Notes on causes, clinical findings and treatment of Diarrhea

The passage of loose or watery motions is known as diarrhea.

Causes of Diarrhea:

Diarrhea may be acute or chronic. It is a symptom of many diverse conditions, and may be due to:

(1) Nervous causes:

These result in the rapid transit of faces through the intestines. It may be produced by emotion, as by an examination a public speech, or jour-lye by a train.

(2) Gastric causes:

Rapid stomach emptying occurs to some cases of gastric operation.

(3) Local Intestinal Causes:

These are due to irrita­tion of the mucus membrane from foods with much residue, poisoning, and drugs and in the pre-eruptive stage of measles, typhoid fever Cholera etc.

(4) Carbohydrate Fermentation:

Associated with excessive intake of carbohydrate foods; and deficient exercise.

(5) Diabetes Mellitus:

Diarrhea may occur in patients in whom the diabetes is not controlled.

Clinical Findings:

These must vary with the underlying cause. Nervous diarrhea there are two to three loose motions an- then it stops. Prolonged or severe diarrhea may result of potassium loss, with muscular weakness. However, in some cases of diarrhea the stools should be examined for color presence of mucus, blood, etc and in the laboratory for the presence of undigested food particles, the fat and for patch logical organisms.

Treatment:

In cases of diarrhea due to acute gastro-intestine disturbances, a Bismuth mixture is helpful. In diarrhea all food leaving and irritating residue should be avoided. Food should not be taken very hot or ice cold. The nocturnal diarrhea of diabetes is best treated by properly controlling the diabetes by means of diets and Insulin. In cases of diarrhea associated with pathogenic organisms should be treated by the advice of a doctor as early as possible.