Diarrhea
What is "diarrhea"?
Diarrhea is frequent loose bowel movements that generally occur more than three or four times on a daily basis. Diarrhea can be mild, where every other day someone can have multiple bouts of loose stools or soft stools, but not on an everyday basis. It can be more moderate or it can be more frequent, and it can certainly be severe to the point that one can become dehydrated because of diarrhea and require intravenous fluids for supplementation.
What causes diarrhea?
Some of the causes of diarrhoea include infections, which can be in the form of viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Certain food products such as caffeine as well as laxatives can be associated with diarrhoea. Certain medical conditions, such as coeliac disease, malabsorption, inflammatory bowel disease, or irritable bowel syndrome can also be associated with diarrhoea.
When should I talk to my doctor about diarrhea?
You should talk to your doctor about diarrhea when diarrhea is not self-limited. If it lasts more than a few days, if you're having multiple bouts of loose, watery stools, if there's association of abdominal discomfort, fatigue or weakness, if there's any blood that's associated with a bowel movement, or if there's any concurrent weight loss or decreased appetite along with the diarrhea, a doctor should be notified, because there may be more serious issues involved that would need and require immediate treatment.
How is diarrhea treated?
Diarrhoea is treated by treating the offending agent causing diarrhoea. If there is an infection going on we usually try to isolate it by checking stool samples and treating that infection appropriately. If there is a food product, such as a lot of caffeine, or some irritant, such as lactose for people who have lactose intolerance, it can be avoided. If there are more significant underlying conditions, such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or any other condition that can cause a lot of inflammation and irritation within the lining of the small or large intestine, it should be evaluated further and can be treated accordingly.
