Acute diarrhea Prevention, Prepare consultation
Acute diarrhea Prevention
With what should we not confuse acute diarrhea?
With diarrhea called "chronic" (persisting for more than six weeks with at least one liquid stool per day), which may manifest as episodes that the patient does not connect them.
Chronic diarrhea resulting in weight loss and fatigue is always suspect.
These signs may indicate serious chronic parasitosis, colorectal, Crohn's, celiac disease, overactive thyroid disease or cancer ... sustainable food intolerance (lactose in cow's milk, sorbitol, gluten, fruits, alcohol, spicy foods or too, etc.).
Is there a possible prevention of infectious diarrhea?
It is very effective but little practiced! To prevent infectious diarrhea, strict hand hygiene and health is necessary and largely sufficient.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based gel.
Use disposable paper to wipe your hands and not cloth napkins.
To avoid food poisoning, watch what you eat: expiration date and proper storage of food. Keep perishable food in the refrigerator and check there.
To prevent traveler's diarrhea (Montezuma), do not drink tap water or ice. Do not eat raw food. Prefer baked or fried foods prepared before your eyes and immediately consumed: germs do not have time to grow it.
To prevent gastroenteritis in infants and young children, all of the above advice is good. Under certain circumstances (family instability) vaccines are available (against rotavirus for example).
Acute diarrhea Prepare consultation
When did you consult?
Quickly when the diarrhea is accompanied by so-called gravity signs: blood in the stool or pus, mucus (substances like egg white). But as fever, vomiting preventing feed and rehydrate, general malaise imposing bed, confusion and delirium, coma.
In general, any acute adult diarrhea that lasts more than 48 hours without any improvement should be seen by a doctor.
For infants, do not wait, because their dehydration is very fast (a few hours). The alarm is in the child's general health and weight loss. A weight loss of 4% requires the urgent hospitalization must act before! A child who does not respond is in great danger.
The elderly are also at the first signs of dehydration to avoid sequelae sensitive organs: kidneys, brain, heart. And prevent death.
Diarrhea that lasts for several weeks is never normal, consult your doctor immediately weight loss.
How to prepare the consultation with the doctor?
List your eating habits and your recent meal, epidemics occurring in the environment, as well as medications taken, including those taken without a prescription.
Children and the frail elderly should be immediately rehydrated with oral rehydration solutions (ORS) sold in pharmacies.
What is the doctor?
After general examination and weighing of the patient, the doctor distinguishes transient mild diarrhea that resolves spontaneously, a worrying diarrhea requiring special treatment or hospitalization explorations.
He may prescribe a blood, urine, and stool analysis.
Persistent diarrhea without clear explanation, or requiring an assessment justifies a colonoscopy (endoscopic examination of the intestine) and specific research (testing a gluten intolerance or celiac disease).
Faced with a bacterial or parasitic infectious diarrhea, targeted antibiotic treatment is usually necessary, sometimes pitting initially. Adequate rehydration treatment with complete rest at home. Hospitalization is required when an infection toxigenic (toxin-producing E. coli) because the toxins severely affect organs.
Faced with an epidemic viral diarrhea, says symptomatic treatment (relieving the signs) can wait for spontaneous recovery in 3-4 days: Regular rehydration, antispasmodic, digestive buffers, anti-diarrheal, and rest at home. This second objective is to prevent the spread of epidemic virus in school or professional circle.
Strict hand hygiene and sanitation is essential in all cases.
The persistence of acute diarrhea 48 hours despite appropriate treatment is suspected, should be consulted again.
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