Diarrhea is a very common symptom of viral diseases, and most cases of diarrhea resolve spontaneously without treatment. However, in a few cases, diarrhea is severe and life-threatening. Worldwide, especially in developing countries, diarrhea and dehydration are two leading causes of death in young children.

Temporary mild diarrhea usually lasts one to seven days. The patient may have a number of soft to liquid stools ranging from 2 to 8 times per day. This type of diarrhea is very common and does not usually require a visit to the doctor. The most common causes of mild diarrhea are viral infections of the small intestine and food poisoning.

Viral gastroenteritis:

In this case, inflammation of the stomach and small intestine occurs, the usual cause is pollution or viral infection. And cases of contamination caused by rotavirus are contagious in direct contact, and symptoms appear on patients within one to two days after exposure.

In addition to diarrhea, these patients present with other common symptoms, which are fever and slight cramping stomach pain, usually slight nausea (sometimes leading to vomiting), in adults diarrhea usually leads to only slight dehydration.

In children, the resulting dehydration can be severe or even life-threatening, and viral gastroenteritis is the most common reason for hospitalization for children under 3 years of age.

food poisoning:

Most cases of food poisoning are minor and temporary and result from bacteria that live and grow in the food you eat, due to symptoms of the disease, either the bacteria themselves or the substances.

Diarrhea home remedies:

Diarrhea is a common problem with a wide variety of causes, from the flu to food poisoning. As you think about whether or not your condition is severe enough to call a doctor, try these treatments for your convenience and to avoid more serious health problems.

Drink fluids: To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of water at room temperature or any liquid that tastes good to you (except for plain yogurt and caffeinated drinks), drink as much as you can to replace lost fluids or a sports drink. Give children with diarrhea a commercially prepared rehydration solution, which is available at any drug store.

Don’t eat unless you feel better: then eat rice or starchy foods made from rice, clear soups, flavored gelatin or thin broth. Avoid bread, pasta, and other wheat products, as well as fresh fruit, corn, and processed bran. Also avoid dairy products, as you may not be able to tolerate them easily for several days.

drink fluids

Do not take anti-diarrheal medications unless prescribed by your doctor. These medications may mask the symptoms of the disease causing the diarrhea. In the case of infection with salmonella, shigella, or diarrhea caused by antibiotics, they can actually make those symptoms worse by preventing the intestines from expelling harmful bacteria from the body, which can disrupt healing and prolong the illness.

Resting at home on your bed will not only help you recover but will also help stop the spread of viral or bacterial organisms to others.

Diarrhea: When to call a doctor:

Call your doctor if you have diarrhea, and any of the following apply to you:

• If the stool is black or bloody.

• If the stool is mixed with pus.

• If you suffer from abdominal pain and cramps that do not go away when you defecate.

• If you suffer from dehydration (you feel dry in the mouth with thirst and physical weakness).

• If you have a fever above 38.5 with chills and vomiting.

• If you have recently traveled to a foreign country, and diarrhea started while you were there or within a week after returning.

• If you are taking a medicine for another condition and your diarrhea lasts for more than 4 weeks (diarrhea may be a side effect of the medicine).

• If diarrhea persists for more than a week.

• If you are taking medication that suppresses the immune system.

If you have had diarrhea and other related symptoms (such as abdominal pain or nausea) and someone who has shared a meal with you in the past few days has had the same symptoms, then you may have food poisoning. Food poisoning can also cause severe diarrhea.

Avoid bread and pasta

severe diarrhea

Severe diarrhea is defined as the occurrence of more than ten liquid bowel movements per day. If you do not drink enough fluids to replace what was lost, you are at risk of dehydration. Severe diarrhea is often accompanied by blood or pus in the stool (which is called dysentery or dysentery). The usual causes of severe diarrhea are prescribed infections.