Fangshicun Health Care

Diarrhea is a common symptom that usually does not need any treatment. Monitoring hydration and a soft diet are usually sufficient to forward. Sometimes it is necessary to see a specialist.

Diarrhea Disease

1. What do we know for Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is not itself a disease but a symptom characterized by an increase in the amount, fluency or frequency of bowel movements.

This results in a decreased absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes into the intestine, which are lost in the feces, which gives rise to a series of characteristic symptoms such as abdominal pain (spasms or cramps), nausea, vomiting, weakness, chills , fever, loss of appetite or feeling of malaise.

Diarrhea is often an acute process and self-limiting, i.e., lasts one to three days and heals itself, with or without treatment.

Other times it is a chronic process, lasts several days to appear at short intervals. This sometimes is a symptom more serious disease.

When it occurs in children, elderly and is especially important to monitor that they are well hydrated.

2. Causes of diarrhea

There are many causes of diarrhea and generally cause both boxes gastroenteritis.

The most common is due to eating some spoiled food or water contaminated (Traveler’s diarrhea) and cause toxic, bacteria (Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, salmonella, shigella, etc.) or parasites. It can also arise with virus infections.

Partly because drugs (Including antibiotics that alter the intestinal flora) chronic diseases which hinder the absorption of nutrients (celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, etc.) abdominal surgery, stress, Etc.

3. Treatment

Treatment of diarrhea as a symptom is equal to that of gastroenteritis. We must also identify the cause and, as it may be added the most appropriate treatment in each case.

Treatment consists primarily of maintain adequate hydration drinking plenty of fluids and replenish electrolytes that are lost in the stool and vomiting that often accompany diarrhea.

These liquids must be:

- Water: In mild cases, because water alone does not reset the loss of electrolytes

- Juices

- Alkaline Lemonade1 liter of boiled water to let cool, 1 cup lemon juice, 4 tablespoons sugar, 3 / 4 of a teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda. In addition to liquids, provide electrolytes (salts and minerals), and be at room temperature and sips. It must take at least a liter a day.

After 24 hours or sooner if tolerated, can take food than allowed in so-called soft diets, i.e. white rice, toast, baked apple, etc. Must be avoided in these first hours the milk, beverages with caffeine and alcohol and very cold or very hot, fruits (if they can take plantains) and raw vegetables, seasonings, fried. The rest also helps.

To restore the balance of intestinal bacterial flora is advised to take capsules containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, pre biotic or healthy bacteria, which are also found in yogurt.

In general, it should avoid anti diarrhea, because diarrhea like vomiting, is an act of defense of the body is released from food, toxic, bacteria, parasite or virus that is damaging, and the anti diarrhea prevent removal.

In adults, common diarrhea resolved without complications, but babies, children under three years and the elderly are more susceptible to loss of water and electrolytes and can be complications, especially in protracted situations.

In these cases may occur if severe dehydration is accompanied by cardiac rhythm disturbances and even death. Therefore, in these patients at risk is essential to avoid dehydration before appearing monitoring to urinate frequently (check that there are frequent trips to the bathroom or wet diapers).

4. When to seek medical advice

Call your doctor whenever we are facing one of the following situations:

- When diarrhea lasts more than 4 days in adults or two children or when they appear in vomiting in infants or children.

- When Lee are black, blood, mucus or pus.

- When this fever above 38 º C.

- When the stools are foamy or oily appearance.

- When the body does not tolerate liquids that are ingested and vomit.

- When displayed signs of dehydration (Dry skin, vertigo, dizziness, pasty mouth from decreased saliva, decreased urine production). In young children, elderly and is difficult to identify the thirst, so you will have to be attentive to these general signs of dehydration in infants and also can be observed lack of tears, sunken soft spot.

- When abdominal pain persists.

- When it occurs in Patients with chronic diseases as diabetes, gastric or duodenal ulcers, heart disease.