Diarrhea refers to abnormal bowel movement characterized by watery and loose stools. If a person faces loose and watery bowel movements for three consecutive days, it could be a sign of dysentery.
The symptoms of acute diarrhea generally resolve within a few days, even without treatment. For chronic diarrhea, the symptoms may last for a few weeks to months. These symptoms may appear intermittently or continuously. Read on to know about the causes and symptoms of diarrhea.
Causes of diarrhea
The causes of acute and chronic forms of diarrhea differ. Here are the causative factors that contribute to the development of this condition:
Symptoms of diarrhea
Diarrhea is characterized by frequent bowel movements. The stool may contain pus, mucus, blood, and fats. Some of the symptoms of this condition are:
In some cases, people may lose excess water from the body which leads to dehydration. It is a common problem that adults and children face. Some of the symptoms of dehydration include:
Sometimes, children may face mild to moderate dehydration due to diarrhea. It is vital to check this condition as soon as possible because it could be dangerous. Here are some of the symptoms which indicate dehydration in children:
Thus, the symptoms of diarrhea are pronounced in both adults and children. Most often, children tend to face the problem of dehydration due to diarrhea. Thus, children with diarrhea need immediate medical attention.
Tips to help to prevent diarrhea
One can easily prevent diarrhea by following these tips:
Now that you know about the causes of diarrhea, you can avoid them and also get the right treatment.