Chronic diarrhea is not a disease, but a clinical symptom that identifies the type and severity of a given diarrheal disease. Increased frequency of bowel movements or an increased amount of liquid or semi-liquid stools may indicate many different diseases, among which the most dangerous and life-threatening is colorectal cancer. Find out what types of chronic diarrheal diseases are and how they are treated.
Diarrheal diseasesChronic diseases, mainly of the digestive system, with diarrhea. In many cases, the passing of liquid stool is the only or one of the few symptoms of a given disease, therefore the consistency, color of the stool and the substances it contains, such as blood or mucus, are of diagnostic importance. Chronic diarrhea is often caused by diseases of the large intestine, pancreatic insufficiency and intestinal malabsorption syndrome. Find out what are the types of chronic diarrheal diseases and how they are treatedtreatment .
Colorectal cancer
Long-term diarrhea or an alternating pattern of diarrhea and constipation may indicate colorectal cancer or precancerous conditions that result from changes in the lining of the intestinal tract. A characteristic symptom of the disease is a liquid stool with an admixture of blood or diarrhea accompanied by rectal bleeding.
Treatment : This is usually a surgical procedure that involves cutting out the diseased part of the large intestine.
Important: People with non-cancerous chronic diarrhea are at greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than he althy people.
IBD
IBD is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases of the large or small intestine, which mainly consists of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. A characteristic symptom of the disease are frequent diarrhea and stools with an admixture of blood.
Treatment:In the case of ulcerative colitis, biological drugs are used, the ingredients of which directly interfere with the inflammatory process. If the disease continues to develop despite pharmacological treatment, i.e. there is a significant loss of blood, electrolytes and protein, resection is performed.large intestine.
In patients with Crohn's disease, biological drugs (phase I of the disease), glucocorticosteroids (II, more advanced phase of the disease), aminosalicylates (phase III of the disease), and immunosuppressants are used. In the case of large intestine perforation, inflammatory infiltrates or abscesses, a surgical procedure is performed, i.e. removal of the diseased fragment of the large intestine. However, resection of a fragment of the intestine does not exclude the appearance of inflammatory changes in another part of the gastrointestinal tract.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, is a syndrome of chronic (lasting for at least three months) bowel dysfunction, the most characteristic symptoms of which are abdominal pain, stool disorders and flatulence.
Treatment:treatment is based on the relief of symptoms, because irritable bowel syndrome is caused by a disturbance of the bowel, the causes of which have not been established. Therefore, there are no ways to permanently cure people struggling with this condition. The doctor's recommendations are: proper diet, medications and avoiding stress.
Pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis
The symptom of the disease is fatty diarrhea, associated with impaired digestion or absorption of fats in the gastrointestinal tract. Stools that are emptied are greasy, shiny, and have a characteristic putrid smell.
Treatment:pancreatic enzyme preparations with the addition of unsaturated fats should be used.
Malabsorption Syndrome
Malabsorption syndrome is a disorder of the intestine, resulting from improper digestion and absorption of nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract. The villi of the intestine, as a result of the action of various substances, are destroyed, atrophy, and thus the area of the intestine on which digestion and absorption takes place decreases.
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Celiac disease (celiac disease)
Celiac disease is a disorder of digestion and intestinal absorption associated with intolerance to gluten contained in grains. As a result of the body's excessive immune response to proteins (gliadin, secalin, hordeine) contained in cereals, the mucosa of the upper parts of the small intestine is atrophied. A consequence of this process is the appearance of copious, non-digestible, semi-liquid stools that are high in fat. The accompanying symptoms include: inhibition of weight gain and growth, sagging abdomen, change of the child's mood (the so-called gluten-dependent encephalopathy).
Treatment:you should follow a gluten-free diet, which involves the complete elimination of wheat, rye, barley and oats from the diet.
- Cow's milk allergy
Symptoms of cow's milk allergy are diarrhea, vomiting, gas, anxiety and reluctance to eat milk.
Treatment:elimination diet
- Antibiotics
Some antibiotics can damage the intestinal villi and cause malabsorption. This group of drugs includes: neomycin, which increases the excretion of Na +, K +, nitrogen and fats in the faeces, aminoglycosides, which impair the absorption of vitamins A, D and E.
- Cytostatic drugs
These are anti-cancer drugs used in chemotherapy because of their toxic effects on cancer cells, which can cause intestinal disorders.
Treatment:In both of the above cases (if possible) stop the medication as soon as possible.
Congenital chlorine diarrhea
Congenital chlorine diarrhea usually begins in the first days of a baby's life. As a result, there is an excessive loss of chlorine through the intestinal and renal epithelium, which leads to dehydration and metabolic hypochloraemic alkalosis.
Treatment:electrolyte deficiency replenishment (NaCl and KCl ions)
Necrotising enterocolitis in newborns
It is a gastrointestinal disease resulting from hypoxia, fetal ischemia, or infectious agents that could not be responded to by the undeveloped immune system of the fetus. The disease most often occurs in premature babies. Its symptoms are: bloody stools, abdominal distension, increased gastric retention.
Treatment:initially intravenous nutrition and antibiotic therapy. If there is perforation or necrosis of the intestinal wall, surgery should be performed to resect part of the large intestine.
Verner-Morrison syndrome
VIP-secreting tumor (Verner-Morrison syndrome, Latin: VIPom) is a malignant tumor of the exocrine pancreas, which causes increased secretion of vasoactive intestinal peptide. This process results in watery and profuse diarrhea that can reach a volume of up to 20 liters per day.
Treatment:The basic treatment method is surgery to remove part of the large intestine. If surgery is not possible, treatment should be given to prevent multiple metastases. However, for this disease, chemotherapy is ineffective.
Congenital disaccharidase deficiencyintestinal
The disease is associated with poor digestion of disaccharides due to deficiencies in intestinal disaccharidases. The symptom of the disease is fermentative diarrhea, which is acidic, foamy and is associated with gas.
Treatment:lactose-free diet. You can also replace cane sugar with glucose or fructose.