Page 118 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

116 COMMON CONDITIONS: CHEST AND ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS

Diarrhea

During an attack of diarrhea, you pass loose or watery feces frequently. You may also lose your appetite and
have vomiting, abdominal cramps, bloating, and a headache. If the problem continues, you can become
dehydrated due to the loss of large amounts of fluids and salts from your body. Diarrhea is normally caused
by bacteria or viruses found in infected food or transmitted from one person to another. In addition, some
drugs, such as antibiotics, can cause short-term diarrhea. An episode of diarrhea normally clears up within a
few days, but ongoing or recurrent diarrhea can indicate an underlying bowel condition.
See also Food intolerance, p.113; Food poisoning, p.114.

See your doctor first
DRUG REMEDIES
Make an appointment to see your doctor if:
● You have severe pain in your abdomen Oral rehydration solutions (see
p.188) replace water, sugars, and salts lost from
and/or you are vomiting the body during an attack of diarrhea. They are
● You notice blood or mucus in your feces
available as ready-to-use bottled solutions. Drink
them instead of, or in addition to, regular drinks.
Antidiarrheal drugs
What you can do yourself (see p.178) contain loperamide
and work by slowing down bowel
A mild episode of diarrhea will clear up on its own activity. Usually, 2 capsules are
in a few days. The following steps will ease taken immediately, followed by
symptoms and help prevent dehydration. 1 capsule after each loose stool.
Don’t take more than 8 capsules
● Drink at least 8 glasses a day of clear liquids
in 24 hours.
such as water, weak tea, thin soups, and fruit
juice. If you are vomiting, have a drink beside you Analgesics
all the time and take frequent small sips. Passing Acetaminophen (see p.177)
small volumes of dark urine indicates that you are will help reduce fever and
discomfort and is less likely
becoming dehydrated and need to drink more.
to irritate your bowels than
● Try taking an oral rehydration solution other analgesics.
(see DRUG REMEDIES, right).
● Gradually start eating again as soon as you feel Oral rehydration
able. Start with bland foods such as boiled rice, Bottled rehydration solutions
come in a range of flavors.
pasta, mashed potatoes, and dry toast. Avoid tea,
coffee, and cola, dairy products, alcohol, and fatty
and spicy foods while you have diarrhea and for
a few days after it has cleared up.
Seek further medical advice
● It is best to let diarrhea run its course because it
is the body’s way of eliminating infection. You can, Arrange to see your doctor if:
however, use antidiarrheal drugs as a short-term ● The diarrhea gets worse
solution when you are out, at work, or going on a ● There is no improvement in 24–48 hours
long trip (see DRUG REMEDIES, right).
● Take an analgesic if you have fever or headaches
with the diarrhea (see DRUG REMEDIES, right).