Symptoms And Causes Of Diarrhea

Signs and symptoms associated with diarrhea may include:
Loose, watery stools
Abdominal cramps
Abdominal pain
Fever
Blood in the stool
Bloating
Nausea
Urgent need to have a bowel movement.

When to see a doctor
If you're an adult, see your doctor if:
Your diarrhea persists beyond two days
You become dehydrated
You have severe abdominal or rectal pain
You have bloody or black stools
You have a fever above 102 F (39 C)

In children, particularly young children, diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration. Call your doctor if your child's diarrhea doesn't improve within 24 hours or if your baby:
Becomes dehydrated
Has a fever above 102 F (39 C)
Has bloody or black stools
Causes
A number of diseases and conditions can cause diarrhea,
including Viruses.

Viruses that can cause diarrhea include
Norwalk virus
cytomegalovirus
viral hepatitis.

Rotavirus is a common cause of acute childhood diarrhea.

Bacteria and parasites Contaminated food or water can transmit bacteria and parasites to your body.

Parasites such as Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium can cause diarrhea.

Common bacterial causes of diarrhea include
campylobacter
salmonella
shigella
Escherichia
coli.

When traveling in developing countries, diarrhea caused by bacteria and parasites is often called traveler's diarrhea.

Clostridium difficile infection can
occur, especially after a course of antibiotics.

Medications
Many medications, such as antibiotics, can cause diarrhea.

Antibiotics destroy both good and
bad bacteria, which can disturb the natural balance of bacteria in your intestines. Other drugs that cause
diarrhea are cancer drugs and antacids with magnesium.

Lactose intolerance
Lactose is a sugar found in milk
and other dairy products. People who have difficulty digesting lactose have diarrhea after eating dairy
products.

Your body makes an enzyme that helps digest lactose, but for most people, the levels of this enzyme drop off rapidly after childhood. This causes an increased risk of lactose intolerance as you age.

Fructose
Fructose, a sugar found naturally in fruits and honey and added as a sweetener to some beverages, can cause diarrhea in people who have
trouble digesting it.

Artificial sweetener
Sorbitol and mannitol, artificial
sweeteners found in chewing gum and other sugar-free products, can cause diarrhea in some otherwise
healthy people.

Surgery
Some people have diarrhea after undergoing abdominal surgery or gallbladder removal surgery.

Other digestive disorders
Chronic diarrhea has a number of other causes, such as
Crohn's disease
ulcerative colitis
celiac disease
microscopic colitis
and irritable bowel syndrome.

Complications
Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which can be life- threatening if untreated.

Dehydration i
It's particularly dangerous in children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

If you have signs of serious dehydration, seek medical help.
Indications of dehydration in adults
These include:
Excessive thirst
Dry mouth or skin
Little or no urination
Weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness
Fatigue
Dark-colored urine

Indications of dehydration in infants and young children
These include:
Not having a wet diaper in three or more hours
Dry mouth and tongue
Fever above 102 F (39 C)
Crying without tears
Drowsiness, unresponsiveness or irritability Sunken appearance to the abdomen, eyes or cheeks