Food is devoured in every nook & corner across the globe. Although food gives you the nutrition you need, it can also pose as a threat sometimes. Problems like diarrhoea can occur if something doesn’t sit right in your stomach. Loose and watery bowel movements are distinguished as diarrhoea. The bowel movements are usually forced and occur 3 or more times in a day. Although there are different causes of diarrhoea, the trigger occurs because the lining of the intestine is unable to absorb fluid, or it actively secretes fluid. Often diarrhoea is self-treated and doesn’t need any specific treatment. However, we’ve put together some points that’ll help tackle the condition. But before we state the diarrhoea treatment and prevention points, let’s take a look at different causes of diarrhoea.
Infection: It is the most prominent type of trigger. Viruses are spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Bacteria – such as Salmonella, or a parasite – such as Cryptosporidium trigger the condition.
Food: As mentioned above, foods that contain artificial sweeteners can also trigger diarrhoea in some individuals making them intolerant to such foods.
Bowel conditions: Bowel conditions occur due to bowel irregularities. Inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is known to trigger diarrhoea in some individuals.
Medicines: Some medicines can cause different side effects and diarrhoea could be one of them. Medicines can create an imbalance in gut flora, which may lead to diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea usually occurs in young children and it is mainly because of their lifestyle. They come in contact with various viruses more than the adults. Therefore, rotavirus infections are seen more in children and viruses like these can trigger diarrhoea in infants and toddlers. Now let’s take a look at diarrhoea symptoms. The watery bowel movements can be accompanied by many other symptoms, such as:
Nausea
Thirst
Lack of energy
Abdominal cramps
Light-headedness
Dry mouth
Fever
Bloating
Children show additional diarrhoea symptoms like severe dehydration. Symptoms such as sunken eyes, cheeks or belly are seen more in young ones and also elders in some cases, as they stand a high risk of rapid dehydration. It’s best to seek medical attention as soon as possible in such cases.
Diarrhoea treatment & prevention
Diarrhoea often treats itself and usually doesn’t need any specific treatment. Your bodily fluids take a major impact when you’re suffering from diarrhoea. Avoid dehydration at all costs by drinking as much fluids as possible. As for the treatment of non-infectious diarrhoea, it completely depends on the trigger. Likewise, contamination of food or water can also be responsible for diarrhoea. In such cases, precaution is the best medicine. Avoiding consuming food or water/fluids in unhygienic places can help lessen the risk of diarrhoea. Also, it is important for you maintain a strict diet for a week or so even after being treated. Sanitize and wash your hands thoroughly, as much as possible to lessen the risk of getting affected. Mostly, diarrhoea lasts for only a couple of days but it can persist more than that. If your diarrhoea symptoms persist for more than 2 days, make sure you consult a doctor as soon as possible for necessary next steps.