Diarrhea is a long time cause. What to do if diarrhea does not go away for a week

diarrhea caused by mild poisoning, which appeared due to strong excitement or occurred during menstruation in women, can be successfully treated. On the second day, the work of the intestine should be restored. But there are situations when diarrhea does not go away for 2-5 days and even a week. Why this can happen, as well as what to do with such a long-term disorder, read the article.

The dangers of illness

Diarrhea in an adult appears due to a violation normal physiology digestive organs, especially the intestines. At healthy person feces contain 80% water, with an intestinal disorder, the amount of fluid rises to 90%, so a constant liquid stool.

Water diarrhea that occurs as a single episode in an adult is not dangerous. But if diarrhea does not go away for 3 days or more, then this can lead to dehydration, deficiency useful substances, general depletion of the body. If diarrhea does not go away for a week, this condition causes a malfunction of the musculoskeletal system, as salts and electrolytes are washed out of the body, which is manifested by pain and cramps in the muscles. But more dangerous is the violation of the contractile function of the heart (clinically, these are arrhythmias), caused by an electrolyte imbalance in the body.

Basic triggers

It is important to consider: the duration of an unpleasant symptom is directly proportional to the severity of the cause that caused it, that is, the longer diarrhea lasts, the more dangerous it is for the body. Irreversible changes in health can occur as early as the third day. It is possible to weaken the manifestation of the disorder, but without affecting etiological factor the disease will progress and cause complications.

This list is far from complete - there are more than 100 diseases that have very similar external symptoms. Put correct diagnosis and establish the causes of diarrhea can only qualified specialist. A true etiological treatment This is the path to recovery from diarrhea.

Patient examination

First of all, the doctor conducts a survey of the patient, finds out what symptoms, except for diarrhea, torment him. For example, is there a temperature, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc. Also asks the patient to describe in detail the process of defecation. Typically, doctors use the following polling algorithm:

• What is the frequency of calls to the toilet.
• Is there pain in the abdomen, is there pain during defecation.
• What is the consistency of the feces and is there any impurities in it (blood, pus).
• What usually precedes the appearance of diarrhea (this may be the appearance of diarrhea after eating, exercising).
• Are there patterns in time (for some diseases, diarrhea torments adults only at night or during the day in the first half).
• How many days or weeks did this clinical picture.

Almost always, a fecal examination is required - a coprogram. Not going to a large number of feces and delivered to the laboratory at the clinic. Usually the result is ready on the fifth or fourth day. If there is suspicion of infection intestines, carried out bacteriological examination kala, surrender general analysis blood.

If negative results are obtained during the examination, additional steps should be taken instrumental methods diagnostics. Used: irrigoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, etc. This allows you to detect inflammation, tumors and various deviations in the functioning of the intestine, causing diarrhea that lasts all day or several days.

Medical tactics

There is no general treatment regimen. Dietary, drug, phytotherapeutic treatment is selected depending on the cause of diarrhea in an adult. We describe the most popular therapeutic measures.

Nutrition Features

Diet for diarrhea in an adult plays a decisive role, since many foods irritate the intestines, rendering Negative influence on intestinal peristalsis. The diet can become a kind of natural laxative, so you should refuse or eat less certain foods until the ailment passes. Among the laxative products, the following groups should be distinguished:

1. Providing mechanical (fiber) or chemical irritation (spicy, sour, salty foods, etc.).
2. Cholagogue (fatty foods, carrots, tomatoes, etc.).
3. Fermentation (apples, cabbage, milk, etc.).

These groups make up an extensive list. For right choice and differentiation of food we give a list with specific examples. If you have diarrhea, eat small meals or avoid the following:

• Fried or fatty meat or fish.
• Offal (innards, head, limbs - by-products obtained by butchering an animal).
• Milk and dairy products (especially high-fat), eggs.
• Canned vegetables, mushrooms.
• Spices, bakery products.
• Soda, strong tea or coffee, alcoholic drinks.

The diet should be used for at least three days after the normalization of the stool. There are situations when a patient receives proper treatment and complains that nothing helps. This is an example of a case where neglect of the diet becomes a factor in aggravating the course of an intestinal disorder, any product from the list above will aggravate diarrhea.

At the same time, the patient's diet is useful to include:

• Meat steam cutlets, boiled lean fish, meatballs.
• White bread crackers.
• Soup-puree from vegetables, baked fruits and compotes.
• Grated baked potatoes, beans.
• Fresh strawberries and blueberries (in small portions, the number of servings per day is 2-3).
• Clean water, green or weak black tea.

In order for the disorder of the stool to pass faster, the indicated list for diarrhea should be taken as a basis. It is necessary to draw up your individual nutrition plan for each day and carefully adhere to the diet. Past diarrhea is not a reason to abandon such a regimen. The body is still weak and sensitive, so the diet should be followed for at least 3 days after the normalization of the act of defecation.

Water regime

Dehydration threatens the body with a violation electrolyte balance, pressure and pulse decrease, a person feels weakness all day. A sign of this condition is a small amount of urine, its darkening. With the loss of more than 10% of water in the body, painful changes occur, more than 25% often end in death.

In order to prevent the negative consequences of diarrhea, the patient must properly organize his drinking regimen and consume a lot of liquid throughout the day (about several liters). plain water suitable, but with diarrhea it is better to make glucose-salt solutions that help fill the deficit of electrolytes and energy substrates. Recipe:

• Soda - 0.5 tsp
• Proven salt - 1 tsp.
• Sugar - 4 tbsp. l.
• Potassium iodide - 0.25 tsp.

The last component can be replaced with freshly squeezed orange juice or a decoction based on dried apricots. With a protracted bowel disorder, it is better to combine these ingredients and add them alternately every other day. The rule is used: the dose of liquid is fractional, but drinking is frequent.

Medicines

Choice pharmacological preparations should be based on the cause of the diarrhea and intestinal upset. Medicines affect the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease, and they differ in each of the diseases. Doctors prescribe to patients:

1. Slowing down intestinal motility: Loperamide, Imodium, etc. Decreased motor activity The gastrointestinal tract increases the transit time of food masses, which helps with diarrhea.
2. Enterosorbents: activated carbon, White coal, Smecta, De-nol, Polyphepan, Balignin, etc. Used for poisoning and infectious diseases. The beginning of the reception - on the first day when diarrhea appears, you can use it for the purpose of prevention. They help to remove toxins from the body, viruses and bacteria, relieve bloating in case of intestinal upset.
3. Enzymes: Pancreatin, Mezim, Festal, Creon, etc. Help to establish healthy digestion with diarrhea, serve as a replacement therapy with substances that are analogues of digestive juice.
4. Probiotics: Linex, Bifiform, Hilak-Forte, etc. Help restore part of the normal intestinal microflora in case of diarrhea.
5. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Diclofenac, Sulfasalosin, Indomethacin, etc. Used for diarrhea caused by inflammatory diseases GIT.
6. Antibiotics various groups selected taking into account the sensitivity of the pathological bacterial flora. They are not prescribed for diarrhea caused by food poisoning.

The main thing to do if diarrhea lasts a long time is to go to the doctor, get tested!

Self-medication is dangerous, because without knowing the disease that provoked diarrhea, you can start taking the wrong pills, which will aggravate the situation. Take care of yourself, take care of your health so as not to get sick in the future and not face intestinal upset.

diarrhea ( medical name- diarrheal syndrome, diarrhea) is an acute or chronic disorder digestive tract, characterized by frequent and profuse defecation and liquefaction of the stool to a watery consistency. In children, diarrhea can be triggered by the introduction of complementary foods, intestinal infections, the use of substandard products and raw water. In adults, diarrhea usually occurs as a result of food poisoning, poisoning, the introduction into the diet of products that are not typical for the region of residence (for example, during vacations in southern countries). Acute diarrhea can last up to 2 weeks and is accompanied by painful cramps in the lower abdomen, fever, and vomiting.

Persistent diarrhea lasting more than 14 days or occurring intermittently over a long period of time, is almost always a symptom of various malfunctions digestive system. Chronic diarrhea is not very common: according to WHO, no more than 14% of people suffer from long-term diarrhea, and more than half of them are men. Persistent diarrhea in an adult male that lasts long time, – danger sign, which may indicate surgical pathologies requiring emergency hospitalization such as Crohn's disease. If the stool cannot be normalized within 5-7 days, it is necessary to consult a doctor, even if nothing else bothers the patient.

Chronic diarrhea is diagnosed if the patient's stool has a watery consistency for 14 days or more. All patients who come to the doctor with such complaints, in without fail sent to the study of feces for worm eggs, coprogram and analysis for enterobiasis. The coprogram is universal chemical method fecal examination, which allows you to identify signs of inflammatory and infectious processes and symptoms of malabsorption various substances. The following are the main reasons that can lead to prolonged diarrhea in adult men, but it is impossible to be based on these data and make a diagnosis yourself - this should be done by a specialist after studying the results of the primary diagnosis.

Infection with worms

irritable bowel syndrome

IBS, according to most experts, is psychosomatic in nature, although exact reasons pathology has not yet been identified. Great importance have the social and living conditions of a man, the degree of his social activity, the state of the central and vegetative nervous system. Irritable bowel syndrome may present as chronic constipation, and prolonged diarrhea, so it is important to know the symptoms of the pathology and the basics of treatment.

In addition to a violation of the stool, the following signs may indicate IBS:

• painful cramps in the lower abdomen;
• flatulence, increased gas formation, "rumbling" in the stomach "
• false urge to empty the bowels;
• lack of relief after defecation.

For the treatment of IBS, a man will have to follow a diet that limits the use of foods containing a large amount of purines or purine acid. These are various nuts, seeds, raw vegetables (especially cabbage and sorrel), legumes, some types of cereals (oatmeal, barley). Alcoholic drinks, lemonades and soda mineral water should be completely eliminated from the diet.

Of the drugs, prebiotic cultures and probiotics are indicated. Capsules and powder " Enterol". The drug restores the intestinal microflora, stimulates the growth of its own beneficial flora, destroys pathogenic bacteria, and normalizes stools. The dosage for an adult male is 2 capsules per day. Duration of admission - from 10 to 30 days.

Exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the parenchymal tissue of the pancreas involving the mucosal and submucosal layers. Chronic pancreatitis occurs in about 20% of men. The main risk group includes men who make errors in nutrition, abusing fatty and spicy food, alcoholic beverages. Heavy smokers, people with chronic diseases, forced to constantly take potent drugs, also have increased risk inflammation of the pancreas and other digestive organs.

Exacerbation of the pathology leads to the appearance of pronounced symptoms, including:

• spicy pain syndrome in the area of ​​the right hypochondrium;
• prolonged diarrhea with watery or frothy stools;
• profuse vomiting (may contain impurities of bile acids and lumps undigested food);
• temperature increase.

One of the most serious consequences pancreatitis is pancreatic fibrosis - the growth of the connective fibers of the organ with the formation of scar elements. Diarrhea with fibrosis of the pancreas in men can last more than 20 days in a row.

Important! Outside of an exacerbation of pancreatitis, the patient also often suffers from prolonged diarrhea, which in some cases may be the only clinical sign pathology.

Can diarrhea last more than 10 days with infectious diseases?

Infectious bowel disease is predominantly acute lesions various segments of the thick or small intestine, provoked by active growth and reproduction pathogenic flora in the intestinal lumen. The main causes of acute intestinal infections are eating expired and low-quality products, poor heat treatment and viral diseases caused by viruses from the group of rotaviruses and enteroviruses.

Intestinal infections have severe symptoms and are manifested elevated temperature, profuse vomiting, abdominal pain, intestinal cramps, acute diarrhea. It is diarrhea that is considered one of the main manifestations of AII: the patient's stool becomes watery, mucus, foam appear in it, and a sharp putrid smell. The number of bowel movements in bitches can reach up to 10-12 times, the process itself is painful, does not bring relief after completion.

In most cases, diarrhea completely resolves within 5-7 days from the onset of the first signs, but in some cases, recovery can take up to 2 weeks or more (for example, with enterovirus infection). It's clinical serious condition requiring specialized care in a hospital setting.

Diarrhea in a man does not go away for more than 1 month

There are a lot of reasons that can cause stable liquefaction of feces in an adult male. They can be associated with both malnutrition and severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, less often - the organs of the vascular and hematopoietic systems. The most common pathologies with similar symptoms are listed in the table below.

Disease	Image	What it is?
		Inflammation of the mucous layer small intestine with signs of dystrophic and atrophic changes, in which the absorption and assimilation of nutrients is impaired
		Obstruction of the bile ducts, occurring in 3-5% of men (mainly under the age of 30 years)
		Intolerance to a complex protein that is part of chemical composition most cereals (gluten)
		Chronic bowel disease with symptoms inflammatory process, developing under the influence of external and genetic factors
		Disease of the stomach, in which there is a gradual atrophy of the mucous and submucosal layer of the gastric walls. It is more often diagnosed in men older than 45-50 years and is considered a precancerous condition.
		Milk sugar intolerance due to congenital or acquired deficiency of lactase, a digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose
		Inflammation of blood vessels, arteries and veins of various segments of the intestine
		Circulatory disorders in the intestinal vessels associated with blockage or narrowing of their lumen, as well as the formation of blood clots (intestinal thrombosis)
		Tumor process in the mucous layer of the small and large intestines, as well as the rectum

Important! Diarrhea that does not go away for more than 1 month may be one of the manifestations colorectal cancer therefore, do not self-medicate if specialized therapy with antidiarrheal and antimicrobial drugs does not give positive results within a week.

Diagnosis for chronic diarrhea

The treatment of intestinal diseases is carried out by a coloproctologist (a narrower specialist is a proctologist - a doctor who treats pathologies of the rectum). If you suspect inflammation of the stomach or damage to the initial segments of the large intestine, a consultation with a gastroenterologist is indicated. If a man has chronic diseases endocrine system, for example, diabetes mellitus, treatment is prescribed in conjunction with an endocrinologist.

Turning to the hospital, a man should understand that he may have to undergo an examination by a proctologist or rectal examination using hardware methods, for example, irrigoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy. At correct execution these procedures do not pain, but to facilitate the introduction of the endoscope, the patient must completely relax the muscles of the anus. At strong fear or psychological stiffness, you should consult your doctor about the possible use of sedatives and sedatives before the study.

Note! In some cases, to set accurate diagnosis additional examinations may be required, for example, tests of the functionality of the pancreas or the liver system.

What to do if diarrhea persists for a long time?

The treatment of chronic diarrhea requires integrated approach, so the use of one drug to get rid of the problem will not be enough. Drugs are the mainstay of treatment in all cases. symptomatic therapy from the group of opioid receptor agonists. The drugs in this group are listed in the table below.

Name of the drug	Image	In what form is it produced?	approximate cost
		Capsules	245 rubles
		Capsules and tablets	10 rubles
		chewable tablets	88 rubles
		Tablets and capsules	32 rubles

The listed drugs can be used for the treatment of functional diarrhea in allergic and alimentary gastroenteritis, malabsorption in the intestine, infectious bowel pathologies, and metabolic diseases. Short courses can be used for stable diet disorders, as well as digestive disorders caused by a change in the usual diet. If a man was carried out surgery small intestine, and an ileostomy is placed, loperamide-based drugs can be prescribed for permanent use to correct stool consistency.

A good therapeutic effect is given by the use of bifido drugs. They normalize the composition of the intestinal microflora and restore all its functions. Adult men can use one of the following drugs (before use, read the instructions):

• "Acipol";
• "Lineks";
• "Normaze";
• "Bifidumbacterin";
• "Bifiform".

To prevent dehydration frequent diarrhea recommended plentiful drink and the use of salt concentrated solutions, for example, Hydrovit or Regidron.

Nutrition for prolonged diarrhea

Correction of the diet is one of the most important tasks in complex treatment prolonged diarrhea. Men with similar symptoms are advised fractional nutrition and reduced portion sizes. From the menu it is necessary to exclude any irritating products and substances: vinegar, spices, flavorings. It is advisable to cook food in gentle ways (stewing, baking, boiling). With unspecified frequent diarrhea, it is recommended to limit the consumption of whole milk, spices, fatty sauces, fresh fruits. From vegetables, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of cucumbers, zucchini, radishes. Coffee and alcoholic drinks are allowed in small quantities and strictly outside the exacerbation period.

Persistent diarrhea is intestinal disorder that doesn't stop long time: three weeks or more, in severe cases - more than a month. The reasons for this phenomenon can be very different.

But it should always be understood that diarrhea is defensive reaction body: in this way it tries to cleanse itself and throw out the accumulated toxins.

Therefore, if an adult has prolonged diarrhea, which does not stop for a day, two or three days, but whole month and more, this suggests that there are serious problems in his body.

In any case, diarrhea is accompanied by enough unpleasant symptoms: this is flatulence, bloating, colic, loss of appetite, and if diarrhea bothers you for several days, does not go away for more than 10 days, then this is also dehydration of the body. Not to mention the fact that every hour is required to use the toilet, it is simply impossible to labor activity and lead full life. Therefore, this condition must be treated by finding its cause and choosing the appropriate methods.

Before wondering why diarrhea does not go away for several days in a row, you first need to decide what is considered diarrhea in medicine. So, diarrhea in an adult is frequent loose stools, repeated three or more times a day. Long-term acute diarrhea is diarrhea that does not go away for more than 10 days or recurs at intervals of several days every month.

The reasons may be as follows:

1. Inflammatory bowel disease - colitis, enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis.
2. Infections caused by viruses or bacteria - adenoviruses, salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery.
3. Any poisoning - food, drug or chemical.
4. Malignant tumors in the small or large intestine.
5. Exacerbations peptic ulcer stomach or intestines.
6. Abuse of diets with the use of laxatives.
7. congenital functional insufficiency organs of the digestive tract.
8. Hormonal changes.
9. Taking certain medications.
10. Stress - diarrhea in an adult can occur due to nervous overexertion and chronic overwork.

Sometimes diarrhea that doesn't go away for more than a month is side effect surgical intervention, often this is one of the signs of helminthic invasion. It is sometimes difficult to establish the cause, since quite a long time has passed since the moment when the diarrhea just started, the clinical picture has changed.

Therefore, self-treatment in this case is unacceptable. Only a doctor will help solve the problem.

Clinical picture of persistent diarrhea

Prolonged diarrhea has the same symptoms as regular diarrhea:

• bloating, rumbling and colic;
• flatulence;
• cramping pains in the stomach and intestines;
• frequent urges to a bowel movement - sometimes every hour throughout the day.

If severe diarrhea in an adult lasts for several days in a row, the clinical picture changes. The patient can have a fever all the time, shiver, often there is an increase in body temperature and weight loss - the reason is severe dehydration, which invariably occurs if diarrhea does not go away for more than 10 days and worries every hour.

Anxiety should be caused by symptoms such as an admixture of blood or pus in the feces - in this case, you can’t hesitate, every hour is expensive, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible. There is nothing surprising if pieces of undigested food are found in the feces - this indicates that the digestive system does not produce the enzymes necessary for the absorption of food in the right amount, the irritated intestine simply does not perceive it.

But it often happens that an adult has a stool every hour or two, but at the same time he does not feel any ailments, in addition to the quite natural discomfort associated with constant trips to the toilet.

Only laboratory tests and examination of the patient will help to establish the causes.

What diagnostic methods are used

To find out why an adult does not stop having severe diarrhea for more than 10 days, the following tests are done:

• General blood and urine tests.
• Fecal analysis.

• Bakposev.
• Testing for worm infestations.
• Coprogram for occult blood.
• Steatorrhea test.
• Test for the detection of infectious agents of diarrhea.

Also used instrumental diagnostics especially if there is blood in the stool and other signs possible development cancerous tumors. This is a biopsy, sigmoidoscopy, irrigography. Important role playing differential diagnosis. Sometimes the cause of a long stool is established only by excluding all possible pathologies.

How to treat prolonged diarrhea

If severe diarrhea has been bothering you for more than 10 days, then it can only be cured with an integrated approach.

It no longer makes sense to take activated charcoal and other sorbents at this stage.

Toxins from the intestines have already moved into the blood, and coal still will not help to remove them. But he can absorb liquid, which is already so small, and thereby only worsen the patient's condition.

Usually prescribed drugs of several different groups:

1. Enzymes that support the pancreas and help digest food - Mezim Forte, Pancreatin, Creon.
2. Drugs that reduce increased irritable bowel motility are Imodium and Loperamide. But their use is contraindicated if it is established that severe diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection.
3. Antibiotics only if bakposev showed that the causative agents of the infection were staphylococci, streptococci, dysenteric bacillus and other bacteria.

If it is determined that diarrhea that lasts three or four days is caused by poisoning of any kind, a gastric lavage is performed. To do this, you need to prepare at least two liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate and drink it in one gulp. You also need to do a cleansing enema. One hour later, you can take medications.

If the cause of diarrhea that does not stop for a long time is dysbacteriosis, preparations containing probiotics and prebiotics will help. This is Linex and its analogues. You need to take drugs from this group every day for at least three weeks. Recovery water-salt balance you can take Regidron or Electrolyte - these are powdered products that need to be diluted in warm water and drink a little every hour. If cramps and pains in the abdomen are very strong, No-shpa or Papaverine are prescribed.

Folk remedies and diet for prolonged diarrhea

If you do not follow the diet during prolonged diarrhea, none of the medications will be effective.

First of all, the diet involves the use of a large amount of fluid in order to restore its loss.

But in no case should it be coffee, purchased juices or soda.

The list of foods that can be included in the diet if diarrhea bothers you for several days in a row:

• stale or dried without butter wheat bread;
• viscous rice porrige on water without oil;
• hard-boiled eggs;
• lean beef or turkey;
• steam fish of low-fat varieties (for example, cod);
• mashed potatoes on the water;
• pureed soups with carrots and potatoes, you can add a little rice cereal;
• various kissels;
• baked apples and bananas.

If diarrhea is caused by dysbacteriosis and has been bothering you for more than the first or second day, it will be useful dairy products with bifidobacteria - low-fat kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese.

The food rules are:

1. All dishes need to be steamed or boiled, in extreme cases, baked without oil and spices.
2. Drink compotes, tea or just water every hour for at least one glass. In total, you should drink at least three liters of fluid per day.
3. It is advisable to wipe or chop meat and vegetables.
4. You need to eat often, every 3-4 hours up to 6 times a day, but in small portions.

Even when the functioning of the stomach and intestines is fully restored, you can not abruptly return to your usual diet, this can provoke a relapse.

Introduce one new product per day. If everything is in order, then after 1-2 days you can enter the next product. But a sparing diet will have to be followed for some time.

From folk remedies cherry helps a lot. You can simply pass it through a meat grinder, sprinkle with sugar and put it in glass jar. Take such a tasty medicine every hour with severe diarrhea, then you can three or four times a day, a teaspoon before meals.

Pomegranate peels have a fixing effect. Take 2 tablespoons of dry and crushed peels, pour boiling water and cook over low heat for at least 10 minutes. Then cool for half an hour, strain and take 1/3 cup an hour before meals.

Prolonged diarrhea usually occurs if the patient has not properly treated ordinary diarrhea, neglected the recommendations of the doctor and did not follow the diet. Sometimes this is a symptom of a serious pathology - hemorrhoids in running form, peptic ulcer duodenum or malignant neoplasms. This condition is very dangerous dehydration. Therefore, in no case should you endure, you need to see a doctor, look for the cause and be treated.

Persistent incessant diarrhea can also occur in adults. This is a disorder of the digestive system, it does not happen without a reason. It is important to understand that this is often a symptom. It requires not only the treatment of inconvenient consequences, but in addition the disease-primary cause. It will help to establish the disease medical specialist. For an accurate diagnosis, a series of tests and studies will be required. Subsequently, the prescribed therapy will bring results.

Patients often complain:

• I have a stomachache;
• appears;
• concerned about gas formation and bloating;
• the nasal temperature rises slightly (more often passes without temperature);
• nausea and vomiting occur.

The presence of diarrhea affects the appearance and lifestyle of a man or woman:

• the person becomes lethargic, tired;
• circles appear under the eyes;
• rapidly losing weight;
• there is excessive pallor and dryness of the skin;
• there is insufficient salivation.

Causes

It is important to find out what causes trouble. More often than not, a malfunctioning intestine is the result of not proper nutrition. It happens that stress provokes disorder. Diarrhea can be caused by various ailments. Common illnesses include:

• irritable bowel syndrome;
• inflammatory bowel disease;
• malabsorption syndrome (reduced intestinal absorption);
• infectious diseases;
• endocrine diseases, metabolic disorders;
• food allergies and hypersensitivity to certain products.

Nutrition is the reason

Due to malnutrition, in case of eating disorders in the presence of food allergies, alimentary chronic diarrhea occurs. Certain foods speed up digestive process, the digested mass tends to leave the intestinal tract faster. The culprits of the accelerated metabolism:

• milk;
• sugar;
• fermented foods;
• coffee;
• spicy food;
• a large number of fruits;
• artificial sweeteners (sorbitol and fructose);
• cold water drunk immediately after a meal;
• excessive consumption alcoholic beverages(beer or wine).

Diarrhea in men and women is a side effect of antibiotics, herbal infusions, or dietary supplements. Therefore, before you start taking medicines, you should carefully read the instructions, do not hesitate to ask a pharmacist or doctor about possible adverse reactions.

irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disease. It is accompanied by pain in the abdomen and violations of the frequency and nature of the stool. This disease is chronic, it will take a long time to treat. It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, pay attention to diet, avoid stress. With severe symptoms, you will need to consult a doctor and take medication.

inflammatory bowel disease

Chronic diarrhea is also indicative of the presence inflammatory diseases. The causes of the disorder are still being studied. traced genetic predisposition to pathology. Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa occurs due to the fact that the immune system a person begins to produce antibodies that suppress the development of intestinal microflora.

A number of types of inflammatory bowel disease are known, such as Crohn's disease or non-specific ulcerative colitis. The disease is characterized by relapses. Apart from healthy lifestyle life, organization of proper nutrition, long-term medical treatment will be required.

Infectious diseases

Intestinal infections can cause persistent diarrhea. The sources are:

• dirty (unboiled) water;
• unwashed vegetables and fruits;
• eggs;
• unpasteurized (raw) milk.

They often appear in travelers and those living in tropical or developing countries - the cause of the disease of the tourist.

What you need to know about treatment

If symptoms do not get worse, no pain in the abdomen, try to eliminate diarrhea. Accept, but this is a short-term solution. If medication does not help for a long time, do not abuse it, but consult a doctor.

Pay attention to the diet: perhaps diarrhea is the body's reaction to a specific product. Keep a food diary to find out which food triggers your cravings. In a few weeks, the food that gives rise to malaise will be revealed. You will need to exclude the dish from the diet.

• avoid caffeinated, sugary and alcoholic drinks;
• consume food with low content fiber;
• drink more water;
• don't overeat.

Include probiotic-containing foods (yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, dark chocolate, sourdough bread, and others) in your own diet. "Good" bacteria restore the functioning of the intestinal tract.

We treat the cause

Simple measures do not help - consult a doctor and find out the underlying ailment. In this case, diarrhea is a symptom, it is necessary to eliminate the root cause. You have to spend a lot of time and effort, but this is how they select correct therapy and prevent life-threatening consequences.

During the appointment, the doctor asks the patient, male or female, about the time of onset of the phenomenon, recent travel, stool frequency, the presence of blood in the stool, and the presence of other symptoms. Then the patient takes blood tests, feces, undergoes a biopsy and X-ray examinations.

After conducting the necessary studies and establishing a diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the treatment of a specific disease. Prescribed complex therapy, regular diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

We treat complications

In most cases it is harmless. In chronic diarrhea, there is a risk of dehydration due to large fluid loss. Warning signs:

• dark urine;
• constant thirst;
• intense sweating;
• fatigue;
• nausea;
• temperature increase;
• lack of elasticity of the skin.

Dehydration can become life-threatening - the sick person suffers from dizziness, fainting and confusion, kidney failure, shock and fatal outcome. Remember to drink liquids, including water, broths, unsweetened decaffeinated tea.

It is possible to buy in a pharmacy medications. They will support or restore the balance of salts in the body. In the absence of the opportunity to visit a pharmacy, suitable saline solution- it will help to effectively cope with diarrhea, it is permissible to cook at home. To do this, dilute 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and soda in warm boiled water. Drink gently after cooling.

Prevention of chronic diarrhea

It is not always possible to prevent the development of chronic diarrhea. However, it is possible to prevent infectious manifestations diarrhea. Follow the rules so that improper bowel function periodically does not create inconvenience:

• drink water only from clean (verified sources), use a filter;
• thoroughly clean the meat before cooking;
• fry well, bake meat;
• wash hands after preparing food and handling raw food;
• scrupulously wipe kitchen surfaces;
• always wash fruits and vegetables before eating;
• do not eat in unverified places where sanitary standards are not observed;
• wash your hands as often as possible, and especially after going to the toilet, changing a diaper, or having contact with a sick person.

Diarrhea is something pathological condition in a child or adult, in which patients experience frequent urge to defecate (three or more). The stool becomes liquid, sometimes there are undigested particles of food in it. Diarrhea is not independent disease, a characteristic symptom, which accompanies many body problems associated with the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea can last for several days, one week, two or three, a month and even a year. Prolonged diarrhea is a sign of the presence of a dangerous chronic disease. It is the time frame that can indicate the causes of loose stools, and give an answer to the question of what to do. If the described ailment does not go away for a long time, it is worth undergoing a full examination.

Taking into account the duration of the course of malaise, three stages are distinguished:

1. Acute diarrhea (does not go away in 7 or 10 days).
2. Prolonged diarrhea (lasts from 2 to 11 weeks).
3. Chronic diarrhea (from 3 months to a year or more).

Diarrhea lasts more than a week

What to do in a situation where diarrhea does not go away for a whole week? You should immediately call a doctor and try to find out the cause with him severe malaise child or adult. Weekly diarrhea can be provoked by several factors, so it is important to study the patient's condition in detail and outline an action plan to eliminate the syndrome.

The main provocateurs of weekly diarrhea are well studied. Acute stage It always develops in violation of the diet, in the event of a food allergy, with intolerance to certain foods or drugs.

provoke acute diarrhea may intestinal infections caused by bacterial poisoning, ingestion gastrointestinal tract viruses, toxins, protozoan pathogens. Causes of weekly diarrhea include:

Each disease has its own clinical picture, its own mechanism for the appearance of weekly diarrhea, so you can answer the question of what to do after a thorough examination. So, for example, if a patient has diarrhea that does not go away for several days or a whole week, if severe nausea and persistent vomiting, painful spasms in the intestines, if all these symptoms appear simultaneously and do not disappear during the first three days, but only intensify, there is a possibility of developing viral gastroenteritis. The absence of streaks of blood or pus in the stool can confirm the diagnosis. Such a disease is not accompanied by fever.

Viral gastroenteritis spreads from person to person within a few days, so good personal hygiene can help prevent week-long diarrhea. Food poisoning can also explain why an adult patient and a child do not get rid of diarrhea for a whole week, and the stomach constantly hurts. This is a short disease, it occurs when toxins or pathogenic bacteria enter the stomach along with food, whose vital activity leads to the formation of poisons. They cause general intoxication of the body. In a sick child or adult, about two hours after the use of a provocateur, it first appears strong pain in the abdomen, then loose stools, the temperature rises sharply, it is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. What to do? Cleansing the stomach leads to noticeable relief, treatment comes down to compliance strict diet. It is she who helps to get rid of 7-day diarrhea.

Traveler's diarrhea is another diagnosis that may explain why the patient has been tormented by loose stools for a whole week. In the intestines of a healthy person, there are a large number of bacteria that are involved in the processes of digestion. There are special strains among them. They, being within the tract, are completely harmless, but, falling outside it, they become pathogenic. This is how infections occur. urinary tract, sepsis. Sometimes foreign strains enter the body from the outside, this is how traveler's diarrhea occurs.

Tourists visiting exotic countries, states with poor environmental conditions, are at risk of contracting enterotoxic strains that can provoke sudden diarrhea. They also become a source of strength. stomach pain, nausea and severe vomiting. All these symptoms appear on the seventh day after eating a poor-quality or contaminated product, bad drinking water. At proper treatment all signs disappear after 7 days, which is why traveler's diarrhea was included in the list.

When pathogenic microorganisms are introduced into the intestinal mucosa, a diagnosis of bacterial enterocolitis is made. It promotes inflammation of the mucous layer, so diarrhea appears, streaks of blood or pus are present in loose stools, body temperature rises sharply, it is accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. Can they be eliminated, what should be done to endow the state? Reach out to specialists. As a rule, with proper treatment, all the indicated symptoms disappear completely after 7 days, after 2 weeks the patient is discharged home.

Long-term use of certain medications in adult patients can also lead to week-long diarrhea and abdominal pain. That is why treatment with drugs that can neutralize the level of acidity gastric juice containing magnesium, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets, antibiotics, antiarrhythmics, medicines used to reduce high blood pressure should be done under medical supervision.

Misoprostol, Quinidin, Olsalazine, Colchicine, Metoclopramide, Cisapride are capable of provoking weekly loose stools in a child for months. When deciding what to do if diarrhea does not go away, it is important to immediately exclude medication, and only then involve symptomatic therapy.

Diarrhea lasts two weeks

When diarrhea persists for 2 weeks, but there are no signs of dehydration, we are talking about a prolonged form of malaise. Factors that can provoke a long course of the syndrome must also be listed. This is:

1. Frequent and very long-term use antibiotics.
2. In a child under one year old, the transition to artificial feeding.
3. Poorly healed intestinal infections.
4. Hypotrophy.
5. Deficiency anemia.
6. Avitaminosis.
7. Diathesis in children.
8. Celicalia.
9. Malabsorption syndrome.

What happens to the body when loose stools last for several days or more than 2 weeks? A sick child or adult develops watery stools, it contains impurities of mucus, but there is no blood, there may be complaints about severe flatulence and bloating. The person may complain of anxiety or increased irritability, slow straightening skin fold, the presence of constant thirst and pain in the abdomen.

Prolonged two-week diarrhea is dangerous because it can lead to the development of a syndrome that provokes poor absorption of microelements coming from outside. This leads to weight loss, a decrease in bone density, and an increase in their fragility. If the discomfort lasts longer than 7 days or 2 weeks, there is a risk of beriberi. In a child, such a complication can give impetus to a delay in mental and physical development. Therefore, you can’t ignore the appearance of malaise, you shouldn’t wait 2 weeks, try to decide on your own what to do, deal with the described symptoms using the means traditional medicine. Without identifying the sources of ailment, any therapy will look meaningless.

Diarrhea lasts 3 weeks

If diarrhea does not go away for 3 weeks in a child or in an adult patient, doctors make a diagnosis of "Chronic diarrhea". It can arise from different reasons. Here are the most common ones:

A provocateur of malaise that lasts for 2 months can be food allergy, individual intolerance specific product, diarrhea for 2 months in an adult may occur as a reaction to the use of a synthetic substance (dye, preservative, flavoring). Knowing why the ailment does not go away, which can provoke short, lingering and prolonged diarrhea, it is easy to start worrying about your health in time.

≫ More information