Diarrhea occurs when a person has a change in bowel movements, passing unusually loose and watery stools. For most cases, the condition usually goes away without special medical treatment. However, diarrhea can be potentially life-threatening if it leads to dehydration.
Causes
Diarrhea can be caused by microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Other causes of diarrhea include certain medications, certain food like milk, or health problems affecting the stomach or the intestines.
Normally, stool has a semi-solid consistency. The stool is the one that’s left when most of food molecules including vitamins and minerals and water, needed by the body, are absorbed. As stool passes through the large intestine, some of its water content is absorbed making stool a little bit solid. However, when water is not absorbed, the stool can become loose and watery.
Symptoms of Diarrhea
People with diarrhea often have unusual frequent bowel movements, which results in passing more than a quart of watery stool per day. It is a common condition, which usually lasts a day or two. Sometimes, the condition can last for months or years depending on the cause.
Other symptoms of diarrhea may include cramping in the abdomen, frequent urge or need to have a bowel movement, uncomfortable feeling in the anus, and sometimes fever or chills.
Sometimes severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration where water and important body salts are lost. In dehydration, the body cannot work properly, which can make a person become or feeling tired. Dehydration is a serious complication of diarrhea, especially in babies, children, and older people.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Symptoms of dehydration include being thirsty, urinating less often than usual, having dark-colored urine, having dry skin, feeling tired or dizzy, and fainting. In more severe cases, diarrhea may cause kidney failure where the kidneys stop to function.
It may be difficult to know when babies are experiencing dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration in babies may include having dry mouth and tongue, crying without tears, having no wet diapers for 3 hours or more, having a high fever, and being unusually sleepy or drowsy. These warning signs of diarrhea that needs special medical attention.
Diarrhea symptoms may be signs of other problems in the digestive tract as well.
Treatments
Treatment of diarrhea usually involves replacing the lost fluids. However, severe diarrhea cases may need hospitalization. In some cases, treating the cause can make diarrhea go away. For example, diarrhea caused by bacteria can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
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