Diarrhea: Why It Happens and How to Treat It

By Dr. Vijay Rai,Gastroenterology

Diarrhoea is a condition characterized by the frequent passing of stools, especially watery stools. Generally, the symptoms subside within two or three days. Depending on its duration and severity, diarrhoea can be classified into three types:

1. Acute diarrhoea: It can last anywhere between a few hours to a few days (usually three-five days days). Acute diarrhoea primarily includes dysentery wherein blood is found in the stool.
2. Persistent Diarrhoea: This generally lasts for more than two weeks but less than 4 weeks/a month.
3. Chronic diarrhoea: It last more than a month.

CAUSES-

1. Food poisoning.
2. High stress and anxiety levels.
3. Gastrointestinal infections caused by bacteria such as Escherichia Coli, virus such as noro-virus or salmonella.
4. Side effects of Antibiotics.

SYMPTOMS-

1. Vomiting
2. Abdominal pain
3. Nausea
4. Frequent stools or loose watery stools.
5. Fever
6. Blood in stool
7. Dehydration

TREATMENT-

1. Consume plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
2. Oral rehydration drinks.
3. Intravenous injection of fluids.
4. Antibiotics will also be prescribed.
5. Anti-diarrhoeal medications.

PREVENTION-

1. Always wash your hands before a meal and after having been to the toilet.
2. Clean the kitchen and maintain overall hygiene in the house.
3. Do not eat raw vegetables, fruits or shells without washing them properly.
4. If there’s meat in the house, do not put the raw meat next to the cooked meat as the bacteria from the raw meat might get transferred to the meat which you have cooked.