Interesting facts about diarrhea
Facts about diarrhea and your digestive system:
- People with diarrhea caused by certain infections can lose up to 20 litres of fluids per day.
- A bout of diarrhea typically lasts for 1 to 2 days. But some people can have diarrhea that lasts much longer, due to underlying health conditions.
- The average human intestine is about 8 metres long.
Facts about diarrhea causes:
- You may have heard about recent hospital outbreaks of a serious type of diarrhea called C. difficile colitis, which can cause fever, abdominal pain, and severe dehydration. But did you know that although it does not usually affect healthy people, healthy people can still spread the infection if they do not wash their hands properly?
- If you suffer from frequent diarrhea, you may have a food intolerance. Intolerance to milk products (lactose intolerance) and wheat (gluten intolerance) can cause diarrhea.
Facts about diarrhea treatments:
- You may have heard it's better to let diarrhea run its course rather than treating it. But except in a few cases where you should see your doctor (see "How to find diarrhea relief" for more information), you can treat your diarrhea at home with non-prescription medications.
- "Colon cleansing" is often touted as a cure for all kinds of illnesses, including diarrhea. But colon cleansing regimens often contain large amounts of laxatives that can lead to severe diarrhea and dehydration. They are generally not recommended unless you need to clean out your bowel before a surgery or medical test.
If you have questions about diarrhea or how to treat it, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Diarrhea---Did-You-Know
