. Depending on the causes that led to chronic diarrhea, inclusions of mucus, pus, blood, whole helminths (roundworms) or their fragments may be observed in the stool. In this case, flatulence, rumbling, seething, and abdominal pain may be observed.

Constantly loose stools may be accompanied by extraintestinal manifestations of diseases that cause diarrhea. With cholecystitis, patients complain of a bitter taste in the mouth, with chronic alcohol intoxication - with a change in skin color, with infectious diseases - with an increase in body temperature. With the allergic nature of the disease, skin rashes occur. External signs of chronic diarrhea may include dry skin and decreased elasticity. Thirst bothers patients to a lesser extent than with an acute process.

Diagnosis of diarrhea

To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to know when and how the disease occurred, which preceded the increase in bowel movements. Information about the duration of the disease, the characteristics of its course, daily fluctuations (which complaints predominate in the morning, after meals, etc.) is also important. With palpation, it is possible to establish not only the localization of maximum pain, but also the presence of neoplasms.

Blood (general analysis, liver enzymes, antibodies, etc.), urine (OAM) and feces (coprogram, analysis for helminth eggs, occult blood) are subjected to laboratory research methods. The results provide extensive information for differential diagnosis. This method allows us to identify the functional state of organs and systems, the degree of development of pathological changes, their cause and course in dynamics. It is especially important because the arsenal of instrumental diagnostic methods for diarrhea is scarce (endoscopic methods, intestinal x-rays). Ultrasound in this case will provide little information due to swelling of the intestinal loops.

What to do for chronic diarrhea?

If you notice frequent loose stools lasting more than 2 to 3 weeks, you need to start treatment. The only factor that the patient can independently exclude is food. When consuming foods that are not suitable for consumption even in minimal quantities, they must be completely eliminated. Such cases include allergic reactions to foods and enzyme deficiency (lactase, celiac disease, etc.). They must be avoided. If you eat a large number of foods that in normal quantities do not lead to diarrhea, you need to temporarily exclude them from the diet. After a 2-3 day break and stool normalization, they can be eaten with a gradual increase in quantity. These dishes should not be overused.

To stop diarrhea, you must consult a doctor. He will conduct a diagnosis and find out why changes have occurred in the body. Frequent loose stools can be a sign of serious diseases. Timely initiation of adequate treatment increases the chances of recovery.

Nowadays, it is quite common that after eating some not very high-quality products, an adult may experience loose stools, just like water. If such a situation occurs, you need to clearly know what to do to get rid of its symptoms.

Table of contents:

What is diarrhea?

In most cases, diarrhea occurs as a symptomatic manifestation of a disturbance in the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, the patient’s body temperature rises sharply, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting begin.

Diarrhea is an act of defecation, which is characterized by a liquid consistency and can be repeated more than twice a day. Diarrhea can be considered the first definitive sign of indigestion. However, before taking any measures to treat such an unpleasant condition of the body, it is necessary to find out the exact cause of the appearance of loose stools. Bowel movements can be so copious and frequent that general weakness and dehydration of the body sets in almost immediately. In such cases, it is imperative to seek qualified medical help, where adequate treatment will be prescribed, depending on the general condition of the patient.

Features of digestion of food bolus

For a bolus of food to be completely digested, it takes at least 48 hours after eating. It is during this period that almost all the water is absorbed into the walls of the colon. If the integrity of the mucous membrane is even slightly compromised, then the process of water absorption slows down. Thus, more of it begins to be excreted along with feces. The process of defecation occurs several times more often than usual, and the stool is liquid. Diarrhea can occur due to an inflammatory process, an allergic reaction, or as a result of severe food poisoning.

There are many reasons that contribute to the formation of watery stools. If the disease is infectious, the patient’s temperature rises sharply. All this is accompanied by antispasmodic pain in the abdominal area and severe vomiting. In case of disruption of the pancreas or failure to digest certain high-calorie foods, the patient may complain of severe pain under the ribs on the left.

The main causes of loose stools in adults

Typically, human feces consist of almost 75% plain water. Everything else can be defined as a certain mixture of mucus, enzymes, fiber, some bacteria, epithelial cells of the intestine itself and all the remains of food consumed.

Watery diarrhea most often occurs due to damage to the mucous membrane of the large intestine or due to its contamination by pathogenic bacteria. This can happen if the quality of the foods consumed is not ideal for digestion processes in the gastrointestinal tract. The cause may also be a specific allergic reaction to a product or to some potent medications and certain chemical substances. People who suffer from mental disorders or are in a constant state of stress also often encounter problems such as diarrhea.

The most common causes of diarrhea

There are several main reasons for the appearance of loose stools in an adult. Among them:

disruption of fluid absorption processes;
intolerance to certain allergenic foods;
cancerous tumors;
pancreatic diseases;
ulcerative colitis;
eating fried or too fatty foods;
intolerance to fermented milk products.

Diarrhea and severe flatulence

Flatulence is the strong formation of gases in the intestines. However, this condition is not always a symptom of the disease. Gases are formed during the complete processing of food by special bacteria located in the large intestine. Gas can also be considered a byproduct of digestion. In any case, it must leave the body. This condition does not require any specific treatment.

It’s a different matter when absorption processes through the intestinal walls themselves are disrupted. In this case, food debris is processed by saprophytic bacteria. This is why loose stools appear in an adult. Sometimes watery stool may well be combined with quite strong flatulence. But it is not the excessive formation of gases that needs to be treated, but the original reason why the process of normal absorption of products through the walls of the large intestine is disrupted.

Watery diarrhea can be eliminated as soon as the underlying cause of the disease is eliminated. If diarrhea is combined with severe and constant abdominal pain, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. It is also necessary to drink plenty of water to avoid severe dehydration.

Main types of diarrhea in adults

Diarrhea, which occurs with various intestinal diseases, can be divided into the following types:

diarrhea with colitis;
for colon tumors;
infectious diarrhea, which can be caused by bacteria, helminths, fungi or protozoa;
neurogenic character;
characterized by a congenital disorder in the normal composition of digestive enzymes;
medicinal, allergic and toxic.

There are also diarrhea that appears in diseases of any other systems and organs:

endocrine - for disorders of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
pancreatogenic – for diseases of the pancreas;
metabolic;
gastrogenic;
hepatogenic – for liver diseases;
diarrhea that develops as a result of certain systemic diseases. An example is scleroderma.

Features of diarrhea in various diseases

Diarrhea in an adult can have a completely different character. Loose, watery stools primarily appear during acute or worsened chronic intestinal infections. At the same time, the body temperature rapidly rises, and signs of dehydration appear.

With such nonspecific diseases of the intestinal tract as colitis and enteritis, as well as after gastrectomy, patients constantly experience watery stools. In this state, you can prevent dehydration simply with plain water. It is water that can replenish all the protective functions of the intestinal and stomach mucosa. The temperature in this state rises only by insignificant values, and may even remain within normal limits.

If an adult has black, loose stools, this may indicate internal bleeding. Treatment for this condition is mandatory. After all, bleeding from any internal organ can lead not only to disruption of its activity, but even to the death of a person.

Liquid, light-colored stool may indicate damage to only the initial part of the intestine. At the same time, the stool is quite abundant, similar in viscosity to clay. If the stool is light-colored, then we can talk about damage to the hind intestine. In this case, the diarrhea is frequent, watery and foamy. This condition is quite difficult for the body. Body temperature rises significantly. Other symptoms of intoxication are present. Treatment of the disease must be immediate.

Treatment of diarrhea with medications

Treatment of diarrhea with any medications should first be discussed with your doctor. Self-medication is strictly not recommended, since you can only veil obvious symptoms, but not cure the cause of loose stools.

Two types of drugs are used for treatment:

Antispasmodics that help relieve pain and weaken the smooth muscles of the intestines.
Absorbents that thicken stool. They also collect all intoxicating substances and promote their removal from the body.

Diarrhea in an adult can also be treated with various probiotics. They are natural bacteria found in the intestines.

Principles of drug therapy

Any drug for diarrhea is used only if this condition does not go away within a few hours. Such drugs should be used once or until the symptoms of intoxication disappear.

For diarrhea, strict bed rest and antispasmodics are most often recommended. Symptomatically, Imodium and constant heavy drinking are usually prescribed. In more severe cases, hospitalization and drip injection of large amounts of fluid into the body are necessary.

Folk remedies

Before taking any measures to treat diarrhea, you need to establish for sure that it is diarrhea and not just an upset stomach. With diarrhea, loose stools appear in an adult, possibly mixed with blood. In this case, bowel movements occur more often than three times a day.

To avoid dehydration, you should drink a lot of water. Water is the sorbent that allows you to wash out all intoxicating agents from the intestines. In this state, it is worth limiting the consumption of fatty and spicy foods, alcohol, and fresh fruits. It is also recommended to exclude all fermented milk products from the diet.

You can stop diarrhea with simple medicinal herbs. This is the treatment of the disease with folk remedies. Everything you need can be easily found in any garden. Preparing decoctions and tinctures is also not difficult at all. Most often, in such cases, a decoction of oak bark is used. It serves as a fairly good antimicrobial agent. Alternatively, you can mix red wine with cherries, which are infused in a warm place and filtered well through a regular sieve. For an adult, it is usually recommended to drink one glass of this tincture 3 times a day until the symptoms of intoxication completely disappear. For medicinal purposes, you can also use a decoction of cranberry leaves and berries.

Special diet for the treatment of diarrhea in adults

Each person decides independently which method to treat diarrhea. Many people prefer drug therapy, some are treated with medicinal herbs. However, it is possible to significantly improve the condition of the body if you simply review your usual diet. For this purpose, special preventive and therapeutic diets have been developed.

Diet can be considered the most correct method for the prevention and treatment of severe diarrhea. When following a diet, you should exclude fried, salty, spicy foods, as well as nuts, any legumes and various dairy products from your diet. The basis of the daily diet for diarrhea should be soft and boiled foods that do not have a serious effect on the body. During this period, it is necessary to remember that the best remedy for dehydration is water. You should drink at least 2 liters per day. In order to stop diarrhea, you need to eat rice porridge, bananas, oatmeal, and boiled vegetables. It is advisable to drink sour fruit compote or still mineral water.

In any case, if you experience frequent loose stools, you should not self-medicate. This can only make the situation worse. It is best to consult a doctor and take only the treatment prescribed to you.