Diarrhea

Medical Author: Jay W. Marks, M.D.
Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, M.D.

• What is diarrhea?
• How is diarrhea defined?
• Why does diarrhea develop?
• What are common causes of acute diarrhea?
• What are common causes of chronic diarrhea?
• What are the complications of diarrhea?
• When should the doctor be called for diarrhea?
• What tests are useful in the evaluation of diarrhea?
• How can dehydration be prevented and treated?
• How is diarrhea treated?
• When should antibiotics be used for diarrhea?
• Diarrhea At A Glance
• Related diarrhea articles:
  Diarrhea - on WebMD
  Diarrhea - on eMedicineHealth

Hotel Hygiene: Is Your Hotel Making You Sick? Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR As a physician and pathologist, I have a pretty strong stomach. But even I was overcome with a wave of nausea when I watched a hidden camera expose of hotel hygiene practices by investigative reporters. In brief, for the report I saw, teams of journalists placed hidden cameras in hotel rooms in a range of randomly–chosen hotels in the Atlanta, Georgia area (the study, and similar observations, have also been carried out in other locations). Hotels ranged from the mid–priced business hotels to the top of the line luxury establishments (5 star). A blatant disregard for hygienic practices that could lead to serious infection was observed in numerous hotels when housekeeping staff cleaned (or didn't clean, as the case may be) the drinking glasses in the hotel room. Housekeeping staff was caught on film either rinsing the drinking glasses (in preparation for a new guest) with water only, or washing them with industrial cleaner labeled "do not drink." In other cases, dirty bath towels – from the previous guest – were used to dry the glasses after their perfunctory rinse in tap water. Another film clip showed a woman wearing latex gloves cleaning the guest toilet and then proceeding to rinse the drinking glasses, without removing or changing the gloves. We all know that some of the principal routes for spread of infections include contact with infected persons or contact with articles of bedding or clothing that have been contaminated by an infected source... Read more about hotel cleanliness and risk of infection. » Top Searched Diarrhea Terms: diarrhea treatment, chronic diarrhea causes, diarrhea symptoms, children diarrhea, home remedies, diarrhea and pregnancy, nausea diarrhea

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements or a decrease in the form of stool (greater looseness of stool). Although changes in frequency of bowel movements and looseness of stools can vary independently of each other, changes usually occur in both.

Diarrhea needs to be distinguished from four other conditions that can be confused with diarrhea. Although these conditions may accompany diarrhea, they often have different causes and different treatments than diarrhea. These other conditions are:

1. incontinence of stool, which is the inability to control (delay) bowel movements until an appropriate time, i.e., until one can get to the toilet

2. rectal urgency, which is a sudden urge to have a bowel movement that is so strong that if a toilet is not immediately available there will be incontinence

3. incomplete evacuation, which is a sensation that another bowel movement is necessary soon after a bowel movement, yet there is difficulty passing further stool the second time

4. bowel movements immediately after eating a meal

How is diarrhea defined?

Diarrhea can be defined in absolute or relative terms based on either the frequency of bowel movements or the consistency (looseness) of stools.

Frequency of bowel movements. Absolute diarrhea is having more bowel movements than normal. Thus, since among healthy individuals the maximum number of daily bowel movements is approximately five, diarrhea can be defined as any number of stools greater than five. Relative diarrhea is having more bowel movements than usual. Thus, if an individual who usually has one bowel movement each day begins to have three bowel movements each day, then diarrhea is present-even though there are not more than five bowel movements a day, that is, there is not absolute diarrhea.

Consistency of stools. Absolute diarrhea is more difficult to define on the basis of the consistency of stool because the consistency of stool can vary considerably in healthy individuals depending on their diets. Thus, individuals who eat large amounts of vegetables will have looser stools than individuals who eat few vegetables. Stools that are liquid or watery are always abnormal and considered diarrheal. Relative diarrhea is easier to define based on the consistency of stool. Thus, an individual who develops looser stools than usual has diarrhea--even though the stools may be within the range of normal with respect to consistency.

Diarrhea - Effective Treatments

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