In contrast to the general notion that the condition is a disorder or disease of some sort, diarrhea is actually a natural defense mechanism that enables your body to flush out a potential toxin before it harms you in any way. When you have diarrhea, the muscles lining your digestive tract work overtime and try to push out the toxin quickly. What happens next is that the intestines fail to absorb the water from the waste as it passes through them. And this results in the watery stools we experience with the condition.
So what causes this sudden change in the body that goes on high alert just before the onset of diarrhea? Here are some reasons why!
Viral Gastroenteritis or viral infections usually caused by the norovirus and rotavirus can cause diarrhea. These infections cannot be treated with antibiotics and would need to be tackled with home remedies such as drinking water, eating a bland diet (comprising of toast, rice and bananas), following proper hygiene routines and having plenty of rest.
Bacterial Infections usually caused by the E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter bacteria can in cause severe bouts of diarrhea in certain cases. The bacteria can easily spread via contaminated foods and fluids. The best way to fend off these harmful pathogens is to store/refrigerate food and fluids properly. Cooking foods properly can also help curb the spread of these germs to an extent as high temperatures would kill them instantly.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) like Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease can cause diarrhea by causing the inner lining of the digestive tract to swell. This inflammation could also lead to other potential conditions like weight loss, fever and rectal bleeding.
Severe cases of IBD would need surgery to remove the colon and opt for colostomy bags in order to collect waste. Less severe cases, however, can be treated with an appropriate combination of medications and treatments.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) doesn’t actually cause an inflammation in the bowel but can cause diarrhea due to food allergies (including allergies to fatty, greasy and fried foods) and certain psychological factors like stress. Standard symptoms of the condition include stomach pain and bloating in addition to frequent bouts of diarrhea.
