Diarrhea refers to having more than 3 stools a day, having a stool volume of more than 200 g/day, and having a thin stool with a water content of more than 75%. In general, the "Bristol stool classification" can be used to preliminarily determine whether there is diarrhea, and stool types 6 and 7 indicate that there may be diarrhea.
In daily life, people usually self-diagnose diarrhea: "cold", "bad stomach", "indigestion", and then self-treat: "bear with it", "ignore it", "take some anti-inflammatory drugs, antidiarrheal drugs, probiotics", but diarrhea is really not so simple.
Causes of diarrhea
(1) Infectious diarrhea: including common bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and other pathogens in daily life. Bacterial infections mainly include E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, etc., and most of them are found in unclean food and water. People who are hospitalized for a long time or who are taking antibiotics regularly should be particularly suspicious for Clostridium difficile infection. Viral infections include norovirus, rotavirus, calicivirus, etc., which mostly occur in autumn and winter, and mostly occur in clusters. In addition, the novel coronavirus infection, which has been prevalent in recent years, can also cause diarrhea.
(2) Non-infectious diarrhea: the cause can involve multiple systems of the whole body and cannot be ignored.
The first is intestinal problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal tumors, ischemic bowel disease, intestinal malabsorption syndrome, etc.; There are also some diseases that cause diarrhea in specific populations, such as radiation enteritis (radiation exposure, history of radiation therapy), short bowel syndrome (after resection of a large part of the small intestine), bile acid diarrhea (cholecystectomy, ileal resection), etc.
Secondly, systemic diseases can also cause diarrhea, such as endocrine system diseases: diabetes, hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, etc.; Hepatobiliary, pancreatic and spleen diseases: cholecystitis, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, etc.; Tumors: pancreatic cancer, gastrinoma, VIP tumor, medullary thyroid cancer; Rheumatic immune diseases: intestinal Behcet's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, Takayasu's arteritis, etc.
There are also drug-induced diarrhea, such as irregular use of laxatives, antibiotics, antineoplastic drugs, drugs that inhibit gastric acid secretion (omeprazole), hypoglycemic drugs (metformin, baiglupine), cardiovascular system drugs (carvedilol, olmesartan), etc.
Finally, after the exclusion of organic lesions, attention should be paid to the exclusion of anxiety and depression, and there are some functional gastrointestinal diseases caused by neurological disorders, the most common is irritable bowel syndrome, the incidence of which is increasing year by year, and is easily induced or aggravated by food stimuli, emotional changes, and environmental climate change.
The dangers of diarrhea
As the saying goes, "a good man can't hold back three bubbles", it is enough to see how harmful diarrhea is to the body, and the harm of long-term or severe diarrhea should not be underestimated.
Hazard 1: Malnutrition. In diarrhea, the intestinal digestion and absorption of food is weakened, nutrients are excreted with feces, and the body's nutrient intake is not available, resulting in malnutrition symptoms such as emaciation and fatigue. For example, when there is a lack of B vitamins in the body, glossitis, angular cheilitis, polyneuritis and so on often occur; If there is a lack of protein in the body, it will cause hypoproteinemia, edema, serous effusion and other manifestations; If there is a lack of trace elements in the body, it can cause anemia, hair loss and other symptoms.
Hazard 2: Water and electrolyte imbalances. Diarrhea occurs when the body loses a lot of water, and if you don't pay attention to proper treatment, it can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Mild dehydration may present with symptoms of thirst, dry skin, and general weakness; Severe dehydration can lead to hypovolemic shock, which can be life-threatening. Electrolyte imbalances can also lead to a range of symptoms, such as diarrhea that often causes hypokalemia, nausea, vomiting, bloating, fatigue, and, in severe cases, arrhythmias and dyspnea.
Hazard 3: Weakened immunity. Long-term diarrhea will lead to low immune function of the body due to nutrient deficiency and intestinal dysfunction, weaken the body's resistance to infection, increase the prevalence, and affect the quality of life.
What should I do if I have diarrhea?
If diarrhea occurs, you should not let it go, pay attention to a light and easily digestible diet, supplement warm water with salt and sugar according to the diarrhea, and seek medical attention in time when dehydration is severe. Avoid unauthorized medication, irrational use of antibiotics, probiotics, and antidiarrheal drugs may lead to intestinal flora imbalance and constipation. Some diarrhea can be improved by rest, improving diet, and simple treatment, but there are many causes of diarrhea, such as diarrhea does not improve after routine treatment or recurrence, and it is necessary to seek medical attention in time to further find the cause, so as not to delay the best time for treatment.