Abdominal pain and cramps can accompany diarrhea. Such symptoms have been experienced by everyone at least once. However, if we talk about the reasons, they are extremely diverse and may include food poisoning, infections, stress, chronic illness, and much more. In this article, we will tell you about the most obvious causes of diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Major Causes of Diarrhea and Abdominal Pain
Here is the list of major causes of diarrhea that will help you treat the problem better.
1. Intestinal Infections
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and a general deterioration in well-being are classic symptoms of intestinal infections. The main culprits of such a situation are viruses and bacteria. The pathogen can penetrate into the gastrointestinal tract with food, dirty hands, and other transmission routes.
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other unpleasant symptoms usually go away on their own within a few days. But doctors advise you to follow the drinking regime and monitor your condition for some time. As the appearance of alarming symptoms is a reason to seek medical help urgently.
Parasitic infections cause acute abdominal pain, as well as diarrhea, and symptoms can persist for a long time; only the degree of their severity changes. If the manifestations of suspected intestinal infections occur more often, then a specialist consultation and determination of the causes of pain are necessary.
2. Abusing Alcohol
Alcohol abuse is one of the causes of many unpleasant symptoms that can also affect bowel function. Diarrhea and abdominal pain can be associated with the intake of large doses of alcohol, but giving up the bad habit can completely eliminate the symptoms. But how can you eliminate alcohol from your life when you are addicted to it?
The best way is to get help from the best rehab centers located in your State. The good news is that in many states like Florida, the rehab services are free. So if you can’t afford addiction treatment, rehab centers Florida can be of great assistance. Also, you will notice as you start to recover from alcohol addiction, the problem of diarrhea will also disappear.
3. Food Poisoning And Intolerance
Symptoms of food poisoning appear rather quickly, within a few hours, and are very diverse, such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and much more. In addition, studies show that about 20% of the world’s population suffers from individual food intolerances, be it lactase deficiency, gluten intolerance, or any other.
In some cases, it is difficult to understand the cause of diarrhea after eating, in which case your doctor may recommend keeping a food diary. Analysis of records allows you to catch the culprit and exclude it from the diet. It is necessary to correct the diet and exclude provocative foods from the diet to avoid such unpleasant manifestations in the future.
4. Binge Eating
The modern lifestyle dictates its own rules. Many of us have acquired the bad habit of eating on the go, and even if it’s lunch at home, everything on the table goes in our stomach in 10 minutes. Doctors say that eating fast is one of the causes of overeating, which can cause stomach pain and diarrhea.
Side effects can appear in both children and adults, but the kids are at risk. It is enough to follow these simple tips to avoid pain:
- Control portion size
- Chew food thoroughly
- Pay attention to the taste and texture of each piece of food
- Do not watch TV while eating
5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Long-term diarrhea indicates a chronic condition such as irritable bowel syndrome. Additional symptoms will be:
- Abdominal cramps
- Bloating
- Flatulence
If we consider the statistics, then most often, the syndrome is diagnosed in women. As a treatment, doctors give special recommendations:
- Reducing stress
- Nutritional correction
- Good sleep and rest
- Taking multivitamins and medications prescribed by a doctor
6. Taking Medications
In the annotations to many drugs, it is noted that certain medications can also cause diarrhea, vomiting, and other dyspeptic disorders. These drugs include:
- Some antibiotics
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Laxatives (if abused)
- Drugs to lower blood sugar
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Doctors note that diarrhea can disappear after a few days of taking the medication; the body just needs to get used to its action and components. But nevertheless, if diarrhea persists for several days and other symptoms also appear, it is necessary to consult a specialist. The doctor will be able to suggest an alternative to the drugs.
7. Other Causes
Long-term diarrhea is a symptom of a serious health problem that requires prompt medical attention. Patients should remember that the appearance of such symptoms as diarrhea and abdominal pain may indicate a number of dangerous diseases:
- Appendicitis
- Intestinal obstruction
In such a case, you must visit the doctor as soon as possible.
When To Consult A Doctor?
Long-term diarrhea and abdominal pain is a reason to consult a specialist. But when alarming symptoms appear, medical attention is needed immediately. These include:
- Increased symptoms and worsening condition
- A constant increase in the abdominal pain
It is necessary to call a doctor at home or even an ambulance when these symptoms appear in young children, pregnant women, and also patients with immunodeficiencies.
Prevention Measures
In some cases, diarrhea and abdominal pain cannot be prevented. But if you follow the elementary advice of a doctor, you can significantly reduce the risks:
- Compliance with healthy eating and drinking rules
- Refusal of large amounts of fatty foods or overeating
- Limiting the amount of alcohol
- Prevention of stress
- Compliance with the drinking regime
- Limiting the contact with people suffering from intestinal infections
- Refusal to travel to regions where food poisoning occurs very often
Studies have shown that a course of probiotics may be beneficial for those traveling, especially to exotic countries. According to some reports, a course of probiotics reduces the likelihood of travelers’ diarrhea by 8% and an upset stomach from taking antibiotics by 52%. But the doctor should prescribe and select probiotics; it is not recommended to do this on your own.