Diarrhea As A Symptom Of Digestive Disorders

There is nothing quite so embarrassing as the experience of diarrhea. There are two basic types of diarrhea. There is the acute diarrhea in which a person experiences diarrhea for approximately 1 to 2 days and it goes away without any special treatment. Then, there is the prolonged diarrhea. Persistent diarrhea runs the risk of dehydration.

Diarrhea that is chronic cannot only pose serious health threat but can be a symptom of a chronic health condition. Diarrhea can be especially serious in the very young and the elderly because it causes dehydration. When the body is dehydrated it lacks the necessary fluids to function properly.

The occurrence of diarrhea is actually quite common in the U.S., as adults will have approximately 4 cases of acute diarrhea each year and children will have approximately 7 to 15 cases of diarrhea before they reach age five.

The cause of acute diarrhea is usually bacterial, viral or a parasitic infection. Chronic diarrhea is usually functional in nature such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, both of which have diarrhea as a main symptom.

Individuals can contract a bacterial infection when they consume contaminated foods or drink contaminated water. Common bacteria that cause diarrhea are Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli (E. Coli), and Campylobacter.

Viral infections include the rotavirus, the Norwalk virus, herpes simplex virus, and viral hepatitis.

Some individuals have food intolerances to certain foods such as those with lactose (a sugar found in milk products), or react to artificial sweetners.

Parasites that enter a person's body when they ingest contaminated food or water such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium or Entamoeba histolytica can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea can also be caused by certain medications such as antibiotics, blood pressure medication, cancer drugs, or antacids that contain magnesium are all medications that are known to cause diarrhea in some individuals.

Certain intestinal diseases that are of a digestive nature such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease are all examples of intestinal diseases in which diarrhea is quite common.

Surgery can also cause some individuals to have diarrhea as the body is "shocked" by the surgical procedure. The shock of the surgery may stimulate the food to move through the digestive system differently or there may be an increase in bile in the colon after gallbladder surgery that may contribute to the presence of diarrhea.

Cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea or an urgent need to go to the bathroom may precede the diarrhea. Bloody stools and or a fever may also accompany the diarrhea.

The rotavirus is the most common cause for diarrhea in infants and young children. There is a vaccine that can be given to infants as of age 6 weeks and older babies up to 32 weeks old. The vaccine is called "Rotateq". If the diarrhea is not brought under control and dehydration results a very young baby (newborn) may quickly become dehydrated in one to two days. A baby can die from dehydration. The treatment for dehydration is to replace the fluids that are lost as quickly as possible.

If you have a young baby that has diarrhea and the following symptoms: blood or pus in the stools, black stools, a temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and signs of dehydration the baby should immediately be brought in to any area emergency room.