Overview
Loose motion is a very common disease. It occurs in all ages of people. The other name for loose motion is Diarrhea. It is a normal disease, but if it is left untreated it can be severe, even fatal.
According to WHO reports;-
About 1.7 to 5 billion cases of diarrhea occur per year. It is most common in developing countries, where young children get diarrhea on average three times a year. Total deaths from diarrhea are estimated at 1.26 million in 2013—down from 2.58 million in 1990. In 2012, it was the second most common cause of death in children younger than five (0.76 million or 11%). Frequent episodes of diarrhea are also a common cause of malnutrition and the most common cause in those younger than five years of age. Other long-term problems that can result include stunted growth and poor intellectual development.
You can see the reports and some stats that are enough to say how severe can be diarrhea.
What is Diarrhea
Diarrhoea is a very basic term. WHO has defined Diarrhoea very well;-
“Diarrhea is defined by the World Health Organization as having three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or as having more stools than is normal for that person.”
Types of Diarrhea:-
There are many types of Diarrhea according to stool consistency and causes. So, Let’s discuss the different types of Diarrhea;-
According to time-frequency;-
There are the following types of Diarrhea according to frequency;-
- Acute Diarrhea:- This is the most common type of diarrhea. Acute diarrhea is loose watery Diarrhea that can last up to only 2 to 3 days. This type of diarrhea does not need any specific treatment and usually goes after a few days.
- Persistent Diarrhea:- This type of Diarrhea can last up to 2–3 weeks. It can be severe if it does not get treated.
- Chronic Diarrhea:- This type of diarrhea can last up to one or two months, and it frequently goes and returns again and again. It is the most severe form of diarrhea because it can be fatal if it is left untreated, as the water and electrolyte wastage occurs for a month, which is enough for the death of a human being.
According to the stool consistency
There are the following types of Diarrhea according to stool consistency;-
- Secretory Diarrhoea:- Secretory diarrhea means that there is an increase in the active secretion, or there is an inhibition of absorption. There is little to no structural damage.
The most common cause of this type of diarrhea is a cholera toxin that stimulates the secretion of anions, especially chloride ions (Cl–). Therefore, to maintain a charge balance in the gastrointestinal tract, sodium (Na+) is carried with it, along with water.
In this type of diarrhea, intestinal fluid secretion is isotonic with plasma even during fasting. It continues even when there is no oral food intake.
- Osmotic Diarrhoea:- Osmotic diarrhea occurs when too much water is drawn into the bowels. If a person drinks solutions with excessive sugar or excessive salt, these can draw water from the body into the bowel and cause osmotic diarrhea.
Osmotic diarrhea can also result from maldigestion, e.g:- pancreatic disease or coeliac disease.
In which the nutrients are left in the lumen to pull in water. Or it can be caused by osmotic laxatives.
In healthy individuals, too much magnesium or vitamin C or undigested lactose can produce osmotic diarrhea and distention of the bowel. A person who has lactose intolerance can have difficulty absorbing lactose after an extraordinarily high intake of dairy products.
In persons who have fructose malabsorption, excess fructose intake can also cause diarrhea. High-fructose foods that also have a high glucose content are more absorbable and less likely to cause diarrhea.
Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol are difficult for the body to absorb and, in large amounts, may lead to osmotic diarrhea.
In most of these cases, osmotic diarrhea stops when the offending agent
e.g:- milk or sorbitol, is stopped.
Exudative Diarrhoea:- Exudative diarrhea occurs with the presence of blood and pus in the stool. This occurs with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and other severe infections such as E. coli or other forms of food poisoning.
Inflammatory Diarrhoea:- Inflammatory diarrhea occurs when there is damage to the mucosal lining, which leads to a passive loss of protein-rich fluids and a decreased ability to absorb these lost fluids.
Features of all three of the other types of diarrhea can be found in this type of diarrhea.
It Can be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, parasitic infections, or autoimmune problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases. It can also be caused by tuberculosis, colon cancer, and enteritis.
Dysentery:- This is the final stage of diarrhea. In this type of diarrhea, there is blood visible in the stools. The blood is a trace of an invasion of bowel tissue. Dysentery is a symptom of, among others, Shigella, Entamoeba histolytica, and Salmonella.
Symptoms of diarrhea
The symptoms you can experience when you have diarrhea can vary depending on if it’s mild or severe and what the cause of diarrhea happens to be.
When you have diarrhea, you may experience all of the following symptoms or only a few. The main symptom of diarrhea is loose or watery stool.
Other symptoms of mild diarrhea can include;-
- Bloating or cramps in the abdomen.
- A strong and urgent need to have a bowel movement.
- Nausea (upset stomach).
- Stomach pain.
- Body Aches.
- Chills.
If you have severe diarrhea, you may experience symptoms like;-
- Weight loss.
- Dehydration.
- Severe pain in the body
- Vomiting.
- Blood in the stools or pus.
- Severe pain in your abdomen or rectum in adults.
- A fever of 102 degrees or higher.
Causes of diarrhea
Acute diarrhea is most commonly due to viral gastroenteritis with rotavirus, which accounts for 40% of cases in children under five.
Chronic diarrhea can be part of the presentation of a number of chronic medical conditions affecting the intestine. Common causes include ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, microscopic colitis, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and bile acid malabsorption.
Some other reasons can be responsible for loose motion such as;-
• Bacteria from contaminated food or water
• Viruses such as the flu, norovirus, or rotavirus. Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute diarrhea in children.
• Parasites, which are tiny organisms found in contaminated food or water
• Medicines such as antibiotics, cancer drugs, and antacids that contain magnesium
• Food intolerances and sensitivities, which are problems digesting certain ingredients or foods. An example is lactose intolerance.
• Some people also get diarrhea after stomach surgery, because sometimes the surgeries can cause food to move through your digestive system more quickly.
Home remedies for loose motion
There are some accurate home remedies for loose motion, which I am going to discuss below;-
- Ginger tea:- Ginger is a miracle spice used for treating many diseases. It is an effective home remedy for treating loose motion.
Ginger Tea is prepared from the ginger plant’s rhizome. This tea can help ease symptoms of diarrhea that include nausea and pain.
Ginger Tea also has a wide range of health benefits, including smooth digestion, stable blood flow, and decreased inflammation.
Components of Ginger Tea kill diarrhea-causing bacteria. Additionally, researches show that Ginger can treat nausea spawned by motion sickness.
Ways to use Ginger tea in diarrhea:- Take a one-inch long piece of ginger and mince it. Now, boil a cup of water and add the minced ginger to it. Put off the flame and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
Dose:- Drink this ginger tea two to three times a day.
- Chamomile tea:- Chamomile Tea is known for its refreshing and soothing effects, which help cure an upset stomach. It can eliminate diarrhea-causing bacteria as it has antibacterial properties. Chamomile Tea can not only cure diarrhea but also prevent it from occurring frequently.
This tea is very light and has a tempting flavor, so it is also considered one of the most soothing tea and not only relaxes your digestive muscles but also treats issues like nausea, motion sickness, and gas.
Ways to use chamomile tea:-
• Boil 1 cup of water.
• Add 1 teaspoon of dried chamomile tea leaves to it.
• Let it steep for 5-7 minutes.
• Strain it.
- Coriander and lemon water:- Lemon contains anti-inflammatory properties and is a good home remedy for stopping loose motion. Coriander leaves are good to cure diseases. The essential oils present in coriander leaves, will soothe the stomach and aid proper liver functioning.
Ways to use coriander and lemon water in diarrhea:- Take four to five leaves and grind them. Add this coriander paste to a glass of water. Add one or two teaspoons of lemon juice in it and mix it well.
Dose:- Take it 3–4 times a day.
- Pomegranate:- Pomegranate is a great remedy to stop loose motion. You can drink pomegranate for quick results or can eat the fruit. Not just the fruit, pomegranate leaves are effective in treating loose motion.
Ways to use pomegranate in diarrhea:-
• Take out the seeds of the pomegranate fruit and use a blender to extract the juice.
• Drink a glass of pomegranate juice for quick relief. • You can also use pomegranate leaves for the treatment. Take a few pomegranate leaves and add them to boiling water. Put off the flame and let the leaves soak in it. Strain it and drink the water.
- Carom seeds with water:- Carom seed is an effective home remedy for an upset stomach. It aids digestion and gets rid of flatulence and bloating. It is a very old and common remedy for all stomach problems like constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and acidity. In the village, carom seeds are used with red salt for indigestion, diarrhea, and acidity.
Ways to use carom seed with water in diarrhea:-
• Boil a glass of water.
• Take one teaspoon of carom seeds and add it to the boiling water.
• Put off the flame and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
•Drink this carom seed tea.
• You can also swallow a teaspoon of carom seeds followed by some lukewarm water instead of making the carom seed tea.
- Mint and lemon water:- Lemon and mint will soothe your stomach. Mint has anti-viral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It also improves the flow of your digestive juices and calms your stomach lining. This drink will ease the pain, cramps, and stomach discomfort.
Ways to use mint and lemon water in diarrhea:-
• Take about 20 mint leaves and crush them using a pestle to extract their juice.
• Take a glass of water and add one teaspoon of mint juice and one teaspoon of lemon juice to it.
Dose:- Drink it three to four times a day