Watery stool. Watery diarrhea in an adult - symptoms, causes, treatment. Alternative medicines used for severe diarrhea

If an adult has profuse diarrhea with water, this indicates an intestinal disorder. The causes of the disease can be different - from infections to chronic diseases of the digestive tract. In this case, special attention should be paid to those cases where diarrhea does not stop for more than 2 days, even after taking medication. In addition, if it is accompanied by a sharp weakening of the body and other dangerous symptoms, it is necessary to undergo an examination as soon as possible.

Abundant diarrhea can occur for a variety of unrelated reasons. This is an intestinal disorder, infectious pathologies, the use of low-quality food, as well as drinks. A complete list of the most likely causes is presented in the table.

Group of diseases	Description
Infections caused by bacteria: dysentery, escherichiosis, salmonellosis	Disorder of the intestinal microflora, leading to profuse diarrhea and signs of poisoning
Viral infections - adenovirus, enterovirus	Fever, signs of poisoning
Fermentopathy - gallstones, pancreatitis, individual congenital features	Insufficient production of digestive enzymes resulting in indigestion
Tumors benign and malignant	Polyps in the intestines, carcinomas, leading to complications in the form of inflammation, digestive disorders, etc.
allergic reactions	Arise in connection with individual intolerance by the body of certain substances (for example, gluten, pigments in berries, fruits, etc.)
Poisoning (intoxication)	Poisoning with harmful impurities, toxic substances, nitrates (symptoms are typical - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, etc.)
Side effects of medicines	Complications are usually observed as a result of prolonged use of antibiotics, an overdose of laxatives, the use of cytostatics, drugs for gastrointestinal diseases, etc.
Bleeding in the stomach and various parts of the intestine	Accompanied by dark red diarrhea with water, black discharge (especially likely with open stomach and duodenal ulcers)

Very often, the infection occurs due to typical non-compliance with personal hygiene. Therefore, if there is any doubt about the purity of the product, it is better to either refrain from using it altogether, or process it thoroughly: raw vegetables and fruits are washed under water, and it is better to reheat meat dishes.

External signs of the disease

Loose stools are a normal physiological phenomenon that is sometimes observed in a healthy person (after taking fermented milk products, carbonated drinks, vegetables, fruits, etc.). However, profuse diarrhea of almost liquid consistency clearly indicates an intestinal disorder. To determine the difference between conditionally "normal" diarrhea and abundant, diarrhea with water, you can conduct independent observations using such data.

Comparable feature	"Normal" diarrhea	Profuse diarrhea with water
Bowel frequency	1-2 times a day	More than 3-4 times (approximately every 1-2 hours)
Consistency	Like liquid porridge, homogeneous mass	Watery, heterogeneous mass (foamy, with different fractions, etc.)
Color	Typical - brown, orange-brown, dark yellow	Different shades - light, yellow, greenish, black, burgundy, brown, wine red
Smell	Typical, not offensive	Offensive, very unpleasant, sour or even without a pronounced odor

Discharge color

Diarrhea is not always the usual brown color. Often there is the appearance of different shades, which can also indicate the development of specific diseases, as shown in the table.

Color	Image	Possible reason
		Hepatitis, dysfunction of the gallbladder (insufficient amount of bile)
		Severe poisoning, infectious intestinal disorder (dysentery, dysbacteriosis)
		Bleeding in the upper sections of the stomach and intestines, the effect of certain drugs containing bismuth (for example, Vikair, De-Nop and others)
		Disorders of the stomach and intestines, indigestion

Note! In most cases, it is impossible to make a diagnosis by color and other symptoms. Therefore, if abundant diarrhea with water does not stop, it is necessary to be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.

What to pay attention to

If such a phenomenon occurs only once or lasts only 1-2 days, and the reason is obvious (for example, drinking raw water), there is no reason to worry.

However, in some cases, severe water diarrhea continues for several days in a row and is accompanied by other symptoms:

urinary retention (more than 3 hours);
signs of poisoning (loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.);
general weakening of the body, malaise, dizziness;
jumps in blood pressure;
temperature fluctuations, chills;
semi-conscious state;
blanching of the skin (especially on the limbs), their cooling;
unexplained restlessness, irritability;
a strong feeling of thirst that occurs for no apparent reason.

If one or more of these symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor. It should be especially alert that diarrhea does not stop for several days, and the signs of the disease do not disappear even when taking reinforcing, activated charcoal, Smecta and other drugs.

It is important to understand that the main danger with this type of disorder is that the body loses large volumes of water. Accordingly, dehydration may occur, which will negatively affect the work of all internal organs. Therefore, treatment must be started as soon as possible.

Note! If the shades of diarrhea are blackish-burgundy, the diarrhea contains particles of blood, urgent measures should be taken and emergency care should be called. This symptom may indicate the onset of internal bleeding.

What to do: first aid for diarrhea

You can provide first aid yourself. If profuse discharge is observed, the following measures should be taken immediately:

Note! You should not use a large number of antibiotics - only a doctor can prescribe them, and self-medication can lead to complications.

Diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea

In most cases, the occurrence of heavy discharge passes within a few days or even a few hours. To do this, you just need to adjust the diet and use fixatives, as well as activated charcoal. However, if these measures do not lead to results, and severe diarrhea with water recurs, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible and undergo a diagnosis.

The doctor analyzes the complaints and medical history, paying attention to the following questions:

how long the diarrhea lasts;
whether the patient is taking any medications (one-time or course);
what is the diet of a person;
how often discharge occurs;
external signs of secretions (color, texture, smell, and others).

In some cases, to clarify the diagnosis, it will be necessary to conduct instrumental diagnostics - for example, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, electrogastrography, radiography of the stomach, and others. Treatment directly depends on the identified causes and diagnosis. The most commonly prescribed drugs are those described in the table.

Cause of the disease	Types of drugs	Image
infectious	Antibiotics ("Furazolidone", "Tetracycline", etc.); sorbents (activated carbon, "Smekta"); antiseptic preparations ("Sulgin", "Metronidazole", "Levomycetin", "Gentamicin", etc.); fixatives (Loperamide)
fermentopathy	Enzyme preparations ("Panstal", "Festal", "Pankral", etc.)
Chronic bowel disease	antibiotics; anti-inflammatory drugs ("Pentas", "Dipentum", "Asakol"); hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids)
Internal bleeding	Means of antiulcer action ("Gistodil", "Antacid", "Kvamatel"); hemostatics (drugs to increase blood clotting - aminocaproic, aminomethylbenzoic acids, cortical, etc.)
Poisoning by food, drinks, hazardous substances	Sorbents (usually activated carbon); also often carry out gastric lavage with enemas
Diarrhea while taking antibiotics	sorbents; probiotics ("Lineks", "Laktovit"); antifungal drugs ("Levorin", "Ketoconazole", "Diflucan")

Diet with abundant diarrhea

In the first hours after the onset of severe diarrhea, it is better to refrain from eating altogether or at least eat foods that are easily digested:

chicken bouillon;
boiled rice;
lean beef broth;
boiled buckwheat.

As for nutrition in the weeks after diarrhea, it is best to follow a specific diet during the course of treatment. A specific list of allowed and prohibited foods is prescribed by the doctor. The most common of them are presented in the table.

Allowed to eat	Product types	Not allowed to eat
Biscuits, black bread		White bread, all types of confectionery, as well as yeast dough products
Chicken breast, rabbit meat, turkey breast, doctor's sausage		All types of pork, beef, especially fatty meat, all types of smoked sausages
Yogurt, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese without sour cream		Milk of any fat content, fat sour cream (more than 20%), cream of any fat content
Lemon juice, all berries, baked apples, potatoes in any form		Tomatoes, any cabbage, banana, cucumbers, plums
Rice porridge, oatmeal, buckwheat		semolina
Dried apples, rose hips and blueberries		All types of nuts, including roasted and salted

Note! All legumes (peas, chickpeas, beans, beans) are prohibited for consumption in any form, including canned ones.

Thus, basically profuse diarrhea does not indicate the development of any serious diseases. If, after taking first aid measures and correcting nutrition, the symptoms completely disappeared, then the body is healthy. In case of complications and persistent discharge, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Video - Why does diarrhea happen

Video - Persistent diarrhea: causes and effects

Diarrhea is not an independent disease, but a symptom of an illness. It is important for a simple person who is faced with a similar problem to differentiate these pathologies, to understand why they occur in order to independently weaken the manifestations or seek medical help in time. In the article we will analyze the main causes and treatment of intestinal disorders, the main manifestation of which is water diarrhea in an adult, and also describe an approximate treatment regimen for an unpleasant symptom.

Causal relationships

A chair like water in an adult is classified by doctors depending on the cause that caused the disease. The following options are highlighted:

Viral and bacterial infections.

Infectious agents can cause yellow, green, or brown watery diarrhea. Often, patients complain that their stomach hurts or their body temperature rises, there is a decline in strength and a decrease in efficiency. Green stool in an adult is an unfavorable prognostic sign, since, presumably, the causative bacterium Salmonella multiplies in the human intestine. Yellow water diarrhea is less dangerous. Its presence indicates toxic infection, that is, the symptom is caused by the waste products of microorganisms or conditionally pathogenic flora.

neurogenic character.

Stool in the form of water in an adult is very often associated with strong excitement or a stressful situation. The symptom is characterized by a single manifestation. The abdomen during examination in such people is soft, and if pain occurs, it is rare.

Alimentary diarrhea.

It is less common in adults. In this case, the disease occurs due to improper and unbalanced nutrition. Sometimes it is a manifestation of an allergy.

Dyspeptic disorders.

With this type of diarrhea with water, a violation of the normal process of digestion occurs due to the presence of enzymatic insufficiency of the liver and pancreas. As a rule, with dyspepsia, the feces are white or simply lighter than usual.

Toxic poisoning.

Too much diarrhea with water often occurs as a result of poisoning with various chemicals.

Medical diarrhea.

Stools in the form of water, often yellow or brown, quite profuse and fetid, occurring after the use of antibiotics. People may complain that their stomach constantly hurts or twists, and gases are formed and discharged in excess.

Other reasons.

Often, a change in the shades of the stool occurs after eating certain foods. Some people are afraid of bright red, watery diarrhea. They regard the coloration as an admixture of blood. However, if there is bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, the feces are liquid and black, but after eating beets, it may well turn out to be red.

A similar situation occurs when a person discovers an orange stool. A similar manifestation often occurs after eating a large amount of foods with vitamin A, such as carrots. Also, this color of feces appears after taking multivitamin preparations.

Sometimes medications are the cause. For example, the drug Rifampicin, used to treat tuberculosis, often caused stools to turn orange.

Treatment of diarrhea is necessarily prescribed, taking into account what causes this symptom. Also, before prescribing appropriate therapy, the doctor takes into account the presence of concomitant signs of pathology: whether a person has abdominal pain, does it occur periodically or is present constantly. During the examination, the specialist necessarily takes into account the nature of the feces themselves: there is watery diarrhea or a slight relaxation, the color of the feces (white, yellow, the presence of pathological impurities in the feces).

It is necessary to treat liquid diarrhea in an adult, taking into account the entire clinical picture. Therapeutic measures consist of taking drugs, certain rules must be observed. More often appointed:

Diet therapy.

Recommendations may differ for different types of diarrhea, but general principles are essential. For any disorder, a sparing regimen is used. If an adult has an infection (yellow diarrhea with almost one water, brown), there is nausea, vomiting, fever, at the same time the person complains that his stomach hurts, then doctors recommend eating as little as possible. If the patient is able to completely refuse food, then this can be done. As the condition improves, the diet expands.

If a person has white diarrhea (or light) without signs of acute inflammation or there is an enzyme deficiency, adherence to strict recommendations is not required. The patient is prescribed a diet with the use of products that do not disrupt the functioning of the liver, pancreas, and intestines.

Replenishment of fluid loss.

If the disorder of the stool is not accompanied by an increase in the number of bowel movements, then correction of the drinking regimen is not required. Another thing is if there is liquid watery stool 15-20 times a day. This condition very quickly leads to dehydration, therefore, if the state of health allows (there is no vomiting in an adult), then the amount of fluid consumed should be increased. Doctors recommend drinking weak tea, decoctions or compotes from dried fruits, plain clean water heated to body temperature.

Very severe diarrhea with frequent bowel movements is accompanied by large fluid losses, from which the general condition of the patient worsens significantly. Therefore, salt solutions are prescribed, sold in finished form or in the form of powders, for example, Regidron, Orolit. The use of these liquids will quickly help with dehydration and reduce the severity of intoxication.

Enterosorbents.

Drugs are prescribed when there is a need to remove various toxins from the intestines. This may be required for infectious processes in adults, diarrhea resulting from the use of foods contaminated with bacterial toxins.

You can treat with the help of the listed enterosorbents:

Analgesia.

Often, adults complain that when they have diarrhea with water, their stomach hurts. If the symptom is not severe, then special treatment is not required. However, with many infectious pathologies, the stomach hurts quite sensitively, therefore, in order to alleviate the condition, you can take some drugs. Most often, No-shpu or Drotaverin is prescribed.

Treatment with NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is contraindicated. The use of drugs in this group is possible in the case of infectious diarrhea, accompanied by an increase in body temperature.

Probiotics.

Preparations that restore microbial balance, or bacterial preparations. Diarrhea like water in an adult requires similar treatment in case of an infectious etiology of the process or in case of dysbacteriosis that occurs after antibiotic therapy. The products contain concentrates of bacteria that make up the normal intestinal flora. Due to the fact that microorganisms have a pronounced antagonism against pathogenic agents, bacterial preparations will very quickly help stop infectious diarrhea or yellow loose stools that occur against the background of toxic infection.

The following bacterial preparations are used:

Antibiotics.

Used in adults if watery diarrhea is caused by an infection in the intestinal tract. Treatment should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor who, after examining the symptoms, examining the patient's stomach, assessing the general condition and nature of diarrhea, will be able to choose the right antibiotic that acts specifically on the intestinal group of pathogenic microbes.

Enzymes.

We have already pointed out that liquid discolored diarrhea appears due to enzymatic deficiency. In the case when the presence of white (colorless) feces is not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, more often it is a chronic pathology of the pancreas.

If a person has a liquid white stool suddenly, and in addition to this, his stomach hurts on the right, it is urgent to contact a medical institution for advice.

Perhaps in this situation there is an acute surgical pathology, such as a protruding gallbladder stone, and an emergency operation is required.

Fight against flatulence.

To remove excess gases from the intestines, that is, to get rid of flatulence, which often accompanies a brown or yellow liquid stool, preparations based on simethicone, such as Espumizan, Meteospasmil, will help. Means are not absorbed and practically have no restrictions in use.

Non-traditional methods

When it comes to diarrhea with yellow water in an adult, you can supplement the main treatment at home with traditional medicine methods. If the person's condition is satisfactory, infrequent discharge of liquid feces is disturbing, then the following is allowed:

Prepare a decoction of chamomile. The plant has antispasmodic, antibacterial, soothing effects. To prepare a decoction, you need to take 2–3 tsp for 1 cup of boiling water. vegetable raw materials. Pour boiling water over the chamomile and let it brew for 2-3 hours. After that, strain and drink a warm decoction of 50 ml.
You can make rice water. It is called a thick slurry that merges with boiled rice.
If there is not diarrhea with water, but a slight indigestion, in which an adult is worried about soft or liquid yellow or brown stools, then a decoction of oak bark or wormwood can be used for treatment.

In the case when it comes to yellow or brown watery diarrhea, most often you should not worry. In most situations, we are dealing with a banal toxic infection. Dyspepsia is easily treatable, and the person recovers quickly, especially if he listens carefully to the doctor's recommendations and shows prudence during therapy.

Characterization of feces is of great importance. After all, they are able to change their character depending on the disease. Mucus or streaks of blood may appear in the stool. The starting point is the characteristic of normal feces. If the large intestine is working normally, the feces are of medium density, clear design and uniform color without extraneous inclusions.

The presence of watery stools is a deviation from the norm. Fecal masses lose their shape and have a pale color. During bowel movements, you may experience a burning sensation or incomplete emptying. The mass of feces consists of 70% water - this is the norm.

Signs of watery stool

Watery stool in an adult

Watery stools occur in adults and children for a variety of reasons. In adults, problems with the appearance of a large amount of water in the stool are often associated with improper diet and dieting. If the act of defecation is accompanied by burning sensations, this indicates that the billiard area has some problems. The reason for this condition is the stagnation and massive release of bile caused by the intake of choleretic products. In such cases, the watery stool becomes dark brown in color. The frequency of emptying should not exceed 4 times. Defecation occurs every 10-20 minutes, 40 minutes after eating a laxative food.

Rotavirus infection is treated with symptomatic therapy, correction of the water-salt balance, detoxification. The patient should take a solution of rehydron orally. Salt solutions (Disol, Chlosol, Trisol) and detoxification solutions (Reopoliglyukin, Gemodez) are also administered intravenously. Do not eat dairy products and whole milk.

In addition to rotavirus infection, yellow loose stools in an adult can be caused by inflammation of the pancreas. Typically, patients with this problem have episodes of abuse of alcoholic beverages, fatty or excessive food. In addition to bloating and diarrhea, such patients suffer from acute dagger pains of a girdle character, fever.

Treat pancreatitis in a hospital under the watchful supervision of doctors. According to the prescription of the attending specialist, the patient treats the disease with antispasmodics, painkillers, regulators of gastric secretion, enzymes. In the most severe cases, in the presence of an area of pancreatic necrosis, surgical intervention is often required.

Severe diarrhea with water is a problem that every adult has encountered at least once. There are quite a few reasons for the appearance of a violation of the stool. It can be infections in the intestines or just a poor-quality product eaten at dinner. Diarrhea with water most often appears due to pathologies of the small intestine.

Know! Watery diarrhea in an adult can be a symptom of a serious illness, and therefore it is imperative to find out the cause of the diarrhea and eliminate it as soon as possible.

Diarrhea with water in an adult can occur at the most unexpected moment. It is good if the urge to go to the toilet is rare and lasts for one or two days. However, watery diarrhea in an adult can last longer. If loose, watery stools persist for more than three days, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination to find out the cause of the disease. The digestive tract is connected to all systems in the body, so any external influence can increase intestinal motility, thereby causing the appearance of watery stools in an adult. The most common causes of diarrhea are:

dyspepsia factor. This cause occurs due to a violation of the production and regulation of the gastric glands, which leads to the inability to digest food and absorb nutrients by the body.
An infectious cause is one of the most common causes. As a rule, in the presence of an infectious disease, the patient has a virus in the intestines or toxic substances left over from poor-quality products.
Alimentary factor. This reason is the reaction of the body to one of the substances contained in the products.
toxic reason. Diarrhea like water in an adult can occur as a result of poisoning with poisonous and toxic substances.
The drug factor is provoked by the influence of strong drugs. For example, often the appearance of diarrhea with water in an adult is caused by treatment with antibacterial agents. Antibiotics perfectly fight pathogenic microflora, however, at the same time destroy beneficial bacteria, causing dysbacteriosis.
The neurogenic cause is also called bear disease. In this case, loose stools, like water, appear in an adult due to strong and frequent experiences.

There are other factors that provoke the appearance of diarrhea in an adult. Many people wonder what to do with diarrhea with water. It is important in this case to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. For example, if, in addition to diarrhea with water, a high temperature is also observed, most likely, you have intoxication of the body. It can occur when poisoning with poisons or low-quality products. In addition, sometimes diarrhea is accompanied by sharp pains in the abdomen, which may indicate other serious diseases.

Additional symptoms

Diarrhea in the form of water from the intestines can be a sign of various ailments. In order to have more complete information about the disease, it is necessary to take into account other factors. For example, you should pay attention to how the disease proceeds, what additional symptoms appear, and what color the stool is.

Loose stools in an adult are often accompanied by an increase in body temperature. The maximum temperature, as a rule, is noted at the level of 39 degrees. Such a sign is considered normal, since it indicates an immunodeficiency. Diarrhea is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and an unpleasant feeling of heaviness. In addition, many also note belching with the smell of rotten eggs, which is easily explained by the flow of gases from the intestines into the stomach.

Almost any doctor can easily determine the cause of the disease by the color of the feces. Also, any patient can independently draw some conclusions. First, you should ask yourself how often I go to the toilet. If the answer is: more than three times a day, you should start to worry. Secondly, you should also ask yourself how long I go to the toilet with liquid feces. An alarming sign is the continuation of dysentery for three days or more. The color of feces may indicate the following:

Green color is a sign of the presence of pathogenic microflora in the intestine. It can be harmful bacteria or viruses of various nature.
The yellow color of the feces indicates increased intestinal peristalsis. This ailment is most easily eliminated, so the yellow color can be considered a good sign.
The black color of the feces may be evidence of eating certain foods, such as blueberries, beets, or activated charcoal. If no such products were consumed the day before, then such a sign indicates the presence of bleeding in the body.
The white color of liquid feces is a sure sign of a stone in the bile duct or a neoplasm.
If the feces are transparent and look like water, it is possible to talk about the presence of cholera, which provokes all the signs of diarrhea.

Consequences of water diarrhea in adults

If diarrhea is not treated with water, an adult can get many complications. The most likely and common consequence of diarrhea is dehydration. During diarrhea, the body loses quite a lot of water. If you do not replenish its amount in the body, you can easily earn violations of the water, electrolyte and salt balance in the body.

Water and minerals are necessary for absolutely all body systems. In addition, the human skeleton is about one-fifth water, and the brain and heart are three-quarters. That is why without the right amount of water, the body simply cannot survive. Recovery after dehydration is very long.

Treatment of diarrhea

Many people wonder how to treat diarrhea with water for an adult. It is not superfluous to start by saying that the causes and treatment of diarrhea are closely related.

Important! Before starting therapy, it is imperative to determine the cause of loose stools. It is best to contact a specialist for this, since in most cases it is possible to identify the problem only with the help of special studies.

The first thing you need to worry about is to prevent dehydration of the body. It is necessary to restore the balance of water and salt, the drug Regidron is excellent for this. If it was not at hand, you can simply pour boiled water into a liter jar and add half a teaspoon of soda, a tablespoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. It is advisable to start drinking the solution already in the first 6-10 hours of diarrhea. After taking the solution, after a while you can also add mineral water. It is not recommended to drink juices, milk and coffee during diarrhea.

Do not try to cure the disease yourself with antibacterial agents. Antibiotics are rarely prescribed during diarrhea, as in this case they can do more harm than help. In general, self-treatment most often results in complications, so it is not recommended to neglect qualified help. Many infectious diseases can lead to rather sad consequences.

How to eat during diarrhea?

An important part of treating diarrhea is following a special diet. It implies the rejection of sweet and starchy, spicy and fatty foods. In addition, alcoholic and carbonated drinks are prohibited. Also, do not include pickled or canned foods in the menu. All dishes should be steamed or boiled. Eat more grains and vegetables. It is better to replace bread with crackers.

With diarrhea, or diarrhea, faced by everyone, even a healthy person. There are a huge number of reasons for its appearance, starting with foods that are incompatible with each other and ending with very serious infections.

In this article, we will not consider severe infections accompanied by excruciating diarrhea, such as cholera and others. This is a separate issue.

Watery diarrhea

Watery diarrhea occurs when the small intestine is involved in the pathological process. This may be a situation where food poisoning has occurred or in case of acute intestinal infections.

Sometimes the number of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines can be quite small. It is not the bacteria themselves that are dangerous, but the products of their vital activity, the toxins that they secrete.

In the cold season, watery stools are sometimes due to a number of viruses that are active in winter. These are the so-called rotavirus infections, which are very easy to catch.

Why is water diarrhea dangerous?

Diarrhea can be conditionally divided into watery stools without pathological impurities, such as blood, and blood-streaked diarrhea. If blood appears in the discharge from the intestine, this is a signal to seek medical help, because. the causes of such a symptom can be very serious: intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoidal bleeding, or a serious bacterial infection. All these conditions can threaten the life of the patient. But this also needs to be discussed separately.

So, if there is water diarrhea in an adult, treatment should be immediate. It should be noted that with watery stools there is a large loss of water, and if this process is also accompanied by vomiting, then we can talk about dehydration, and it can come very quickly if emergency measures are not taken.

The human body normally contains about 85-90% water. More precisely, the brain, muscles and heart contain approximately 76% fluid, blood - 84%, and only the human skeleton consists of 15-20% water. From this you can understand how important water is for a person. Each cell of our body consists of water, and with a lack of fluid, all systems and organs will suffer. In addition, with diarrhea, along with water, a huge amount of minerals are released, which are so necessary for the body.

For a small child, the loss of 10% of body weight with watery diarrhea is fatal. If a child weighs 5 kg, then the loss of 500 ml of fluid for him will be fatal. For adults, losing 10% of their body weight in a short time is more problematic, because. their weight is much greater, so they have time to make a decision. Dehydration (dehydration) is most dangerous for children and the elderly. Diarrhea in an adult - what to do? Of course, treat.

Diarrhea is not a diagnosis, but a symptom. To select the correct treatment tactics, it is necessary to establish the true cause of loose stools. Even if loose stools in an adult happen 2-3 times a day, which does not pose a threat to his life, anyway, over time (if it lasts for several days), the body will be severely depleted, and the water-salt balance will be disturbed. Recovery will take much more time than the illness lasted. If diarrhea is watery in an adult, treatment is necessary, especially if an elderly person suffers from this symptom.

Causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea is a kind of protective reaction to the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses and bacteria. Thus, the body itself is protected from the harmful effects of pathogenic microflora and conducts its detoxification. But if this condition does not go away within a few hours, help is needed. Especially if there is a temperature and in this case it is necessary. Hyperthermia (fever) may indicate a general intoxication of the body. Such a state requires an appropriate attitude. You can't let everything go by itself. Some people think that diarrhea is not really a disease. Diarrhea should still be treated if it lasts more than one day. So you can save the body from serious consequences.

If the patient complains of diarrhea, abdominal pain, treatment is also necessary. Pain is a serious symptom that may indicate a serious illness, such as pancreatitis, hepatitis, gallstones, or appendicitis. If there is pain during diarrhea, then you need to see a doctor. In some of these situations, surgical assistance is needed.

There are other causes of diarrhea:

dyspeptic - this is the most common cause of diarrhea, it may occur due to insufficient secretion of the stomach, malfunction of the glands and, as a result, improper digestion of the food consumed;
infectious - can be caused by dysentery bacillus, various intestinal viruses, amoebas and food toxins;
alimentary is an allergic reaction to food;
toxic - poisoning with poisons and toxic substances, such as arsenic or mercury;
medication - caused by side effects of medications, for example, some antibiotics in the intestine kill not only the pathogenic flora, but also the beneficial one, thereby causing diarrhea;
neurogenic - can be caused by strong feelings or fear, such diarrhea is also called "bear disease".

Patients tolerate diarrhea in different ways, it depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. So, for example, loose stools in some people 2-3 times a day cause weakness and poor health, while in others, diarrhea 5-6 times a day does not cause negative consequences.

If diarrhea lasts for a short time, it usually does not cause negative consequences and passes without much harm to health. If diarrhea continues for a long time and is accompanied by bloating, rumbling, false urge to defecate (tenesmus), nausea, vomiting, heartburn and causes severe weakness (exhaustion of the body), then this condition requires emergency medical care. It is not uncommon for patients with these symptoms to be hospitalized.

With any nature of diarrhea, it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of fluid. Compliance with the drinking regimen can protect against negative consequences and support the patient's body in good shape.

It is better to drink mineral water without gas content in it, it will help maintain the water-salt balance. If there is prolonged water diarrhea in an adult, treatment is necessary. If home treatment does not help, and diarrhea does not go away within a few days, this is a serious reason to seek help from a medical institution. If severe diarrhea develops, the doctor will determine the causes and treatment.

Diet for diarrhea

Sparing, regardless of the reasons that caused it, is necessary. Until the condition improves and the symptoms of intoxication disappear, you need to follow a diet.

The following products are allowed:

porridge on the water;
jelly;
lean boiled or steamed meat;
steam cutlets;
boiled or steamed fish.

Prohibited Products:

fatty foods;
fried foods;
sweets;
spicy dishes;
pickled foods;
any canned food;
carbonated drinks;
coffee;
too strong tea;
any alcohol.

After the disappearance of diarrhea and the improvement of the diet, you need to adhere to a few more days, at least for a week. By gradually adding other previously prohibited foods to the diet, the weakened body is prepared for the usual diet. You can't go back to your normal diet right away. A sharp return to the menu of the wrong dish can upset the balance that is fragile and unstable after illness.

Diarrhea: causes and treatment

The treatment for diarrhea depends on the underlying cause. What drugs are most effective for diarrhea? We will talk about this in this section.

First of all, any diarrhea should not be treated with antibiotics. This is done only in severe cases, for example, if the cause that caused the pathological process really poses a serious danger. This applies to diseases such as salmonellosis or cholera. In this case, the patient must be hospitalized, and he will undergo further treatment under the strict supervision of doctors. If there is water diarrhea in an adult, treatment should be aimed at preventing dehydration and restoring the water-salt balance. For these purposes, solutions such as Regidron or Oralit are suitable, you can also drink mineral water without gas.

Solutions are taken after each stool for half a cup. In addition, you should drink at least 4 glasses of one of these drugs within 12 hours.

Medicines for diarrhea

Medicines for diarrhea are not a panacea at all. In the treatment of diarrhea, a number of measures should be taken into account. The most important of which, as already mentioned, is the fight against. Consider the drugs for diarrhea in adults, which are used most often.

All of them are divided into several pharmacological groups:

sulfanilamide preparations ("Ftalazol");
antibiotics (tablets "Levomycetin", "Tetracycline");
nitrofurans (drug "Furazolidone");
antimicrobials ("Enterofuril", "Sulgin");
antifungal (Intetrix) - used for;
enterosorbents (activated carbon);
antiviral drugs.

Consider the most famous in adults. In which case is it advisable to take this or that drug?

activated charcoal for diarrhea

What to give from diarrhea to an adult? Enterosorbents are a group of drugs that have an adsorbing and enveloping effect. Treatment should begin with activated charcoal. Sometimes this is enough. These tablets for diarrhea in adults (and children) are not absorbed in the intestines.

Activated charcoal is taken at the rate of one tablet per 10 kg of the patient's weight. So, if the patient weighs 60 kg, then, accordingly, he should take 6 tablets and drink plenty of water.

Activated charcoal absorbs all harmful toxins, bacteria and viruses, and also binds water and covers the intestinal wall with a protective layer. After that, it is excreted naturally. It should be noted that after taking the tablets of this drug, the stool will be black. This is not something to be afraid of. If diarrhea occurred due to poor-quality products, then activated charcoal in most cases is sufficient for treatment.

The drug "Ftalazol" from diarrhea

This group is most appropriate to take with infectious types of diarrhea (dysentery, enterocolitis and colitis of an infectious nature). Taking the drug "Ftalazol" with allergic types of diarrhea and ordinary indigestion will be ineffective. Its effect is noticeable only on day 2-3, when the growth of pathogenic microflora under the action of the drug will be stopped.

Means "Imodium" for diarrhea

The drug "Imodium" (its other name is "Suprelol", "Lopedium" and "Loperamide") begins its action within the first 40-60 minutes. This drug is effective in diarrhea caused by poor-quality products, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and in the initial stages of infectious diarrhea. It helps a lot with frequent urge to vomit. This drug is convenient to take with you on the road. Diarrhea is a common travel companion.

Treatment with Loperamide and Simethicone

This is a new generation drug, it is a combined remedy for diarrhea "Imodium plus" and includes the so-called defoamer - simethicone. This substance eliminates bloating and adsorbs unnecessary intestinal gases. Thanks to him, spastic pains and a feeling of fullness of the intestine disappear. These are chewable tablets for diarrhea in adults. It is not recommended to give them to children under the age of 12.

natural remedies for diarrhea

This includes drugs such as "Smekta" and "Kaopectat". These drugs are used for those caused by rotavirus infections. It should be noted that the drug "Kaopektat" is contraindicated in childhood.

These drugs belong to the group of enterosorbents, they gradually reduce the frequency of going to the toilet, and also relieve bloating and rumbling in the abdomen.

Tablets "Lineks" from diarrhea

This remedy contains beneficial microflora and has a positive effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract. It includes 3 types of positive microflora:

lactobacilli - positively affect the functioning of the small intestine;
enterococci - have a similar effect and help the small intestine to function properly;
bifidobacteria - actively work in the large intestine.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Traditional medicine knows many ways to treat such an ailment as diarrhea. Folk remedies for treating diarrhea have been tested for centuries.

A decoction of pomegranate peels is considered an effective remedy for intestinal disorders. To prepare the medicine, you need to take a well-washed peel of one fruit and pour a glass of cold water. Boil on low heat for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take this remedy every two hours for 2 tbsp. spoons.
Alternative treatment of diarrhea involves the use of rice water. Taking this remedy every 20-30 minutes for 3-4 hours will relieve bloating and stop diarrhea.
Wormwood will help to cope with diarrhea. But with this tool you need to be careful: do not exceed the dosage and do not use for too long. To prepare the medicine, 1 teaspoon of dry grass should be poured with one glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. Take the medicine 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon.
A very strong folk remedy for diarrhea using an alcohol infusion of walnut partitions has long been known. It must be taken without exceeding the permissible dose (5-6 drops each), otherwise it may provoke a backlash - constipation. As soon as the number of trips to the toilet decreases, you need to reduce the dosage to 2-3 drops. It is clear that only adults can use alcohol tinctures inside for treatment. To prepare the drug, take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ground walnut partitions and pour one glass of vodka. Insist in the dark for 5-7 days. This remedy is prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to always have this medicine on hand for those who are prone to frequent bowel disorders.

Conclusion

With such an ailment as diarrhea, folk remedies can be very effective. Whatever the nature of the origin of diarrhea, this fact must be taken seriously. If you can’t cope with the intestinal disorder on your own, and besides, pain or fever joins, in this case you need to seek medical help. This is especially true for elderly citizens, because. they become dehydrated much earlier than young people in their prime.