Acute diarrhea

Acute diarrhea is one of the phenomena that almost everyone has gone through. Different causes can be to blame for the complaints. While digestion often regulates itself independently, it may be possible to intervene with medication. In addition to traditional medicine, home remedies often prove to be effective.

What is acute diarrhea?

Acute diarrhea is characterized by the fact that affected people have liquid stools at least three times a day.

Acute diarrhea is characterized by the fact that affected people have liquid stools at least three times a day. This is often increased in volume and weight. As soon as the chair announces itself, an uncomfortable feeling is felt with the urgent need to empty. At the same time, pain, fever, vomiting and other complications can occur.

As soon as further symptoms appear and persist for several days, a visit to the doctor is usually inevitable. Different causes ensure that there is frequent emptying of the bowel. This is accompanied by a high loss of water and electrolytes. In the case of a longer illness, these must be added from the outside so that the body can carry out its functions. In Germany alone, acute diarrhea occurs at least once a year in 30 percent of the population.

causes

The causes of acute diarrhea are diverse. Infections with bacteria or viruses are particularly common. For example, the Novo virus can be responsible for the symptoms. Infections are particularly common in autumn and spring. The disease is highly infectious and usually spreads very quickly after an initial infection.

Another potentially guilty virus is rotavirus. This particularly affects children. Around 90 percent of three-year-olds have already suffered from an infection with the virus. Bacteria are often pathogens from the Koli family that occur, for example, in the form of EHEC and EIEC. Parasites can be diagnosed less frequently than bacteria and viruses. Spoiled food can cause food poisoning.

The basis for the resulting pain and diarrhea are the bacterial toxins which develop in the digestive system. Anyone who has traveled a long way can also look for the cause of acute diarrhea in cholera or malaria. In such a case, unfamiliar elements can also be responsible for the complaints. Drinking water and fruit are often contaminated or the stomach cannot tolerate foreign food.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medication for diarrhea

Diseases with this symptom

• Norovirus infection
• poliomyelitis
• Ebola
• HIV infection
• Rotavirus infection
• Traveler's diarrhea

• Swine flu
• EHEC infection
• Meningitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Food poisoning
• cholera

• malaria
• Inflammation of the intestine (enteritis)
• Crohn's disease
• Diverticulum in the intestine
• Malassimilation syndrome
• Anemia (anemia)

Diagnosis & course

Diarrhea is usually easy to diagnose. Information about the changed bowel habit and consistency already provides the doctor with important information. However, it is not only the symptoms that have to be verified, the diagnosis of the present cause is also decisive for the following therapy. Before the examination, there is a detailed discussion in which the patient describes all other symptoms.

It is advisable to mention it if you have previously traveled. Diet not digestible or the consumption of fish, meat, eggs and milk should not be ignored. As soon as the doctor has a first suspicion, he tries to verify or falsify it by various means. For example, a laboratory test of blood or a stool sample is possible. Any parasites, inflammation and blood in the stool can be tracked here. Furthermore, the patient is physically examined in the context of tactile and ultrasound examinations.

About 90 percent of all diarrheal illnesses are caused by infections. In most cases, the symptoms subside after about 3 days. If diarrhea or pain persists, the doctor must be consulted again. Usually, acute diarrhea does not cause any further complications; a positive outcome can be expected.

Complications

Most acute diarrhea subsides without complications after a few days. General complications are: loss of appetite, gas, exhaustion, dizziness, abdominal pain, fever and vomiting. In addition, apathy quickly develops in children.

Because of the loss of fluid, severe, acute diarrheal illnesses can lead to dehydration, especially in connection with fever. This increases the risk of thrombosis, embolism (blood clots which, for example, are washed into a pulmonary artery and can clog it), circulatory disorders, shock and kidney failure. The latter could lead to the death of the patient.

If watery diarrhea lasts for a few days, insufficient amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and trace elements are absorbed. Malassimilation syndrome develops. This can lead to tiredness, weight loss, muscle breakdown and weakness, swelling, anemia (anemia) and abnormal sensations. Furthermore, diarrhea impairs the absorption of medication, which can trigger recurrences and / or exacerbations of medication-controlled diseases.

An infection with typhoid salmonella, characterized by "pea-like" diarrhea, is a general infection which affects numerous organs. If not properly treated, it can become life-threatening. In connection with an infectious diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis can develop.

Haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), triggered by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli bacteria (EHEC), is another serious infection-related complication. This leads to blood in the stool, anemia, bruises and bleeding from the skin, seizures and symptoms of paralysis, in some cases to a coma or even death.

When should you go to the doctor?

Acute diarrhea requires a doctor's clarification if the diarrhea lasts longer than a maximum of two days, is accompanied by vomiting or severe stomach cramps, or if the stool has a bloody or slimy consistency (usually with a putrid, oily smell and tar-like black).

If there is also a high fever over 38.5 ° C and a headache, or if the diarrhea develops into constipation, it is also useful to see a doctor. If the diarrhea occurs after a long trip, as a result of a fall or an injury or during pregnancy, a doctor should also be consulted. Acute diarrhea that is accompanied by a distended and hard abdominal wall (signs of intestinal paralysis) or as a result of a chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease must also be clarified quickly.

For children under two years of age, a doctor should generally be consulted, as the loss of fluid can quickly lead to dehydration. Warning signs include a sunken face and faster breathing, and a high pulse and faster breathing.

The same applies to elderly and weakened people and patients with previous diseases of the cardiovascular system or the gastrointestinal tract. If cholera, HIV or heavy metal poisoning are suspected or if kidney or gallstones are already present, the exact causes of the acute diarrhea must be clarified in a doctor's office as soon as possible.

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Treatment & Therapy

Treatment initially depends on the exact diagnosis. Because acute diarrhea is usually bacterial and disappears on its own within a short period of time, further medical treatment is usually not necessary. Instead, those affected should make sure that they take in enough water.

Since a lot of water is withdrawn from the body with every liquid stool, the reservoirs have to be refilled. Water mixed with a little sugar and salt is particularly suitable for this, which at the same time takes care of the loss of important electrolytes. This is the only way to avoid dehydration with further symptoms. The risk of dehydration is increased, especially in infants and the elderly. Adults can orientate themselves on a water intake of about 3 liters. Even if acute diarrhea is often associated with a loss of appetite, the body should still be supplied with energy on a regular basis.

If the diarrhea becomes very intense or if it is accompanied by severe pain, it is up to the doctor to prescribe medication. These often include pain relievers and anticonvulsants. If the body is unable to fight the pathogens on its own, it is advisable to take antibiotics. In addition, there are drugs that reduce bowel movement and give the organism more time to channel the fluid out of the bowel.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medication for diarrhea

Outlook & forecast

Acute diarrhea often leads to dehydration of the body. This leads to a mineral deficiency, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and a general weakening of the immune system. In children, the elderly and high-risk patients, this can lead to a life-threatening condition with apathy, dizziness and circulatory problems.

Depending on the severity of the diarrhea, circulatory collapse with kidney failure can also occur. In the event of organ failure or dehydration, the prognosis depends on how quickly and comprehensively the underlying condition is treated. It is not uncommon for acute diarrhea to be treated as part of intensive therapy.

If the disease and symptoms are treated quickly and professionally, the prospect of a complete cure is positive. The prognosis essentially depends on the underlying disease, the constitution of the patient, the previous course of the symptoms, the time and the type of treatment. A final prognosis can only be made by the family doctor, an internist or gastroenterologist.

prevention

Acute diarrhea can be prevented in moderation. Only washed, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables should be eaten when traveling. It is also advisable to check the water quality before drinking. Hands must be washed and disinfected regularly, especially after coming into contact with sick people or during a wave of novo virus. This is the only way to prevent the pathogen from entering. If acute diarrheal diseases occur regularly, the presence of food intolerances should be checked.

You can do that yourself

In the case of acute diarrhea, severe dehydration of the body occurs immediately after a short time. Dehydration doesn't just cause a lack of fluids. It also flushes out important salts such as sodium and potassium from the body. Those affected can counteract the long-term, physically stressful condition through a targeted selection of food.

In general, the most important means of self-help is an increased intake volume through compatible and calming liquids. The well-known household remedy Cola is not recommended due to the caffeine it contains and its dehydrating effect. Still water or teas help calm the gastrointestinal tract. Salted baked goods such as pretzels and pretzel sticks provide plenty of sodium chloride, but these snacks do not compensate for the loss of potassium. Chicken broth with balanced proportions of salts is a classic alternative. This also increases the water balance afterwards. Fruits such as bananas are also rich in potassium. Thanks to their detoxifying effect, grated apples also help to stabilize the intestines. Electrolyte-glucose mixtures are also freely available in stores and also help the body to refresh the reserves that have been flushed out.

To relieve the strain on the intestines, a low-fat and not too sugary diet is recommended until the symptoms gradually subside. The return to normal eating habits can be achieved through more solid foods such as potatoes, bread or rice in combination with poultry.