Diarrhea Causes and treatment

 What is diarrhea?

diarrhea

Of diarrhea or diarrhea occurs when more than three times a day unformed, mushy or watery stools occur. Reasons for this are as Pathogens or toxins that colonize the intestinal mucous or damage their cells. Thus, the mucous no longer fulfill their task of absorbing water from the digested food - the food pulp is more fluid than usual.
In the attempt of the body as quickly as possible eliminate the harmful invaders, he loses even more water and electrolytes (mineral salts). In acute diarrhea, the symptoms take a few days for chronic diarrhea symptoms over several weeks repeatedly occur in quick succession.
What can cause diarrhea?
There are various causes that disturb our intestinal flora and thus can lead to diarrhea. In addition to infections, for example, drugs or spoiled food can be the cause.
Diarrhea caused by infections:
About one third of all cases of diarrhea is caused by viruses, e.g. by retroviruses, rota viruses or nor viruses. In addition, pathogenic bacteria can stress our intestines and cause diarrhea so.
As traveler's diarrhea is often caused by E. coli, other bacterial pathogens are Salmonella, She belle and Yesenia. The so-called amoebic dysentery is however caused by a protozoan parasite, e.g. the long-distance travel in the tropics represents a hazard.
Diarrhea caused by medications:
Some medications can cause as one of the side effects diarrhea. Just antibiotics, which actually should eliminate harmful bacteria, have the side effect of diarrhea. Because they affect not only the "bad" disease-causing germs, but also to the "good" bacteria in the gut help our digestion and our immune system.
Moreover, excessive use of laxatives can lead to diarrhea. Treatment with toxicity drugs such as in cancer therapy, diarrhea is also a common side effect.
Diarrhea due to toxins:
For example, some diarrhea disease is not produced by bacteria themselves, but by toxic metabolic products of bacteria. The result is as Food poisoning by certain staphylococcal or cloistral. Even the heavy metals mercury or lead can interfere with digestion, which can lead to diarrhea.
Diarrhea because of a food allergy:
Allergies to certain foods may respond quite differently - a common symptom is diarrhea. In case of diarrhea as well as before and after the diarrhea food play an important role.
Diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease:
In chronic inflammation of the intestine also occurs often diarrhea. These diseases include Corn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or lucrative colitis. In these diseases, the intestinal mucous is permanently damaged by the inflammation and allows the water absorption of the digested food to meet very limited, so that diarrhea may be a consequence.
Diarrhea due to stress:
Stress can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract - especially in a difficult examination or before an important presentation, many people suffer not only from wet hands or nervousness, but also intestinal discomfort, diarrhea can bring with it
When to see a doctor?

If diarrhea lasts longer than three days, is very pronounced and the affected significantly weakens, a doctor must be consulted. This also applies if severe abdominal pain, fever or repeated vomiting may occur (see also chapter "accompanying symptoms, complications") when the chair is bloody, and of course immediately in cases of suspected poisoning.

Types of diarrhea

Physicians distinguish between acute and chronic diarrhea.

Behind the diarrhea sudden and usually lasting only a few days almost always plugged acute infection with viruses or bacteria. A typical example is the traveler's diarrhea. Medical examinations are unnecessary rule
Chronic diarrhea is associated with many different, sometimes serious diseases. Of course, a chronic diarrhea disease begins sometime more or less acute. The symptoms here but more than 2 to 4 weeks repeated or in batch mode. In between, they can subside. A chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as lucrative colitis may mimic an acute intestinal infection, so that is first thought of a pathogen as a trigger. In other cases, the bowel symptoms are probably a question of nutrition and improve if some bread and rolls, biscuits and cereals, pasta, pizza and beer disappear from the bill of fare. To suggest is that there is behind a Celia (gluten intolerance). But of course this needs to be clarified.

Diarrhea that occurs chronically is more than just an annoying irregularity. Because as resistant digestive and nutritional disorder can have serious health consequences. Therefore, the cause must be investigated in each case. Given a endoscopy, sometimes special metabolic tests and further analyzes are stool and blood tests required.

How it ever comes to diarrhea?

Essentially, two mechanisms are responsible: either gives the bowel due to inflammation increased water and salts, may also mucus and blood from. The secretary diarrhea associated does not stop fasting. This happens for example when viruses or bacteria are in the game.
Or remain substances in the intestine, as starch and fat from the diet, which bind fluid and lead to osmotic diarrhea. This diarrhea stops after fasting. Timer can here, for example, a recording fault of carbohydrates such as lactose or fructose (see chapter "causes chronic").

The main causes of diarrhea at a glance:
The lists do not claim completeness. The next chapter information about associated symptoms and possible complications of diarrhea, risk factors and prevention, diagnosis and treatment as well as the listed causes in detail.