Diarrhea can be either an independent nosology or a symptom of a certain disease. In most cases, diarrhea occurs in the following situations:
- Infection of viral or bacterial origin. Occurs when foreign agents enter the gastrointestinal tract and have a detrimental effect on the intestinal microflora.
- Presence of parasites in the intestines. Helminths can cause digestive disorders, including diarrhea.
- Insufficiency of the enzymatic apparatus. There are 2 types: absolute and relative. The first type occurs in the complete absence of one or another enzyme (for example, lactose for milk intolerance). Relative deficiency occurs when the diet is oversaturated with foods that are difficult to digest.
- Chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Some pathologies cause changes in the mucosa, which affects the absorption of fluid in the large intestine.
- Dysbacteriosis, that is, changes in intestinal microflora.
- Surgical pathologies (polyps, inflammation of the appendix).
- Frequent stressful situations, psychological stress.
- Lack of nutrients or vitamins in the body (niacin, B2).
- As a consequence of the use of certain pharmacological agents (antibiotics, magnesium compounds, antidepressants).
Treatment of diarrhea is based on the use of etiotropic drugs, that is, those that affect the primary cause. The use of pharmacological agents without identifying the cause of the disorder can provoke a worsening of the condition.
Quick ways to stop diarrhea
To stop diarrhea, the use of medications, as well as traditional medicine recipes, is practiced. These treatment methods can alternate or be used together, depending on the patient’s condition.
First aid for diarrhea
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract can pose a threat to the life and health of the patient due to the possibility of complications. Sometimes, to save a patient, you need to quickly get rid of diarrhea. In order to provide emergency first aid, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Immediately after detecting diarrhea, drink an adsorbent drug (for example, white or activated carbon).
- For the first 8-10 hours from the onset of diarrhea, you should refrain from eating. You can start eating with a small amount of bread crumbs or rice water.
- To reduce intoxication, you can use gastric lavage with a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Diarrhea causes the body to lose a large amount of water. It is necessary to replenish lost fluids by taking weak sweet sugar and salted water. This will not only replenish your water reserves, but also replenish your electrolyte depot. You need to take water in small sips (100-150 ml every 30 minutes).
- To reduce the level of intoxication, you can use an enema of chamomile infusion.
Preventing dehydration
The process of dehydration is very dangerous for the human body, since it can lead to disruption of vital functions. Depending on the amount of fluid lost, dehydration is divided into the following stages:
- light (up to 5% of body weight);
- average (up to 10%);
- severe (more than 10%).
To quickly get rid of diarrhea at home, as well as to prevent dehydration, you can use Oralit or Regidron solutions. The contents of the sachet dissolve in warm boiled water. You need to drink on an empty stomach before eating. Saline solutions neutralize toxins in the intestines and are removed from the body in the form of simple metabolites.
If you don’t have ready-made salt solutions at hand, you can prepare the medicine yourself. You need to boil 1 liter of water. After cooling, add a small tablespoon of salt, 5 tablespoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of soda to the liquid. Stir the water until all ingredients dissolve until a homogeneous liquid is obtained. Homemade saline solution should be drunk 50-100 milliliters every hour. If the patient's condition is severe, the solution can be taken every 30 minutes for the first 6-8 hours.
Dehydration can cause severe, sometimes irreparable consequences. Avoiding dehydration is much easier than treating its complications. To avoid the development of a pathological condition, timely use of prophylactic agents is recommended.
TOP 5 medications for the treatment of diarrhea in adults
The pathological condition can be explained by:
- activity of pathogenic microorganisms;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane of the lower digestive tract;
- disruption of fluid absorption processes in the small intestine;
- acceleration of intestinal peristalsis.
Ways to stop diarrhea at home in an adult include the use of astringents, antispasmodics, antibacterial and sorbent agents.
Levomycetin
Inexpensive antibiotic. It is used to treat diarrhea caused by the activity of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. For viral infections, food allergies, and functional digestive disorders, it is not advisable to use an antibiotic. Levomycetin is available in the form of solutions for the preparation of injections, suspensions, but in the treatment of diarrhea, tablets are most often used.
The drug has many contraindications, so it can only be taken with the permission of a doctor. Patients over 12 years of age are prescribed 250–500 mg per day. The tablets should be swallowed without chewing and washed down with a glass of clean water.
The duration of treatment should not exceed 1-1.5 weeks. Subsequently, the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to the antibiotic decreases, and it is replaced with an analogue.
Imodium (Loperamide)
A drug that reduces the intensity of intestinal peristalsis. It suppresses wave-like contractions of the walls of the rectum, which leads to normalization of stool. This treatment is due to the selective inhibitory effect of Loperamide on opioid receptors.
The drug is available in capsule form under the trade name Imodium. Adults are prescribed 2-3 pieces per day. If necessary, you can increase the dosage, but do not take more than 8 capsules per day.
Polysorb MP
A powerful enterosorbent, available in powder form for preparing a suspension. It is able to bind and remove toxins of endo- and exogenous origin, as well as allergens. Polysorb MP helps with intestinal infections, poisoning, and functional disorders of the digestive tract. It is prescribed to pregnant and lactating women, patients with chronic diseases of internal organs, and young children.
Adult patients are prescribed 2 tablespoons of powder diluted in half a glass of water. For severe diarrhea, you can take the medicine every hour for 5 hours. On the second day, the dosage is reduced to 4 doses of the drug. On average, 2 days of treatment is enough to completely get rid of diarrhea. If necessary, you can continue taking the drug for treatment and complete elimination of toxins.
Smecta
A sorbent that combines detoxification and enveloping properties. Soothes the irritated mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, binds and removes toxins from the body, and helps improve digestion.
For the treatment of diarrhea, 1 sachet of Smecta is prescribed three times a day. The contents of the package should be dissolved in warm water and drunk. If the patient is also taking other medications, a break of at least 2 hours should be taken between doses.
Activated carbon
An inexpensive and popular medicine for the treatment of diarrhea. It operates on the same principle as Polysorb, but has a lower sorption capacity. Helps in the treatment of poisoning, acute intestinal infections of bacterial and viral etiology.
For the treatment of diarrhea, an adult patient is prescribed 1 tablet of activated carbon per 5 kg of body weight. The drug should be taken with a sufficient amount of water and swallowed without chewing. Do not take the medicine later than 2 hours before going to bed.
Medicines to stop diarrhea
There are many ways to stop diarrhea at home. And it’s good if you have the necessary medicines in your home medicine cabinet.
Probiotics rightfully occupy first place in the treatment of diarrhea. This is a wonderful invention of modern humanity that can quickly stop diarrhea not only in an adult, but even in a child, at home. The peculiarity of probiotics is that they increase the body’s anti-infective resistance, regulate, stimulate digestion and at the same time have no side effects.
By taking one of the medications “Bifidumbacterin” or Linex, Acilact after reading the instructions, you will quickly cope with diarrhea, even accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
Another wonderful eubiotic drug, Bioflor, will help stop diarrhea. "Bioflor" has an antibacterial and antidiarrheal effect, restores the natural intestinal microflora, while suppressing pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms, normalizing the immune system. The miracle drug is used in the treatment of dysbacteriosis that has arisen while taking antibiotics, acute intestinal infections and a number of other complex diseases.
Fifteen years ago, one could only dream of such wonderful medicines for diarrhea. I had to torment myself with elephantine doses of antibiotics to get rid of diarrhea, which caused side effects. True, even now, out of habit, many people use ancient methods, stopping diarrhea by taking Levometicin and other antibiotics.
Treatment with folk remedies
The most popular traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhea in adults include:
- thick jelly cooked in water;
- black hot peppercorns;
- chamomile decoction;
- chopped chicken gizzards;
- starch diluted in water;
- cereals;
- decoction of oak bark;
- pomegranate peels.
The effect of using these remedies can be achieved within 2-3 hours, although in some cases the expected relief comes much later.
Types and causes of diarrhea
The occurrence of diarrhea in adults is due to a number of reasons. Depending on them, there are several types of diarrhea:
- Infectious diarrhea is caused by toxic food infections, viral diarrhea, and dysentery.
- Nutritional diarrhea is caused by allergic reactions to various foods.
- dyspeptic diarrhea appears due to improper digestion of foods, dysfunction of the liver glands, lack of secretions in the stomach, and the release of negative enzymes by the small intestine.
- drug-induced diarrhea is the result of the use of an excessive amount of drugs during treatment and their negative effect on the body.
- toxic diarrhea occurs after arsenic or mercury poisoning.
- neurogenic diarrhea is caused by strong emotional experiences, fears, fear of various phenomena and circumstances.
An adult can easily, without any special consequences, suffer from diarrhea that does not have a long course. Diarrhea, which continues over a long period of time, causes exhaustion of the body, bloating, heartburn, constant rumbling in the stomach, and tenesmus.
Treatment
So, how can you stop diarrhea in an adult? Are there any remedies that will help get rid of this ailment as quickly as possible? A solution to the problem can be found using both modern medicine and proven folk remedies.
Medicines
- Loperamide, and other drugs that inhibit peristalsis (Imodium, Diara, etc.). Usually, when you need to answer the question “How to stop diarrhea in an adult?” These are the remedies that come to mind. Their rapid action is based on the ability of the active substance to act on the nerve endings of the intestinal mucosa, thereby reducing its tone and, as a consequence, peristalsis. The sphincter tone, on the contrary, becomes higher, due to which stool remains in the intestine longer, where excess liquid is actively absorbed from it. It is worth noting that taking such drugs is unacceptable if indigestion is the result of an intestinal infection. In this case, diarrhea cannot be stopped, since it is through this route that toxins and harmful substances and pathogenic bacteria leave the body.
- Sorbents (Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated carbon). They are especially effective in cases of poisoning, but are prescribed for any type of diarrhea. These drugs cleanse the body of toxins, waste, excess gases, allergens and other harmful substances. All this, one way or another, will leave the body, but with the help of sorbents, it will do it much faster, which means the disorder will end earlier. In addition, some sorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel) have the ability to envelop the irritated mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and soothe it, and therefore reduce peristalsis.
Folk remedies
You can stop diarrhea, vomiting and other ailments associated with indigestion without medications, using time-tested folk remedies.
You can find out everything about the treatment of diarrhea with folk remedies in adults on our website.
Treatment of diarrhea
Let's just say that at home, using folk and medical remedies, you can stop diarrhea quickly, easily and simply, although not in all cases. For example, if:
- the cause is a virus - you need to take antiviral drugs;
- for dysbacteriosis - medications that normalize the natural intestinal flora;
- in case of stress, the treatment tactics are completely different - here it is necessary to reduce the level of traumatic experience, to accept everything as it is.
You understand me that in some cases related to taking pharmacological drugs, you will have to contact a doctor to prescribe and prescribe medications.
It also happens that a person is treated with some kind of antibiotic (doxycycline, penicillin, etc.), and he develops terrible diarrhea 10 times a day with a very unpleasant specific odor and even a marsh (dark green) color - this is an allergy to this medicinal substance and the phenomena of dysbacteriosis. At one time I “went through” this myself. As soon as the doctor prescribed Ampiox instead of Penicillin, the diarrhea immediately went away.
Treating diarrhea at home: a review of remedies
Diarrhea is a symptom characteristic of most intestinal infections and food poisoning. It is necessary to treat not the stool disorder itself, but the disease that caused it. But sometimes the doctor does not have time for a consultation. In this case, it is useful to know how to treat diarrhea at home quickly.
Boiled carrots
Carrots are useful for normalizing digestion if the disorder is caused by an exacerbation of chronic gastritis, pancreatitis or mild food poisoning. Boiled carrots contain a high concentration of fiber, vitamins and biologically active substances.
To eliminate diarrhea, you need to boil one medium-sized root vegetable in 100 ml of salted water. Cooking should take no more than 3–5 minutes. After this, you need to drain the broth, strain it, and take it warm for 2-3 days. Treatment of diarrhea should be continued even after the diarrhea has stopped.
The root vegetable itself can be ground in a blender to a puree. It should be consumed daily until complete recovery. Such nutrition will speed up the process of restoring the functioning of the digestive tract.
Rice and rice water
Folk remedies for the treatment of diarrhea with complex effects. This cereal is considered a natural sorbent: it absorbs bacteria and the toxins they produce like a sponge. Rice also has strengthening and enveloping properties. It soothes irritated areas of the intestinal mucosa, which accelerates the normalization of digestion.
For diarrhea, it is useful to eat lean rice porridge, cooked in water without oil and sugar. Round-grain rice is more effective - its enveloping properties are stronger than other varieties.
Rice water works in a similar way. You need to boil the cereal until half cooked, drain the liquid and strain it. The resulting drink must be taken every 2–4 hours, 100 ml.
Lemon
For diarrhea, it is used in complex treatment therapy. Lemon has antiemetic, tonic and rehydration properties. It helps treat dehydration, one of the most dangerous consequences of diarrhea.
Lemon is used in several ways for diarrhea and vomiting:
- add a slice to a cup of green or black tea;
- prepared from juice and warm water (fresh juice from one fruit per liter of boiled water);
- inhale essential oil to eliminate the urge to vomit;
- add 1-2 drops of juice to cleansing enemas.
- This fruit contains high doses of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and speeds up recovery.
Bird cherry
The benefits of this plant for diarrhea are explained by its astringent, antibacterial and antispasmodic properties. Bird cherry provokes consolidation of stool, eliminates the cause of its disorder, and reduces the intensity of abdominal pain.
To eliminate diarrhea, you can use the berries, bark and inflorescences of the plant.
To prepare a healing decoction you will need a tablespoon of bird cherry. It needs to be poured with a glass of boiling water and boiled for 20 minutes in a water bath. After cooling to room temperature, drink the drink half a glass 2-3 times a day. It is also useful to include bird cherry berries in your daily diet.
Strong tea
A safe and effective way to get rid of stool disorder. Strong tea has astringent properties due to the high concentration of tannins and tannins. It is not recommended for hypertension or any other cardiovascular diseases.
Prepare your favorite tea, approximately doubling the concentration compared to your usual recipe, and drink. You can simply chew dry tea leaves (half a teaspoon) and drink 100 ml of warm water.
Black pepper
The popular spice contains a high concentration of antiseptic, antimicrobial and analgesic components. It helps with diarrhea caused by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms. The traditional method of treatment will be effective for mild forms of dysentery, salmonellosis and other intestinal infections. An important advantage of the method is that it allows you to cure diarrhea quickly and cheaply.
It is enough for an adult to swallow 10-15 peas and wash them down with water. There is no need to chew the pepper. After 5–6 hours, the dose can be repeated.
Potato starch
Starch is a safe and effective treatment for diarrhea. It has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and acts in several directions at once:
- eliminates inflammation of the intestinal mucosa;
- accelerates the healing of damaged tissues;
- reduces the intensity of peristalsis;
- envelops the walls of the digestive tract;
- binds liquid feces.
To treat diarrhea, you need to pour a teaspoon of starch into 100 ml of cold boiled water. After mixing, drink the resulting solution at once. The product has no contraindications or side effects. In rare cases, dyspepsia is possible - bloating, flatulence, heartburn.
Pomegranate peels
Pomegranate peel has a high content of polyphenols - biologically active compounds with antimicrobial properties. The product helps in the treatment of diarrhea and diarrhea caused by poisoning, intestinal infections and food allergies.
To prepare the decoction, you need to chop 2 tablespoons of pomegranate peel, add a glass of water, and simmer for half an hour. Take 50 ml 20 minutes before meals.
Vodka with salt
It is a popular and fast-acting treatment for diarrhea. Its effectiveness in treatment is explained by the fact that alcohol retains fluid in the body, preventing dehydration, and kills pathogenic bacteria. But it has a lot of contraindications, including pregnancy, arterial hypertension, the presence of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and old age.
To prepare the medicine, you need to mix 80 ml of vodka with a third teaspoon of salt. The drink must be drunk in one gulp, without snacking. After this treatment of diarrhea, sleep is recommended.
Garlic
The antimicrobial properties of garlic are widely used in the treatment of diarrhea in folk medicine. They are also useful in the treatment of chronic stool disorders. For the treatment of severe diarrhea caused by acute intestinal infection or poisoning, such a remedy will not be enough.
You need to eat a clove of garlic every day on an empty stomach, an hour before breakfast. It should be swallowed without chewing to avoid bad breath. You can drink garlic with a glass of water. Duration of treatment – 10 days.
How to deal with the problem?
How to quickly stop severe diarrhea? You need to act quickly and comprehensively, and the most effective methods and means will be discussed below.
Diet
If the mucous membranes of the intestinal walls are irritated and damaged, then any impact on them can further enhance peristalsis and aggravate the situation. And therefore it is necessary to create the most gentle conditions possible. Eliminate from the menu all foods containing coarse dietary fiber: fruits, berries, whole grains, vegetables. You can eat jelly, rice porridge or puddings, drying.
It is better to drink tea without sugar. If such food causes further attacks of diarrhea, then give it up completely. Stick to a fasting diet for at least a day, and then gradually start eating allowed foods.
Effective drugs
If your diarrhea is severe, ask a family member, relative, or friend to go to the pharmacy and buy a medicine that will help solve your problem.
Typically, the following remedies are prescribed for diarrhea:
- Probiotics. They contain beneficial bacteria that help restore and normalize the intestinal microflora, thereby destroying pathogenic microorganisms and tidying up the functioning of the intestines. This group includes the products “Linex”, “Bifidumbacterin”, “Bifikol”, “Acipol”, “Bifiliz”, “Acilact”, “Bioflor” and others.
- Antimicrobial drugs act purposefully and destroy bacteria that cause infections. This category includes “Stopdiar”, “Ftalazol”, “Furazolidone”, “Enterofuril”, “Sulgin”, “Enterol”, “Tannacomp”, “Intetrix”.
- Enterosorbents adsorb, that is, they attract and remove various harmful substances from the intestines, for example, toxins, poisons, salts of heavy metals, and so on. This group includes the products “Polysorb”, activated carbon, “Smecta”, “Enterosgel”, “Polifepan”, “Sorbex” and others.
- Drugs that slow down the peristalsis of the intestinal walls and increase the tone of the anal sphincter, as well as significantly reduce the urge to defecate. You can note such products as “Loperamide”, “Diara”, “Stopran”, “Lopedium”, “Imodium” and others. But they all have a significant number of contraindications, so it is best to take them only under the supervision of a specialist.
Important: any medications should ideally be prescribed by a doctor after diagnosis and clarification of the causes of diarrhea.
Home Recipes
If you don’t have any medicines on hand and you can’t go to the pharmacy, then use folk remedies:
- Rice water helps with diarrhea, and it can even be given to children. To prepare, rinse two tablespoons of rice well in cold water. Boil water in a saucepan, put the cereal in it and simmer over low heat for at least half an hour. Cool the broth, take one or two tablespoons every hour.
- If an adult has diarrhea, then you can use a decoction based on bird cherry berries. You will need about half a cup of fruits, and first you need to rinse them well. Then place them in a saucepan, pour two glasses of boiling water and simmer over low heat or a water bath for half an hour, and then leave for another hour. You should take half a glass three or four times a day.
- Pomegranate peel is effective for diarrhea. You will need skins from one fruit. They need to be crushed (for example, chopped), poured with 300 milliliters of water, brought to a boil and simmered for half an hour. Next, let the product brew, after an hour, strain it and take a tablespoon four times a day until the stool finally returns to normal.
- You can prepare a decoction of oak bark; it has astringent and antibacterial properties, thanks to which it helps stop diarrhea. To get an effective remedy, you need to pour five tablespoons of raw material into 1.5 cups of boiling water. Next, put the container on the fire and boil the mixture for about 10 minutes, then strain it. This remedy is taken 60-80 ml three times a day. If there has been no loose stool for more than eight hours, then treatment is stopped.
- At home, you can use blueberries, but they must be dried, as fresh ones can cause the opposite effect. You can simply consume them separately, a small handful several times a day, or you can prepare an infusion by pouring half a glass of berries with two glasses of boiling water and letting the product brew for an hour (you need to take two tablespoons three times a day).
- Chamomile decoction prepared from two tablespoons of raw materials and a glass of water has antiseptic properties.
Causes
- Poisoning, indigestion and other causes related to food. In modern society, a person would prefer to have a quick snack on street food than to have a full lunch. Street eateries very often use products of poor quality, not to mention non-compliance with sanitary standards.
- Taking medications. Most often, indigestion begins after antibacterial therapy, and the reason for this is the inhibition of intestinal microflora by drugs.
- Intestinal infections. Can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Such diseases are often called “diseases of unwashed hands,” because they can be contracted by insufficient personal hygiene. However, for the sake of fairness, it should be noted that the virus is transmitted, for example, by airborne droplets. This is why there are so often outbreaks of this infection, characterized by a fairly large number of sick people. Find out how to treat loose stools mixed with blood in our other article.
- Stressful situations at home or at work, constant rush, depression, as well as severe fear - all this can also lead to indigestion.
- Pathologies and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Typically cause chronic diarrhea. Please note that if loose stools continue to annoy you for a month or more, you need to urgently consult a doctor; something is clearly wrong with your body. Find out the causes of chronic diarrhea in adults on our website.
Depending on the above reasons, some clarifications need to be made. Here's what you won't be able to quickly stop diarrhea in an adult, depending on the reason for which it occurred:
When medical attention is needed
Diarrhea in an adult is not always a sign of poisoning or infection. Incompatible products may be consumed. The most famous combination that causes diarrhea is salted fish with milk. In this case, diarrhea can be stopped quickly and without harm to health. You should be alert to the following symptoms:
- A stable increase in body temperature to 38 °C and above.
- Weakness, nausea, lasting more than 2 days.
- Pain during bowel movements, inflammation of the anus.
- Flatulence, cramps.
The presence of mucus, blood, and undigested food in the stool cannot be ignored. Changed color of stool should alert you - unusually light or black, like tar. If diarrhea is accompanied by 2 or more of the listed symptoms, you should quickly consult a doctor or call an ambulance at home.
Types of diarrhea
According to modern classifications, there are a huge number of types of diarrhea. In terms of the duration of the disease, diarrhea can be:
- acute (duration up to 3 days);
- chronic (more than 3 days).
If we take into account the cause of diarrhea, the following types of diarrhea are distinguished:
- Nutritional. This type of diarrhea is associated with the consumption of low-quality food and systematic violation of the diet. This type also includes diarrhea that occurs as a result of an allergic reaction to food.
- Dyspeptic. As a result, a disruption in the functioning of the enzymatic apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract occurs.
- Toxic. The appearance of such diarrhea is associated with acute kidney failure or heavy metal poisoning (for example, mercury).
- Medication. They arise due to the use of pharmacological agents. Drug-induced diarrhea most often appears after the use of antibiotics (disturbance of normal microflora).
- Neurogenic. It is a consequence of intestinal motility disorders of neurogenic origin. Occurs against the background of chronic stress or acute emotional shock.
Which diarrhea can be treated at home, and which only in the hospital?
Most people want to get rid of diarrhea at home without seeking specialized help. This is possible provided the disease is mild and there are no complications.
There is a list of symptoms, the appearance of which signals a deterioration in the patient’s condition. If present, you should immediately seek medical help. These symptoms include:
- temperature increase is more than 38°C;
- sudden onset headache or acute malaise;
- change in light of discharge;
- the appearance of blood, mucus, and pus in the stool;
- vomiting several times in a row, without bringing relief;
- the appearance of itching of the skin or mucous membranes;
- disturbance of consciousness.
Provided there are no complications, of course, you can get rid of diarrhea within 24 hours. If the patient’s condition does not improve within a day or if pathological symptoms increase before the specified time has elapsed, it is necessary to immediately seek specialized medical help.
Causes of diarrhea
When determining how to stop diarrhea at home in adults quickly and safely to avoid dangerous consequences, you should understand the reasons for the development of the pathological process:
- consumption of products that were previously absent from the diet, or those whose quality is questionable, storage rules and sales dates were violated;
- the entry into the body of pathogenic microbes, which in the process of their vital activity release a significant amount of toxins;
- prolonged use of medications, especially from the antibiotic spectrum;
- a large number of stressful situations.
In addition, violation of basic rules of personal hygiene can provoke diarrhea. For example, a person did not wash his hands before eating.
How to stop diarrhea
When a person realizes that all the symptoms of indigestion are present, and this, of course, is very inappropriate, he asks the question “How to quickly stop diarrhea?” You need a remedy that will stop diarrhea in the shortest possible time so that you can once again live a full life.
However, before you run to the pharmacy for a remedy that can quickly stop diarrhea, you need to understand that malaise can arise for various reasons, which means that different medications should be used for treatment. Let's determine the main causes of diarrhea.
Application of IMODIUM® Express
IMODIUM® Express affects intestinal motility and the tone of the anal sphincter, lengthens the time of passage of feces through the large intestine, reduces the secretion of water and ions, and also promotes fluid absorption. These effects are due to its effect on opiate and non-opiate receptors, a decrease in the production of prostaglandins and neurotransmitters, and blockade of peptide transporters in the intestinal wall. This versatile effect helps stop diarrhea and reduce the severity of accompanying symptoms. But in case of intoxication, you should consult a doctor before using IMODIUM® Express. After all, a decrease in the rate of movement of intestinal contents can promote increased absorption of toxins and lead to undesirable consequences.
Treating diarrhea in adults at home
Regardless of the causes of diarrhea, there are a number of general rules that get rid of it.
In the first hours after the appearance of loose stools, the patient should completely refuse food. And only when it becomes unbearable to endure hunger, during diarrhea it is recommended to drink large quantities of herbal or black tea, bird cherry decoction or blueberry jelly with dry cookies or white bread croutons.
A little later, the diet is replenished with slimy porridges cooked in water without oil and salt, vegetable purees, boiled and pureed meat and low-fat fish. A decoction of white rice has a good astringent effect.
During the treatment of diarrhea, it is necessary to exclude from the patient's diet raw vegetables and fruits, fried and fatty foods, spices, dairy products, alcohol, coffee, sweets, as well as anything that can cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract of the body.
A self-prepared glucose-salt solution will help to replenish the water-salt balance when treating diarrhea at home: 1 tsp per 1 liter of water. salt, 1/2 tsp. soda, ¼ tbsp. potassium chloride, 4 tbsp. Sahara. You can also use ready-made drugs - Citroglucosolan, Regidron.
However, it must be remembered that all of the above drugs also have a binding effect on medications. Therefore, the gap between taking sorbents and other medications should not be less than 2 hours.
In these cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Indomethacin) are used. Antibacterial drugs help restore the normal state of intestinal microflora.
If diarrhea is caused by the use of excessive amounts of antibiotics against the background of a pre-existing disease, then the attending physician should either discontinue this drug or replace it with a safer one.
In cases where diarrhea is associated with impaired absorption and cavity digestion, the patient is prescribed enzymes. Preference is given to drugs that do not contain bile acids (Mezim-Forte, Pancreatin, Pancitrate, Creon).
Treatment of acute diarrhea in adults in the first days after its onset, especially if it is accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting, is carried out with the help of drugs that reduce intestinal motility:
- antispasmodics (No-Shpa, Papaverine);
- anticholinergics (Platifillin, Atropine).
In both acute and chronic diarrhea, the obligate intestinal microflora undergoes changes that lead to the loss of its functional abilities. To restore normal digestion and absorption use:
- preparations containing obligate intestinal flora (Lactobacterin, Narine, Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Acylact);
- preparations containing particles of intestinal microorganisms (Hilak-Forte);
- drugs that contain transient microflora (Baktisubtil, Enterol).
How to quickly and safely stop diarrhea in an adult
You can stop severe diarrhea in an adult at home as follows:
- Experts recommend using adsorbents when diarrhea develops, for example, Smecta, Polysorb, Activated Carbon tablets, etc. Such medications are able to bind all harmful substances and remove them from the human body in a natural way, along with feces. Some of the adsorbent drugs have a gel-like consistency, so immediately after penetration into the gastrointestinal tract they begin to envelop the mucous membranes, thus providing them with protection from any harmful effects.
- Diarrhea can be stopped by normalizing intestinal motility. To do this, people should take medications such as Loperamide and Imodium tablets. It is worth noting that these medications can only be used for diarrhea that does not have an infectious etiology and is not caused by poisoning. This is due to the fact that the components of these medications will inhibit the process of movement of feces. If infections, poisons and toxins are present in the stool, the body will be adversely affected and people will have to face serious complications.
- After stool normalization, a person must take a course of special medications that contain beneficial intestinal bacteria. For example, intestinal microflora can be normalized using “Bifidumbacterin”, “Lactobacterin”, etc.
- With severe diarrhea, a person begins to rapidly lose fluid. To prevent dehydration, he needs to drink as much fluid as possible every day, as well as use special solutions that help restore the water-salt balance. For these purposes, experts recommend using “Hydrolyte” or “Regidron” solutions, which can be purchased at any pharmacy chain in powder form.
- In the case when a patient develops diarrhea due to enzyme deficiency, then specialists in such cases prescribe Creon and Pancreatin tablets. These medicines do not contain bile acids.
- If a person’s diarrhea is accompanied by severe spasms, then the discomfort can be eliminated with the help of No-Shpy, Papaverine and other types of antispasmodics.
- In the case where a violation of the defecation process occurred due to stress, then in order to normalize the psycho-emotional background, people should take Atropine, Ephedrine and other sedatives.
How to quickly get rid of diarrhea at home: some practical tips
Diarrhea is a pathological condition characterized by digestive disorders. One of the main symptoms of diarrhea is loose stools. Diarrhea is dangerous due to the possibility of complications. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment must begin immediately. Correctly and timely therapy is the key to a speedy recovery. You can find out how to get rid of diarrhea on our page.