Diarrhea (diarrhea) as a symptom: possible causes, treatment, prevention of dehydration. An adult has severe diarrhea: water, fever, vomiting. What to do and how to treat? How long does it take to treat diarrhea in hospital?

The problem of frequent bowel movements always takes you by surprise and can seriously spoil your plans for the day. Therefore, the question of how to treat diarrhea in adults at home quickly and effectively continues to remain relevant, despite the abundance of medicines offered by modern pharmaceuticals.

Secrets will help you solve the problem traditional medicine.

The concept, which in medicine is called by the beautiful word “diarrhea,” is more popularly known as “diarrhea.” There is hardly a single person in the world who would not encounter this ailment and would not try to eliminate it on their own.

In practice, treating diarrhea in adults often becomes a problem. Because even the best advertised medications are not able to eliminate diarrhea as quickly as we would like. Which for an ordinary working person means a lost working day, collapse of plans and unpleasant explanations with management.

And from the point of view of doctors, diarrhea is also a process that threatens the health of the body with serious consequences.

Treatment measures should be taken immediately if the following symptoms appear:

stool becomes frequent and loose;
the process of defecation is accompanied by pain in the abdomen - increasing aching or sharp;
V stool fatty glimpses are observed;
the appearance of mucus or blood in the stool;
increased temperature with frequent stools;
vomiting, nausea, rumbling in the stomach;
general weakness, drowsiness and discomfort;
dry tongue, increased thirst, decreased urine volume are signals of dehydration.

If these symptoms persist for several days, we are talking about acute diarrhea.

The persistence of signs of illness for more than two weeks indicates that the disease has become chronic and requires emergency medical care.

Types of diarrhea and causes

Diarrhea itself is not a disease; it is rather a protective reaction of the body to the invasion of pathogens - viruses or bacteria. Diarrhea often occurs after eating unwashed fruits and vegetables or untreated water. Also, malaise may be a consequence of individual intolerance to any substances.

Depending on the causes of diarrhea, the following types of pathology are classified:

infectious - the result of damage to the body by toxic infections, viruses or pathogenic microorganisms, for example, dysentery;
nutritional - a consequence of an allergic reaction of the body to an irritant product;
dyspeptic - occurs when foods are not properly digested by the gastrointestinal tract. The main causes of dysfunction are pathologies of the liver glands, insufficient production of gastric secretions, production of negative enzymes small intestine;
medicinal - appears after taking certain types of medications;
toxic - a consequence of mercury or arsenic poisoning;
neurogenic - develops against the background of strong emotional experiences.

In addition, fluid stool can be caused by accelerated intestinal motility, impaired absorption of liquids, and increased mucus production.

In addition to the discomfort caused by diarrhea, the long-term development of malaise is fraught with the body losing a large amount of fluid, valuable nutrients and salts.

Proper treatment at home:

There are certain rules of conduct during diarrhea that must be followed, regardless of what disease caused loose stools.

First of all, you should limit your food intake. In the first hours, it is better to refuse food altogether, and then take care of dietary nutrition.

Diet food

The principles on which the diet for diarrhea is based are based on reducing the load on the intestines, eliminating mechanical and chemical irritants, as well as foods that cause fermentation or increase the production of bile.

Nutrition should be gentle, but energetically complete. It is extremely important to take sufficient quantity fluids to replenish the body's losses.

Allowed to eat: boiled carrots, zucchini and potatoes, as well as mousses, jellies, jelly and light porridges with water. The preferred drinks are juices, compotes, herbal teas or water.

Medications

Sorbents - drugs that can remove toxic substances, as well as viruses and bacteria, will help reduce the unpleasant manifestations of diarrhea.

The most effective sorbents are:

smecta - the sachet must be dissolved in water and taken every 3 hours;
activated carbon - take at the rate of one tablet per kg of weight;
Imodium is an antidiarrheal agent that slows down peristalsis and reduces the frequency of the urge to defecate;
Linex is a probiotic drug that helps restore intestinal microflora.

Take antibacterial medications for diarrhea without the recommendation of doctors, it is not recommended, since in order to eliminate the cause of the ailment it is necessary to establish a diagnosis and find out what disease the increase in bowel movements is a symptom of.

Traditional medicine for diarrhea

IN initial stage for diarrhea, it is not necessary to use medications - the use of remedies recommended by traditional medicine provides an equally effective result.

The most common way to eliminate diarrhea at home is a decoction of pomegranate peels. To prepare the decoction, the pomegranate peel is finely chopped and boiled in boiling water. Take two tablespoons of chopped peel per glass of water. The resulting decoction must be drunk in two doses.

Dried shells from chicken stomachs also considered effective means against diarrhea, as they contain special enzymes that eliminate malaise. The film must be crushed before use. For one dose - a teaspoon of the resulting powder. You can drink it with water.

Folk remedies for diarrhea are appropriate only when mild form diarrhea.

Collections of medicinal herbs

Infusions or decoctions of medicinal herbs can quickly and reliably relieve the unpleasant symptoms of diarrhea:

Chamomile tea is an effective and pleasant-tasting remedy for diarrhea. A teaspoon of herb is brewed with a glass of boiling water, filtered and taken throughout the day;
dried blueberries - pour cold boiled water over the berries and leave for 8 hours. Take several sips throughout the day;
two tablespoons of dill seeds and a spoonful of wormwood are poured with hot boiled water and infused. Take before each meal;
mint is brewed and taken like regular tea;
several hawthorn berries are infused in hot boiled water. Take a tablespoon three times a day;
Chop the rosehip root, add 0.5 liters of water and boil. Take during the day. The roots can be reused to prepare a decoction;
A tablespoon of St. John's wort is brewed with a glass of boiling water. After an hour of infusion, you can take half a glass before meals.

To stop diarrhea, you should limit the intake of foods that irritate the intestinal mucosa or increase the excretion of fluids. These products include caffeine-containing drinks - coffee, chocolate, energy drinks, carbonated drinks, fried, fatty, smoked and spicy foods, hard-boiled eggs, sour berries, baked goods, milk and cream, cabbage, cucumbers, beets, canned food, strong broths .

Emotional shocks of a sick person are unacceptable - for recovery he needs peace and rest.

Disease prevention

To avoid recurrence of diarrhea, you need to remember the following preventive measures:

You can only drink boiled or purified water;
You should always wash your hands with soap before eating;
eating food that has undergone heat treatment reduces the likelihood of relapse of the disease;
It is not recommended to skip meals. Meals should be regular and nutritious.

Common Causes of Severe Diarrhea in Adults

Diarrhea is one of the symptoms of a number of diseases, so this manifestation is not diagnosed separately and is generally treated comprehensively. Before appointment general scheme For treatment, the doctor must find out not only the disease itself, but also the causes that are the causative agents.

Diarrhea can “take root” in the body of an adult for a long time, and the reasons why this symptom cannot be treated immediately are very different. Ordinary food poisoning, which does not have aggravating consequences, or failure of the gastrointestinal tract can be treated simply, and in some cases, for a full recovery, it is enough to adhere to a gentle diet. The most common causes of diarrhea are:

Colds and other diseases (gastrointestinal tract, infectious).
Malfunctions of the central nervous system, a consequence of deep stress.
Poisoning with toxic substances and food.

Seafood and fish. The cause of poisoning is some of the methods of preparation (dishes where products are present in raw form), improper heat treatment, expired consumption, violation of transportation and storage rules.
Eggs. Most often, people who love food from raw eggs, or soft-boiled.
Meat. The cause of poisoning is similar to those observed with the consumption of fish and seafood.
Water. Most often this is a liquid that does not undergo the necessary testing and cleaning.

With proper processing and compliance with sanitation standards, the infection that may be present in the products dies almost immediately.

Loose stools with vomiting in adults

Vomiting and loose stools are dangerous symptoms, especially if they occur simultaneously and are accompanied by fever. The danger of manifestation is the rapid rate of dehydration and loss of the body necessary for normal operation microflora, especially if the situation cannot be controlled for more than 2 days.

The cause of vomiting and diarrhea may be:

Infection. Dysentery, intestinal flu, salmonellosis or other infections can, when entering the body, create complex toxic poisoning that provokes serious consequences.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including those that are considered difficult to treat (Crohn's disease).
Inflammatory processes that manifest themselves against the background of the development of ulcers and gastritis.
Chemical and food poisoning.

Why is profuse watery diarrhea dangerous?

Dehydration

Dehydration is one of the most serious factors that can not only disrupt the work internal organs, but also cause serious modifications. If you do not take measures to prevent dehydration and do not monitor the restoration of the required water balance the person may become completely weakened and subsequently die. Dehydration manifests itself as follows:

The amount of urine decreases, its color changes from light yellow to brown.
Weakness and dizziness appear.
Blood pressure drop.
A state of drowsiness appears, turning into loss of consciousness.

Not treatment of dysentery, typhus and others infectious diseases, in which diarrhea and loose stools are one of the leading symptoms, can lead to the development of severe dehydration, which in turn creates a risk of death.

Dysbacteriosis

Dysbacteriosis is a condition in which there are disturbances in the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, directly related to the functioning of digestion. With diarrhea, part of the beneficial microflora is washed out of the body along with the liquid. It takes time for the body to restore the microflora on its own; sometimes, in particularly difficult cases, the period may differ in duration.

At the first signs of dehydration and dysbiosis, specialists prescribe types of treatment that help keep the body normal. As restorative substances, there are a number of products on the market that contain enzymes and microorganisms that are beneficial to the body, with the help of which the balance is equalized.

When to see a doctor?

Experts do not recommend taking medications for diarrhea on the first day. This physiological manifestation is explained by the fact that in this way the body tries in a unique way to eliminate the consequences of poisoning and malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, tries to remove toxins naturally. If diarrhea lasts more than two days, and the patient’s condition does not worsen, you need to go to the clinic. Which of the manifestations, in addition to diarrhea, are a reason to seek help from specialists:

If diarrhea occurs in young children or the elderly.
If diarrhea occurs for a long period elevated temperature which does not subside (+38 0 C) even after taking medications began.
When an allergic or psychosomatic reaction occurs while taking medications for the treatment of diarrhea.
If there is constant pain in the stomach area.
If diarrhea is observed complexly in the presence of other dangerous symptoms: vomiting, presence of blood in vomit and feces, sharp deterioration general condition.
If there are signs of severe dehydration.

What to do?

Diarrhea, while not an independent disease, belongs to the category of symptoms that, if they occur for a long time, must be treated comprehensively (if the cause is identified), or if the disease is not early stage Couldn't diagnose it on my own.

When using medications or folk remedies, you need to choose those that will help not only cure the symptom, but also protect the body from negative consequences diarrhea (imbalance, dehydration). If diarrhea appears against the background of other, equally complex symptoms, it is necessary to take a number of emergency medical measures:

If the reason was found out before the arrival of specialists, begin to carry out a set of actions that will help remove some of the toxins from the body: rinse with a saline solution or potassium permanganate diluted in water.
In addition to treatment, we must not forget about restoring water balance, so the patient should drink as much fluid as possible.
Organize proper nutrition.
Start taking medications (folk) remedies that will help relieve diarrhea and reduce the number of trips to the toilet.

Diarrhea, especially if it is frequent, is an insidious symptom and dehydration is one of the negative side effects that can cause serious harm to health.

To ensure that the body does not experience a lack of fluid, it is important to adhere to the drinking regime at the time of diarrhea. The list of permitted liquids includes:

Any quality water without gas.
Fruit and vegetable juices.
Compotes from fruits and dried fruits.
Lightly brewed black tea.

During the period of diarrhea, fermented milk drinks are excluded from the menu; these products are added after the diarrhea completely disappears and this is done primarily to restore the body's microflora.

An important point in the treatment of diarrhea and recovery of the body after its consequences is the organization dietary nutrition. Of the permitted products, which, by their properties, will accelerate recovery after poisoning and other manifestations that provoked the appearance of diarrhea, folk and traditional medicine We advise you to pay attention to the following.

Biscuits, crackers from any type of bakery products.
Steamed omelette.
Boiled porridges: buckwheat, rice, oatmeal.
Dishes with a minimum amount of fat (vegetable or animal origin).
Baked fruits and vegetables.

For babies during acute manifestation For diarrhea, you can give vegetable purees, rice water, and dishes cooked in water.

How to treat?

If necessary, if specialists have determined the cause of diarrhea in cases where the symptom has been bothering you for more than 2 days, treatment is prescribed, both combined and separately, in order to restore the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. To treat diarrhea, you can use substances taken and prepared according to traditional medicine recipes, or purchased at any pharmacy.

Medications

Although not a separate disease, diarrhea as a symptom can cause many negative phenomena, so in some cases doctors insist to deal with it first. Of the medicinal substances that can be purchased ready-made, you should accurately determine the groups of substances and their healing properties; this will be done by a doctor who has studied the nature of the occurrence of diarrhea.

Diarrhea is an abnormal condition in which frequent bowel movements occur, accompanied by liquid watery stools, possibly with admixtures of foam, blood or mucus.

In most cases this state does not pose a threat to human life, however, if it is not treated promptly, it can lead to dehydration of the body. This is why you need to know how to treat diarrhea?

When can you talk about illness?

Treatment of this disease a person needs it only if he is absolutely sure of his pathological condition.

Sometimes people confuse diarrhea with common loose stools, which were caused by poor diet or overeating. This is a temporary phenomenon, so the person does not require treatment.

However, if a person is faced with such pathological symptom As diarrhea occurs systematically, you need to pay attention to your health.

Diarrhea can be identified by two signs:

The urge to defecate occurs suddenly, their frequency is at least 5 times a day.
Feces have bad smell. They contain various impurities.

With this disease, not only the frequency, but also the number of bowel movements increases. Feces have a liquid consistency.

Diarrhea is always provoked by a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. Changes in the consistency of stool and frequency of bowel movements are a consequence of accelerating the digestive process.

The human digestive system is directly dependent on external environment. This means that diarrhea can occur for a large number of reasons, because a person interacts with the external environment every second.

Causes of the disease

Before you treat diarrhea, you need to understand what triggers it. Full list reasons for its occurrence:

Viral infections. Some viruses, when they enter the human body, settle in the intestines, thereby negatively affecting the digestive process.
Bacterial infections. For example, salmonellosis or cholera.
Insufficient amount of enzymes. The body slows down the production of enzymes during certain diseases, for example, pancreatitis or gallstone disease.
Intestinal diseases. For example, Crohn's disease or enterocolitis.
Tumors, polyps and other growths on the walls of the intestines or stomach.
Long-term use of medications. Diarrhea often occurs after prolonged treatment with antibiotics. The disease can also be caused by an overdose of laxatives.
Autoimmune diseases. For example, rheumatoid arthritis can cause diarrhea.
Intoxication. Diarrhea may occur due to poisoning with heavy metals or pesticides. Such poisonings often occur when a person comes into improper contact with household chemicals.
Internal bleeding. If a person's intestines are bleeding, they may have an ulcer. duodenum or stomach. In this case, he needs urgent hospitalization.

The patient will be treated only in the hospital. Also, treatment for diarrhea depends on the type of illness.

Types of disease

Infectious. We can talk about infectious diarrhea when it is caused by an infection or virus entering the body.
Nutritional. Such diarrhea occurs when a person takes foods that are contraindicated for him. In this case, the illness may be one of the symptoms of an allergy.
Dyspeptic. This type of diarrhea occurs with secretory insufficiency of the stomach, liver or pancreas.
Toxic. This type of illness is present in case of human poisoning with arsenic or mercury.
Medication. Such diarrhea can be recorded with dysbiosis, when the physiological intestinal flora is suppressed.
Neurogenic. Intestinal motility may be impaired due to prolonged stress.

When no treatment is required

If diarrhea is caused by one of the above reasons, the person needs treatment. In some cases, it must be urgent, since the patient’s life may depend on it.

For example, urgent medical intervention is required when intestinal bleeding at the patient.

However, medical treatment for loose stools is not always necessary. In most cases, diarrhea is the result of a person’s unhealthy lifestyle.

For example, it can occur in case of overeating or prolonged consumption of foods with high content calories.

Loose stools can also result from eating low-quality foods. For example, a person will definitely encounter such a problem if he eats a spoiled or dirty product.

Dietary errors that provoke diarrhea can be associated with eating foods that cannot be combined in one meal, for example, cucumbers and milk.

All these errors negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, speeding up digestion.

However, if the illness was caused precisely by these reasons, the person does not require treatment, because all errors associated with improper food intake can be easily eliminated.

Diarrhea can also be caused by psycho-emotional shocks. It’s not for nothing that people say that all diseases in people are caused by nerves. Prolonged stress, fear, nervous breakdown, anxiety, etc.

All this leaves a negative imprint on intestinal motility. What to do if the illness is caused by nervousness?

The answer is banally simple: a person needs to return to normal psychological condition. There are several ways to restore a sense of psychological comfort.

Relaxation therapy includes:

Breaking contact with the stimulus.
Taking sedative medications.
Herbal medicine.
Relaxation massages, etc.

This diarrhea is temporary, but if it continues for more than three days, it is recommended to start treatment at home. There are many ways to cope with this disease, each of which we will talk about below.

Sorbents

The first remedy that should be taken for diarrhea is a sorbent. Sorbents are effective in treating this illness if it was caused by an infection or toxin entering the body.

The sorbent envelops pathogenic bacteria in the intestines and promotes them rapid elimination from the body.

What sorbents can be taken for loose stools?

Activated carbon. This is the most common absorbent agent. Treatment of this disease with activated carbon involves taking 10 tablets per day (for an adult).
Calcium gluconate.
White clay.
Smecta. One packet of smecta should be dissolved in a glass of water. The medicine is drunk at one time. It is recommended for adults to drink smecta twice a day.
Bismus salts. The main purpose of this medicine is to thicken the stool in the intestines.
Lignin preparations. These medications are difficult to dissolve in liquid. However, one sachet of the product is poured into a glass of water. The drug should be shaken well and drunk.
Cholestyramine.

Sorbents not only remove toxins and viruses from the body, they also help remove excess gas.

Caution should be exercised when taking sorbents with other medications.

The fact is that drugs of this group can be removed from the body along with pathogenic bacteria and active substance previously taken medications.

However, if a person must take other medications due to illness, sorbents should be drunk after 2 hours.

Medicines that reduce intestinal secretions

These medications belong to the group of anti-inflammatory drugs. Treatment of loose stools with such drugs is prescribed if a dangerous pathogenic bacterium has entered the body.

You should take medications that reduce intestinal secretion on the first day after the onset of the disease. What specific medications are we talking about?

Diclofenac.
Sulfasalazine.
Indomethacin.
Metypred, etc.

Diarrhea can be treated with these medications for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, Crohn's disease.

Enzymes

It is necessary to take enzymes if diarrhea was caused by a slowdown in the body's production of natural enzymes. They are prescribed to the patient if the absorption process in the stomach has been disrupted.

For diarrhea, you should only take enzymes that do not contain bile acids. What medications are we talking about?

Mezim-forte.
Creon.
Pancitrate.
Pancreatin, etc.

Medicines that affect intestinal motility

The most common drug in this group is Lopedium. Such medications are taken for functional disorders of intestinal motility.

They are also drunk for diarrhea caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is not recommended to treat infectious diarrhea with Lopedium.

Probiotics

You cannot prescribe probiotics for yourself to treat loose stools; only a doctor can do this. Probiotics help normalize the intestinal absorption process, so with their help you can quickly cure diarrhea.

Also, drugs in this group have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and normalize its functioning.

You should resort to the use of certain medications only when as a last resort if diarrhea does not go away for more than 3 days.

However, as practice shows, the elimination of the problem of loose stools occurs after the patient makes some changes to his diet.

Diet for diarrhea

Treatment of this disease is impossible without following a strict diet.

Foods that should not be eaten:

Coffee and other drinks containing caffeine.
Food that is too hot or cold.
Grilled meat. You should also avoid any fried foods.
Fatty food.
Products that promote gas formation in the intestines. For example, beans chewing gum or sparkling water.
Full-fat dairy products, including milk.
Fruits, vegetables in raw form.
Nuts.
Whole wheat bread.

Why are food and drinks from this list Shouldn't it be used if you have diarrhea? The fact is that such a diet will negatively affect the digestion process, thereby aggravating gastric upset.

These products are annoying digestive tract, therefore, eating them during this illness is not recommended.

Foods you can eat

Low-fat chicken broth. It is advisable to cook it not from domestic chicken.
Weak tea.
Apple juice or nectar.
Bananas, baked apples.
Low-fat cottage cheese.
Low-fat yogurt.
Jacket potatoes.
Crackers.
Beef. You can lightly fry the meat before boiling it.
Asparagus, beets, carrots.
Mushrooms.

Is it possible to salt food? Yes, if your stool is upset, you can add salt to your meals.

Also, during the diet, the patient should remember that diarrhea leads to dehydration, so it is important to replenish the fluid supply in the body.

A person should drink water after each bowel movement, as if this is not done, there is a risk of dehydration.

You should drink liquid not only after bowel movements. A person can replenish water-salt balance in the body throughout the day.

This diet also has one more thing important rule: There is no need to load your stomach with a lot of food.

Traditional treatment for diarrhea

How to treat diarrhea at home? Diarrhea will go away much faster if you use medicinal herbs to treat it.

Dill water

This is one of the most effective natural medicines, which is used to treat indigestion. This water can be given even to newborns.

Reception dill water allows you to relieve stomach spasms, as a result of which the process of gas movement in the intestines is normalized.

To prepare this medicine, fresh or dry dill must be poured with boiling water. Dill is infused under a closed lid. Next, the liquid must be filtered.

Diarrhea will go away within a few days if you drink one glass of dill water per day.

carrot seeds

To prepare medicine from carrot seeds, they must be crushed. For convenience, you can use a coffee grinder. The resulting powder should be eaten one spoon before each meal.

Melissa

Diarrhea can be quickly cured with lemon balm, as it normalizes the gastrointestinal tract, improving digestion.

Essential oils, which are part of lemon balm, help remove from the body harmful microorganisms, which caused loose stools.

To prepare medicine from this plant, pour four tablespoons of the herb with a glass of boiling water. Next, 1 container with infusion is placed on water bath for 25 minutes.

After this, the infusion is filtered. You need to take lemon balm infusion three times a day, one spoon.

Garlic

One clove of garlic is poured into a glass of water. It is advisable that the water be cold. After this, the garlic should brew.

A glass of garlic water is drunk before the first meal, in the morning. For diarrhea to go away, you need to continue treatment for at least 10 days.

Useful video

Diarrhea or diarrhea is an intestinal disorder in which frequent bowel movements are observed.

Stool with diarrhea is characterized by watery masses of feces with a liquid or semi-liquid consistency. In adults, diarrhea is not considered an independent pathology, but a sign that there is a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract and the stomach is not working properly. Indigestion poses a dangerous threat to people that can lead to serious consequences.

Consider how to treat diarrhea at home, as well as what medications are used for diarrhea in adults.

Causes of diarrhea

The main causes of loose stools in adults:

intolerance to certain foods (allergic reactions, hypolactasia);
indigestion after a large meal with “heavy” dishes;
mild food poisoning;
stressful state (excitement, fear, fright, in which diarrhea is the result of the release of hormones);
taking certain medications (laxatives, antacids, antiarrhythmic drugs, anticoagulants, synthetic sweeteners);
traveler's diarrhea (associated with changes in climatic conditions and diet).

Such diarrhea usually goes away within 3-4 days, and the patient will most likely be able to associate the onset of diarrhea with previous events. However, the causes of diarrhea in an adult can be more serious:

inflammatory diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, hepatitis, UC (ulcerative colitis), ulcers);
infection with bacteria, viruses, protozoa (dysentery, salmonellosis, stomach flu);
gastrointestinal diseases unknown etiology(Crohn's disease);
functional organ failure (deficiency of certain enzymes);
toxic damage (poisoning with lead, mercury).

In such cases, it is not enough to simply stop the diarrhea: a diagnosis must be made and qualified treatment must be carried out, often in inpatient conditions. Concerning clinical manifestations diarrhea, they may be mild. This applies to ordinary indigestion, when in addition to loose stools, spasmodic pain in the abdomen and dyspeptic symptoms (boiling, bloating, severe accumulation of gases in the intestines.

Clinical features of diarrhea in the presence of acute intestinal infections (acute intestinal infections)

As a result of exposure to various pathogenic microorganisms, the functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted. In the winter period of the year, OKI becomes a consequence of exposure to viruses on the body, and in summer time– bacteria. Digestive disorders occur both due to the penetration of microbes into the intestinal mucosa and due to their production of toxic agents.

Diarrhea caused by acute infectious diseases, for example, salmonellosis or enteroinvasive bacilli, can last for a fairly long period of time. In some cases, this condition can even threaten the patient's life.

There are two main types of diarrhea in the presence of ACI:

Mixed with blood. This type of diarrhea occurs due to bacteria entering the intestinal mucosa and affecting it. Often occurs during the development of diseases such as salmonellosis and dysentery;
Watery. This type diarrhea is typical for acute intestinal infections, which are caused by the entry into the body of bacteria and viruses that can release toxic substances, for example, Vibrio cholerae. As a result, the intestinal mucosa, which has been destroyed by pathogenic microorganisms, begins to secrete water and salts, which then become part of the feces.

In the presence of ACI, as a rule, diarrhea is observed, which is in acute stage. With the development of certain diseases, for example, dysentery, diarrhea can become chronic.

In what cases should you urgently consult a doctor:

If severe diarrhea does not stop for more than 4 days;
When watery diarrhea accompanied by high fever;
if the stool is dark in color and has a tarry consistency;
When constant diarrhea contains mucus or blood;
if watery, severe diarrhea occurs more than 15 times a day;
when body temperature is below 36.6;
if your stomach hurts a lot;
heat;
if there is severe diarrhea, which is accompanied sharp pain in a stomach;
if there is a possibility of poisoning with toxic substances and poisons.

Even one of the symptoms is considered a serious reason for urgent medical attention for both women and men.

How to treat diarrhea?

If diarrhea occurs regularly, accompanied by pain, bloating, unpleasant sensations, if there is mucus and blood in the stool, and the frequency of stool exceeds 15-20 times a day, you need to consult a doctor and find out the causes of the condition. Only understanding the cause allows you to prescribe the correct effective treatment diarrhea.

At home, treatment with medications should only be carried out after consultation with a specialist! Incorrectly selected medications, as well as non-compliance with the dosage, can lead to very serious consequences!

Diarrhea poses the greatest danger to humans due to high risk dehydration, which can be prevented with the help of special medications, such as Regidron.

Regidron. Glucose-electrolyte mixture with a rehydrating effect. Used for diarrhea to restore lost electrolytes. Contraindicated in patients who are unconscious, as well as people with intestinal obstruction, hypersensitivity to components medicine And functional disorders kidney Not used for diarrhea caused by cholera. Sick diabetes mellitus should take Regidron only with permission and under the supervision of a doctor!

The following drugs are also used to combat diarrhea:

Acipol. A probiotic that helps restore intestinal microflora and takes part in normalizing the synthesis of vitamins K, B1-B12. It is used to treat diarrhea caused by intestinal dysbiosis, impaired intestinal motility and peristalsis. Contraindicated in patients sensitive to any of the components of the drug. average price- 250 rubles.
Activated carbon. A water-insoluble preparation based on animal or vegetable charcoal, which has detoxification, adsorbent, and antidiarrheal effects. Contraindicated in adult patients with ulcerative lesion Gastrointestinal tract, stomach bleeding. At simultaneous administration with other medications neutralizes their effect and becomes useless for the treatment of diarrhea. The average price for 10 tablets of the drug is 15-20 rubles.
Hilak Forte. An anti-diarrhea remedy that has a beneficial effect on the growth of useful intestinal microflora. Has a detrimental effect on pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic flora. Contraindicated in case of intolerance to the main and/or excipients included in the composition of the drug. In acute bacterial conditions, it is used to treat diarrhea. antibacterial drugs that destroy pathogens intestinal pathologies. All antibacterial drugs have a negative effect not only on pathogenic microorganisms, but also on normal microflora intestines.
Smecta. A sorption drug that has a positive effect on the body during chronic diarrhea caused by allergic reactions or exposure to infections. Not recommended for use in patients with hypersensitivity and intestinal obstruction. The average price is 125 rubles.
Enterol. An antibiotic with antimicrobial and antidiarrheal effects. Has antitoxic and immunostimulating effects. Contraindicated for women carrying a child and during breastfeeding. It is also not used to treat patients with hypersensitivity to the drug. The average price is 250 rubles.

As important advice It should be noted that diarrhea in an adult that has not gone away within 3 days is a reason to consult a doctor. Chronic diarrhea may indicate the presence serious illnesses, it occurs even in some forms of cancer.

It is also worth seeing a doctor if the temperature during diarrhea rises above 38, signs uncharacteristic of indigestion or poisoning appear: rash, jaundice skin and eye, selection dark urine, sleep disorders. Constant excruciating pain in the abdomen should not be the norm (spastic pain before and during bowel movements is acceptable).

Black or green diarrhea, vomiting mixed with fresh or coagulated (dark) blood, fainting, signs of severe dehydration indicate the criticality of the situation: it is urgent to call an ambulance.

How to treat diarrhea after antibiotics?

Treatment of diarrhea after antibiotics is carried out comprehensively and is aimed at restoring intestinal functions. Also the purpose therapeutic measures is to eliminate the symptoms and consequences of this disorder.

Treatments for diarrhea after antibiotics include:

compliance with dietary nutrition;
taking medications that correct the composition of the intestinal microflora;
prevention of dehydration and intoxication of the body.

Taking medications to correct intestinal microflora

To normalize the composition and properties of the intestinal microflora, patients are prescribed special medications. Depending on the composition and effect, such drugs are divided into several categories.

The types of drugs are:

probiotics – include cultures of living microorganisms;
prebiotics – contain substances that stimulate the activity of beneficial microflora;
synbiotics – combination drugs, consisting of probiotics and prebiotics.

The therapeutic effect of these drugs is to create favorable conditions for the growth of beneficial intestinal microflora and inhibition of vital activity pathogenic microorganisms. Active components These drugs take part in the production of vitamins and create an environment for their effective absorption. Also, taking such medications helps to better break down food and remove toxic substances from the body.

What to eat if you have diarrhea?

It is recommended to eat bananas, boiled rice, applesauce, crackers. Food should be boiled, pureed or steamed, without spices, fat and coarse vegetable fiber. You need to eat often and in small portions (preferably every 3 hours with a break at night). Daily consumption salt - 8-10 g.

Prohibited:

strong broths made from meat, fish, vegetables or mushrooms,
canned, smoked, spicy foods,
any flour products (except those permitted above),
everything sweet (intestinal infection disrupts the functions of the mucous membrane, so undigested sugars ferment and cause osmotic diarrhea),
any fatty dishes (rich soups, fatty meat and fish),
mushrooms (difficult to digest even in healthy people, because they contain the polysaccharide chitin, which is also found in the outer covering of crayfish, insects, etc.),
vegetables, fruits and berries, raw and not pureed,
whole (fresh) milk (there is a lot of lactose, see below for more details),
legumes (beans, lentils, beans),
carbonated drinks ( carbon dioxide irritates mucous membranes)
cold dishes.

white bread (stale or in the form of crackers),
fresh pureed low-fat cottage cheese,
mucous pureed porridge-smears in water (rice porridge is especially recommended),
boiled eggs or steamed omelet,
soups in weak meat, fish or vegetable broth with boiled cereals,
lean meats and fish in the form of steamed meatballs,
sour apples in baked, boiled, grated form (apple pectin removes toxins, and organic acids inhibit bacterial growth),
bananas.

If there are signs of rotting ( putrid smell feces, rotten belching, increased gas formation in the intestines) you should reduce the amount of protein in food and more often give porridges, slimy soups, jelly. If there are signs of fermentation (foamy stool with sour smell) you need to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in food to 150 g/day. and at the same time increase the amount of protein (cottage cheese, eggs, minced meat).

As you recover, your diet is expanded to include dry biscuits, baked goods made from unleavened dough, dairy products, fresh fruits (if they are normally tolerated).

For diarrhea in hospitals, treatment table No. 4 (according to Pevzner) is prescribed, during the recovery period - No. 2, subsequently - No. 15 (general table). There is a lot of information on this topic on the Internet, including descriptions, calorie content and even examples of dishes.

Prevention

To minimize the risk of entry into the body intestinal infections and prevent food poisoning, the following measures should be observed:

thorough hand washing with soap before eating;
high-quality washing of fresh fruits and berries, especially those purchased at markets and supermarkets, in running water;
competent culinary processing of products;
refusal of expired, low-quality or suspicious food products.

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is pathological condition, which is accompanied by frequent defecation of very thin, almost watery, feces. In this case, bowel movements can be single or multiple.

If diarrhea continues for 2-3 weeks, talk about acute form diarrhea. If profuse diarrhea lasts longer than 3 weeks, then we are talking about chronic form diarrhea.

Diarrhea is protective agent the body from viruses, bacteria and unfavorable microorganisms. However, for diarrhea, together with processed food products Large amounts of salts, water and useful substances, which inevitably leads to dehydration.

Types and causes of diarrhea

The occurrence of diarrhea in adults is due to a number of reasons. Depending on them, there are several types of diarrhea:

infectious diarrhea is caused by food toxic infections, viral diarrhea, dysentery.
Nutritional diarrhea is caused by allergic reactions to various foods.
dyspeptic diarrhea appears due to improper digestion of foods, dysfunction of the liver glands, lack of secretions in the stomach, and the release of negative enzymes by the small intestine.
drug-induced diarrhea is the result of the use of an excessive amount of drugs and their negative influence on the body.
toxic diarrhea occurs after arsenic or mercury poisoning.
neurogenic diarrhea is caused by strong emotional experiences, fears, fear of various phenomena and circumstances.

An adult can easily, without any special consequences, suffer from diarrhea that does not have a long course. Diarrhea that continues over a long period of time causes exhaustion, heartburn, constant rumbling in the abdomen, tenesmus.

Treating diarrhea in adults at home

Regardless of the causes of diarrhea, there are a number of general rules that get rid of it.

In the first hours after the appearance of loose stools, the patient should completely refuse food. And only then, when it becomes unbearable to endure hunger, is it recommended to drink in case of diarrhea? large quantities herbal or black tea, bird cherry infusion or blueberry jelly with dry cookies or white bread croutons.

A little later, the diet is replenished with slimy porridges cooked in water without oil and salt, vegetable purees, boiled and pureed meat and fish low-fat varieties. A decoction of white rice has a good astringent effect.

During the treatment of diarrhea, it is necessary to exclude from the patient’s diet raw vegetables and fruits, fried and fatty foods, spices, dairy products, alcohol, coffee, sweets, as well as anything that can cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract of the body.

A self-prepared glucose-salt solution will help to replenish the water-salt balance when treating diarrhea at home: 1 tsp per 1 liter of water. salt, 1/2 tsp. soda, ¼ tbsp. potassium chloride, 4 tbsp. Sahara. You can also use ready-made drugs - Citroglucosolan, Regidron.

At infectious diarrhea, as well as for irritable bowel syndrome, sorbents are used to reduce flatulence and remove toxins, bacteria, gas and liquid from the intestines. Drugs in this group include: Activated carbon, Kaolin, Calcium Gluconate and Carbonate, Cholestyramine, Smecta, Attapulgite, Bismuth salts, Bilignin, Polyphepan.

However, it must be remembered that all of the above drugs also have a binding effect on medications. Therefore, the gap between taking sorbents and other medications should not be less than 2 hours.

In these cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Indomethacin) are used. Drugs antibacterial spectrum actions promote recovery normal condition intestinal microflora.

If diarrhea is caused by the use of too many antibiotics while already existing disease, then the attending physician must either cancel this drug, or replace it with a more secure one.

In cases where diarrhea is associated with impaired absorption and cavity digestion, the patient is prescribed enzymes. Preference is given to drugs that do not contain bile acids(Mezim-Forte, Pancreatin, Pancitrate, Creon).

Treatment acute diarrhea in adults, in the first days after its occurrence, especially if it is accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting, it is carried out with the help of drugs that reduce intestinal motility:

antispasmodics (No-Shpa, Papaverine);
anticholinergics (Platifillin, Atropine).

Both in acute and chronic diarrhea obligate intestinal microflora undergoes changes that lead to its loss functional abilities. To restore normal digestion and absorption use:

preparations containing obligate intestinal flora (Lactobacterin, Narine, Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Acylact);
preparations containing particles of intestinal microorganisms (Hilak-Forte);
drugs that contain transient microflora (Baktisubtil, Enterol).

Treatment with folk remedies

To the most popular means Traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhea in adults includes:

thick jelly cooked in water;
black hot peppercorns;
chamomile decoction;
chopped chicken gizzards;
starch diluted in water;
cereals;
decoction of oak bark;
pomegranate peels.

The effect of using these remedies can be achieved within 2-3 hours, although in some cases the expected relief comes much later.

How to stop diarrhea in an adult at home

Diarrhea is enough unpleasant condition, causing discomfort to everyone who has it. Elimination of the causes that caused it and consistent treatment is mandatory and urgent. However, everyone wants to instantly get rid of annoying trips to the toilet.

Stop acute intestinal disorders within half an hour medications such as Lopedium and Loperamide will help.

You can quickly stop diarrhea in an adult using decoctions medicinal herbs, which have astringent properties (painting oak) and relieve pain and cramps in the abdomen (barberry spinosa).

Self-treatment of diarrhea is quite possible. But if diarrhea lasts for a long time, high temperature, the appearance of mucus and bloody streaks in the stool, dark tarry stools, severe pain in the stomach, you simply need to seek medical help.