Sensible treatment methods for diarrheal diseases

A diarrheal illness can have different causes and in normal form is already through after a few days. The disease is usually caused by bacteria or viruses that we ingest and which then spread in the digestive organs.

Acute diarrheal illness usually settles in 2 to 3 days without consulting a physician. Here the right diarrhea – diet as well as old-established home remedies can be very effective.

Usually, the disease is also accompanied by nausea and vomiting, resulting in a high loss of fluids, which can be a problem especially for the elderly, young children and infants.

The body loses a high number of vital electrolytes and practically dries out. Those who suffer from severe diarrhea over a long period of time should therefore consult a doctor, who can help with a specific drug treatment.

First of all it is important to increased fluid intake Care should be taken to ensure that the loss is absorbed through increased elimination.

People who do not drink enough fluids and suffer from severe diarrhea usually have a dry tongue and very dark urine.

Excessive dehydration of the body can lead to circulatory collapse. Children and babies can already be dehydrated within 24 hours. Here is particularly fast medical help to take up.

What fluids to drink during acute diarrheal illness

There is always the question of which liquids are particularly suitable for the treatment of diarrhea. Tea – drinks made from chamomile, fennel or caraway are just as effective here as a light black tea.

However, the amount of drinking should be sufficient to allow the body to recover slowly and steadily. It is especially important to pay attention to the temperature of the drinks.

In the first hours you should avoid drinking cold drinks and rather use lukewarm teas.

Fluids should be taken in small portions, as large amounts can expand the stomach wall and cause nausea or vomiting again.

Liquids containing carbonic acid should also be avoided. However, this does not apply to the old household remedy Coca Cola.

A warm, stale cola liquid is particularly recommended, as it is not only rich in sugar, but also brings the body back on track with the necessary liquid.

What kind of food should be eaten in case of diarrhea?

Food intake in acute diarrhea should be avoided for the first 8 hours, so that the stomach and intestines can slowly calm down. Instead one should pay attention to a sufficient liquid supply.

After this time, you can slowly and carefully start consuming a light broth, so as not to strain the intestines too much.

Rice or oatmeal, which can be boiled in water and lightly salted, is also highly recommended.

In the next few hours, the affected person can be treated with slightly digestible vegetables, mashed potatoes and light pasta dishes supplement the diet.

Bananas as well as toast or zwieback are likewise easily bekömmlich and spare stomach and intestine. The next few days, a low-fat and gentle diet is highly recommended.

After the symptoms have improved, you can slowly and steadily go back to your usual normal diet.

Effective medicines for diarrhea

Sufficient fluid intake is particularly important at first. In the pharmacy some ready-made products are available, which are prepared in powder form and filled up with water fast ready to drink.

These mixtures contain mainly sugar and minerals, which give back to the body what it has lost due to the diarrheal illness.

In acute cases, adults can also resort to the so-called peristaltic inhibitors, which can stop the diarrhea for a short time.

These medications, which mainly contain the active ingredient loperamide, can only provide short-term relief and should therefore only be taken in the first few hours.

For children, these drugs are unsuitable and should not be administered under any circumstances.

Natural remedies for acute diarrheal diseases

In addition to the usual conventional medicine, there are also some medicinal plants in our nature that are particularly suitable for the treatment of diarrheal diseases.

The dyes and tannins found in many plants cause the intestinal mucosa to contract, thus ending the diarrhea naturally.

For the treatment of this clinical picture are particularly suitable bloodroot, clove root, goose cinquefoil, lady’s mantle and oak bark (source: http://www.naturopathic herbs.org/diarrhea-medicines-and-home-remedies-for-diarrhea).

A tea mixture of 10g each of chamomile, thyme and goose cinquefoil mixed with 30g of crushed linseed and 40g of bloodroot supplies the body not only with vital fluids but also with valuable minerals and salts.

Every affected person can drink as much of this mixture as he or she likes, but here, too, it is important to drink only small amounts at the beginning.

If the illness is not over within 3 – 4 days, however, a doctor is to be visited absolutely, because here it can concern a more pronounced clinical picture which must be examined.

Elderly people as well as infants and small children should be treated by a doctor immediately after the onset of symptoms.