This sickness is mainly caused by contaminated foods and water, when you consume those foods that are contaminated you are at risk of having diarrhea. Diarrhea is a loose, watery stool, a person with this usually pass passes stool more than three times a day. Acute diarrhea is a common problem that lasts for 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own without special treatment. If its prolonged for more than 2 days, maybe a sign of more serious problem and possess the risk of dehydration. Chronic diarrhea maybe a feature of a chronic disease.


     Worldwide acute diarrhea constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among the very young, very old, and infirm. It is estimated that each year USA adults experience 99 millions episodes of acute diarrhea or gastroenteritis, resulting in about 8 million physician visit and more than 250,000 hospital admissions each year (1.5 percent of adults hospitalizations). Diarrhea is more prevalent among adults who are exposed to children and non toilets trained infants, particularly in a daycare setting, it is also more prevalent among travellers to tropical regions, homosexual males, person with immunosuppression, and those living in unhygienic environments who are exposed to contaminated water or foods. Women are more susceptible to travel related diarrhea than men. Non infectious diarrhea canbe caused by toxins, that is certain type of food poisoning.


               Causes of diarrhea

  •  Antibiotics associated diarrhea
  • Difficile infections 
  • Cryptosporidium infections 
  • Foods intolerance 
  • Foods poisoning 
  • E. Coli 
  • Fructose intolerance 
  • Artificial sweetener 
  • Lactose intolerance 
  • Exposure to infectious agents 
  • Exposure to bacteria pathogens from developing countries, this is common among travellers 

         Signs and symptoms of diarrhea

  There are many symptoms of diarrhea, such as 

Rectal urgency 

     This is a sudden urge to have a bowel movements, that is so strong that  if a toilet is not immediately available there will be incontinence. 

Incontinence of stool 

   This is the inability to control (delay) bowel movements until an appropriate time, the urge will be unbearable and can be released without getting to the bathroom.

Incomplete evacuation 

   This is a sensation that another bowel movements is necessary soon after a bowel movements,yet there's difficulty passing further stool the second time.
      Other symptoms includes
  • Bowel movements immediately after eating a meal 
  • Watery, liquid stool 
  • Abdominal cramp 
  • Fever
  • Bloating and gas 
  • Dehydration
  Diarrhea can cause dehydration, loss of electrolytes through dehydration, this reduces the amount of water in the body, muscle activity and other important functions. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children, older adults, and people with weakened immune system.

      Symptoms of dehydration in adults

  • Dizziness or light headedness 
  • Muscular cramps 
  • Sunken eye
  • Passing little urine
  • A dry mouth and tongue 
  • Becoming irritable 

      Signs of dehydration in infants

  • No tears when crying 
  • Dry mouth and tongue 
  • No wet diapers for three hours or more
  • High fever 
  • Irritability 
  • Sunken eyes 
  • Cheeks or soft spot inthe skull

         Major causes of diarrhea

Parasites 

  Parasites infection are not the common cause of diarrhea in most developed countries like USA, England, and some other parts of the world. Parasites infections affects among those living in an underdeveloped country, or those who travel abroad and is transmitted by contaminated drinking water. Infection with amoeba, usually occurs during travel abroad to underdeveloped countries and is associated with signs of inflammation, blood or pus inthe stool and fever.

Food poisoning 

     This is usually caused by toxins produced by bacteria. The toxins causes abdominal pain (cramps) and vomiting. Which causes the small intestine to secretes large amounts of water that leads to jail. The symptoms of food poisoning usually last less than 24 hours. Symptoms of food poisoning usually appear within several hours when food poisoning is caused by toxins that are formed in the food before it is eaten. It takes longer for symptoms to develop, when the toxins are formed in the intestine, because it takes time for the bacteria to produce the toxins.

Food intolerance 

     Our body system maybe unwilling to digest some foods effectively. Some foods we eat react with our body system, thus can also cause diarrhea, because our body system maybe allergic to those foods, eating them will become poison to our health. Foods poisoning is not always about eating contaminated foods, it also when our body system react negatively to some foods.


       Prevention and control of diarrhea

Prevention is better than cure, this is a popular word, which teaches us, many things about our health, preventing diarrhea canbe simple and fun, you have to know what caused the diarrhea, and avoid them. Avoid consuming contaminated water and foods, practice good personal hygiene. Measures that intercept the transmission of pathogens. The various infectious agents that cause it are all transmitted by common faecal, oral pathways, such as, contaminated foods, water, and hands. Measures taken to interrupt the transmission of the causative agent, should focus on these pathways. Important measures of proven efficacy inluded
  • Giving only breast milk, for the first 4 to 6 months alive. 
  • Avoiding the use of infant feeding bottles 
  • Improving practice, related to the preparation and storage of weaning foods (to minimise microbial contamination and growth. 
  • Drinking clean water washing of hands (after defecating or disposal of faeces, and before preparing foods and eating. 
  • Safely disposing faeces, including those of  infant. 
  • Immunisation against measles
  • Rota virus vaccination 

Hand washing 

  Basic sanitation techniques can have a profound effect on the transmission  of diarrhea disease. The implementation of handwashing will greatly reduce the risk of getting the viral disease. Although in undeveloped countries, handwashing is compromise by poverty. Hand washing is effective for the prevention of some viral disease, but some people in poor underdeveloped  countries cannot get access to clean water and washing soap. Poor hygiene is one the major  setbacks in some underdeveloped countries. This canbe corrected by implementing an educational program that encourages sanitary behaviour.

Contaminated water

   Water contamination is a major means of transmitting diarrhea disease. There is need to provide an accessible clean water supply to the underdeveloped countries,this will cut the rate of diarrhea transmission. Chlorine treatment of water will help reduce the risk of diarrhea disease and of contamination of stored water with diarrhea pathogens. 

Vaccination 

    Immunisation against possible causes of diarrhea is effective for diarrhea treatment. Getting immunised against the pathogens that causes diarrhea disease is a viable prevention strategy.

Nutrition 

   Dietary deficiency in developing countries canbe combated by promoting better eating practices. Zinc supplementation proved successful, showing a significant decrease inthe incidence of diarrhea disease compared to control group.

Sanitation 

   Maintaining a good and healthy sanitation will be effective inthe prevention of diarrhea. Keep your environment clean and tidy, practice safe faeces disposal. Use a good water filter for your water, and provision of high quality pipe water and sewer connection.

              Treatments of diarrhea  

 Sometimes, mild diarrhea, usually clear up by themselves in healthy people. You will probably be able to manage your symptoms through homecare. There are many treatments for diarrhea which we are going to discuss below. 

Eating healthy foods 

    It is recommended that a child with diarrhea should be fed adequately. Continued feeding speeds the recovery of normal intestinal functions, if food is restricted, the patients may have diarrhea for longer duration and recovery intestine functions more slowly.

Constant medication

    Anti diarrhea medication are also available, they includes leoperamide, (immodium) and bismuth subsalicylate. This are effective in treating diarrhea, leoperamide slows the movement of foods through your intestine, which let your body to absorb more liquid. Bismuth, balances out how fluid moves through your digestive tract. 

Rehydration 

    Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) ; ( a slightly sweetened and salty water) can be used to prevent dehydration. Standard home solution such as, salted rice water, salted yoghurt drink, vegetables and chicken soup, canbe given. Some home solutions such as, unsalted soup, green coconut water, weak tea, and unsweetened fresh fruits juice will also help in rehydration the body. For older people and children oral rehydration solutions are a better choices than water. They are made specifically to replace both fluids and electrolytes (important minerals that your body needs to function) in the right concentration. Sports rehydration drinks are not recommended.

Intravenous fluids

   People who are not able to adequately rehydrate, maybe because they are vomiting may need to be given Intravenous fluids via drip.

Alternative therapy 

    Zinc supplementation may benefit children over 6 months old with diarrhea in area with high rates of malnourishment or zinc deficiency. 
        Also try this steps ;
  • Rest at home
  • Stay off work or school until you have not had a loose bowel motion for 24 hours. 
  • Drink clear fluid or oral rehydration solutions to replace lost fluids, take small sip if you feel sick. 
  • Avoid fruit juice, cordial and sugary drinks, they will prolong the diarrhea
  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine 
      Manage your health until you get back to normal, bland foods such as, rice, pasta, crackers, and avoid fatty foods or those high in insoluble fat. 
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