Diarrhoea - Meaning, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Diarrhoea is a condition characterized by having frequent, loose and watery stools. It is a condition involving gastroenterology, the branch of medicine dealing with the digestive system.This widespread bowel disease is caused due to the consumption of unhygienic foods and water. In India, diarrhoea is a very common ailment, especially in monsoons. Mostly, consumption of food prepared with low quality oil, or other unhygienic food is the reason for diarrhoea, more so in the rainy season. Constant consumption of street food leads to deterioration of the digestive system and thus, diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is a highly preventable and treatable disease if one is careful. There are two kinds of diarrhoea, acute and chronic, both of which can be dealt with. Symptoms Apart from the watery stools, there are some other symptoms which accompany diarrhoea. These include: • Stomach painrn• Abdominal crampsrn• Bloated feelingrn• Thirstrn• Weight lossrn• Fever Causes Diarrhoea is mainly caused by an infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Microbes responsible for this infection include: • Bacteriarn• Virusesrn• Parasitic organismsrnSalmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Escherichia coli are micro-organisms which commonly cause diarrhoea. rnSee a gastroenterologist if symptoms persist for more than a week, or if you have severe diarrhoea. There are top gastroenterologists in Gurgaon and NCR for consultation and treatment. rnOther diseases that can be a cause for diarrhoea include: • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): This is a complex of symptoms. There is cramping abdominal pain and altered bowel habits - diarrhoea, constipation, or both. • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Another cause of chronic diarrhoea. It is a term used to describe either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. There is often blood in the stool in both conditions. • Microscopic colitis: Causes persistent diarrhoea in older adults. • Malabsorptive and maldigestive diarrhoea: The former is caused by impaired nutrient absorption, the latter by impaired digestive function. Celiac disease is an example. • Chronic infections: A history of travel or antibiotic use can be clues to chronic diarrhoea; various bacteria and parasites can be the cause. • Drug-induced diarrhoea: The obvious cause is laxatives, but a list of other drugs can also lead to diarrhoea including antibiotics. • Endocrine causes: Sometimes hormones are the cause, for example, in conditions including Addison disease and carcinoid tumors. • Cancerous causes: Neoplastic diarrhoea is associated with a number of gut cancers. Treatment Mild cases of diarrhoea usually go away on their own. For persistent or chronic diarrhoea, usually its symptoms are diagnosed and treated. Treatments can include: • Rehydration: The first important step in all types of diarrhoea treatment is rehydration. Drink lots of water to replace the loss of fluids in diarrhoea. • Oral rehydration solution (ORS): Also use ORS, which is prescribed the World Health Organization (WHO), which contains electrolytes, salts and glucose, which are lost in diarrhoea. Drinking ORS replenishes them. ORS treats 90% of non-severe diarrhoea cases effectively. • Anti-diarrhoeal medicine: Anti-diarrhoeal medicine, also known as diarrhoea medicine are available in the market, and usually include loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate, both of which reduce stool passage and diarrhoeal stool output.