What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is a condition of having three or more liquid bowel movements in a day. It results in the loss of body fluids and can result in dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. There are a number of causes of diarrhea including viruses, bacteria, food intolerance or allergies, medications, malabsorption, intestinal diseases, laxative abuse and other factors. Some diarrhea may function as an expulsion defense mechanism to rid the body of the causative organism. Therefore the use of medications to stop the diarrhea needs to be evaluated in each situation. The primary treatment of diarrhea is replacing the lost fluids and electrolytes  primarily by oral rehydration therapy. In severe cases intravenous rehydration is necessary. Good hand-washing after using the bathroom is essential to prevent re-contamination of self or others.

Most everyone has had a bout of the runs from eating tainted food or drinking unclean water. But some people experience the frequent, runny bowel movements of diarrhea for no apparent reason. Although diarrhea can accompany a number of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, both functional and organic, it may occur on its own, intermittently or constantly, for reasons that are not always identifiable.

Diarrhea is sometimes defined as having more than three bowel movements a day. But a more widely accepted definition of diarrhea is liquid or watery stools. When diarrhea occurs more than three-quarters of the time and lasts at least three months without an identifiable cause, the diarrhea is said to be functional.

Diarrhea is the body's response to something that upsets the intestines; it's the body's way of clearing out whatever is causing the upset. Sometimes you know exactly what caused the intestinal distress -- for example, bacterial contamination in food. Other times, it remains a mystery.

In most cases, the problem will clear on its own, and you may not need to call a doctor. Diarrhea usually isn't serious, but it can lead to dehydration and weight loss. And while everybody experiences diarrhea sometimes, for a significant percentage of the population, the condition is persistent. Cases that don't clear up in a few days require a doctor's care.

According to the Rome III criteria for a diagnosis of diarrhea, patients must have experienced the following for the past three months, with symptoms starting at least six months before diagnosis:

• loose (mushy) or watery stools without pain occurring in at least three-quarters of stools.

Diarrhea is the sudden increase in the looseness and number of bowel movements (BMs) or stools. It has many causes. The most common cause is a virus.

• Diarrhea can be mild (a few loose or mushy stools) to severe (constant watery stools).
• A green stool is from the very quick passage of contents through the stomach and intestines.

Diarrhea is the excretion of extra fluid with a bowel movement. Diarrhea is usually a mild, temporary event. However, it may also be the first suggestion of a serious underlying disease or infection.

Diarrhea typically presents with loose or watery bowel movements that may be accompanied by undigested food or mucus. Urgency to defecate and lower abdominal pain can also occur with diarrhea. If an infection is present, there may also be a fever.

Diarrhea is characterized by loose or watery stools. Diarrhea is a symptom of an underlying health problem, such as an infection, that prevents the intestines from properly absorbing nutrients from food.

Acute diarrhea lasts a few days and affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives. Chronic diarrhea generally lasts longer than four weeks and may be a sign of a serious condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or gastroenteritis. These disorders are long-term conditions that cause inflammation of the digestive tract.

There are many potential causes of diarrhea. Some of the most common include gastrointestinal infections, lactose intolerance, medications, artificial sweeteners, and surgery. Sometimes diarrhea is a symptom of an underlying gastrointestinal disorder, such as IBD.

Dehydration is a common complication of diarrhea. Dehydration is especially dangerous in infants, young children, and older adults.

Researchers estimate that there are nearly 100 million cases of acute diarrhea per year in adults in the United States. It is estimated that children younger than five years old experience one episode of diarrhea per year in the United States. About 222,000 people are admitted to the hospital each year for complications related to diarrhea. About 400 people die each year due to complications, such as severe dehydration, in the United States.

Diarrhea usually requires little to no medical treatment, but anti-diarrheal medications may help reduce symptoms. If an infection is causing diarrhea, antibiotics are prescribed to treat the infection.

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