You Ask , They Answer
Q
: What causes most cases of diarrhoea ?
A
: Most acute diarrhoea are due to gastrointestinal infection .
A wide range of viruses , bacteria , and parasites can cause this . The most common of these is viral gastroenteritis , and the usual culprits are norovirus , rotavirus , and adenovirus . Gastrointestinal infections may be acquired through ingestion of unhygienic or contaminated food and beverages , contact with sick persons carrying the infection , exposure during travel , or with recent usage of antibiotics . Diarrhoea may also be a side effect of certain medications such as magnesium-containing antacid , metformin , proton pump inhibitors , antibiotics , and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs .
Chronic diarrhoea can also be due to organic or functional causes . Organic causes are inflammatory disorders ( e . g ., ulcerative colitis , Crohn ’ s ), malabsorption ( e . g ., coeliac disease ), maldigestion ( e . g ., chronic pancreatitis ), hormonal disorders ( e . g ., overactive thyroid ), and colon cancer . Functional cause is irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS ) which is benign but can decrease quality of life . IBS is a diagnosis by exclusion , i . e ., other organic causes need to be excluded .
Q
: How should people treat it at home ?
A
: As the majority of acute diarrhoea are secondary to viral gastroenteritis which are short lived and self-limiting ,
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6 SEPTEMBER 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com