Diarrhoea

Loose bowel movement makes up most for discomfort but is not usually harmful, unless it persists for a longer period of time. Severe or heavy diarrhoea can actually be a cause of death. Prolonged diarrhoea can also mean the presence of bacteria, viruses or parasites, and can sometimes be caused not only by these microorganisms but also by food intolerance and diseases.



Symptoms

  • Abdominal cramps, pain and the sudden urge to go to the toilet
  • Nausea, in some cases vomiting, fever
  • Headache, loss of appetite, fatigue
  • Watery to even bloody and loose stools
  • Bloating, weakness

Treatment for Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea may run its course and just gradually subside within a week or so, however, if you want to ease the symptoms even for a bit, doing the following steps may help:

1. Drink plenty of fluids — rehydrate as much as you can since most of the fluids will be released or spent while having diarrhoea. Electrolytes and salts may also be affected so an intake of solutions that contain and replenish what’s lost may help. Ask a doctor or pharmacist for the proper drink to consume.

2. Eat — doctors nowadays will recommend eating to patients while diarrhoea is still prevalent, because nutrients are also flushed away during lost bowel movement. Carbohydrate-rich foods are good for this purpose, so are fiber-based edibles. Adding a bit of salt can help, avoiding fatty foods since there’s a chance they may not be digested properly.

3. Take medication — some medicines are recommended to be taken during cases of diarrhoea to help slow down bowel movements and the intestinal wall’s absorption, but only if there are no other symptoms like fever or blood in stools involved. Better check with a doctor if any other symptoms are present.

4. Rest — lie down to avoid stressing out, especially if weakness has resulted after the frequent trips to the toilet. It is important to avoid further strain so that recovery can be hastened.

Facts worth the know: Diarrhoea happens most common after accidentally ingesting some form of microorganism usually when it gets into food or water supplies. In some developing countries, this occurrence can lead to deaths especially in infants and children and worsened individual cases. As a preventive, sanitation is a recommended habit. Cleaner surroundings can lessen the chances of contracting these said parasites.

Another thing is the recent approach to Diarrhoea. Researchers worldwide have actually quoted the illness as more of an evolved expulsion mechanism to get any other harmful substances out of the body, and done automatically by our system. Some instances of Diarrhoea should be allowed to run its course, provided they are not prolong and don’t progress to other worst ailments.

Related Links

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diarrhea.html
http://www.medicinenet.com/diarrhea/article.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158634.php
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-diarrhea

 

Call 1300 077 391 for a quote today. Ask about our obligation-free First Aid audit and get OH&S compliant.