The Woes of Diarrhoea!

It's your third trip to the bathroom in a day, and you can't take it anymore. You're feeling dreary and anything you eat is going straight out of your system. Just the thought of another bathroom trip makes you sick! Sounds familiar? It's diarrhoea! Well, the first thing you can do is stop eating any solid foods and switch to fluids. Often, infection in the gastrointestinal tract is the reason behind an episode of diarrhoea. It could be because of a virus, bacteria or parasitic organisms. Most common bacteria that affect our digestive system are Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Escherichia coli. These trigger a mild bout of diarrhoea, whereas a severe bout can be triggered by a condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is another cause of a severe diarrhoea bout. Commonly referred to as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Diarrhoea symptoms vary from person to person. Everything depends on the infection and how an individual's digestive system responds to the problem. Although there are a number of signs and symptoms of diarrhoea, most common include:

• Stomach pain
• Abdominal cramps
• Fever
• Body aches
• Feeling bloated
• Loose or watery stools
• Dehydration

In a severe bout of diarrhoea, people can also experience;

• Blood or pus in stools
• Persistent vomiting

If the diarrhoea symptoms last more than a couple of days, please seek medical help immediately.

Diarrhoea diagnosis 

Diarrhoea infection occurs from virus, bacteria or parasitic organisms and you cannot be certain about what triggered it. However, it would help the doctor a lot if they can determine the exact cause of the infection. Various tests can help pinpoint the cause of your diarrhoea, these include: 

• Blood tests  
• Colonoscopy, in rare cases  
• Stool tests 

Diarrhoea prevention and management 

It's hard to deal with diarrhoea but with some help can be managed. Often diarrhoea symptoms fade away after a couple of days, as the body fights off the triggers on its own. There are some over-the-counter medicines such as Enterogermina Oral Suspension that helps you deal with the condition better. The most common symptoms during diarrhoea is a loss of fluids or dehydration. It's very critical to restore the fluids that are lost. Although there are many rehydration solutions available in the market, it's best to consume natural solutions such as water, coconut, soups, broths. Chicken broth (without the fat), tea with honey are also regarded as food for diarrhoea. The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast) is one of the best options when you're dealing with diarrhoea symptoms. As diarrhoea restricts you from consuming high fiber and protein foods, BRAT diet is comparatively low in fiber and helps recover the digestive system better. Consume fewer portions of food by dividing them in a number of meals throughout the day. Drinking liquids in-between meals is a must. It not only helps you recover the fluids but also helps your digestive system deal with the troublesome bacteria.

There are a lot of ways to tackle diarrhoea and usually the symptoms fade off in a day or two. But if your diarrhoea episode lasts for more than two days, please make sure to contact your doctor for the necessary treatment.