Diarrhea can be caused by stress, anxiety, food poisoning, food malabsorption, inflammatory bowel diseases or even the use of some medications, as these situations can interfere with the intestine’s ability to absorb or eliminate liquids normally, resulting in increased the number of bowel movements per day, with stools that may be pasty, but are generally more liquid.
Normally, diarrhea is not a serious condition, but it should be evaluated by a gastroenterologist if it lasts more than 2 to 3 days, as excessive loss of water through feces can cause dehydration with symptoms such as excessive tiredness, decreased urine production, dizziness or mental confusion.
Therefore, regardless of the cause, it is very important to always drink plenty of fluids to speed up recovery and avoid complications. Know what to drink and eat during diarrhea attacks.
Main causes
The main causes of diarrhea are:
1. Food poisoning
Food poisoning is one of the most common causes of diarrhea and occurs after the consumption of food or water contaminated by viruses or bacteria, generating a situation of acute infectious diarrhea, which may contain blood or mucus, in addition to being accompanied by other symptoms such as fever. , intestinal colic, nausea or vomiting.
Generally, food poisoning occurs due to not cooking food well, especially meat, touching food with dirty hands, or eating food that is past its expiration date, for example.
What to do: you should keep your body hydrated, drinking plenty of water or homemade serum, resting and eating small meals with lighter foods such as toast, banana or rice. However, if diarrhea does not improve after 2 or 3 days, if symptoms of dehydration appear, such as mental confusion or palpitations, or if you belong to a risk group such as children or the elderly, you should seek medical help to start treatment. more appropriate, which can be done with serum or the use of antibiotics.
2. Consumption of foods that irritate the intestine
Some foods, such as very acidic fruits, fried foods, cheese, ice cream, onions, garlic or foods that contain caffeine such as coffee, chocolate or green tea, for example, can cause irritation in the intestine, especially when consumed in excess, or when the person has any intestinal problem, causing diarrhea, colic or excess gas.
What to do: one should avoid or reduce the consumption of foods that cause irritation in the intestine, in addition to increasing water consumption to hydrate the body and including lighter, easily digestible foods in the diet such as pears, guava or apples, or mashed potatoes or pumpkin, for example.
3. Ingestion of laxative foods
Some types of food, especially vegetables, fruits and seeds, are very rich in fiber and, therefore, have laxative properties that stimulate bowel function, making stools softer. Check out a more complete list of the main laxative foods.
Therefore, people who have recently consumed a large amount of this type of food may also experience diarrhea for 1 or 2 days.
What to do: Excessive consumption of these foods should be avoided, especially when diarrhea already exists. Furthermore, it is important to increase your water intake and eat light, easily digestible meals.
4. Stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety are situations that cause the activation of chemical signals in the brain and the release of hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which lead the person to a constant state of alert, changes in food digestion and increased contractions of the intestinal muscles. . Therefore, going through a situation of intense stress or anxiety can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain or nausea.
What to do: measures should be taken to relieve stress or anxiety, such as relaxing in a calm place or drinking a calming tea, such as chamomile, passionflower or valerian. Furthermore, to avoid a new crisis, it is recommended to do pleasurable activities regularly, such as walking or practicing a hobby, or seeking professional help from a doctor and/or psychotherapist. Check out other ways to relieve stress and anxiety.
5. Intestinal worms
Intestinal worms, such as roundworms, tapeworms or pinworms, for example, are parasites that lodge in the intestine causing changes in the digestion and absorption of food. This can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as constant diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, nausea, loss of appetite or nausea.
These worms are generally transmitted by ingesting raw or undercooked water, vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish or meat that are contaminated with the worm’s eggs or by handling food without washing your hands well.
What to do: If you suspect an intestinal worm infection, you should consult a general practitioner, pediatrician or gastroenterologist, to start treatment with antiparasitic medicines, such as albendazole or mebendazole, for example. Furthermore, it is important to adopt hygiene measures, such as washing your hands before eating and cleaning vegetables and fruits, as well as cooking meat and fish well, to avoid ingesting worm eggs and causing a new infection. See other hygiene measures to avoid intestinal worms.
6. Food intolerance
Food intolerance is a difficulty in digesting certain foods such as milk, bread, pasta, or food additives, such as dyes or preservatives, for example, causing an attack of diarrhea that can begin a few hours after ingesting the food and which can be accompanied by excessive formation of intestinal gas, nausea or abdominal cramps.
Although the symptoms are similar, food intolerance is different from food allergy, because in allergies there is also a reaction from the immune system, which can cause more serious symptoms that begin immediately after ingesting the food, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain. , feeling of a closed throat or swelling in the face. Know how to identify the symptoms of food intolerance and allergy.
What to do: Generally, diarrhea caused by food intolerance improves within 24 hours, however, you should keep your body well hydrated by taking small sips of water or homemade serum regularly. Furthermore, it is important to try to identify the food that caused the intolerance and consult a gastroenterologist or nutritionist to confirm the diagnosis, and create an individual diet. Another important recommendation is to read the food label before consuming to avoid episodes of diarrhea.
7. Inflammatory bowel diseases
Some intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or celiac disease can cause inflammation in the intestine, causing chronic diarrhea that can last more than 4 weeks and is generally accompanied by symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain or stools with blood or mucus . Inflammatory bowel diseases often also cause periods of constipation that alternate with periods of diarrhea. Know how to identify an inflammatory bowel disease.
What to do: A gastroenterologist should be consulted to diagnose the disease and initiate the most appropriate treatment, which can include anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids, antibiotics, antidepressants or antidiarrheals. Furthermore, it is important to follow up with a nutritionist who should recommend an individual diet for each type of intestinal disease.
8. Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition in which changes in bowel movements occur caused by intolerance to certain foods, such as citrus fruits, coffee, beans or even carbonated drinks, for example, or by anxiety and stress, leading to attacks of diarrhea, which may be accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal cramps, excess gas, diarrhea or periods of constipation interspersed with diarrhea.
What to do: you should avoid consuming foods that seem to cause diarrhea attacks, in addition to identifying situations that cause stress and anxiety, and doing relaxing activities or drinking a calming tea such as chamomile tea or valerian tea, for example. In addition, you should consult a gastroenterologist if the diarrhea does not improve and follow up with a psychologist or psychiatrist to treat anxiety or stress, if necessary.
9. Use of medicines
Some medications such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, antidepressants or antacids, as well as medications used in chemotherapy treatment, can alter bowel movements or cause changes in the intestinal flora, leading to diarrhea as a side effect. .
What to do: The side effect must be communicated to the doctor who prescribed the medicine, so that the treatment can be re-evaluated and the possibility of reducing the dose of the medicine or changing it to another, or for treatment with anti-diarrheals, for example, to be carried out.
You should not stop taking medication without your doctor’s knowledge. In the case of antibiotic use, probiotics can be used to regulate intestinal flora. Furthermore, excessive use of laxatives should be avoided.
10. Gastrointestinal surgery
Some surgeries that involve the gastrointestinal system, such as bariatric surgery, removal of the gallbladder or removal of part of the intestine, can alter the movement or absorption of water and fats, causing diarrhea, which is a normal condition that can occur mainly in the first month of pregnancy. surgery, and be accompanied by excess gas or nausea, for example.
What to do: You must keep your body hydrated by drinking water or other liquids recommended by your doctor and have regular consultations with the doctor who recommended the surgery, as well as a diet recommended by the nutritionist on an individual basis according to the type of surgery performed.
