Looking at the data provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, on an average, American adults suffer from a bout of acute diarrhea at least once every year and children on an average of two times every year. Globally, there are an estimated 2 billion cases of diarrhea reported each year. These numbers are especially staggeringly high in developing countries.
When one has diarrhea, their bowel movement (or stools) are loose and watery. This condition is very common and usually not serious.
Types of diarrhea based on duration
Diarrhea can be either acute or chronic, i.e., it can range from mild to severe to life-threatening.
- Acute diarrhea– Acute diarrhea is a common issue and it happens when diarrhea lasts for about 1-2 days. However, it eventually gets better on its own. Often, it does not warrant a visit to the doctor and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and home remedies can help in easing its symptoms.
- Chronic diarrhea– Chronic diarrhea, also known as persistent diarrhea, lasts for at least four weeks. Usually, this means three or more loose stools per day. Chronic diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying chronic disease. But there are several other causes for it. This type of diarrhea can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life as well as overall health.
Causes of diarrhea
Let’s have a quick look at what are some of the most common causes of this widespread health condition. Diarrhea can be caused by an infection of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The microbes or microorganisms that are primarily responsible for this infection are bacteria, viruses, or parasites. There are other causes for diarrhea as well, which include but are not limited to:
- Allergies to certain kinds of foods
- Malabsorption
- Alcohol abuse
- Laxative abuse
- Medications, such as antibiotics
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes
- Certain forms of cancer
- Surgery of the digestive system
Preventive measure for diarrhea
Just because diarrhea is so rampant doesn’t mean that it cannot be prevented or controlled, in fact, there are several preventive measures one can take to avoid diarrhea, which include:
- Washing hands with soap after using the toilet, after sneezing or coughing, before cooking
- Use clean toilets
- Breastfeed a baby for the first six months of life
- Maintain good personal and food hygiene
- Drink clean water
- Be aware of how infections spread
- Get a rotavirus vaccination
When to call a doctor?
One must immediately call their doctor if they have:
- Blood in their diarrhea or black, tarry stools
- A high fever (above 101ºF) or one that lasts for more than a day
- Diarrhea that lasts for more than two days
- Nausea or vomiting, which prevents one from drinking liquids to replace the lost fluids
- Severe pain in the abdomen or the rectum
- Diarhhea after returning from a foreign country
Also, one must call their doctor right away if they have diarrhea along with any of the signs of dehydration:
- Dark urine
- Smaller than the usual amount of urine or fewer than usual wet diapers in a child
- Rapid heart rate
- Headaches
- Dry skin
- Irritability
- Confusion
