First aid for diarrhea at home

Watery diarrhea

Watery diarrhea occurs when the small intestine is involved in the pathological process. This may be a situation where poisoning has occurred with poor-quality food products or during acute intestinal infections.

Sometimes the number of pathogenic bacteria present in the intestines can be very small. It is not the bacteria themselves that are dangerous, but their metabolic products, the toxins they release.

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

Why is water diarrhea dangerous?

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

So, if water diarrhea occurs 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 occur 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 humans. Every cell of our body consists of water, and if there is a lack of fluid, all systems and organs will suffer. In addition, during diarrhea, along with water, a huge amount of minerals that the body needs is released.

For a small child, a loss of 10% of body weight due to watery diarrhea is fatal. If a child weighs 5 kg, then a loss of 500 ml of fluid will be fatal for him. For adults, losing 10% of their body weight in a short period of 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 choose the right treatment tactics, it is necessary to establish the true cause of loose stools. Even if an adult has loose stools 2-3 times a day, which does not pose a threat to his life, over time (if this lasts for several days), the body will be severely depleted and the water-salt balance will be disrupted. Recovery will take much longer than the duration of the illness. If an adult has water diarrhea, treatment is necessary, especially if an elderly person suffers from this symptom.

Acute diarrhea: what to do?

Diarrhea is the most common bowel disorder. Everyone encounters such an extremely uncomfortable deviation at least occasionally in their life. Diarrhea can be caused either by very severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, or by a certain single disturbance in its functioning.

Diarrhea, or diarrhea in common parlance, is a pathological condition in which the patient has loose, watery stools, and bowel movements occur with a frequency of once a day or more. Any diarrhea is a clinical manifestation of impaired absorption of water and electrolytes in the intestines. Diarrhea occurs when the amount of water in the stool increases from 60 to 90%.

• long-lasting diarrhea (more than 3-4 days);
• blood or mucus in the stool;
• black stools, which may indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract;
• diarrhea is accompanied by fever;
• diarrhea is accompanied by pain in the abdominal cavity;
• if you suspect food poisoning that is dangerous to health and life;
• if there are signs of dehydration.

If you rarely experience diarrhea, then a single case can be dealt with by resorting to standard measures to normalize stool. However, it is impossible to ignore symptoms for a long time, especially if your health worsens. If the stool does not return to normal over the next few days, it is advisable to consult a proctologist or therapist. Laboratory analysis of stool, and, if necessary, other examinations will allow us to establish and eliminate the cause of the violations.

What measures should be taken for a gastrointestinal disorder such as diarrhea?

Diarrhea can only be cured by eliminating its cause. The presence of this most often indicates infection of the gastrointestinal tract, intoxication of the body. Very often, diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, chills, fever, and the moment of defecation is preceded by cramping, spasmodic pain in the intestinal area.

The main danger of diarrhea, which can and should be prevented at home, is dehydration. With diarrhea, a large amount of water is removed from the body, and if it is also accompanied by vomiting, the risk of dehydration increases. At a minimum, the patient needs to be provided with constant and regular drinking, and, at a maximum, offered medications that retain fluid in the body. These include solutions of saline rehydrants, mixtures of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate and glucose (Regidron or Gidrovit are available in pharmacies; taking them significantly improves the patient’s well-being. If it is not possible to help in this way, it is recommended to drink plenty of non-carbonated mineral waters, fruit drinks and similar liquids.

Most often, the symptoms of intoxication of the body weaken after a day, along with loose stools and vomit, all toxic substances are removed from the body. Drinking plenty of water in this case contributes to the same thing.

Usually, during the first 24 hours after the disorder, the patient’s appetite returns and it is important not to put strain on the weakened stomach. For diarrhea, a diet is recommended that does not contain fatty foods, alcohol, dairy products and fresh vegetables, brown bread and various sweets. A special contraindication for diarrhea is grapes and plums, and juices from them. On the contrary, it is highly desirable to consume applesauce and apple juice; a banana will also be beneficial for the stomach. Other fruits should be avoided in the first few days after diarrhea. Binding, fastening foods are recommended, which include rice boiled in water (it’s good if it is viscous and not crumbly) and white crackers; after another day, you can offer steamed cutlets or meatballs made from lean meat.

If, after 12-24 hours from the onset of diarrhea, the symptoms do not subside, a high temperature persists, or diarrhea is observed in a small child, medications, which in different cases include vitamins, probiotics, and antibiotics, can alleviate the symptoms and eliminate the cause of the disease. Only a doctor can prescribe a drug that is suitable for a particular case, and you should contact him for the necessary help.

Causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea is a kind of defensive reaction to the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses and bacteria. In this way, the body itself is protected from the harmful effects of pathogenic microflora and carries out its detoxification. But if this condition does not go away within a few hours, help is needed. Especially if there is fever and diarrhea, treatment in this case is mandatory. Hyperthermia (increased temperature) may indicate general intoxication of the body. This condition requires an appropriate attitude. You can't leave everything to chance. Some people believe that diarrhea is not really a disease. Diarrhea still needs to be treated if it lasts more than one day. This way you can save your 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 you experience pain with diarrhea, you should see a doctor. In some of these situations, surgical treatment is necessary.

There are other causes of diarrhea:

• dyspeptic - this is the most common cause of diarrhea; it can occur due to insufficient secretion of the stomach, improper functioning of the glands and, as a result, improper digestion of ingested food;
• 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;
• medicinal - caused by the side effects of medications, for example, some antibiotics in the intestines kill not only pathogenic flora, but also beneficial ones, thereby causing diarrhea;
• neurogenic - can be caused by strong emotions or fear; such diarrhea is also called “bear disease.”

Symptoms of diarrhea

The main symptoms of diarrhea are frequent bowel movements and loose stools. If defecation occurs more than three times a day, but the stool is formed, there is no talk of diarrhea.

Often, defecation is accompanied by urgency (sudden uncontrollable desire to visit the toilet), abdominal pain, and rumbling. With diarrhea caused by infection, the picture is complemented by vomiting, high fever, signs of general intoxication, and sometimes blood or mucus in the stool.

Infection is the most common cause of diarrhea

Diarrhea, which is caused by indigestion, is usually accompanied by signs of maladsorption - impaired absorption of vital substances. The patient loses weight and develops anemia. To summarize, we can say that the symptoms accompanying diarrhea primarily depend on the disease that caused this syndrome.

Diarrhea in an adult. What to do?

Patients experience diarrhea differently, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. For example, loose stools 2-3 times a day in some people cause weakness and poor health, while in others diarrhea 5-6 times a day does not cause negative consequences.

If diarrhea lasts 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 (depletion of the body), then this condition requires emergency medical care. Often patients with such symptoms are hospitalized.

For any type of diarrhea, it is necessary to drink enough fluid. Compliance with the drinking regime can protect against negative consequences and keep the patient’s body in good shape.

It is better to drink mineral water without gas content, it will help maintain the water-salt balance. If prolonged water diarrhea occurs 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 facility. If severe diarrhea develops, a doctor will determine the cause and treatment.

Self-help for diarrhea

Among the causes of diarrhea, it is necessary to note failure to comply with hygiene rules, consumption of spoiled food, products that have expired or were stored in inappropriate conditions.

Dysbacteriosis, changing places of residence and the difficulty of adapting to new food, water, allergic reactions, overeating, infection with pathogenic bacteria are also factors in the development of the disease, which can ruin a business meeting, a romantic date and cause a lot of trouble to a person.

Self-help for diarrhea involves taking certain measures.

These include:

• taking medications that improve the functionality and condition of the intestines, in the form of Sorbex, activated carbon, Smecta, Enterosgel and other sorbents;
• restriction of food intake for 10-12 hours;
• drinking small portions of large volumes of water, mineral drinks without carbon, Regidron solution, dried fruit compote without sugar to prevent dehydration;
• supplementing the drinking diet with juices and herbal teas necessary to replenish the supply of vitamins and microelements lost during bowel movements;
• taking a faint pink solution of potassium permanganate 100 cm³ several times a day;
• maintaining a fruit and vegetable diet, excluding fried, spicy, salty, sweet foods and alcoholic beverages;
• strict adherence to hygiene rules;
• performing cleansing enemas from clean water at room temperature, decoctions of medicinal herbs, and a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• prolonged boiling of water, milk;
• selection of fresh and high-quality products for cooking;
• preparing dishes by steaming or by stewing and boiling.

Drinking plenty of fluids, a gentle diet, properly prepared food, maintaining good hygiene, as well as cleanliness in the kitchen and living areas provide an opportunity to avoid the development of the disease.

Caution with the choice of food is a prerequisite for self-treatment of diarrhea, which allows you to get a positive result and get rid of the problem as soon as possible.

Diet for diarrhea

A gentle diet for diarrhea, 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 with water;
• jelly;
• lean boiled or steamed meat;
• steam cutlets;
• boiled or steamed fish.

Prohibited products:

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

After the diarrhea disappears and the diet improves, you need to stick to it for 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 cannot immediately return to your usual diet. A sudden return of the wrong dish to the menu can upset the fragile and unstable balance after illness.

Diarrhea (diarrhea): Treatment

Diarrhea can be treated at home. In fact, diarrhea goes away within 2-3 days without specific medical treatment.

Self help

Adults

: Make sure your body is not dehydrated. Drink more fluids.

• The types of drinks are not as important as simply replenishing lost fluids. However, avoid milk. This may make the diarrhea worse.
• Try to eat. Food should not be soft, avoid fatty foods. Infants and children can be given bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, a diet that has been used for decades to treat diarrhea. If diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, try sucking candy. After the diarrhea stops, avoid alcoholic drinks and spicy foods for another 2 days.
• Avoid strenuous exercise until you feel better, as this may increase the risk of dehydration.

Children

: Dehydration in children is also a cause for concern.

• Infants often experience problems due to the increased risk of dehydration. They need to be offered a bottle more often. Solutions such as Pedialyte are a better option as they contain essential salts lost during diarrhea.
• Children with diarrhea, fever, or vomiting should stay home and miss school or preschool until symptoms subside.

Treatment

To restore fluid balance in the body, your doctor may prescribe intravenous fluid therapy.

Since most cases of diarrhea are caused by viruses, antibiotics will not help in treatment. Even the most severe diarrhea caused by bacteria usually goes away within a few days without the use of antibiotics. In fact, antibiotics may even worsen bacterial diarrhea, especially those caused by E. coli (a common source of food poisoning).

• Antibiotics may help some adults with diarrhea. When given correctly, antibiotics can reduce the severity of the disease and shorten the duration of symptoms. If you have recently traveled abroad or been on a camping holiday, your doctor may prescribe special medications to treat illnesses caused by certain intestinal parasites.
• Your doctor may recommend medications such as loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate to treat diarrhea. These medications are usually not recommended for infants and children.
• Severe diarrhea and dehydration may require hospitalization and intravenous fluids.

Diarrhea: causes and treatment

Treatment of diarrhea directly depends on the cause that caused it. What medications for diarrhea are most effective? We'll 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 of 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 further treatment will be carried out under the strict supervision of doctors. If water diarrhea is observed in an adult, treatment should be aimed at preventing dehydration and restoring 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, half a glass. In addition, you should drink at least 4 glasses of one of these medications within 12 hours.

Treatment of diarrhea

Treatment for diarrhea will depend on the disease that caused it. For infectious diarrhea, antibacterial and antiparasitic agents are prescribed. It is imperative to compensate for dehydration - this is what causes death during an intestinal infection. In addition, for infectious diarrhea, sorbents are prescribed - these drugs absorb toxins released by the infectious agent and dead intestinal cells. After the end of the acute period, drugs are recommended to restore normal microflora: probiotics (live “useful” microbes), prebiotics (substances that promote the proliferation of normal microflora) and synbiotics (drugs that combine probiotics and prebiotics).

For diarrhea caused by digestive problems, enzyme preparations are recommended; for motility disorders, prokinetics (itomed). In the case of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, sometimes cytostatics and immunosuppressants.

For chronic diarrhea caused by inflammatory diseases, as well as for irritable bowel syndrome, the use of gastroprotectors (rebamipide) is recommended to accelerate the recovery of the intestinal mucosa.

If the disease is caused by pathology of other organs and systems, drugs are prescribed to treat the underlying disease and this therapy is supplemented with drugs to normalize intestinal motility.

Diet is very important in the treatment of diarrhea. The diet directly depends on the cause of the syndrome. Most often, diet No. 4 according to Pevzner is recommended - it is indicated for infectious intestinal diseases. If diarrhea is caused by pathology of the pancreas, Table No. 5a is prescribed, for diseases of the gallbladder - Table No. 5. In cases where diarrhea is caused by intolerance to a particular product, it is often enough to exclude only this product from the diet (lactose-free, gluten-free diet).

Medicines for diarrhea

Medicines for diarrhea are not a panacea at all. A range of interventions should be considered when treating diarrhea. The most important of which, as already mentioned, is the fight against dehydration. Let's look at medications for diarrhea in adults that are used most often.

All of them are divided into several pharmacological groups:

• sulfonamide drugs (“Fthalazol”);
• antibiotics (Levomycetin, Tetracycline tablets);
• nitrofurans (drug "Furazolidone");
• antimicrobial drugs (“Enterofuril”, “Sulgin”);
• antifungal (Intetrix) - used for amoebic dysentery;
• enterosorbents (activated carbon);
• antiviral drugs.

Let's look at the most well-known remedies for diarrhea in adults. In what case is it advisable to take this or that drug?

Activated charcoal for diarrhea

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

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

Activated carbon absorbs all harmful toxins, bacteria and viruses, and also binds water and covers the intestinal wall with a protective layer. After this, it is excreted naturally. It should be noted that after taking tablets of this drug, the stool will be black. There is no need to be afraid of this. If diarrhea occurs due to poor-quality products, then activated carbon in most cases is sufficient for treatment.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Traditional medicine knows many ways to treat such ailments as diarrhea. Folk remedies for treating diarrhea have been proven for centuries.

1. 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 over low heat for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take this remedy every two hours, 2 tbsp. spoons.
2. Traditional treatment for diarrhea involves the use of rice water. Taking this remedy every 20-30 minutes for 3-4 hours will relieve bloating and stop diarrhea.
3. Wormwood will help cope with diarrhea. But you need to be careful with this product: do not exceed the dosage and do not use it for too long. To prepare the medicine, add 1 teaspoon of dry herb to one glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Take the medicine 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp. spoon.
4. A very strong folk remedy for diarrhea using an alcoholic infusion of walnut partitions has been known for a long time. It must be taken without exceeding the permissible dose (5-6 drops), otherwise it may provoke a reverse reaction - 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 alcohol tinctures can only be used internally for treatment by adults. To prepare the drug, take 1 tbsp. spoon of ground walnut partitions and pour one glass of vodka. Leave in darkness for 5-7 days. This product is prepared for future use and stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to always have this medicine on hand for those who are prone to frequent intestinal disorders.

Traditional medicine recipes

To help with diarrhea, medication alone is not enough. Traditional medicine recipes will help improve the patient’s condition at home:

• Starch . This product helps to consolidate stool, reduce pain, and can be used for both indigestion in adults and children. In case of diarrhea, an adult needs to eat a tablespoon of starch and immediately drink the dry mixture with a glass of water (children over 6 years old need to eat 1 teaspoon of the dry mixture). Berry and fruit jelly made with starch or a starch suspension diluted in cold water also help well with diarrhea.
• Black peppercorns . There is no need to bite the peppercorns; they are swallowed whole. To loosen the stool, take 20-25 peas of dried black pepper, swallow and drink water. To improve the fixing effect, pepper can be eaten with a tablespoon of starch. This recipe is only suitable for adult patients.
• Pomegranate peels . Dried pomegranate peels are poured with boiling water and infused for an hour. The medicine is taken chilled, half a glass three times a day.
• Chamomile decoction . The medicine has bactericidal properties, has a calming effect on the stomach, and helps get rid of nausea. Brewed chamomile tea can be drunk 2-3 times a day.
• Tincture on walnut partitions . It is used to treat diarrhea caused by dysbacteriosis, enzyme deficiency, and colitis. Since the tincture is prepared on an alcohol basis, it can only be taken by adults: 5-10 drops diluted in a spoonful of water.

In the first days of illness, it is advisable for patients to refuse to eat. In the future, it is advisable to adhere to a gentle diet, adding porridge with water, baked vegetables, and dried wheat to your diet.

Remember that only first aid can be provided to a patient with diarrhea at home. Be sure to consult your doctor for treatment recommendations.