How to Handle A Bout Of Diarrhea

Few things can make a drastic change, like a bout of diarrhea. You may experience some stomach ache and a bit of diarrhea and, in a few minutes, be in the hospital fighting for your life. Dr. Pothuri and his team at GastroDoxs are dedicated to helping you move beyond the discomfort associated with Cypress diarrhea and embark on your daily life.

When to get alarmed about diarrhea

Everyone experiences diarrhea occasionally, but it usually improves within a few days. When you have diarrhea, you may run to the washroom more urgently than usual and experience bloating, nausea, and abdominal cramping. Although diarrhea is often self-limited, it can lead to life-threatening complications like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and kidney failure in severe cases. Inform your provider if you have diarrhea that won’t go away or if you notice symptoms of dehydration. When having severe diarrhea, you may experience dehydration symptoms like headaches, rapid heart rate, dark urine or small amounts of urine production, flushed, dry skin, lightheadedness, and dizziness. Your symptoms may vary depending o the severity of your diarrhea.

The most prevalent diarrhea triggers

Numerous factors can result in diarrhea, including:

  • Bacteria and parasites

Exposure to parasites and pathogenic bacteria like E. coli through contaminated water or food can upset your stomach leading to diarrhea. When visiting new countries, diarrhea due to parasites and bacteria is known as traveler’s diarrhea. Clostridiodes difficile is a form of bacteria that results in diarrhea and can happen during hospitalization or after a course of antibiotics.

  • Medications

Certain medications like antibiotics resolve infections by eliminating harmful bacteria and killing some good bacteria. This disturbance causes an imbalance in the bacteria in your intestines, leading to superimposed diseases like C diff or diarrhea. Other drugs that may result in diarrhea include antacids and cancer drugs.

  • Lactose intolerance

Lactose is a form of sugar in dairy products. Lactose-intolerant people may experience diarrhea after taking dairy products. Lactose intolerance often deteriorates because the enzymes responsible for digesting lactose reduce as you age.

  • Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners like mannitol, erythritol, and sorbitol are nonabsorbent sugars found in sweets, and chewing can also trigger diarrhea in healthy people.

How to address diarrhea

In most cases, diarrhea resolves without medical intervention. However, if it lasts more than two days, you may need medical attention. During your initial appointment at GastroDoxs, your provider may discuss your symptoms and perform a thorough medical exam to determine the cause of your diarrhea. You may need to present a stool sample for your provider to check for bacterial infections and inflammatory markers, endoscopic evaluations for your digestive tract, and blood tests. In most cases, diarrhea resolves with over-the-counter medications, but if you have a fever and blood in stool, your provider may discourage using them. Your doctor will recommend treatment depending on the causative factor and the severity of your diarrhea. Your treatment options include medication for a specific medical condition, antibiotics, and probiotics. If you have dehydration, you will boost your salts, electrolytes, and water intake, and your provider will set up an IV in severe dehydration cases.

If you experience symptoms of dehydration due to diarrhea, call the GastroDoxs office or book an appointment online.

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