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Diarrhea: types and causes
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Whether due to stress, poor lifestyle habits or medical conditions, diarrhea tolerates no delay. The constant races to the toilet are annoying, often inconvenient and sometimes you feel miserable on top of it. Usually you simply have to get sick, in other cases it can take a while to find the cause. What are possible causes of diarrhea?
Read also: Stomach flu: symptoms, treatment and prevention
What is Diarrhea?
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Diarrhea is loose, liquid stools that occur more than three times a day. The amount of stool is at least 200 grams per 24 hours. The urge to go to the toilet can be very sudden with diarrhea and it is almost impossible to stop. The smell and color of your diarrhea is also different from normal stool. Diarrhea can be acute. Then it is usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting and the complaints also disappear after a few days. If diarrhea lasts more than a few weeks, it is chronic.
Read also: Diarrhea: when should you see a doctor?
What are possible causes of diarrhea?
Acute or sudden diarrhea is often the result of food poisoning or an infection of the lining of the intestinal wall, also known as the stomach flu. This type of diarrhea usually occurs after an infection with viruses, bacteria or parasites. If diarrhea lasts longer, there may be several causes:
Read also: What to eat and drink for better digestion?
What types of diarrhea are there?
You can get diarrhea in an acute or chronic form. We also distinguish a few specific types:
- Overflow diarrhea or paradoxical diarrhea: This is actually the result of constipation. Because bacteria ferment the hard stool, loose stools can form a path along the hard stool.
- Traveler’s diarrhoea: you can get this type of diarrhea when you travel to another country where there is less hygiene, where the food is spicier or where you come into contact with foreign bacteria or parasites.
- Toddler diarrhea: usually occurs between the ages of 1 and 4 years. There are many possible causes: a gastrointestinal infection, drinking too much apple juice (which contains fructose that is difficult to digest), or a food sensitivity.
- Oily diarrhea: Certain conditions of the bile ducts, liver, or pancreas can make diarrhea oily. The stool then floats in the toilet bowl or hangs on the edge. It also has a strong scent and is light in color.
Read also: What does the color of your stool say about your health?
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