DIARRHEA

What is Diarrhea?
Condition of having 3 or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day.
Common cause of death in developing countries.
The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration & electrolyte imbalances.
Sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain (cramps) or an urgent need
to use the bathroom.
Depending on the cause, a person may have a fever, blood or pus in the stool, sometimes foul-
smelling or oily-looking stools.

What are common causes of diarrhea?

1. Infections:
- Virus → the most common cause of diarrhea.
- Bacterias & parasites → food poisoning & traveler's diarrhea occur as a result of eating
food or drinking water contaminated with bacteria or parasites.
With some bacteria, the toxins are produced in the food before it is eaten, while with other
bacteria, the toxins are produced in the intestine after the food is eaten.
2. Food intolerance: some people are unable to digest food components such as:
- artificial sweeteners & lactose—the sugar found in milk → the lactose is not broken up in the
intestine because of the absence of an intestinal enzyme, lactase, that normally breaks up
lactose. Without being broken up, lactose cannot be absorbed into the body. The undigested
lactose reaches the colon & pulls water (by osmosis) into the colon.
- fat → undigested fat enters the last part of the small intestine & colon where bacteria turn it
into substances (chemicals) that cause water to be secreted by the small intestine & colon.
Passage through the small intestine & colon also may be more rapid when there is
malabsorption of fat.
3. Drugs: antibiotics, blood pressure medications, cancer drugs & antacids containing magnesium
can all cause diarrhea.
The clue to drug-induced diarrhea is that the diarrhea begins soon after treatment with the drug is
begun.
4. Malnutrition

Home Care
• Drink plenty of fluid to avoid becoming dehydrated.
• Avoid caffeine, milk products & foods that are greasy, high in fiber or very sweet.
• Avoid over-the-counter antidiarrhea medications unless specifically instructed to use one by your
doctor. Certain infections can be made worse by these drugs. When you have diarrhea, your
body is trying to get rid of whatever food, virus or other bug is causing it. The medicine
interferes with this process.
• Get plenty of rest.

Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS)

Liquids that contain a carbohydrate (glucose or rice syrup) & electrolytes (sodium, potassium,
chloride & citrate or bicarbonate).
• Glucose → forces the small intestine to quickly absorb the fluid & the electrolytes.
• Electrolytes → prevention & treatment of electrolyte deficiencies.

If you don’t have the ORS, you can make it at your house with:
1 teaspoon of sugar + ¼ teaspoon of salt + 200 ml of water
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your doctor if:
• You have blood or pus in your stools or your stool is black
• You have abdominal pain that is not relieved by a bowel movement
• You have symptoms of dehydration such as light-headedness when sitting or standing up
Signs of dehydration include:
• thirst
• less frequent urination
• dry skin
• fatigue
• dark-colored urine
• You have a fever above 38°C along with diarrhea
• You have foul-smelling or oily-looking stools
• You have recently traveled to a foreign country
• You have eaten with other people who also have diarrhea
• You have started on a new medication
• Your diarrhea does not get better in 2 days or worsens before that
• You have been vomiting for more than 12 hours

Prevention
• Wash your hands often, especially after going to the bathroom & before eating.
• Use alcohol-based hand gel frequently.

When traveling to underdeveloped areas, follow the steps below to avoid diarrhea:
• Drink only bottled water and do NOT use ice.
• Do NOT eat uncooked vegetables or fruits that do not have peels.
• Do NOT eat raw shellfish or undercooked meat.
• Do NOT consume dairy products.