What does diarrhea last for 4 days mean?

How long does diarrhea usually last?

In most cases, diarrhea lasts 1–2 days, although in some cases the condition may last longer.
The exact duration depends on the underlying cause (). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) divides the condition into three groups depending on its duration ():

• Acute diarrhea : lasts 1–2 days and resolves without treatment.
• Persistent diarrhea : Diarrhea that persists for 2–4 weeks.
• Chronic diarrhea : persistent or intermittent diarrhea lasting more than 4 weeks.

Treatment methods

When unpleasant symptoms appear, it is very important to take action immediately, otherwise there is a risk of dangerous consequences. One of them may be serious dehydration of the body. Treatment should consist of the following:

1. On the first day you need to completely eliminate food intake.
2. It is very important to provide the patient with plenty of fluids. Preference should be given to ordinary boiled water with rehydron. You can also drink mineral water without gas.
3. If food poisoning is suspected, cleanse the stomach.
4. The patient can be given activated charcoal.
5. If a person's condition does not improve, they should immediately consult a doctor.

Note to parents. If severe weakness, nausea, diarrhea, or high fever occurs in a child, you should immediately call an ambulance. The specialist will be able to assess the baby’s condition and, if necessary, hospitalize him in the infectious diseases hospital.

The appearance of general weakness, stool disturbances and nausea can be a symptom of a variety of pathologies. To make an accurate diagnosis and begin proper therapy, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner.

Causes of diarrhea that lasts more than a week

Persistent and chronic diarrhea can last more than a week, according to the NIDDK. Both types can have different causes.

Causes of persistent diarrhea

Below are the most common causes of persistent diarrhea.

Infections

Persistent diarrhea can result from viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections.

Below you will learn about the different types of pathogens that commonly cause diarrhea and how they enter the body.

• Viruses (norovirus, rotavirus, viral gastroenteritis) . Can enter the body by inhaling infected droplets when another person coughs or sneezes. They can also be introduced into the body by touching a surface that has been in contact with infected droplets and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Bacteria (campylobacter, E. coli, salmonella, shigella) . They enter the body with contaminated food or water.
• Parasites (cryptosporidiosis, dysenteric amoeba, intestinal lamblia) . They enter the body with contaminated food or water.

Traveler's diarrhea

Traveler's diarrhea (TD) is the medical term for diarrhea that occurs as a result of eating food or water contaminated with viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

Its name comes from the fact that it usually develops when people travel to countries with poor sanitation conditions.

According to the NIDDK, DP usually causes acute diarrhea, although some parasitic infections can cause persistent diarrhea ().

Side effects of medications

Some medications may cause diarrhea as a side effect. Here are examples of drugs that can cause diarrhea:

• antibiotics
• antacids containing magnesium
• high blood pressure medications
• anticancer drugs

Causes of chronic diarrhea

Below we explore the possible causes of chronic diarrhea.

Infections

Without treatment, some bacterial and parasitic infections can cause chronic diarrhea.

After an infection, people may have trouble digesting certain carbohydrates and proteins. This may prolong the duration of diarrhea.

Food allergies and intolerances

Chronic diarrhea can sometimes indicate a food allergy or intolerance. Food intolerance is when a person has difficulty digesting certain foods. This may lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.

Here are some common types of food intolerances:

• Lactose intolerance : the inability to properly digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products.
• Fructose intolerance : When the body cannot properly digest fructose, the sugar in fruits, fruit juices and honey.
• Gluten intolerance : When a person is unable to properly digest the gluten proteins found in grains.

In addition to the above, some people may have difficulty breaking down the sugar alcohol in some sugar-free foods. Here are examples of sugar alcohols:

• sorbitol
• mannitol
• xylitol

Digestive tract diseases

Chronic diarrhea can sometimes indicate a problem with the digestive tract.

Here are some gastrointestinal diseases that can cause chronic diarrhea:

• irritable bowel syndrome
• bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
• celiac disease
• inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease

Abdominal surgery

A person may develop chronic diarrhea after surgery on the following organs:

• stomach
• appendix
• gallbladder
• small or large intestine
• liver
• pancreas
• spleen

Long-term use of antibiotics

Long-term use of antibiotics can also change the balance of good and bad gut bacteria. This may make a person more susceptible to infection with the diarrhea-causing bacteria Clostridium difficile (Clostridium difficile).

Causes of multi-day diarrhea

By day 4 of diarrhea, a person usually feels very unwell. In addition to the already familiar pain in the stomach and frequent urge to defecate, headaches, dizziness, and regular nausea occur.

This is due to the fact that beneficial microelements are washed out of the body, water is released in huge quantities, and its balance is rarely replenished. As a result, the body is dehydrated, it lacks the microelements necessary for normal functioning, as a result of which the state of health worsens.

After many days of diarrhea, a person always feels weak, which prevents him from working and doing everyday activities.

Diagnosing diarrhea in an adult is complicated by the fact that there can be many reasons why the problem develops, and here are just the main ones:

• multi-day diarrhea is often caused by

  
  stale food, which complicates the functioning of the entire digestive system, causing an unpleasant response;

• often problems are dictated by taking medications that stimulate the occurrence of such a complication;
• against the background of regular stress, diarrhea also occurs;
• individual intolerance to some components of the diet can be fatal;
• The body often reacts in such a specific way to a change in time zone or change in climate zone.

In addition to such, one might say, everyday problems, diarrhea is often provoked by serious illnesses. Here are just a few diseases that usually accompany diarrhea:

• intestinal infection;
• development of dysentery;
• intestinal tuberculosis;
• exacerbation of a serious illness directly related to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, ulcerative colitis;
• salmonellosis;
• inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Each case reveals its own small, specific signs. For example, with an intestinal infection, mucus is often found in the stool, and with ulcerative colitis, blood clots can often be seen in the discharge.

Of course, your doctor can narrow down potential illnesses by assessing the color and smell of your stool, but this is usually not enough. In order for the diagnosis to be absolutely balanced, one has to turn to special diagnostic techniques.

Treating diarrhea at home

Below are some remedies that can help relieve diarrhea and its associated symptoms.

Over-the-counter medications

There are two main types of over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications ():

• Loperamide . This drug is sold under the brand name Imodium. It slows down digestion so that the body can get more water from the intestines. This helps make stool more dense and reduces the frequency of bowel movements.
• Bismuth subsalicylate . This medication is available as Pepto-Bismol. It works by coating and killing some of the intestinal bacteria that cause diarrhea.

Changing your diet

People with diarrhea may find that eating soft, easy-to-digest foods can provide nutrients, soothing the stomach and relieving symptoms.

One such diet is the BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Other foods that a person can eat if they have an upset stomach are:

• stewed or boiled vegetables
• scrambled eggs
• bouillon
• chicken or turkey without skin
• White bread
• White rice
• saltine crackers
• oatmeal

People should also avoid foods that can make stomach upset and diarrhea worse, such as:

• fried, fatty or spicy foods
• milk and dairy products, except plain yogurt and kefir ()
• fish
• red meat
• raw vegetables
• citrus
• candies
• carbonated drinks
• very hot or cold drinks
• caffeine
• alcohol

Drinking large amounts of liquid

Diarrhea can lead to loss of fluid and essential electrolytes, which can lead to dehydration.

Drinking plenty of fluids will help reduce this risk. You can drink the following drinks:

• pure water
• low sugar fruit juices
• low sugar sports drinks
• clear broths

Folk remedies

If your stomach hurts for the fourth day and diarrhea does not stop during this period of time, you should begin treatment after consulting with your doctor. Once the cause of diarrhea is established, therapy can be prescribed. For these purposes, it is possible to use such recipes.

1. Pharmacies sell ready-made dried oak bark. Take 1 tbsp. l. bark and pour a glass of boiling water. Leave to brew for 60 minutes, then strain thoroughly. Drink several tablespoons of tincture throughout the day; the effect will become noticeable after 2 days. When this does not happen, then other methods of alternative treatment for diarrhea in adults should be used. After several hours, the procedure is repeated, and to avoid dehydration, drink plenty of fluids.
2. Rice porridge or a decoction of it will help perfectly. It's quite easy to prepare. For 0.5 l. 1.5 tsp of boiling water is needed. rice This mixture is cooked over low heat for 40 minutes. Afterwards you need to wait until the mass has cooled down and then filter it thoroughly. Drink 1/4 glass every 3 hours. The effect will become noticeable quite quickly.
3. The recipe for a decoction of pomegranate peels is especially popular. While preparing this remedy, you should wash the pomegranate, wipe it thoroughly and then peel it. Before drying, cut off all the pulp. Peels are stored in a dry and warm place. When the need arises, take 1 teaspoon of dry crusts and add 1 liter of water. Then cook in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave to brew for at least 40 minutes. During prolonged diarrhea in adults, treatment consists of drinking 2 tsp. decoction, but no more than 5 times a day. When the drug is taken appropriately, the effect can be noticed within the next day.
4. Vodka with salt is considered an effective way against prolonged diarrhea in adults. Take a glass of vodka and salt in any quantity. Before taking it, you need to dilute the product with warm water and drink it on an empty stomach several times a day.
5. It is possible to eliminate diarrhea through such a method as strong black tea. For treatment, brew 2 times more tea than usual and add a small amount of sugar. Drink tea several sips throughout the day.
6. Black pepper also helps in this case. Swallow 10 peas whole and wash down with a large volume of warm water. After half an hour, changes will begin. A similar recipe can also be used to treat diarrhea in children. Those who struggle with stomach problems should use pepper carefully, as this causes significant complications and extremely poor health.

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It is necessary to establish in advance the cause of prolonged diarrhea and treat it, since eliminating the symptoms is not enough to get rid of the causative agent of the disease.

Causes requiring special treatment

Treatment for persistent or chronic diarrhea depends on the underlying cause. Below are some possible causes and treatment options.

Infections

Your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat a chronic bacterial infection or antiparasitic medications to treat a parasitic infection.

Food allergies and intolerances

If you suspect you have a food allergy or intolerance, your doctor may recommend keeping a food diary.

You can use your journal to record the foods you eat every day and the symptoms you experience. Over time, this will help you identify foods that may cause diarrhea.

Treatment for food allergies or intolerances typically involves avoiding known trigger foods.

Digestive tract diseases

Treatment for digestive problems depends on the type of disease. Depending on the cause, this may include one or more of the following:

• avoiding certain foods
• taking medications to control the disease
• taking medications to relieve diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms
• surgery to treat the underlying disease

Symptoms of diarrhea

In these situations, it will not be enough to just stop prolonged diarrhea: you need to diagnose and implement appropriate therapy, often while in the hospital. Regarding the clinical signs of the disease, they are mild. This refers to ordinary indigestion, when, in addition to prolonged loose stools, there are spastic pain sensations inside the abdomen and dyspepsia (boiling, bloating, flatulence).

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In a situation with food poisoning, lethargy, fever, nausea and gag reflex, loss of appetite, and high temperature will be added to the discomfort. Similar symptoms are characteristic of intestinal infections and viral diseases.

Signs of dehydration are considered dangerous symptoms that require immediate attention. Dry skin and mucous membranes, cracked lips, thirst, infrequent urination, dark urine appear during constant debilitating diarrhea; this condition poses a serious threat: the pulse increases, blood pressure decreases, and muscle cramps begin.

Summarize

Diarrhea that lasts more than a week may be persistent or chronic.

Persistent diarrhea lasts up to 4 weeks. This condition is usually the result of an infection or a side effect of medications.

Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts 4 weeks or more. There are many potential causes of this problem, including untreated infections, food allergies and intolerances, and underlying digestive tract conditions.

Anyone suffering from diarrhea that persists for more than 2 days should visit their doctor for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Causes of illness in children

In children, such symptoms may be caused not only by digestive disorders. Common factors include:

1. Increased intracranial pressure. In this case, the child also has a headache.
2. Binge eating. If you consume too much food, your baby may feel nauseous, and there will be a feeling of fullness and pain in the stomach.
3. Weakness of the vestibular apparatus. Children can quite often vomit in transport. Therefore, they should not be given food or drink before the trip.
4. Stressful situations. Nausea, diarrhea and weakness in a child can appear with excitement and high nervous tension. In such a situation, it is important to calm the baby down and offer him to do breathing exercises.
5. Allergic reactions. If nausea and diarrhea occur in a child without fever, food and drug allergies can be suspected. In such a situation, you need to consult an allergist.

Diarrhea in the evening

The phenomenon of diarrhea is familiar to many. It appears for the most part early in the morning or in the first half of the day. Sometimes the occurrence of such a symptom can be observed in the evening, especially in people with increased emotionality, and in rare cases at night. But any manifestation of intestinal dysfunction such as diarrhea requires consultation with a specialist, since in addition to functional disorders and mild food poisoning, it can also be caused by various pathological diseases of an organic or infectious nature that develop in the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, diarrhea every evening occurs due to the so-called irritable bowel syndrome. Diarrhea, accompanied by pain and discomfort in the abdominal area, in this case appears after morning constipation. IBS is a functional pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, in which there are no signs of ulcers or inflammation in the digestive organs. That is, as they say, there are no visible reasons for diarrhea in the evening, but the symptom itself is present. Signs that can help determine the presence of IBS include the following:

• Discomfort and cutting pain in the abdomen, decreasing after defecation;
• An urgent urge to evacuate or a feeling of incomplete passage of stool:
• Stool disorders, expressed in the alternation of evening attacks of diarrhea with constipation.

The most common cause that can provoke the development of IBS in a person is psychosomatic diseases.
To put it simply, this type of diarrhea develops mostly from nerves. Also, hormonal disorders in the patient’s body, a sedentary lifestyle, insufficient consumption of fiber and disturbances in the usual diet may also have a significant bearing on the fact that diarrhea occurs every evening. Despite the unpleasant and severe symptoms, which significantly impair the quality of life, the prognosis of IBS is quite favorable. This pathology cannot be fatal for the patient or lead to the development of severe complications. If the patient avoids daytime stress and increased psycho-emotional stress, which contribute to the development of evening diarrhea, the pathology can be completely eliminated. Also, to achieve the most complete result, you should start leading a more active lifestyle and adjust your diet, removing from it all foods and drinks that irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive organs.

Treatment methods

Doctors may prescribe medications to combat weakness after diarrhea. An excellent remedy widely used to alleviate the condition both during and after diarrhea is Regidron. The product is intended for rehydration. Corrects electrolyte and fluid imbalances in the body. Sold in powder form for dilution in water. Used to treat adults and children.

Severe weakness after diarrhea will pass in a short time if you follow your doctor's recommendations. To quickly restore strength, it is recommended that after complete recovery from stool disorder, you eat a lot of protein foods and foods containing vitamin C. The complex effect and replenishment of the necessary substances by the body with the help of proper nutrition will improve the condition and fill you with energy in a short time.

Prevention

Preventative measures include:

1. Maintaining a proper diet.
2. Eating only fresh, high-quality products with a verified expiration date.
3. Drinking enough fluid to rinse the intestines.
4. Eliminating the possibility of infection with low-quality medicines.
5. Regularly undergoing preventive medical examination.

Compliance with the described instructions is a sufficient condition for maintaining the normal state of the microflora of the stomach and intestines and eliminating the possibility of attacks of diarrhea.

Source

Why does this condition occur?

The first thing any gastroenterologist is interested in is the foods that the patient has consumed in recent days. What nausea, diarrhea and general weakness may indicate:

• Overeating, abuse of fatty foods and alcohol are often the cause of nausea. With a bacterial infection, diarrhea is added. Nausea can occur with bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Unbalanced diet. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills and weakness are also observed in serious pathologies. For example, such symptoms are observed in girls who are overly addicted to diets. With strict dietary restrictions, dysbiosis can develop. Prolonged diarrhea is one of the signs of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

Diarrhea is the frequent passage of stool, in which the contents of the intestines are more watery than usual. It is physiologically normal to go to the toilet 1-3 times a day. Diarrhea indicates accelerated work of the stomach or intestines.

This pathology requires increased attention - children and the elderly often suffer from such ailments.

Features of childhood nocturnal diarrhea

Loose stools in children, unfortunately, are not uncommon, even at night. It is explained by functional disorders and may be accompanied by additional symptoms: high fever, pain in the abdomen and sides, vomiting, weakness and dizziness.

In the first year of a child’s life, nocturnal diarrhea is not a significant deviation. These are the features of the functioning of his digestive system, the consumption of liquid food and the mother’s violation of the rules of a personal nutritious diet. At an older age, the cause of this may be nutritional disorders, consumption of low-quality foods and raw nutritional mixtures.

However, it is worth understanding that no matter what the root cause of the baby’s stool liquefaction, one must be wary of dehydration. If signs of such a condition are present, you should immediately consult a doctor for help.

Another danger is frequent diarrhea, which disrupts the child’s sleep patterns. The consequence of this development of events may be increased irritability and nervousness of the child, disorders of his psyche and nervous system.

Why does it happen?

Diarrhea is not an independent pathology; it is always a signal of some kind of trouble in the human body.

It can appear as a defensive reaction in response to dietary errors or as a symptom of various diseases.

Main reasons:

1. Poor nutrition - poor or monotonous food, predominance of fats or carbohydrates in the daily diet, food excesses, consumption of unusual foods, alcohol, too much food, etc.
2. Insufficiency or poor quality of produced digestive enzymes in congenital (lack of lactase) or acquired diseases (for example, diabetes, cholecystitis, pancreatitis).
3. Impaired absorption of certain nutrients in the intestine - primary malabsorption (celiac disease, cystic fibrosis) or secondary (with cirrhosis of the liver, chronic enteritis, oncology).
4. Infectious diseases - viral (rotavirus, enterovirus), bacterial (dysentery, salmonellosis) or parasitic (amoebiasis, giardiasis).
5. Inflammatory diseases - ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ischemic or radiation damage to the intestine.
6. General intoxications - with influenza, purulent diseases, septic conditions.
7. Neuroses and psychopathy as a cause of intestinal irritation, increased peristalsis and diarrhea.

Why does diarrhea occur at night?

Diarrhea at night, unfortunately, is not very uncommon. Many factors can provoke its onset:

1. Exacerbation of dysfunction of many organs and systems of the digestive tract. This problem occurs equally often in children and adults; manifestations at night are unexpected and spontaneous. Nocturnal diarrhea is a consequence of intestinal dysfunction; the causes may be allergic reactions, poisoning and improper use of medications.
2. Toxicosis, manifested against the background of hormonal imbalance in the body. The result may be disruption of the functioning of the endocrine system, increased hormonal tone of the thyroid gland. The situation is aggravated by an increase in goiter, general nervousness, irritability, nervous and mental disorders.
3. Diarrhea at night is often a consequence of insufficient functioning of the adrenal glands. This condition is facilitated by the development of the tuberculosis virus, disease and disruption of the normal functioning of the immune system, as well as ulcerative lesions of the intestines. Associated symptoms of the described condition are gastritis, enzyme deficiency, as well as malfunctions of internal organs.
4. Diabetes mellitus can cause loose stools at night. In this case, the secretory function of the pancreas is disrupted; the reason may be poor-quality nutrition or slagging in the body.

A combination of several reasons is possible for provoking watery bowel movements at night, so it is important to begin treatment as their definition is determined.