Diarrhea: Causes and Treatment
Diarrhea. The condition that makes a common denominator of us all. Everyone, at some time in his or her life, has had a bout of the “runs”—hopefully in situations where a bathroom was nearby.
First Things First
If you have symptoms of lactose intolerance, which include bloating, gas, and heartburn, you don't have to forgo milk. Today, there are lactose-free milks you can buy right alongside the regular milk. They are clearly labeled “lactose free.” You can also try soy or rice milk, which is available in the dry goods section of your supermarket or health food store. Another choice is to add liquid lactase (or acidopholus bacteria) to your milk. This is the digestive enzyme that is needed for proper digestion. If you are lactose intolerant, you don't have enough lactase.
Ouch!
Before dispensing any anti-diarrheal medication, read the warning label. Make sure the user isn't allergic or taking any other medication that might cause complications.
Minor cases of the runs can be the result of:
- Overeating
- Nerves
- Minor viral infections
- Alcohol overindulgence
- A side effect of medication
- Eating food that's just begun to spoil
- Lactose intolerance (which means your stomach's digestive acids lack the enzyme that will properly digest the sugar in milk, causing gas, heartburn, and diarrhea)
- Taking too many antacids (which translates into too much magnesium and, ultimately, watery stools)
Unless the sufferer is lactose intolerant (in which case you should change to a lactose-free milk) or takes too many antacids (in which case he or she should cut down), there's little you need to do but let “nature take its course.” However, to ensure someone with diarrhea is as comfortable as possible and that there are no side effects, follow these steps:
- Stop all food until the bout of diarrhea is past. (One full day is recommended.) This gives an irritated digestive system a chance to calm down.
- Offer the person having the problem liquids instead of solids. The liquids help hydrate the body, replacing liquids lost during the bout of diarrhea. Stick with clear liquids, such as apple juice and 7-Up, and avoid acidic orange juice and caffeinated cola products. (These other liquids are also good: chicken and beef broth, gelatin dissolved in warm water, and herbal teas.)
- You can also give the sufferer an anti-diarrheal medication, such as Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, or Immodium.
- If the bout of diarrhea stops during the first 24 hours, you can start giving the ill person solid foods. But go easy. The digestive tract is still sensitive! You might try hot cereal, toast, soft-boiled eggs, or chicken soup.
- There are times when it's wise to call a doctor, even if the problem is only mild diarrhea. If the diarrhea is accompanied by a high fever and severe cramps that don't subside, it could be a sign of something serious. Call your physician for guidance!
Minor diarrhea is easily cured and a call to the doctor or the emergency room is usually not necessary. But there are times when diarrhea can signal more serious illnesses—or lead to illness itself. These sections describe situations you should be mindful of, so you know when to seek expert care.
“Montezuma's Revenge”
First Things First
Today there are prescription antibiotics that travelers can take before they partake to prevent Montezuma's Revenge. The good news is that it gives you the freedom to eat and drink what you want. The bad news is that it can cause such side effects as drowsiness, headaches, nausea, and rashes.
The legend has it that when the Spaniards attacked and horribly massacred the Aztecs in Mexico, they were left a vengeful legacy: an illness that involved terrible diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Named after Montezuma, the King of the Aztecs, this “revenge” for the massacre can easily befall any tourist visiting Mexico today. The symptoms of “Montezuma's Revenge” are similar to those of food poisoning. However, rather than food, it involves parasites or bacteria in the water. While the enzymes in the digestive systems of Mexicans (and people of other Caribbean cultures) have long ago adapted to this water, tourists from Canada and the United States are not so lucky. If “tainted” water is swallowed, either from brushing one's teeth, showering, eating food washed in regular water, or drinks made with tainted ice cubes, tourists can easily succumb to a terrible attack of diarrhea. If you are a tourist from the states, you should also avoid unpeeled fruits, salads, and raw vegetables. These too can be “tainted.”
If it's not treated, “Montezuma's Revenge” can cause dehydration, severe weakness, and possible shock. The best protection against getting it in the first place is to use bottled water in any country where tainted water might be a problem.
Before You Put the Band-Aid On
It's good to sip any liquid if you have a minor case of dehydration. “Sports drinks,” such as Snapple's K-10 and Gatorade, work even better because they contain glucose and potassium, which are vital nutrients your body needs for good health—and which are lost when you become dehydrated. However, adults who are dehydrated will find quicker results if they alternate a “sports drink” with water and juice. Children will do better with Pedialyte, a “dehydration” brew made specifically for youngsters. And the World Health Organization (WHO) makes rehydration powders that are more balanced, but are not as tasty, as Gatorade.
Dehydration
Diarrhea can cause dehydration. Your body can also become dehydrated from too much vomiting and a lack of drinking water, especially on a hot summer day.
The food you eat and the liquid you drink on a daily basis comes to about three or four liters or one gallon of fluid. When this fluid reaches the intestines, approximately eight ounces is eliminated as a bowel movement. The rest is either eliminated in your urine or absorbed into your body.
When you have diarrhea, the solids become watery. And if you're going to the bathroom five or six times a day, you're losing a lot more liquid than you should. It's easy to see how your body could become dehydrated.
Most bouts of minor dehydration can be handled by slowly drinking liquids. But, unfortunately, dehydration can become serious quickly. Dehydration attacks the filtering system of the kidneys, “drying out” the water in our bodies that help our vital fluids run smoothly so that our cells can be replenished and our toxins eliminated. When diarrhea continues for more than 24 hours, the loss of water and fluids can reach dangerous levels.
| Signs of dehydration include: | |
|---|---|
| Extreme drowsiness | Weakness |
| Clammy skin and chills | Dizziness |
| Rough, lackluster skin that | Being able to eliminate only small |
| “tents” or “sags” when pulled | quantities of dark urine |
| An inability to urinate | Eventual unconsciousness |
If someone is dehydrated, have him or her sip water, not gulp it down. The stomach cannot handle too much water—and the person who's ill will end up vomiting the water, causing even more dehydration. Dehydration becomes more and more serious very quickly. Hospital treatment is imperative if you suspect dehydration. The treatment for serious dehydration is intravenous fluid intake—which only a hospital can supply.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to First Aid Basics © 1996 by Stephen J. Rosenberg, M.D. and Karla Dougherty. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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