Diarrhoea

Definition of diarrhoea

Diarrhoea
is defined as having three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or as having
more stools than is normal for that person. This also include an abnormally
frequent discharge of semi-solid or fluid faecal matter from the bowel, lasting
less than 14 days.

Types of diarrhoea

There are three clinical types of diarrhoea:

·
Acute
watery diarrhoea: This type of diarrhoea lasts
several hours or days, and includes cholera.

·
Acute
bloody diarrhoea: This is also referred to as dysentery.

·
Persistent
diarrhoea: This is a form of diarrhoea that lasts 14 days or
longer.

Causes of diarrhoea

The most common cause of
diarrhoea is a virus that infects the gut. The infection usually lasts for two
days and is sometimes called “intestinal flu” or “stomach flu.” Diarrhoea
may also be caused by:

·
Infection
by bacteria (the cause of most types of food poisoning)

·
Infections
by other organisms

·
Eating
foods that upset the digestive system

·
Allergies
to certain foods

·
Medications

·
Radiation
therapy

·
Diseases
of the intestines
(Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)

·
Competitive
running

Symptoms of diarrhoea

Symptoms of diarrhoea
can be broken down into uncomplicated and complicated diarrhoea. Complicated
diarrhoea may be a sign of a more serious illness.

Symptoms of
uncomplicated diarrhoea include:

·
Abdominal
bloating or
cramps

·
Thin
or loose stools

·
Watery
stool

·
Sense
of urgency to have a bowel movement

·
Nausea
and vomiting

In addition to the
symptoms described above, the symptoms of complicated diarrhoea include:

·
Blood,
mucus, or undigested food in the stool

·
Weight
loss

·
Fever

Dietary management of
diarrhoea

Dietary management for
diarrhoea include:

i.)
Drink clear fluids – broth, water and juices – for
the first twelve hours of your diarrhoea.

ii.)
After 12 hours of liquids only, follow the BRAT diet
– bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

·
Green
bananas are best for diarrhoea.

·
Plain
toast is a good idea as this will further dilute and absorb up the tainted
fluids that are stored up in your stomach.

iii.)
Limit insoluble fibres. Insoluble fibres are called “insoluble”
because they do not dissolve in water. Insoluble fibres accelerate the movement
of food through the GI tract. Soluble fibres, such as pectin (found in
applesauce), slow the movement of food through the GI tract by forming a gel
when combined with water. Soluble fibres have a property called viscosity, and
fibres with a higher viscosity are more beneficial for diarrhoea.

iv.)
Eliminate foods that might be contributing to your
diarrhoea, such as high-fructose foods, sugar-free foods sweetened with sugar
alcohols, and dairy products. Dairy
products may worsen diarrhoea in people who are not lactose-intolerant because
food usually travels through the intestines more quickly during diarrhoea,
which may reduce the absorption of lactose. The unabsorbed lactose may then
draw water into the bowels.

v.)
After recovery, try some yogurt. If the diarrhoea is not caused by antibiotics,
yogurt with live cultures is often helpful to restore the balance in your
digestive tract. Often the cause of antibiotic-related diarrhoea is an
overgrowth of the clostridium bacteria, and “good” bacteria often
help keep that in check.