Of course, it's not pleasant when diarrhea blocks us (... or unblocks us ...) in the middle of a conversation or an exam; but we must not forget that diarrhea is nothing more than a defensive response that the organism puts in place to protect us and to cleanse the intestine of waste, irritants and so on. Therefore, if the intestine is excessively mobilized , there is always a clear and unambiguous motivation, even if perhaps not immediately recognizable.
Sometimes, diarrhea seems to "become chronic" precisely in conjunction with some very specific events or circumstances, be it exams, particularly stressful work activities, sports performances or other. We must in fact keep in mind that it is certainly no coincidence that the intestine is often compared to a "second brain": everything that happens in the brain also affects intestinal activity. Just to give an example, in the presence of anxiety, tension or stress, the intestine (which proudly boasts of its second nickname) picks up these sensations and responds with urgent rumblings and stomach pains.
We must therefore distinguish real chronic diarrhea from "psychological" or purely subjective one. In this article we try to understand the true meaning of chronic diarrhea, focusing attention on the possible triggering causes.
In general, it can be said that diarrhea becomes chronic when the aforementioned condition persists daily for more than 3-4 weeks.
Therefore...
Chronic diarrhea is distinguished by:
- Number of daily discharges greater than or equal to 3
- Change in the consistency of stools, which appear liquid or poorly formed
- Diarrhea persists for at least 3-4 weeks
In a healthy person, chronic diarrhea can be a nuisance, a habit or, at worst, become a serious health problem. it represents a serious disorder that, for some, could be potentially fatal.
, such as in particular irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, malabsorption syndromes and chronic infections.
In general, the triggering causes can be differentiated into two macro-groups:
- Causes of infectious origin
- Causes of extrainfectious origin
INFECTIOUS CHRONIC DIARREA
Many times chronic diarrhea depends strictly on an infection, the symptoms of which persist until the source is eliminated. In such circumstances, the most commonly involved pathogens are:
- Parasites: Cyclospora, Entamoeba histolytica (mainly responsible for amoebiasis), Giardia, Cryptosporidium
- Bacteria: Aeromonas, Clostridium difficile, E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella
- Virus: Norovirus, Rotavirus
Intestinal infections induced by the aforementioned pathogens are therefore a common cause of chronic diarrhea. More often, the alteration of the frequency of evacuation is observed in people living in tropical countries, in developing areas and in travelers in general. Intestinal infections, which therefore induce chronic diarrhea, can develop simply by eating infected foods or drinking contaminated water or infected milk that has not undergone the necessary pasteurization and sterilization processes.
NON-INFECTIVE CHRONIC DIARRHEA
When chronic diarrhea occurs regardless of bacterial, protozoal or viral infections, the cause can be sought in:
- Intestinal disorders, especially Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome (one of the most common causes of chronic diarrhea), ulcerative colitis
- Malabsorption of bile acids (characteristic condition of patients with congenital anatomical alterations of the small intestine, Crohn's disease, functional disorders of the ileum, celiac disease and chronic pancreatitis or undergoing surgical resection of the ileum)
- Abuse of laxatives and antibiotics
- Food intolerances (e.g. intolerance to soy proteins, lactose, sorbitol, etc.)
- Food allergy
- Autoimmune diseases and impaired immune system (eg AIDS)
- Neoplasms
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ulcerative neoplasm affecting the upper digestive tract)
- Diseases of the pancreas (e.g. pancreatic enzyme deficiency, chronic pancreatitis)
- Reduction of the blood supply to the intestine
- Hereditary diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis, enzyme defects)
- Gastrointestinal tract surgery
- Thyroid disorders: some endocrine disorders such as hyperthyroidism can also cause chronic diarrhea, often associated with weight loss
Curiosity: paradoxical chronic diarrhea
There is a particular type of chronic diarrhea, known to most as paradoxical chronic diarrhea, favored by a fecal impaction. Let us briefly recall that fecaloma - a compact and hard mass of dehydrated faeces that lodges in the rectum-sigma or in other areas of the upper colon - is one of the major culprits of chronic constipation. This type of chronic diarrhea is called "paradox" or "pseudo-diarrhea" precisely for this reason: in similar circumstances, the disorder is attributable to the passage of liquid fecal material around the block of dry and compact stools.
Other articles on "Chronic Diarrhea"
- Traveler's Diarrhea
- Diarrhea
- Diarrhea: causes and treatment
- Dysentery
- Chronic Diarrhea: Types, Symptoms and Complications
- Chronic diarrhea: Diagnosis, Treatment, Diet
- Diet and diarrhea
- Nutrition and diarrhea
- Diarrhea and Antibiotics
- Probotics and Diarrhea
- Drugs That Cause Diarrhea
- Diarrhea - Drugs for the treatment of Diarrhea
- Herbal Teas Against Diarrhea
