Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is to exctrete loose or watery stool more then 3 times per day however it is recent change in consistency of stool rather than number of stool that is more important.

Persistent diarrhea :  Diarrhoea lasted more than 14 days.

Agent:

Bacteria:

- Shigella

- Cholera vibrio

- Salmonella typhi

Viral:

- Rota virus

- Adeno virus

- Norwalk virus

Others:

- Parasites

- Lamblia intestinals

- Entamoeba histolytica

- Giardia lambliya etc.

Causes:

- Unhygienic utensils.

- Uncooked food/dirty food.

- Unhygienic hands.

- Impure water.

Signs/Symptoms:

- Anorexia

- Loose stool with or without mucus and blood.

- Abdominal pain/cramps

- Nausea/Vomiting

- Dehydration

- Low urine output

- Fever

- Poor activity

- Hyperactive bowel sound.

Investigation:

- Vital signs.

- Hydration status.

- To rule out the cause ( stool R/E, urine R/E, occult blood etc)

Complication:

- Dehydration

- Electrolyte imbalance

- Rectal prolapsed

- Shock

- Ileus (Paralytic)

- Renal failure

- Metabolic acidosis

- Malnutrition

- Death

Management:

Observation:-

a.     Vital signs-

-         Temperature, Respiration, Heart rare, Pulse.

b.     Sign of dehydration:-

-         Skin (dryness elasticity).

-         Tongue(dry)

-         Eyes(dryness, sunken)

-         Oliguria

-         Depressed fontanelle.

c.      Abdominal pain.

d.     Nausea, vomiting.

e.     Stool:-

-         Frequency

-         Consistency

-         Color

-         Quantity

-         Mucous stool

-         Blackish stool

f.       Activity (good, not good,poor).

Home Remedies For Diarrhea

1.   Bananas

You Will Need

·         1 banana

·         A pinch of salt

·         1 teaspoon tamarind juice

What You Have To Do

1.     Mash the banana and add the salt and tamarind to it.

2.     Mix well and eat this.

Alternatively, eat two bananas with your breakfast.

How Often You Need To Do This

Eat this twice a day.

Why This Works

Bananas, like orange peels, are rich in pectin that helps in absorbing the liquid in the intestines. This makes your stools less watery. Bananas are also rich in potassium. These can help replace the electrolytes that your body loses due to the frequent bowel movements.

 2. Oatmeal

You Will Need

·         1 cup oatmeal

·         1/2 cup buttermilk

What You Have To Do

Add the buttermilk to the oatmeal and consume it.

How Often You Need To Do This

You can have oatmeal up to twice a day.

Why This Works

Oatmeal is a good solid food to start with when your body is recovering from diarrhea and is able to hold down liquids. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber that prevents water loss from the body.

3. Pumpkin For Diarrhea

You Will Need

Canned or fresh pumpkin

What You Have To Do

Have a cup of pumpkin twice a day.

How Often You Need To Do This

Repeat this for two to three days to get relief from diarrhea.

Why This Works

The soluble fibers present in pumpkin will help harden the stool. Pumpkin also has higher levels of potassium, and eating it will replenish the body fluids with electrolytes.

4. Ginger

You Will Need

·         1 teaspoon ginger powder

·         1 teaspoon cumin powder

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

·         1 teaspoon honey

·         A glass of water

What You Have To Do

Mix all the ingredients listed above in a glass of water and drink it.

Alternatively, make some ginger tea or drink copious quantities of ginger ale to ease diarrhea cramps.

How Often You Need To Do This

Consuming this mixture thrice a day will make you feel better.

Why This Works

Ginger is a magic ingredient that does wonders for your body in many ways. Consuming ginger boosts the digestive system and wards off infections.

5. Soy Milk For Diarrhea

When you have diarrhea, the body may find it hard to digest milk and other dairy products. It is recommended to consume soy milk as it is light on the digestive system. It is also beneficial for the body in maintaining the digestive and bone health.

Caution

Soy milk can also be given to children, but make sure that they are not allergic to soy beforehand.

6. Rice Water

You Will Need

·         1/2 cup brown rice

·         3 cups water

What You Have To Do

1.     Add the rice to the water and bring it to a boil.

2.     Now cook the rice on low heat for about 30-40 minutes.

3.     Strain the rice to obtain the rice water.

4.     Drink this water throughout the day. Store the rest in the refrigerator.

         Please note that the quantities of the rice and water are enough for a one-

         day supply.

How Often You Need To Do This

Repeat this the next day if the diarrhea symptoms still persist.

Why This Works

This easy-to-do and simple home remedy is good for treating diarrhea in adults and children as well. The starch present in the rice water retains fluids and electrolytes in the body, thus preventing dehydration. Rice water also helps in soothing and alleviating the intestinal inflammation that may be caused due to diarrhea, especially in infants and young children.

7. Kefir

You Will Need

Kefir yogurt

What You Have To Do

Eat a few cups during the day.

How Often You Need To Do This

Repeat twice or thrice until diarrhea is treated.

Why This Works

If you want to recover faster and stay healthy, it’s time you make kefir yogurt a staple food in your diet. Whether the diarrhea was caused by the consumption of antibiotics that killed the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract or by certain specific food choices, yogurt is sure to restore your health. Rich in gut-friendly bacteria, this yogurt will flush out the toxins from the body and improve the health of your digestive system.

8. Blueberries

You Will Need

·         A few blueberries

·         A cup of water

What You Have To Do

1.     Crush the berries and make yourself some flavored tea by boiling them in a cup of water on a low flame for 10 minutes.

2.     Let it cool down a bit before drinking.

         You can also make a sumptuous soup out of some blueberries. Alternatively,

         you can chew a handful of dried berries.

How Often You Need To Do This

Drink the flavored tea twice a day.

Why This Works

Blueberries are a delicacy. They are rich in anthocyanins that are said to have antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These will work on nurturing your tummy back to health and killing the germs causing the diarrhea. They also contain pectin that is said to ease the symptoms of diarrhea.