Diarrhea is a common affliction resulting from of a variety of causes and problems. Although this condition in general passes quickly, in some people it can be chronic. Although the chronic cases are manageable, they aren’t curable and require constant awareness of what you eat, drink, and consume. Of course, treating your stomach right is one of the pillars of general health, so chronic diarrhea or not, you should always take care.
The Symptoms
Knowing the exact symptoms of your condition is very important. In order to learn how to make diarrhea stop, you need to know what’s going on inside your body, at least approximately. The typical symptoms of regular diarrhea are watery stools, bloating, unpredictable bowel movements, nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, and mucus/blood in the stool. Naturally, you aren’t likely to experience all of these symptoms at once, but each one is a clear sign of diarrhea.
If the symptoms persist for more than a few days, if the abdominal pain becomes unmanageable and more severe, if you experience rectal pain, have bloody or black stools, or experience a fever of more than 102°, you should pay a visit to your doctor. Although diarrhea is a common condition that usually passes within a few days, if the symptoms get worse or persist for longer periods of time, go to your GP, ASAP. You may be looking at something more serious.
Causes
In order to know how to make diarrhea stop in your situation, you should look at the potential causes that might have triggered the condition.
Medicine
If you’ve been using antibiotics recently, they may be to blame for your current condition. Antibiotics don’t selectively kill off bacteria, but neutralize both the good and the bad microorganisms. Some of the bacteria in your intestines are actually good and help your digestion and your gastrointestinal microbiota or gut flora.
Antacids with magnesium and cancer drugs could also cause the underlying condition. However, given the fact that medicine could be a contributory factor, you’re probably going to have to sit your diarrhea out.
Bacteria and Parasites
Consuming contaminated food and water can transmit bacteria. As a result, parasites may enter your body. These microorganisms can easily cause indigestion and diarrhea. However, you shouldn’t just let this pass. Go to your GP if you think that you’ve consumed bad food or water recently.
Viruses
Some viruses can cause diarrhea. These include cytomegalovirus, viral hepatitis, and the Norwalk virus. In children, rotavirus may cause acute diarrhea. Visit your physician if you suspect a viral infection. These are typically followed by increased body temperature.
Lactose Intolerance
Some people have difficulty digesting lactose, a sugar commonly found in dairy products. Owing to the fact that the enzymes you had as a child tend to drop in number as you age, you may become increasingly intolerant to lactose. In order to stop lactose-induced diarrhea, stop consuming dairy products and see if this helps.
Artificial Sweeteners and Fructose
Some people have trouble digesting fructose properly, which may lead to diarrhea. This sugar, found in honey and fruit, is used as a sweetener in juices and similar beverages. Avoid consuming fructose to see if it will make your diarrhea stop.
Alternatively, artificial sweeteners may also cause diarrhea. These are mainly mannitol and sorbitol, so try to avoid consuming them and see how your body reacts.
Treatment
In addition to cutting out certain foods and beverages that may have caused your diarrhea, there is a variety of things that you can do to speed up your healing process and protect your gut flora. All of these solutions depend on the underlying cause of your diarrhea, so it is recommended that you always visit your GP before taking the matter into your own hands.
Antibiotics
If you’re certain that your diarrhea is caused by parasites or bacteria, go with the antibiotic treatment. Keep in mind, however, that antibiotics may cause diarrhea by killing off the good bacteria in your GI tract. Additionally, antibiotics won’t help against viruses and will only make your diarrhea worse. If diarrhea is a result of a virus, there is no quick cure. You need to follow the instructions below.
Replenishing Fluids
The common issue with diarrhea is that you’ll get dehydrated quickly. This is because your stool is overly watery. Your physician will likely order you to drink lots of fluids, in the form of water, juices, soup, broth, avoiding more concrete, hard-to-digest foods, such as red meat, spicy food, etc.
However, although water will replace your fluids, it doesn’t contain electrolytes and salts (potassium and sodium, for instance). Nonetheless, these are vital for your bodily functions, so make sure that you drink fruit juices and soups to replenish these minerals. That said, water should still be your main focus.
Eating Dry, Hard Foods
Soups and broths should be the pillar of your diet while you have diarrhea. However, you will need to ingest some harder foods, in order to make your diarrhea stop. Toasted bread should help, along with boiled potatoes. Avoid spicy and exotic foods and if you have to eat meat, go with white meat like chicken, and avoid red meat.
Additionally, avoid acidic foods and spices, such as tomato ketchup, vinegar, etc. Greasy foods aren’t recommended either. Keep things as dry and simple as possible.
Adjust Your Meds
Check your medication packaging for potential side-effects. If you think that the medications are the cause of your diarrhea, visit your GP and have them prescribe you an alternative, if possible.
Treating the Conditions
If you are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or any other similar condition that affects digestion, consult with your doctor to cure or, at least, manage it.
Treating Your Bowels Right
Even if you don’t happen to be experiencing diarrhea or irregular bowel movements, you should pay attention to what works for your own body. Don’t consume foods that irritate your stomach. If you do happen to experience diarrhea, make sure you visit your doctor’s office and take heed of their advice. Your diarrhea is probably caused by something simple and relatively harmless, but you should always get checked out because things may be more serious.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diarrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352241
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diarrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352246
https://www.iffgd.org/lower-gi-disorders/diarrhea/nutrition-strategies.html
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