What is diarrhea? Diarrhea (diarrhea) is a pathological condition associated with indigestion, in which stool has a liquid consistency and occurs more than three times a day. Loose stools are a consequence of increased intestinal motility (contraction of muscle tissue) or impaired absorption of fluid by the walls digestive tract, resulting in feces liquefy and come out faster.
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Digestive disorders are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, painful sensations in the abdominal area, elevated temperature body, weakness, lack of appetite. The consequences of loose stools are dangerous to human health and life. Thus, diarrhea is the cause of dehydration, lack of vitamins, minerals and many vital substances washed out of the body with liquid feces. Also, frequent bowel movements can cause the formation of hemorrhoids and many intestinal diseases. Diarrhea may appear suddenly and last from several days to several months. If the duration of diarrhea is no more than two weeks, it is classified as acute form. If it lasts more than fourteen days, it is classified as long-term, which gradually becomes chronic.
Causes of diarrhea
Loose stools appear due to dysfunction digestive system, and many reasons can contribute to this:
Depending on the causes, there are several types of diarrhea:
- neurogenic in nature;
- infectious;
- nutritional diarrhea occurs when you are allergic to foods or have an unbalanced diet;
- toxic diarrhea, the causes of such diarrhea are poisoning with chemical elements;
- dyspeptic diarrhea is called when enzyme deficiency pancreas, liver, stomach, intestines;
- medicinal, the causes of which are drugs;
- exudative - occurs as a result of diseases of the digestive system.
The nature of the stool depends on the type of diarrhea and the reasons that caused it. This means that loose stools vary in consistency, smell and color, and may contain various impurities such as mucus or blood particles. That is, the color of the diarrhea depends on the root cause.
Orange loose stools
Often the color of stool depends on what kind of food a person ate. Loose, orange-colored stool may occur from foods containing beta-carotene (vitamin A). Beta-carotene is found in large quantities in berries, vegetables and fruits of orange, red and yellow shades. There is a lot of it in carrots, pumpkin, apricots, melons, plums, nectarines, mangoes, cherries, as well as cauliflower, lettuce, and beet tops. This means that stool can acquire an orange color after eating food containing a huge amount of vitamin A, an overdose of which causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal colic and itching. Orange diarrhea can also be caused by the use of certain medicines eg rifampin.
Additionally, orange diarrhea may indicate some pathological conditions in organism:
- inflammatory processes in the digestive tract;
- stomach ulcer;
- colitis;
- hormonal disorders;
- pancreatic diseases;
- hepatitis and other liver pathologies;
- diseases of the biliary tract;
- stones in the biliary tract;
- cystitis;
- lung diseases.
Loose brown stools
Gray loose stools
Gray stool in an adult may indicate the presence of liver pathologies, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. Gray diarrhea means that there are problems with biliary tract, which lead to their blockage and disruption of the flow of bile to the intestines, and diseases such as:
- inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis);
- hepatitis;
- inflammatory diseases of the pancreas, for example, pancreatitis;
- stones or tumors in gallbladder and biliary tract, liver, pancreas.
In addition, gray liquid stool may have an unpleasant rotten odor caused by:
- disruption of the production of digestive enzymes;
- decreased stomach acidity;
- inflammation of the colon mucosa.
In addition, the formation of gray feces can be affected by the abundance of fatty foods, taking antimicrobial and antifungal drugs, contraceptives, gout medications. Allergies can also contribute to the appearance of gray, loose stools.
So, the red color of liquid stool may mean that there is damage in the digestive tract, accompanied by the release of blood, most often this is facilitated by: ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, infectious pathologies intestines.
Black loose stool
Black color of loose stool means that there is severe damage to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and the presence of prolonged bleeding. Black diarrhea is characterized by damage to the upper intestines, with loose stools having a tarry consistency and a very unpleasant odor. This type of diarrhea is fraught with a huge threat; it is often accompanied by black or scarlet vomit, which means that the body experiences large blood loss, which leads to a decrease in hemoglobin, pressure, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and coma. The causes of such conditions are ulcers, cancer, gastritis, esophagitis, Crohn's disease, varicose veins esophageal veins, histoplasmosis.
The formation of dark diarrhea is possible after eating any red food: beets, blueberries, black licorice, prunes. In this case, the consistency of loose stool is not as tarry as with diarrhea caused by bleeding. Also, the appearance of black diarrhea can be caused by:
- excess iron in the body;
- Activated carbon;
- bismuth-based medicines;
- excessive alcohol consumption;
- medical drugs, causing bleeding in the stomach (ibuprofen, aspirin);
- mercury poisoning.
White diarrhea
White diarrhea means bile deficiency. This means that there is a blockage of the bile ducts, which is caused by the following diseases:
- tumors and stones in the bile ducts;
- pancreatitis;
- hepatitis;
- liver cancer;
- cirrhosis;
- Crohn's disease;
- tumor formations of the pancreas;
Often the culprit of pale stools is malignant tumors of the digestive system. You should observe the nature of the regularity of diarrhea. In oncology it manifests itself in chronic form, that is, constantly. In other cases, white stools are short-lived.
In addition to organ pathologies, there are other factors that can cause the formation of white, loose stool. This is improper nutrition, consumption of foods light color or containing large amounts of calcium - rice, tapioca, milk, sour cream. Abuse alcoholic drinks also promotes the outflow of bile and the appearance of white stool. Another reason may be taking medications for gout, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Green diarrhea
Green color of loose stool indicates intestinal infections. These diseases are characterized by disruption of the intestinal microflora as a result of the suppression of beneficial microbes in the intestine by pathogenic ones, the growth of which causes fermentation. They are accompanied by a sour taste putrid smell, the presence of mucus in the stool. The causes of green feces are: violation of hygiene standards, treatment with antibiotics, consumption of spoiled food, unwashed vegetables and fruits. Feces can also acquire a green color after eating lettuce, spinach, sorrel, that is, greens.
Green stool may also indicate problems with the liver and blood.
Diarrhea Treatment Methods
The main rule in treating diarrhea is to drink plenty of fluids. Frequent bowel movements dehydrate the body, so fluid should be replenished regularly, every half hour. But you should not use carbonated drinks or raw water. Best to drink herbal infusions, decoctions and jelly, which have astringent, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions. The following are suitable for this: St. John's wort, rose hips, chamomile, blueberries, bird cherry, apples, pears, lingonberries, etc.
To remove toxins from the body, you should take drugs that have adsorbing properties - carbon tablets, Smecta, Enterosgel. Replenishment water balance contribute salt solutions, for example, Regidron. Until it is known what causes the diarrhea, you should not take drugs to consolidate the stool. First you need to undergo an examination. You should also consult a doctor if diarrhea does not go away for more than a day, is accompanied by abdominal pain, fever, or impurities in the form of blood and mucus in the stool.
In case of stool disorders, you must adhere to dietary nutrition. In the first hours after the appearance unpleasant symptoms, or better yet, for a day, it is better to refuse food, using only drink. The diet should contain food that helps restore the digestive tract. If vomiting is present, a decoction of rice is suitable. You can eat:
- rice or oatmeal;
- crackers;
- soft-boiled eggs;
- boiled meat or fish (but low-fat varieties);
- low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir;
- boiled vegetables;
- baked apples;
- bananas.
It is important that the food is pureed. You should avoid fatty, spicy, smoked, cold and hot foods so as not to irritate the intestines.
The composition of stool can tell a lot about a person's health. In this case, special attention is paid not only to its smell and consistency, but also to color. If your stool suddenly becomes black and runny, you should consult a doctor. A specialist will help you understand the reasons for such changes and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.
Normal stool color in adults
U different people The color of stool may vary depending on certain factors. This indicator is influenced by the diet over the past few days, the individual characteristics of the body, as well as the presence of bile. U healthy person The norm is considered to be formed stool, homogeneous and dense in consistency. Its color should be as close to yellow-brown as possible. A slight change towards a darker shade is allowed, but not black.
Any deviations from the norm should alert you. Changes in the consistency and color of stool usually indicate serious violations in the functioning of the body. Black diarrhea is an alarming symptom that cannot be ignored. This disorder may be caused by physiological reasons, and health problems. Let's consider each of the cases in more detail.
Physiological reasons
Affects the color of stool daily diet person. Certain foods (beets) can give a dark tint to the stool. However, they do not affect the consistency of the stool, so in this case there is no need to talk about diarrhea. Some coloring foods, when consumed in excess, still contribute to the occurrence of diarrhea. A prominent representative of this group is the well-known prune.
Black diarrhea may occur after taking it. However, the drug itself does not cause diarrhea. If the disorder already exists, and the patient decides to take activated charcoal, then the stool may change its color to black. This medication is not absorbed in the intestine, but acts as a sorbent. The tablet absorbs toxins and other harmful substances, after which it is excreted from the body.
Black diarrhea, the causes of which are physiological in nature, is not dangerous to the body. This is a temporary phenomenon that passes very quickly. The disorder does not require specific therapy, you just need to reconsider your diet. If diarrhea lasts more than three days, it is recommended to see a doctor and get tested.
Diseases accompanied by black diarrhea
Sometimes the coloring of loose stools black indicates disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. This symptom appears when there is bleeding in the stomach or esophagus. IN pathological process may be involved and duodenum. Blood mixes with bile. Therefore it changes from brown to dark.
The following pathologies can provoke and, as a result, black loose stools:
- Stomach ulcer. The pathology is characterized by the appearance of black diarrhea, severe pain in the epigastric region, vomiting.
- Gastritis. There are many varieties of this disease. For example, erosive gastritis often leads to internal bleeding.
- Stomach cancer. At first, the disease is asymptomatic and is detected only during a specialized examination. The appearance of black, loose stools indicates the progression of the pathology.
- Varicose veins of the esophagus. This disorder may result in black stools, but is not always accompanied by loose stools. The veins of the esophagus are fragile, so they are easily damaged by food.
- Polyps. These are benign formations that can be localized in the stomach or esophagus. Once they are detected, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, polyps can transform into cancerous tumors.
Any of these diseases requires proper treatment. Therefore, you should not delay your visit to the doctor to prevent complications from developing.
Black diarrhea during pregnancy
While carrying a baby, a woman's body undergoes various changes. Hormonal changes occur, the taste preferences and needs of the expectant mother change. Black diarrhea during pregnancy is not a rare occurrence. Gynecologists warn everyone about this in advance.
The reasons for such changes are quite clear. After conceiving a child, a woman begins to take vitamin complexes and various additives so that the fetus develops correctly. Very often they contain increased content gland. This microelement causes the stool to change color to black. This symptom indicates that all the vitamins that the expectant mother takes are fully absorbed. Their surplus In a similar way are excreted from the body so as not to harm the growing fetus.
When to see a doctor?
Stool disorder does not always occur without complications. When they appear warning signs, you need to urgently consult a doctor. These symptoms include:
- the presence of mucus in the stool;
- the number of bowel movements per day exceeds 20 times;
- increased body temperature;
- severe abdominal pain;
- change in human consciousness.
If black is accompanied by one or more symptoms from this list, you must call a team medical workers. Hospitalization is indicated for patients with such disorders. Already in the hospital, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the disorder and prescribe treatment.
Basic principles of therapy
Black diarrhea in an adult is a symptom of disturbances in the functioning of the body, and not an independent illness. After full examination the doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis. Treatment of the disorder depends on the identified disease, the nature of its course and the condition of the body. Taking diarrheal medications can be limited only if the disorder is caused by physiological reasons. In all other situations, a qualified approach to solving the problem is required.
For example, antibiotics and medications to reduce acidity are prescribed to treat ulcers and gastritis gastric juice. All drugs are selected individually, and the duration of their use usually does not exceed 10 days. A special diet is also recommended for patients with this diagnosis.
Black diarrhea is often accompanied by bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Most dangerous complication pathology is considered Upon detection tumor formations Surgery is indicated, and then a course of chemotherapy is prescribed. Surgery is only possible if the cancer has not yet metastasized.
If the cause of bleeding is polyps in the stomach, they should also be removed. Surgical intervention- This is the only way to treat the disease. After the operation, constant monitoring of your health status by a gastroenterologist is required.
Use of medications
Of course, each of us has had to deal with this violation at least once in our lives. In most cases, people do not pay attention to black diarrhea. Their treatment is usually limited to antidiarrheal drugs.
A popular medication from this group of drugs is Loperamide. It quickly restores peristalsis, but is dangerous for the development of complications. After taking it, mild intoxication of the body is possible due to the penetration of harmful elements into the blood. Therefore, immediately after Loperamide you need to take Enterosgel. This sorbent perfectly absorbs toxins and removes them from the body.
If your loose stools are dark in color, you should try to analyze your diet over the past few days. What causes diarrhea is easy to understand. It is possible that certain foods or medications may have contributed to the disorder. Therefore, you should avoid them for a while. Most likely, the condition will return to normal in a few days.
Therapeutic diet
During diarrhea, doctors, in addition to drug therapy, appoint special diet. It involves excluding fatty and spicy foods, canned food and marinades from the diet. Carbonated water and baked goods are also prohibited.
All food should be as light and simple as possible. Do not overload the intestines, which require a long rest. If you have diarrhea, you can eat boiled chicken or rabbit meat, rice porridge without milk. It is recommended to pay special attention to the drinking regime, because with diarrhea the body loses a large amount of water.
Help from traditional medicine
How can you get rid of diarrhea at home? Opponents of drugs prefer to treat stool disorders folk remedies. Among them, the most popular recipe is with To prepare it you will need half a glass of cereal. Rice should be boiled in a liter of water, allowed to cool and strain. It is recommended to take the medicine instead of meals five times a day.
A decoction of blueberries also helps with diarrhea. It is not difficult to prepare it at home. You will need to pour a tablespoon of dry berries into 500 ml of water, boil and leave to simmer over low heat. After half the volume of liquid has disappeared, the decoction can be used in medicinal purposes. It is recommended to take it once a day, a tablespoon.
Prevention measures
To prevent diarrhea and its complications, doctors recommend following simple rules:
- wash your hands thoroughly before eating;
- do not consume expired eggs, milk, etc.;
- wash fruits and vegetables under running water.
Every conscious person should know what causes diarrhea and try to avoid factors that provoke the disorder. In addition, it is necessary to periodically undergo examinations, and if gastrointestinal diseases are detected, begin treatment immediately.
Each of us, at least once in our lives, was bothered by diarrhea, which could happen at the most inopportune moments. Diarrhea is a pathology that is accompanied by a critical disorder of the digestive system. With more weak species The body copes with disorders on its own, almost imperceptibly for a person, however, with diarrhea, the body attempts to get rid of the hostile environment within itself by completely cleansing the stomach and intestines. In this case, the stool has a liquid consistency and occurs more than 3 times a day. The presence of liquid is explained by problems with the absorption of liquid by the walls of the digestive system. That is why the masses of feces are diluted and quickly excreted.
Very often, one disorder is not enough, since nausea, vomiting, fever, weakness and abdominal pain may also be present. It should be remembered that diarrhea is a very dangerous disease, since due to impaired absorption of liquid by the walls of the digestive system, water, vitamins, minerals and other vital substances cease to enter the body. important components food. Diarrhea can begin at any time and last from several days to several months. The form of diarrhea becomes acute if the diarrhea continues for more than two weeks, which means more than detailed study and changing treatment methods.
Causes of diarrhea, what can cause diarrhea?
The following factors can contribute to the appearance of loose stools:
1 Infection with viruses or bacteria can cause diarrhea;
2 Eating spoiled food that contains pathogenic bacterial flora;
3 The presence of a large number of stressful situations in life;
4 Significant overeating can cause diarrhea;
5 Certain form of allergy;
6 Chronic diseases sometimes cause symptoms such as diarrhea;
8 Individual intolerance to certain foods, or more precisely, their enzymes;
9 Insufficiently washed food plant origin;
10 Drinking water poor quality may cause frequent loose stools;
11 Poor nutrition, when the body lacks certain elements;
12 Long-term use of antibiotics or other drugs that suppress microflora;
13 Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis, colitis and others;
14 Poisoning with a large number of toxins, for example, poisonous mushrooms or chemicals;
15 Eating large amounts of fiber, for example, with vegetables and fruits, which in itself enhances the contractile function of the digestive system.
The main types of diarrhea, what kind of diarrhea can it be?
Each of the above causes of diarrhea causes one of the following types diarrhea:
1 Exudative, occurring in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
2 Medication-induced, typical when using drugs that violate normal microflora intestines;
3 Alimentary, which occurs when an allergy or malnutrition factor is present;
4 Infectious, appearing along with infection of the body by certain viruses;
5 Neurogenic;
6 Toxic, caused by the consumption of poisons and chemicals;
7 Dyspeptic, when there is enzyme deficiency.
It should be noted that the causes of diarrhea are determined by certain characteristics that are different for each type, by which one or another type of diarrhea can be identified. Thus, the consistency, smell, color, presence of impurities and others can be different.
Brown diarrhea, why brown diarrhea appears, reasons
It should be noted that the presence of feces dark- Brown indicates the predominant consumption of meat and its derivatives. The stool becomes light brown when eating a large amount of food of the vegetable or dairy categories. It is considered the most dangerous if an almost beige color of the stool has become noticeable, which indicates critical violations in liver function.
Gray color diarrhea, causes of gray color diarrhea
If an adult begins to suffer from diarrhea, in which the stool takes on a gray tint, then it is necessary to sound the alarm immediately, as this may indicate dangerous diseases liver, in particular hepatitis and even cirrhosis. Also, the gray color of stool during diarrhea can signal pathologies of the bile ducts, their blockage, which can lead to a cessation of the supply of bile to the intestines. The following deviations may be prerequisites for the development of this type of event:
1 Problems with the gallbladder, in particular cholecystitis;
2 Presence of stones or cancer in the gall bladder, bile ducts or liver;
3 Various inflammatory phenomena similar to pancreatitis;
4 Crohn's disease.
In addition to the above grey colour Fecal diarrhea can be caused by eating large amounts of very fatty foods. Also antimicrobial and antifungal drugs internal use may cause faeces to turn gray.
Red diarrhea, why red diarrhea may appear
The predominance of red color in liquid and even dense feces during diarrhea is the most dangerous phenomenon, since in this case it may indicate the presence of hidden internal bleeding, requiring immediate medical intervention. Most often this is a consequence of the destructive effects of development malignant tumors in the digestive organs. This can also be caused by a variety of acute inflammatory processes that disrupt the integrity of the mucous membranes. It should be noted that the intensity of the shade can determine the approximate source of bleeding or inflammation. Thus, the dark red, almost black color of the diarrhea indicates that there is damage to the right half of the colon, and if the stool is bright red, one can judge that there is damage to the lower region of the intestine. A weak red color can usually appear with hemorrhoids or anal fissures.
However, you should not sound the alarm prematurely, since the first thing you need to do is remember what you ate in the last 24 hours. If your diet included tomatoes, beets or calcium-containing preparations, you can calm down until your next trip to the toilet.
Green diarrhea, why do frequent loose green stools appear?
The green color of stool during diarrhea is characteristic of intestinal infections, which lead to an imbalance of the beneficial microflora of the digestive system relative to the harmful one. It should be noted that pathogenic microflora is constantly present in the body, but it is always suppressed by beneficial bacteria.
Green stools, green diarrhea, usually sour smell rot and inclusions of mucus. A dangerous component of the causes of green diarrhea is lack of personal hygiene, previous treatment antibiotic drugs, consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits, problems with the liver, blood composition, as well as consumption of partially spoiled food. IN in good condition body green color feces can be acquired if a significant amount of greens was eaten the day before, that is, spinach, lettuce, sorrel and others.
Black diarrhea, causes of black diarrhea
Black or loose stool is a sign serious damage walls of the gastrointestinal tract with prolonged bleeding. The color of diarrhea turns black because before leaving the body through diarrhea, the blood has time to bake and become almost black. Also, the black color of stool during diarrhea predominates in cases of significant damage. upper regions intestines, while the consistency of the stool turns into tar-like with an incredibly foul odor. Very often, such diarrhea is accompanied by black vomit, which poses a huge threat to human life, since this means that this moment very significant blood loss occurs, even leading to coma. However, there is also a safe side to black diarrhea, which is associated with the usual use of activated carbon, alcohol, bismuth-based medications and others.
White or pale color with diarrhea, causes
Typically, the white color with diarrhea appears due to the presence of bile insufficiency, which can be caused by the above-mentioned pathologies of the gallbladder, bile ducts and liver. Also, the pale color of diarrhea is influenced by the presence of malignant tumors of any of the organs involved in digestion. In this case, it is necessary to carefully monitor the regularity of manifestations of diarrhea, since when oncological diseases diarrhea becomes constant and almost chronic. In other cases, the symptoms of diarrhea with white or pale stools are short-term, in most cases one-time. This can be caused by poor diet, consumption of large amounts of rice, dairy products or alcohol abuse.
Orange diarrhea, causes of orange diarrhea
In many ways, the color of stool during diarrhea depends on what the person ate the day before. The orange color of diarrhea begins to predominate in the stool after eating foods containing large amounts of vitamin A. This vitamin is most found in plant foods that are orange, red or yellow in color. It could be pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, apricot, melon, nectarine, plum and many others. It should be noted that an overdose of vitamin A in the body is fraught with nausea, vomiting, intestinal colic, and itching. Next reason appearance orange color feces with diarrhea may be taking medications that stop some gastrointestinal processes.
In addition to all of the above, the following body pathologies can be the causes of orange loose stools:
1 Availability of any inflammatory processes in the digestive system;
3 Hormonal imbalances;
4 Diseases related to bile drainage pathways;
5 Pulmonary diseases;
6 Cystitis in various forms;
8 It can often occur in women during menopause.
How to treat diarrhea, prevention and treatment of diarrhea, what to do to quickly get rid of loose stools?
Since diarrhea disrupts the absorption of water and other microelements through the walls of the digestive system, the first thing you should do is start drinking plenty of fluids. Otherwise, it threatens to dehydrate the body. Under no circumstances should you drink carbonated drinks or raw water for these purposes. Herbal infusions and herbal teas are most suitable for replenishing the water balance in the body, which, in addition to their main purpose, will help in the fight against the very cause of diarrhea.
For diarrhea, you also need to adhere to a delicate diet that does not contain anything heavy or difficult for the digestive system. It is advisable that the food be crushed as much as possible before direct consumption. In the first few hours after the first loose stool, it is better to avoid eating altogether and only drink plenty of fluids every half hour to prevent repeated urges and dehydration. Taking stool-fixing drugs is not recommended until the root cause of its occurrence has been established, since there is a possibility of not only useless treatment, but also causing even more harm to the body. You should consult a doctor immediately if loose stools do not pass within 24 hours, the temperature rises, or there is blood or mucus in the stool.
Undigested food remains, harmful substances and toxins are removed from the gastrointestinal tract with feces. Normal bowel movements occur 1-2 times a day. But if you have to run to the toilet more than 4 times a day, a feeling of discomfort arises in the stomach, and the stool becomes liquid and changes color - this is diarrhea, or more simply, diarrhea. Green diarrhea in an adult there is a various reasons and signals problems in the body.
Causes of green diarrhea in adults
Feces can tell a lot about the state of the human body. Diarrhea and change in stool color are alarm signals about problems in the gastrointestinal tract. If a change in the consistency of stool is accompanied by inclusions of mucus and blood, acute pain, nausea and vomiting, or fever, you should immediately consult a doctor.
The mechanism of diarrhea is inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract. The intestinal wall secretes an inflammatory secretion, peristalsis becomes more active, and fluid absorption in the large intestine is disrupted. As a result, cramps and pain appear in the abdomen, and the abundant removal of water from the body makes the stool loose.
Green diarrhea occurs due to:
- Eating habits. In rare cases, stool may acquire a greenish tint due to abundant consumption of greens and fresh vegetables.
- Excessive consumption of drinks, sweets and foods with bright colors food coloring may also temporarily change the color of your stool. Much more dangerous food poisoning And allergic reactions. Alimentary diarrhea is a consequence gross violation nutrition rules. Green diarrhea can be caused by overeating, rapid swallowing of unchewed pieces, absorption cold water in one gulp immediately after eating, absorbing large volumes of rough and fatty foods.
- Sometimes the gastrointestinal tract responds with an allergic reaction to citrus fruits, strawberries, greenhouse vegetables, eggs and other products.
Alimentary diarrhea is characterized by thinning and changing the color of the stool from brownish to various shades of green. Particles of undigested food and mucus are found in the stool. At laboratory research stool reveals the presence of eosinophils.
With an allergic nature, diarrhea may appear skin rashes according to the type of urticaria, allergic conjunctivitis or even Quincke's edema.
We can talk about bacterial diarrhea when there are several sick people at the same time. Viral/infectious/bacterial diarrhea develops for various reasons. If diarrhea occurs 12 hours after eating, it can be assumed that the food contains staphylococcal exotoxin and similar substances. In salmonellosis incubation period- three days. The essence of viral diarrhea is the introduction pathogenic microorganisms into the wall of the colon. Activity pathogenic microbes leads to inflammation and swelling of the intestines, irritation of the mucous membranes, and the appearance of ulcers.
The patient feels sharp pains in the stomach, frequent urge to defecate, dehydration occurs. The stool is liquid, foamy, often taking on shades of green. The appearance of blood in the stool is possible with dysentery. The patient feels weakness, headache and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting.
Often this type of stomach upset occurs when there is a change in environment. There is even a term called "traveler's diarrhea." Green diarrhea begins 3-5 days after going on vacation and is provoked by rotavirus, adeno- or astrovirus. In fact, there are many more causative agents of the disease and they can provoke diseases such as cholera, dysentery, etc.
Don't put off visiting your doctor. At acute manifestations diseases must be caused ambulance.
Toxic diarrhea is a consequence of poisoning with toxic substances, most often arsenic or mercury. As with other types of diarrhea, bloating occurs, stool becomes thin, stool becomes dark in color, headaches and vomiting appear. Distinctive characteristics toxic diarrhea - cramps in calf muscles, a feeling of dryness in the throat is accompanied by profuse salivation.
Drug-induced diarrhea – Negative consequences taking medications. It happens that diarrhea develops due to excessive use of laxatives. Some drugs have the property of driving water through the cell membrane, which can affect the consistency and color of stool. Iron-containing drugs give the stool a dark green or even black color.
The range of drugs that can affect the density and color of stool is quite wide. Taking some medicines provokes the development of dysbacteriosis. Disturbance of the bacterial balance in the intestine is characterized by frequent watery stools with undigested pieces of food, abdominal pain, flatulence, general dehydration.
Dyspeptic diarrhea may be a consequence functional disorders work of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient feels heaviness and pain in the abdomen, suffers from flatulence, diarrhea lasts for at least two weeks in a row and is chronic.
Required drug treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
Neurogenic diarrhea - a consequence of malfunctions nervous system. Diarrhea occurs under the influence of negative emotions.
The cause of green stool in adults can be bleeding in the digestive tract. Blood entering the intestines changes its color and turns the stool black or green.
First aid for diarrhea
Diarrhea occurs due to inflammatory processes in the intestines and leads to impaired digestive function and reduces digestibility useful substances, reduces metabolism. At the same time, the volume of stool increases. You can provide first aid to an adult with diarrhea at home, but it is better to consult a doctor.
In difficult cases - with increased temperature, dehydration, acute pain in the abdomen and other symptoms, you should call an ambulance and undergo treatment in a hospital.
If green diarrhea in an adult is a consequence of fermentation, you can get by with diet and the use of sorbents. From 1 to 3 days you should get by with crackers and strong tea, then you can proceed to taking rice water, boiled rice, boiled potatoes and baked apples.
With diarrhea, especially in combination with vomiting, there is a risk of dehydration. It can be stopped by drinking water. However, it is not recommended to drink in one gulp. Taking fluids this way will only worsen the symptoms. They drink water slowly in small sips with five-minute breaks. You can stop the process of dehydration and calm your stomach with saline solution. You can dissolve a packet of enterodesis in water or apply the solution yourself. To do this, stir in cooled to room temperature salt and sugar in water in a ratio of 1:2, and add a little baking soda.
Activated carbon effectively helps reduce the fermentation process in the gastrointestinal tract. It is taken at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight twice a day.
The use of Enterosgel and other sorbents is effective. These substances, entering the gastrointestinal tract, absorb toxins and remove them from the body.
But all these drugs are powerless against viral infection or drug-induced dysbacteriosis. Strong tea or herbal infusions - chamomile, oak bark, bird cherry - will have a beneficial effect on peristalsis.
For dysbacteriosis, preparations containing live bifidobacteria and lactobacilli or polyfipam help well. The appointment must be made by the attending physician based on the results of laboratory tests.
Only a qualified specialist can make a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment. Green diarrhea is not the case when you should show miracles of stoicism. A timely visit to a doctor can save strength, health, and in some cases, life. At infectious diarrhea appeal to medical specialists preserves the health of others, preventing the spread of the epidemic.
What is diarrhea? This is one of the manifestations of a disorder of the digestive system, frequent release of liquid feces, which is a response of the gastrointestinal tract to any irritation by pathological agents. The problem occurs frequently and is perhaps familiar to every person.
In case of defeat small intestine stool is very liquid (includes undigested food residues) and can be up to 6 times a day, causing pain in the lower abdomen, in the navel area.
If the disease affects the large intestine, diarrhea reaches 10 or more times a day, causes abdominal cramps, cutting pain and false urges to defecation.
There are two forms of diarrhea:
- acute (lasting up to two weeks);
- chronic (lasts more than 3 weeks).
Loose bowel movements up to three times a day are considered quite normal. Exceeding this amount indicates severe course diarrhea. Then, in addition to a large number of bowel movements, false urges and stool incontinence are added.
The main consequence of prolonged diarrhea is severe dehydration body and loss of electrolytes, this condition can threaten human life. Therefore, measures against diarrhea must be taken immediately.
But not only the frequency of bowel movements is important. To determine the cause of this disorder, the color of diarrhea can “tell” a lot.
1. Perhaps the most common is diarrhea. yellow color. This color means that when passing through the intestines, feces do not have time to acquire the usual color due to the speed of their elimination. Yellow diarrhea most often indicates the presence of infection in the human body. Usually in this case, diarrhea is accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Diarrhea can become yellow in color as a result of taking certain medications. Loose stools also acquire this color when infected with a viral infection. In this case, additional examinations of liver function will be required.
2. Diarrhea white may indicate diseases of the pancreas, gall bladder and liver. In this case, it will contain undigested food residues. In children of the first year of life, white diarrhea can be provoked by certain mixtures for artificial feeding or the baby's transition to the new kind complementary feeding/feeding. During teething, white diarrhea may also occur. If the frequency of bowel movements is low or diarrhea occurs periodically, then it should not cause any particular concern. If bowel movements are frequent and white in color, consult a doctor.
3. Green color of diarrhea is a sign of fermentation of carbohydrates, bacterial infection. It is usually accompanied foul odor, discharge of mucus and blood streaks with stool. Sometimes there are sudden, nausea, general weakness. Sometimes green color indicates some kind of liver disease. Most safe reason Such diarrhea is the consumption of greens in large quantities.
4. Brown-black, tarry diarrhea is a sign of internal upper sections gastrointestinal tract if activated charcoal is not taken (it can also turn stool black).
5. Black stool occurs with mercury poisoning. This color may also indicate the presence internal bleeding, for example, with oncological diseases of the digestive tract. If you took iron supplements or vitamin-mineral complexes, your stool could also get this color.
6. Diarrhea with bright red blood is a symptom of bleeding in the distal gastrointestinal tract. The most threatening of all types of diarrhea, as it means continued active effusion of blood into the gastrointestinal tract. A variant of this may be dark cherry-colored diarrhea. In case of such diarrhea, urgent hospitalization is necessary.
If diarrhea occurs in small child, you should immediately call a doctor or even an ambulance. Dehydration is extremely dangerous for child's body, since the loss of fluid relative to the child’s weight is significant. It manifests itself in the form of thirst, dryness skin, lethargy, in infants the large fontanelle sinks.
In any case, whether the case concerns a child or an adult, you need to seek help from a doctor; you should not be ashamed of this “delicate” problem, since its consequences can be quite serious and even life-threatening.
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