Diarrhea is a medical condition in which the frequency of bowel movements or the looseness of stool increases. It is the most common health complaint, which can be mild as well as a life threatening one.
Around 2 billion cases of diarrheal disease occur each year globally. In India, the disease is common in children under the age of 5. It claims a number of lives every year in our country, inform doctors at AMRI Hospitals, one of the best hospitals in Eastern India.
Symptoms
- Stomach pain and boating
- Abdominal cramps and thirst
- Weight loss and fever
- Persistent vomiting and dehydration
Causes
Diarrhea is caused by an infection in gastrointestinal tract, caused by microbes that include:
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Parasitic organisms
Diagnosis
The doctors will gather the following information before starting the treatment:
- He/She will ask about the symptoms and current medication
- When did the problem start and how frequent is it?
- Whether there is blood in the stool and if the stool is watery?
Tests
Most of the times, diarrhoea is resolved without tests, as the doctor is able to diagnose without further treatment required, suggest medical practitioners at AMRI Hospitals. However, following tests may be needed if the patient is suffering from persistent diarrhea:
- Stool test
- Liver function test
- Test for malabsorption
- Full blood count
- Testing for antibodies
Over the last decade, diarrhoea has claimed thousands of lives in India. In this year itself, it has affected a number of people, especially in the eastern part of the country. Recently, more than 1,000 cases of diarrhoea were reported in Kolkata in a very short span of time.
The outbreak of this diseases had alarmed the authorities. Patients were admitted to different hospitals, including the AMRI Hospital in Eastern India, which had geared up to provide the required treatment to patients during the outbreak.
The treatment for diarrhoea includes:
Rehydration: It is the key when a person is suffering from diarrhea. A patient should always look to drink more fluids to avoid dehydration.
Antidiarrhoeal medication: Loperamide and imodium are antimotility drugs that reduce the stool passage. Apart from these two, Bismuth subsalicylate like pepto-bismolalso reduce the diarrheal stool output in adults and children.
Diet: It plays an important role in controlling diarrhoea. Fruit juice without sugar, high potassium foods, high sodium food and liquids are useful when a person is suffering from diarrhea.
It is very difficult to avoid this disease in developing countries due to dirty water and poor sanitation. However, medical practitioners at AMRI Hospital Kolkata reckon that awareness and preventives measures can help in controlling the spread of the disease to a large extent.
