Diarrhea

What Is Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is a condition that is classified as the appearance of loose, watery stools and/or a frequent need to go to the bathroom. It generally lasts a few days and often disappears without any treatment.
Diarrhea may be related to a viral or bacterial infection and is sometimes the result of food poisoning. The condition commonly known as traveler’s diarrhea occurs when you’ve been exposed to bacteria or parasites while on vacation to developing countries.
Chronic diarrhea lingers for a longer period of time (at least four weeks) and is usually the result of an intestinal disease or disorder.

What Causes Diarrhea?

Diarrhea may be caused by a variety of conditions or elements, including:

• food intolerance
• food allergies
• adverse reaction to medication
• viral infections
• bacterial infections
• intestinal diseases
• functional bowel disorders
• gallbladder or stomach surgery
• parasites

What are the Symptoms of Diarrhea?

There are many different symptoms of diarrhea. These symptoms may occur in any combination, depending on the cause of the condition. You may experience any of the following:

• nausea
• abdominal pain
• cramping
• bloating
• dehydration
• fever
• bloody stools
• frequent urge to evacuate the bowels
• incontinence

Chronic diarrhea may be a symptom of more serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. If you are experiencing frequent severe diarrhea, you may be at risk for developing an intestinal disease or functional bowel disorder. If this is the case, tell your doctor.

Diagnosing The Cause of Diarrhea

A doctor will complete a physical examination and consider your medical history to help diagnose the cause of your diarrhea. He or she may also request laboratory tests to examine urine and blood samples. Additional tests your doctor may order to determine the cause of diarrhea and other related conditions may include:

• fasting tests to determine whether a food intolerance or allergy is to blame
• imaging tests to check for inflammation and structural abnormalities of the intestine
• stool culture to check for bacteria, parasites or signs of disease
• colonoscopy to check the entire colon for signs of intestinal disease
• sigmoidoscopy to check the rectum and lower colon for signs of intestinal disease

In cases of severe or chronic diarrhea, your doctor may order a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy to determine if an underlying intestinal condition is the cause.

Dehydration and Diarrhea

Because diarrhea causes a rapid loss of body fluids, it may put you at risk for dehydration. If left untreated, dehydration can be very serious and may even lead to death. The symptoms of dehydration include:

• fatigue
• dry mucous membranes
• increased heart rate
• headache
• lightheadedness
• increased thirst
• less urination
• dry mouth

If you think you may be becoming dehydrated as a result of diarrhea, contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Treating Diarrhea

Treatment for diarrhea usually requires replacing lost fluids. This simply means you need to drink more water or electrolyte replacement beverages such as sports drinks. In more serious cases, fluids may be given intravenously. If a bacterial infection is causing your diarrhea, you doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Your doctor will determine your treatment based on:

• the severity of the diarrhea and/or related condition
• factors such as your health, medical history, and age
• your ability to tolerate different procedures or medications
• expectations for improvement of your condition

Diarrhea in Babies and Young Children

Diarrhea is serious condition in the very young. It can cause severe dehydration in an infant in just one day, and this can lead to death.
Call your child’s doctor or seek emergency care for the following symptoms:

• signs of dehydration, including those listed above plus a lack of tears when crying, dry skin, sunken eyes or fontanel, sleepiness, and irritability
• diarrhea for 24 hours or more
• fever of 102 degrees or higher
• stools that contain blood or pus
• stools that are black and tarry

Preventing Diarrhea

Although diarrhea can occur for various reasons, there are actions that you can take to prevent it.
To avoid developing diarrhea from food poisoning, consider:

• washing the cooking and food preparation areas more frequently
• serving food immediately
• refrigerating leftovers promptly
• thawing food in the refrigerator

Traveler’s diarrhea can also be prevented. If you are planning a long vacation to a developing country, consider:

• asking your doctor if you can begin an antibiotic treatment before you leave. This will greatly reduce your risk of developing traveler’s diarrhea.
• avoiding tap water, ice cubes, and fresh produce likely washed with tap water. Drink bottled water and eat cooked food only.

If you are suffering from diarrhea as the result of a viral or bacterial infection, you can take the following actions to prevent spreading your infection to others:

• Wash your hands more frequently.
• Use soap to wash your hands for 20 seconds.
• Use hand sanitizer when washing your hands is not possible
  

  Home Remedies Diarrhea we recommend:

  Home Remedies diarrhea #1:  Take homeopathic Arsenicum if you feel you have eaten spoiled food. This will help control the discharge without interfere with the elimination of toxins.
  
  Home Remedies diarrhea #2:  If you feel weak and have a burning pain in mid-section take cuprum arsenicosum .
  Take 4 charcoal tablets every hour this will absorb the toxins from the body.
  
  
  Home Remedies diarrhea #3:  Drink blackberry tea for mild diarrhea.
•  Home Remedies diarrhea #4:  Take cayenne in capsules.
  
  Home Remedies diarrhea #5:Wild oregano oil is an antibacterial, anti 
  parasitic and anti viral.
  
  Home Remedies for diarrhea #6: Ginger tea can stop cramps and pain. Or take Ginger in capsules. 
  
  Home Remedies diarrhea #7: Drink plenty of fluids, but stay away from caffeine and alcohol. Drinks like ginger ale or carrot juice is good for making the stools less watery.
  
  Home Remedies diarrhea #8: For decades charcoal has been used for absorbing and expelling intestinal gas. Charcoal may also be used for relieving a variety of ailments, such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high cholesterol and intestinal bloating. Charcoal’s ability to absorb and prevent substances from dislodging or reabsorbing into the body make it a popular choice for detoxifying the liver and kidneys.
  
  TIP:Do not drink apple juice this will make diarrhea worse.