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Diarrhea is loose, watery, and frequent stool. Diarrhea is a common spread in developing countries. Diarrhea in adults is usually mild and goes away quickly without complications. Diarrhea often means more-frequent trips to the toilet and a greater volume of stool. The most common cause of diarrhea is viral gastroenteritis , a mild viral infection that goes away on its own within a few days. This condition is often called the stomach flu. Viral gastroenteritis often occurs in mini-epidemics in schools, neighborhoods, or families. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and older people, and it must be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems. See Dehydration . Chronic diarrhea lasts much longer than does acute diarrhea, generally longer than four weeks. It can be a sign of a serious disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease, or it may be due to a less serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Chronic or recurrent diarrhea may signal poor absorption of nutrients (malabsorption). Diarrhea is most commonly caused by viral infections or bacterial toxins. Diarrhea can also be caused by dairy intake in those who are lactose intolerant. Diarrhea may cause a loss of significant amounts of water and salts.
There are at least four types of diarrhea. First is Secretory diarrhea means that there is an increase in the active secretion, or there is an inhibition of absorption. Second is Osmotic diarrhea occurs when there is a loss of water due to a heavy osmotic load. Third is Motility-related diarrhea occurs when the motility of the gastrointestinal tract is abnormal. If the food moves too quickly, there is not enough contact time between the food and the membrane, meaning that there is not enough time for the nutrients and water to be absorbed. Forth is Inflammatory diarrhea occurs when there is damage to the mucosal lining or brush border, which leads to a passive loss of protein-rich fluids, and a decreased ability to absorb these lost fluids Acute diarrhea is usually related to a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection.In most cases of diarrhea, replacing lost fluid to prevent dehydration is the only treatment necessary. Medicines that stop diarrhea may be helpful, but they are not recommended for people whose diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection or parasite.\
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