Long-term diarrhea: causes and treatment in adults

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is a human condition in which frequent bowel movements are observed, while the stool is watery. This condition is dangerous because it can lead to dehydration. Diarrhea can be caused by infections of the digestive tract, poor diet, stress, and drug poisoning.

The disease can also be caused by the presence of worms or intestinal dysbiosis. It is worth carefully monitoring the frequency of stool, paying attention to its smell (sour, putrid), color (gray, white), and the admixture of blood.

There are several types of stool disorders; to determine them, there are specific characteristics that, in fact, distinguish this symptom from the norm.

Clear criteria and differences between them are given in the table:

The data presented in the table requires a little clarification, since the boundaries of normality and pathology are individual for each person. All generally accepted physiological indicators are averaged, combining a fairly wide spread. First of all, it is worth clarifying the indicator of the number of daily bowel movements. For some people it ranges from once every 2-3 days to 3-4 times a day. The same applies to the consistency of feces, which can be from liquid-mushy to solid-formed.

The most important thing when assessing these characteristics of bowel movements is their duration. If they occur over a long period of time (long months and years), without causing any negative manifestations in a person, then there is no need to worry, since such characteristics are individual. This is not diarrhea.

The situation is completely different with other characteristics of the stool, such as odor and the presence of impurities. Their change always indicates diarrhea. Moreover, from time to time, by their appearance, one can clearly determine its origin. Therefore, it is so important to always pay attention to feces, because they indicate the state of digestion and the health of the body as a whole.

Diarrhea is a pathological symptom that is characterized by an increase in the number of bowel movements or the appearance of liquid stool, which was not observed until a certain point. It is almost always accompanied by the presence of various impurities in the stool.

Causes of diarrhea in adults

Diarrhea is a consequence of improper functioning of the intestinal tract: the digestive process accelerates, and this leads to dilution of stool and frequent bowel movements.

As a rule, diarrhea is caused by viral or bacterial infections or food poisoning. Typically, the causative agents of diarrhea are Escherichia coli and salmonella bacteria; they can be in food or water. Diarrhea, which is caused by a bacterial infection, most often affects tourists when traveling to exotic countries. It’s not for nothing that this type of disease is sometimes called “tourist’s diarrhea.”

Diarrhea can be caused by herpes simplex or hepatitis viruses, as well as taking antibiotics.

Another cause of diarrhea can be ulcerative colitis. It also causes severe diarrhea, but colitis is detected very late and, as a rule, during an internal examination of the intestines.

Considering the close contact of the digestive system with the external environment and internal systems of the body, one can safely notice its persistent dependence on them. That's why she gets sick so often. Most often, any irritation or disruption in normal functioning is manifested by increased motor skills, mucus secretion, and ultimately diarrhea.

A complete list of causes of diarrhea is given below:

Viral infections

1. Rotaviruses;
2. Enteroviruses;
3. Adenovirus;

Bacterial infections

1. Salmonellosis;
2. Dysentery (shigellosis);
3. Cholera;
4. Food poisoning;
5. Escherichiosis;

Enzyme deficiency

1. Pancreatitis;
2. Gallstone disease with impaired bile outflow;
3. Enzymopathies;
4. Congenital intolerance to certain foods;

Intestinal diseases

1. Enteritis;
2. Enterocolitis;
3. Nonspecific ulcerative colitis;
4. Crohn's disease;
5. Whipple's disease;

Tumor growths

1. Polyps;
2. Adenocarcinomas;
3. Diverticula complicated by inflammation;

Autoimmune diseases

1. Intestinal damage due to lupus erythematosus;
2. Rheumatoid arthritis;
3. Atopic dermatitis and allergic reactions;

Intoxication

1. Nitrate poisoning;
2. Heavy metals;
3. Pesticide;
4. Household chemicals;

Drug influences

1. Antibiotics;
2. Cytostatics;
3. Overdose of laxatives;
4. Anticholinesterase agents and prokinetics;

Gastrointestinal bleeding

1. Open ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
2. Small intestinal bleeding;
3. Colonic bleeding;

Diarrhea after taking antibiotics

This is due to the fact that it is caused by iatrogenic (medical) influences, which are initially designed to help a person. They are very common and can cause serious illness and even death. First of all, this concerns the side effects of antibacterial therapy, which causes dysbiosis, and subsequently pseudomembranous colitis. The peculiarity of the latter complication is that it is very difficult to correct by any methods, accompanied by debilitating diarrhea.

No less important are infectious diarrheas of bacterial and viral origin. They occur more often than others, but fortunately, they end well in most cases. This is due to the body's ability to ultimately defeat aggressive pathogens, since they are natural components of nature. The same cannot be said about diarrhea caused by toxic influences and other external influences. They, being unnatural, cannot be overcome only by protective immune mechanisms without outside influence.

As for the mechanisms of diarrhea, they can also be different. Which one is included depends on the cause of the diarrhea. The most typical pathogenetic mechanisms and their corresponding causes are presented in the table.

Usually, with diarrhea, there is not only one mechanism for its implementation. Their combination with the predominance of one over the others is typical.

Treatment

Having identified a disease that has caused the appearance of liquid or semi-liquid feces, the doctor will prescribe drug treatment with antibiotics, anthelmintic drugs, enzymes, hormones, or whatever the circumstances require. But the most important thing and the first thing the doctor will prescribe is diet. The diet for loose stools and diarrhea should be as follows:

In addition to diet, it is important to lead an active lifestyle and stick to a daily routine. If you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, loose stools will soon acquire a normal consistency and will no longer bother you.

Video: How to stop diarrhea?

Types of diarrhea

• Infectious diarrhea is observed with dysentery, salmonellosis, food infections, viral diseases (viral diarrhea), amoebiasis, etc.
• Alimentary diarrhea occurs due to poor diet or allergies to any foods.
• Dyspeptic diarrhea occurs when the digestion of food masses is impaired due to secretory insufficiency of the stomach, pancreas, liver, or when there is a lack of secretion of any enzymes by the small intestine.
• Toxic diarrhea accompanies uremia, mercury and arsenic poisoning.
• Drug-induced diarrhea occurs when the physiological intestinal flora is suppressed and dysbiosis develops.
• Neurogenic diarrhea is a consequence of a violation of the nervous regulation of intestinal motor activity (for example, diarrhea that occurs under the influence of excitement or fear).

Mild and short-lived diarrhea has virtually no effect on the general condition of a person. Severe or chronic - depletes the body, leads to hypovitaminosis, significant changes in organs.

Diarrhea symptoms

Clinical manifestations of diarrhea are usually characterized by a standard set of complaints and objective examination data. For some of its types, there are specific distinctive features that can be used to accurately determine the specific nature of the disease. But it also happens that even additional laboratory and instrumental data do not always turn out to be informative. In order not to miss anything, you need to be very attentive to everything that happens to the body, accompanying diarrhea.

High temperature with diarrhea

It is noted by many patients as an additional symptom. Its development is characteristic of many types of diarrhea. First of all, this concerns microbial (viral and bacterial) types. After all, any penetration of foreign protein structures into immune cells causes the production of antibodies, which is accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators and a temperature reaction.

How and with what to reduce a high temperature?

Considering that the intestines are one of the most powerful immune organs, its occurrence should not be surprising. On the contrary, when a person has signs of an infectious intestinal disease, but there is no fever, this indicates the presence of immunodeficiency. As for its specific values, they depend on the pathogenicity of the microbe and the reactivity of the body and can range from 37.1°C to above 39°C.

Nausea and vomiting with diarrhea

Nausea is by far the most common symptom of diarrhea of ​​any origin. There is a logical explanation for this. After all, disruption of the normal movement of food and feces through the intestines necessarily leads to their incorrect reflux in the opposite direction.

In addition, intoxication that occurs against the background of any intestinal catastrophe necessarily leads to the absorption of these toxic products into the systemic bloodstream with their distribution to all organs and tissues. The first to react to them is the vomiting center of the brain, which clinically manifests itself in the form of nausea followed by vomiting. By the way, the last reflex act is one of the most physiological mechanisms for cleansing the body of toxins of any origin.

Abdominal pain

It is always a consequence of increased intestinal motility. As a rule, it is spastic, strong and intense. It is characterized by a paroxysmal course with periods of sharp intensification with gradual subsidence and complete cessation. Usually after or during a painful attack there is a urge to defecate, which is manifested by severe diarrhea.

The appearance of pain is characteristic of almost all types of diarrhea, but most often occurs with microbial types and food poisoning. All other types of it are accompanied by discomfort and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Rotten belching with diarrhea

It occurs as a primary symptom or gradually against the background of diarrhea. In the first case, when it precedes diarrhea, its appearance indicates enzymatic insufficiency of the pancreas, stomach and biliary system.

As a result of the fact that the food entering the body is not digested, it rots. This eventually vents into the formation of foul-smelling gases, which emanate from the stomach through belching. Naturally, undigested particles entering the intestines cause irritation and diarrhea. When rotten belching occurs against the background of diarrhea, this is a consequence of secondary digestive disorders caused by the underlying disease and indicates its progression.

What is loose stool

During normal functioning of the stomach, bowel movements occur once or twice a day.

If disruption of the gastrointestinal tract occurs over a long period of time, they speak of chronic diarrhea (not diarrhea). How to determine the cause and begin treatment correctly is a question that requires a serious approach and attention.

Chronic loose stools in an adult indicate health problems. This is not only unpleasant, but also a dangerous phenomenon that can lead the body to dehydration. Together with feces, a large volume of water, useful microelements, minerals, and nutrients are released. They are necessary to maintain water-salt balance and normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Signs of dehydration include:

• Lethargy, drowsiness, constant feeling of weakness;
• Dry skin;
• Loss of body weight;
• Feeling thirsty, dry mouth;
• Reducing the number of urinations.

Remember! Long-lasting, loose, smelly stools in an adult should not be ignored. The symptom is dangerous for the body. If you ignore the symptoms, there is a risk of serious harm to your health and serious treatment will be required.

There is a noticeable difference between loose stools and diarrhea. Loose stools differ from diarrhea in that the stool acquires a liquid consistency; it can persist for a long period of time without other symptoms. It appears daily, every other day, or occurs periodically. Diarrhea is frequent and sudden bowel movements. Accompanied by a number of symptoms: acute abdominal pain, high temperature, and health quickly deteriorates.

Color of diarrhea in an adult

Color:

• Green color
• Yellow
• Black color
• White color
• Diarrhea with blood
• Diarrhea with mucus
• Water diarrhea

An experienced clinician can determine the origin of diarrhea by the color and typical characteristics of liquid stool. In this case, it is necessary to add up the remaining symptoms. This will make it possible to understand and clarify some details of the origin of the true culprit of diarrhea.

Green diarrhea

Characteristic exclusively for bacterial and viral intestinal lesions. The appearance of greenery is associated with the direct accumulation of leukocytes in the feces, as well as the active proliferation of pyogenic coccal flora (staphylococci) against the background of weakened local immune mechanisms in the intestines.

Clinically, it looks like liquid stool of heterogeneous consistency with small greenish inclusions or thickly coated and mixed with viscous green mucus. Typically, such diarrhea is accompanied by a severe hyperthermic reaction, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, signs of severe intoxication and inflammatory changes in the blood system.

Read more: Green feces - what does it mean?

Yellow diarrhea

It is one of its most favorable types, since most often it is caused by increased peristalsis (contraction) of the intestine. As a result of the acceleration of the movement of feces, they do not have time to fully form into a normal shape and consistency. But at the same time, they undergo almost complete enzymatic processing and partial absorption of the active components into the bloodstream. The result is stool of normal color, but liquid consistency. Characteristically, there are no additional symptoms except for minor pain and heaviness in the abdomen.

Read more: Yellow stool - what does it mean?

Black diarrhea (dark in color)

Refers to very formidable or, conversely, natural symptoms. First of all, it’s worth focusing on it as a threatening sign. The appearance of stool that is black, like tar or tar, can indicate only one thing - bleeding from the stomach. The appearance of this particular color is due to the destruction of erythrocyte hemoglobin under the influence of hydrochloric acid of the stomach. In this case, hydrochloric acid hematin is formed, which provides the characteristic color. In such situations, you should not waste a minute and urgently seek medical help.

The second situation that may result in black feces is the consumption of foods based on animal blood (bloodweed), large amounts of beets, blueberries, or certain medications (activated carbon, bismuth preparations - Vikalin, de-Nol). It is this fact that often causes people to seek medical help. A differential diagnostic criterion for the origin of black diarrhea is the presence of an appropriate history of use of the listed substances or a decrease in hemodynamic parameters (hypotension, tachycardia) in the case of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Read more: Black feces - what does it mean?

White diarrhea (light in color)

Along with black feces, it is one of the most specific, characterizing only one reason for its appearance. In this case, it is insufficient processing of food masses in the intestines with bile. This is possible when the common bile duct is compressed or blocked by a tumor or stone.

In typical cases, such diarrhea is necessarily accompanied by yellowness of the skin and severe darkening of the urine. Pain, temperature reaction and dehydration are not typical. It is often of a mild nature, occurring only a few times, after which the white color of the stool remains with its normal consistency.

Diarrhea with blood

The most dangerous of all types of diarrhea, since it indicates ongoing active bleeding into the cavity of the intestinal tract. Usually characteristic of disintegrating tumors of the large intestine, severe intestinal infections, which result in complete destruction of the mucous membrane of the intestinal wall.

Sometimes the appearance of bloody diarrhea can be a consequence of the toxic effects of various chemical compounds and poisons on the intestines. Bloody diarrhea may not be represented by pure blood, but by liquid, dark cherry-colored stool. In this case, we can say with confidence that the source of bleeding is located in the right half of the large intestine.

Diarrhea with mucus

This characteristic alone cannot determine the true origin of diarrhea. After all, mucus can be completely different and released in different quantities. Its transparent appearance is a sign of a relatively favorable course, which may be due to foodborne illness and mild poisoning. When the mucus becomes greenish, brown or bloody, this always indicates severe diarrhea or lack of effect from its treatment.

Read more: White mucus in stool: what does it mean?

Water diarrhea

In any scientific manual or regular women's health magazine, you can find only one answer to the question about watery stools. This is of course cholera. The causative agent of the disease is designed in such a way that when it enters the intestines, it turns on all possible mechanisms of diarrhea, which is manifested by the indomitable release of water instead of feces. The most interesting thing is that the temperature rises extremely rarely. But the number of bowel movements is so large that patients are unable to count them. As a result, severe dehydration occurs, which requires immediate correction through massive infusion therapy.

Causes

There are several reasons why burning diarrhea may develop.

Stomach acids, digestive enzymes and bile.

When food enters the stomach, certain acids and digestive enzymes attach to it and begin to break it down.

By the time food passes through the small intestine, where bile is added to the mixture to absorb nutrients, these acids and enzymes must be neutralized.

Diarrhea speeds up the digestion process, so food often doesn't break down properly, meaning stomach acids, digestive enzymes, and bile may still be present in diarrhea. This can damage tissue and cause a burning sensation.

Physical trauma

Because food may not be completely broken down when it leaves the body, large, rough foods or foods with edible seeds, pods, or shells may grind, cut, or even cause small tears in the delicate rectal tissues.

Sometimes simply increasing the amount of wiping, even with a soft cloth in the bathroom, is enough to cause irritation.

Spicy food

Some spices contain chemical compounds that cause a burn and a warm sensation when in contact with tissue. Capsaicin, the main active ingredient in most spicy products, is also used in over-the-counter products.

Capsaicin may irritate digestive tissues, causing diarrhea. And because diarrhea speeds up digestive processes, pleneucin consumed in savory foods can leave the body before being destroyed, causing a burning sensation.

Additional reasons

Other common causes of burning diarrhea include

• alcoholism
• emphasis
• caffeine
• artificial sweeteners
• fructose is a natural sugar found in fruits.
• laxative abuse

Treatment of diarrhea in adults

Only those who can clearly determine its nature and mechanism of occurrence can treat diarrhea correctly and effectively. The table below should help you navigate these issues a little.

Treatment of diarrhea should not be a one-component treatment. It is necessary to correctly combine different drugs, focusing on the group of drugs that influence the cause of its occurrence.

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