What're the treatments for diarrhea?
Treatment is ideally directed toward correcting the cause; however, the first aim should be to prevent or treat dehydration and nutritional deficiencies. When symptoms start, try to rest more and switch to a diet of clear liquids. Drink water, juice, bouillon, and weak tea to avoid becoming dehydrated. Replace lost fluids and electrolytes with sports drinks such as Gatorade. Avoid coffee or soft drinks that contain caffeine, since caffeine increases the loss of water and salt. When nausea prevents you from drinking fluids, suck on ice chips. As you begin to feel better, start eating solid foods gradually to prevent
stomach cramps. Start with soft, starchy foods (cooked cereal, steamed rice, unbuttered toast, and applesauce) before returning to your normal diet. To ease stomach cramps, apply warmth (a hot water bottle, warm compress or electric heating pad set on low heat) to your abdomen.
The type of fluid and nutrient replacement will depend on whether oral feedings can be taken and the severity of fluid losses. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) or intravenous fluids are the choices; ORS is preferred if possible. To replace fluids, the health care provider will often start an IV line if you are dehydrated and cannot eat or drink. Salt solutions flow through the IV, which replaces the lost fluids and often brings quick relief.
Because viruses cause most cases of diarrhea, antibiotics will not work. Even the more severe diarrhea caused by bacteria will usually go away in a few days even without antibiotics. In fact, antibiotics appear to make some bacterial diarrhea worse, specifically those caused by the E coli bacterium (often a source of food poisoning). Antibiotics may benefit some adults with diarrhea. If selected carefully, antibiotics may decrease the severity of illness and shorten the duration of symptoms. If you have recently traveled out of the country or have been camping (and may have been exposed to contaminated water in the wilderness), your health care provider may prescribe specific medication used to treat traveler's diarrhea or certain intestinal parasites.
The doctor may recommend using over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication. These drugs, such as loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) may help some people with diarrhea, but should be avoided by others. Antidiarrheal medications are not usually recommended for infants and children with diarrhea. If you have severe diarrhea, especially if you are dehydrated, you may require hospitalization to receive IV fluids and to be observed.
The use of anti-motility medication, although controversial, is available for the relief of diarrhea. It slows down your intestinal movement. These familiar medications include loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) and kaolin pectin suspension (Kaopectate). Such medications are not recommended for infants and children younger than 5 years. In otherwise healthy adults who are not severely ill with diarrhea, loperamide is probably safe and is effective in decreasing the number of stools per day and the total duration of the diarrhea. Bismuth subsalicylate is also effective and may be more effective than loperamide when you have vomiting as well as diarrhea. Adults with other serious medical problems and those with severe diarrhea (high fever, abdominal pain, or bloody stool) should see a health care provider before using either medication.
Electrolyte solutions are available to prevent dehydration. Oral electrolyte solutions are available at grocery and drug stores (Pedialyte, Rehydralyte, Naturalyte Solution). Follow label directions, which may specify 1 teaspoonful every 15 minutes for 30 minutes. If the child retains the initial doses, increase the dose to 1 tablespoonful every 15 minutes until the diarrhea stops.
One effective alternative approach to preventing and treating diarrhea involves oral supplementation of aspects of the normal flora in the colon with the yeasts Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bifidus, or Saccharomyces boulardii. In clinical settings, these "biotherapeutic" agents have repeatedly been helpful in the resolution of diarrhea, especially antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Their effectiveness is also supported by the results of a research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1996.
Nutrient replacement also plays a role in preventing and treating episodes of diarrhea. Zinc especially appears to have an effect on the immune system, and deficiency of this mineral can lead to chronic diarrhea. Also, zinc replacement improves growth in young patients. Plenty of fluids, especially water, should be taken by individuals suffering from diarrhea to prevent dehydration. The BRAT diet also can be useful in helping to resolve diarrhea. This diet limits food intake to bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods provide soluble and insoluble fiber without irritation. If the toast is slightly burnt, the charcoal can help sequester toxins and pull them from the body.
Acute homeopathic remedies can be very effective for treating diarrhea especially in infants and young children. |
More information on diarrhea
What is diarrhea? - Diarrhea is a condition characterized by frequent bowel movements and feces that are soft or watery, and that may contain blood, pus, or mucus. Severe diarrhea in children can lead to dehydration and death.
What causes diarrhea? - Diarrhea may be caused by infections of the digestive system, medicines such as antibiotics, malabsorption, irritable bowel syndrome, or other factors.
What're the symptoms of diarrhea? - Diarrhea is characterized by frequent loose stools. Patients with diarrhea present with various clinical features depending on the underlying cause.
How is diarrhea diagnosed? - Most cases of acute diarrhea never need diagnosis or treatment. The most useful are stool culture and examination for parasites.
What're the treatments for diarrhea? - Treatment is ideally directed toward correcting the cause; however, the first aim should be to prevent or treat dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
What's acute diarrhea? - Acute diarrhea is a disorder in which people develop loose stools and increased frequency of stools. Acute diarrhea lasts for a day or two and often stops as suddenly as it started.
Infant diarrhea prevention and treatment - Most acute diarrhea in infants and young children is due to viral gastroenteritis and is usually short-lived. Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed for viral gastroenteritis.
What are the causes of acute diarrhea? - The most common causes of acute diarrhea are infectious agents. Other important causes include food poisoning, medications, inflammatory or ischemic bowel disease.
What is chronic diarrhea? - Chronic diarrhea is defined as loose stool that persists for greater than 1 month. Chronic diarrhea is usually caused by a parasite.
What are the causes of chronic diarrhea? - Chronic diarrhea is frequently due to many of the same things that cause the shorter episodes (infections, medications, etc.).
What is traveler's diarrhea? - Traveler's diarrhea is a term used to describe the diarrhea caused by infection with bacteria, protozoa, or viruses ingested by consuming food or water that has been contaminated.
What are the causes of traveler's diarrhea? - Traveler's diarrhea may be caused by any of several bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Cooks and food handlers may have the germs that cause traveler's diarrhea.
What are the symptoms of traveler's diarrhea? - Nausea, vomiting, borborygmi, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea begin 12 to 72 h after ingesting contaminated food or water.
How is traveler's diarrhea diagnosed? - In some cases, a doctor might be able to identify the infecting organism, which could lead to a specific treatment.
What's the treatment for traveler's diarrhea? - Dehydration is the biggest danger of traveler's diarrhea. In most cases, diarrhea ends within three to five days without antibiotic treatment.
How to prevent traveler's diarrhea? - Many cases of traveler's diarrhea can be prevented. Travelers should dine at restaurants with a reputation for safety and avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. |
|
