Chronic Diarrhea

Chronic form of diarrhea is defined as evacuation of stool more than 2 or 3 times a day and long lasting for a period of more than two weeks.

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It goes mild in some people and is very serious in many people. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment is very essential in treating this condition.

Otherwise, it is a life threatening one particularly in people who have weak immunity. More over, it exerts an influence on life quality and overall health.
Chronic diarrhea is caused by several causes and it may be from infections and other organic conditions. They may differ from children and adults.

Chronic form of diarrhea is developed from bacteria toxins of e.coli, salmonella, campylobacter and clostridium difficile. It is also affected by parasites like giardia, cystoisospora and cryptosporidium. Viruses affect both children and adults-like norovirus and rotavirus. Other organic diseases also causes chronic diarrhea as follows.

1. Chronic pancreatic diseases like pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis.

2. Inflammatory bowel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and colitis.

3. Toxins to certain antibiotics.

4. Intolerance to certain food like soy protein and cow’s milk.

5. Hyperthyroidism plays an important roll in bringing this clinical condition.

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6. Radiation to certain tumors of abdomen.

7. Ischemia of digestive tract (reduced blood supply to digestive tract)

8. In certain altered immune function like AIDS.

9. Genetic causes.

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Irritable bowel syndrome is the condition in which it causes abdominal pain. Bowel movements are altered between diarrhea and constipation. The diarrhea caused by this disease is chronic in nature. The abdominal pain is severe and it is felt in lower left abdomen.

Inflammatory bowel syndrome is the condition that includes crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The natural immunity system fails and it affects the digestive tract which causes diarrhea. Crohn’s disease is having the symptoms of mouth ulcer, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and chronic diarrhea. Ulcerative colitis is having the symptoms of abdominal pain, fever, weigh loss and chronic diarrhea with blood.

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Prolonged usage of multiple antibiotics in certain diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS produces toxins and these toxins are causing chronic form diarrhea. Thyroid disease in which the hyper production of thyroid hormones plays an important roll in causing chronic diarrhea. Longer period usage of radiation therapy in cancer and tumors of abdomen causes chronic diarrhea. Total immunity failure as in AIDS causes chronic diarrhea. Hereditary causes also play an important roll in causing diarrhea. Poor supply of blood to digestive tract is also a common cause for chronic diarrhea.

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Dehydration is the state of condition in which body looses its fluid totally and this causes even death. Hence, in chronic form of diarrhea it is very important to maintain the water availability in the body by giving water, salt and sugar orally and in certain patient where oral intake is not possible, intravenous solutions to be given to safeguard the life during chronic diarrhea.

In chronic form of the disease, appropriate examination of stool is essential to evaluate the presence of specific virus, bacteria and parasites. Finding out the blood cells and mucous in the stool is also important to treat the disease with specific medicines.

Chronic diarrhea is treated with antidiarrials, antibiotic and antiparasitic drugs.

Related posts:

1. Symptoms Of Diarrhea
2. What is Diarrhea?
3. Common causes of Diarrhea
4. Diarrhea in Children
5. Diarrhea – Diagnosis and Treatment