Diarrhea in therapeutic practice

Causes of diarrhea in older people

Both young and old, many people often experience stomach problems that contribute to loose stools. This signal from the body, although it occurs frequently and in many people, cannot be ignored. Loose stools cause dehydration, which in turn leads to more serious health problems. Sometimes the cause of diarrhea in older people is some kind of underlying disease that needs to be treated. After all, the body’s immunity becomes worse over the years, and people are more susceptible to various diseases.

Elderly men and women around the age of sixty sometimes suffer from loose stools caused by infections, side effects of medications, and also simple poisoning. In addition, the cause of diarrhea in older people is often perturbations in the body associated with age. Therefore, health deteriorates, metabolism slows down, and immunity declines.

Age-related changes in older people are as follows:

• Deterioration of the process of salivation. This process is extremely important for digestion, as it improves the absorption of food. If there is not enough saliva, the mouth feels dry when eating. Also, in older people, the jaw muscles become weaker. As a result, it is more difficult to swallow.
• Another cause of diarrhea in older people is a slowdown in fermentation and, accordingly, a disruption in a process such as hydrolysis.
• Death of some taste buds. People who are immoderately addicted to spicy, salty and sweet foods are especially susceptible to this.

Diarrhea in older people often lasts quite a long time. This may indicate the presence of other diseases, for example, hormonal and metabolic disorders. One of these ailments may be diabetes.

Also, stool liquefaction occurs due to the body's reaction to stress, fear or lack of rest. The corresponding chemicals enter the blood, and the body's metabolic system works faster. However, substances coming from food do not have time to be processed. Therefore, the intestines remove almost everything that enters the stomach in an unprocessed form.

What are the possible complications of diarrhea in older people? First of all, this is dehydration. There is also a danger of exacerbation of chronic diseases.

All these troubles arise in the body of an elderly person, weakened by age-related changes, for the following reasons:

• Side effects of medications. Quite often this happens due to taking antibiotics.
• Endocrine diseases.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Constant tension, nervous diseases, fear, stress.
• Insufficient personal hygiene.
• Poorly washed, poor quality or expired food.
• Poorly chewed food.

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Age-related changes in the digestive system

The appearance of regular diarrhea in the elderly is directly related to the aging process of the body. The following changes occur:

• The amount of saliva, which is necessary for digesting food and good absorption of nutrients, decreases. Lack of saliva causes dry mouth, chewing muscles also weaken, and the esophagus becomes longer. Because of this, poorly chewed food enters the stomach, which can lead to both diarrhea and constipation. • The stomach muscles weaken and lose elasticity. The stomach itself also changes in size. Gastric juice is produced more slowly. Food is poorly broken down and often ferments in the stomach. Poorly digested, it passes into the intestines, thereby irritating it. The entire digestion process results in loose stools. • The gallbladder enlarges, producing either more or less bile. • Problems with the pancreas are caused by a lack of digestive enzymes. Food is poorly digested and the body quickly gets rid of it. Due to problems with the pancreas, a person feels nauseous, has heaviness in the stomach and loose stools. • Lactase deficiency leads to poor absorption and lactose intolerance. For this reason, consuming dairy products can cause gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea. • The work of the small intestine slows down, which prevents high-quality digestion of food. • Fecal stones are a common occurrence in the elderly. Stones occur due to deposits on the walls of the large intestine. They interfere with the normal movement of food, causing food to be excreted partially digested. Stones provoke the development of harmful bacteria, which create pathogenic microflora in the intestines. All this leads to severe diarrhea. • Decreased size and strength of the liver. It begins to work worse, which disrupts the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. This weakens bowel function.

Symptoms and complications of diarrhea in older people

Diarrhea in older people is sometimes accompanied by:

• lack or deterioration of appetite;
• dry mouth;
• sharp pain and severe cramps in the stomach and intestines;
• apathy, constant causeless fatigue;
• nausea;
• flatulence;
• darkening of urine.

If you notice one or more of these symptoms, be sure to make an appointment with a specialist. If a high temperature occurs with diarrhea in older people, or if there is pain during bowel movements or blood is visible in the stool, call an ambulance as soon as possible. In no case should signs of deterioration in health be ignored; the health of people in old age must be taken care of as carefully as the health of infants.

Among the various complications of diarrhea in older people, the most common is dehydration. As a result of loose stools, the body's moisture reserves quickly run out and a variety of serious ailments arise. Because the immune system does not work very well in older people, and because many old people suffer from chronic illnesses, dehydration is very dangerous. In some cases, diarrhea in older people can even lead to the death of the patient.

Accordingly, complications such as dehydration should not be allowed. Carefully monitor the state of your body: if your lips are chapped, your blood pressure has dropped sharply, your mouth is dry and you don’t want to go to the toilet for a long time - these are alarming signs. It is necessary to restore the water-salt balance as quickly as possible.

Diarrhea is even more dangerous in elderly people who are bedridden patients. They may experience such unpleasant complications as itching, irritation, ulcers and cracks near the anus. Therefore, it is so important to carefully monitor personal hygiene, moisturize the skin and lubricate it with regenerating and disinfecting ointments.

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Diagnostics

For proper treatment, an accurate diagnosis of the root cause of diarrhea is necessary. Various methods are used for diagnosis:

• Clinical blood test. It can be used to determine the inflammation that provokes diarrhea; • Coprogram. Examines stool to obtain information about the enzymatic and digestive functions of the gastrointestinal tract; • Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Allows you to determine the condition of organs and detect pathological processes; • Sigmoidoscopy - examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon; • Colonoscopy – examination of the large intestine; • Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) – study of mucous membranes in the esophagus, stomach and duodenum; • Culture of microflora to detect sensitivity to antibiotics.

Tests alone are not enough to make a diagnosis. Detailed comprehensive diagnostics allows you to accurately determine the pathological processes that lead to the appearance of loose stools. Based on the examination results, the specialist will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Diagnosis is carried out by a therapist, gastroenterologist, and proctologist.

Drug treatment of diarrhea in older people

Do not forget that diseases of the digestive system respond well to treatment only with timely prescribed therapy. Your doctor can prescribe a variety of effective medications. Tests help determine where diarrhea in older people comes from, as well as select the right treatment.

The results of the examination will tell the specialist what kind of treatment should be prescribed, what individual characteristics of the person to take into account, how his illness progresses, and what should be done.

One thing remains the same: no matter how you treat yourself, make every effort to stay hydrated. Without the right level of moisture in the body, a healthy digestive system is impossible.

It is necessary not to ignore the water-salt balance in the body, especially with diarrhea in older people. The drug rehydron, which is often prescribed for dehydration, is very suitable for maintaining it. This medicine contains useful substances such as chlorine, sodium and potassium.

Rehydron is sold in packages, each containing several portioned sachets. The contents of one package are dissolved in a liter of cooled boiling water and drunk over a certain period of time. As a rule, the drug is indicated throughout the entire period of diarrhea in older people; rehydron is taken every few hours. As soon as loose stools have completely stopped bothering the patient, the medication is discontinued. Rehydron also has analogues.

In addition to the above-mentioned drug, doctors advise using sorbents - almagel, activated carbon and the like - as a treatment for diarrhea in older people. These medications should not be taken for a long time, only as first aid. They have a pronounced absorption effect and rid the body not only of harmful substances, but also of those necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Sorbents are indicated specifically for poisoning. In cases where diarrhea in older people is caused by other factors, for example, diabetes or oncology, it makes no sense to take sorbent medications.

Unfortunately, medication treatment does not always help as well as we would like. Each medicine has its own side effects and contraindications. It all depends on what chronic and acute diseases accompany loose stools. For example, caution should be exercised when prescribing antidiarrheal medications to patients who have had a stroke. This disease causes disruption of several internal organs, so a wide range of antidiarrheal drugs have to be excluded. A way out of the situation can be “grandmother’s recipes” - decoctions of medicinal herbs.

Another harmless way to get rid of diarrhea in older people is a therapeutic diet. It has no contraindications and does not cause any harm. Moreover, dietary products for loose stools are often prescribed by specialists to speed up healing.

What diet to follow for diarrhea in older people?

• On the first day of illness, you should completely exclude any solid or semi-liquid food. You can and even need to drink a lot of plain water, herbal infusions and teas, compotes. It is also necessary to take medications against dehydration.
• If the condition is stable or improved, you can eat carefully the next day. Remember that food should not cause flatulence; you need to choose food that is well digested. These are dishes such as rice or oatmeal with water, steamed vegetables, baked apples without oil, lean, unsalted and unsweetened crackers.
• After a couple of days, it is allowed to introduce chicken, turkey or rabbit meat into the diet. The meat should be steamed or boiled.
• Further, provided that the patient with diarrhea recovers, consumption of soups and weak broths made from dietary meat is allowed.
• The next stage of the diet for diarrhea in older people is permission to consume dairy products, but not all without exception, but only cottage cheese and low-fat kefir.
• If the patient recovers successfully, then you can gradually return to your usual diet. However, it is necessary to do this very carefully, introducing new dishes into the diet every other day or two, in order to spare the diseased digestive system.

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Prevention of diarrhea

• To avoid the development of diarrhea in old age, it is necessary to establish a healthy diet. It is better to accustom yourself to a healthy diet and diet from a young age and stick to it throughout your life. • Maintain a healthy water balance in the body by including clean water, fruit drinks, healthy herbal teas and infusions in your diet. • With your doctor's permission, you can take enzyme agents and probiotics. • If there are any problems with the digestive system, you need to solve them. It is necessary to cure all gastrointestinal diseases in a timely manner. • Maintain intimate hygiene. • It is useful to visit the dentist periodically. • Avoid prolonged stressful situations.

Diarrhea in old age is most often not a one-time symptom of poisoning, but a consequence of age-related changes and internal health problems. For an elderly person, prolonged diarrhea is dangerous: remember about dehydration and its consequences.

To prevent loose stools, preventive measures and a healthy diet should be followed. If you notice symptoms, you should go to the doctor without delay to avoid dangerous consequences. Do not self-prescribe medications or self-medicate. Undergo a high-quality diagnosis and follow medical recommendations. Taking into account all these points, an elderly person will be able to properly treat diarrhea.

Proper nutrition for older people with diarrhea

A healthy diet for diarrhea in older people will not only help get rid of this disease, but will also prevent its occurrence, as well as the occurrence of many other diseases. Elderly people need to carefully monitor what they eat. You can’t get carried away with junk food, but it’s best to stick to a certain diet. And this is not at all in order to lose weight, but to ensure that the digestive system is healthy.

Proper nutrition for diarrhea in older people involves a diet of easily digestible foods that do not cause flatulence and are rich in nutrients. The most important thing for an elderly person is to eat food that compensates for the lack of calcium, iron and potassium in the body. It is also necessary to reduce the calorie content of meals, since the body’s energy consumption is no longer as large as in youth.

So, what diet should you follow for diarrhea in older people?

You can and should use:

• Oil from corn, soybeans, sunflower seeds.
• Lean meat, such as poultry.
• Egg white.
• Milk and sour milk with low fat content.
• Soups made from fish, poultry or vegetable broths.
• Lean fish.
• Seafood.
• Cereals except rice.
• Salads from vegetables and fruits.
• Liver (except pork).
• Whole grain baked goods.
• Berry fruit drinks and fruit compotes.
• Herbal, green and black teas.
• Chicory drink as an alternative to coffee.

Should not be consumed if elderly people have diarrhea or consumption should be reduced:

• Pork and other meats with high fat content.
• Egg yolks.
• Fat milk and sour milk.
• Muchnogo.
• Rice cereal.
• Sweet.
• Fizzy drinks.
• Bobovykh.
• Fried and smoked.
• Salt and spices.
• Spicy food.

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Symptoms

Diarrhea may be accompanied by additional symptoms. Common signs:

• Pulling, aching or cutting pain in the lower abdomen, the occurrence of spasms; • Seething and severe gas formation in the abdomen; • Feeling of nausea, vomiting; • Strong thirst, dry mouth; • The color of urine becomes darker; • Heat; • Deterioration of appetite; • Impaired attention and perception of the surrounding space; • Fatigue and lethargy.

Symptoms can occur in different combinations. If you find them, you need to contact a specialist. It should be remembered that an elderly person has a weak body, so when he gives alarming signals, you need to immediately pay attention to them. If diarrhea is accompanied by fever, fainting, blood appears in the stool, the pain becomes very severe, you need to call an ambulance.

Treatment of diarrhea in the elderly with folk remedies

You can be treated not only with pharmaceutical drugs. What folk remedies to use for loose stools? As a rule, these are decoctions of various herbs. In combination with medications prescribed by a doctor, they give a very good effect. Here are the most popular methods of treating diarrhea with folk remedies in older people:

• Rice decoction.

Pour one and a half teaspoons of rice cereal with boiled water. Place the saucepan with this mixture over low heat and stir for half an hour, then remove from heat. Let the broth cool, strain through a strainer or gauze cloth. Take ¼ cup of rice water every couple of hours. This medicine is also suitable for bedridden patients.

• Infusion of oak bark.

Boil a kettle and immediately pour a glass of boiling water over a tablespoon of crushed dry oak bark. Leave to infuse for several hours. The longer the infusion sits, the stronger it will be. Strain and take a teaspoon every 2-3 hours. Remember that if you have diarrhea in older people, you should not drink more than 250 ml of oak bark decoction per day.

• Strawberry leaf decoction.

You should take a glass of boiling water per tablespoon of strawberry leaf. The broth is cooled and filtered through cheesecloth or a sieve. You need to take it every hour, ¼ cup until loose stools disappear. A decoction of strawberry leaves is good for intestinal pain, has a mild effect and no side effects.

• Sage infusion.

Pour one tablespoon of sage leaves into a half-liter thermos. Pour 300 ml of boiling water over the herb. Next, close the lid and leave the infusion for several hours. The resulting decoction is filtered and drunk all day, one sip at a time. This remedy improves intestinal microflora and helps cure diarrhea in older people.

• Infusion of bird knotweed herb.

Boil a glass of water in a saucepan. Add a couple of teaspoons of dried and crushed knotweed to the water. Next, the mixture is cooked for five minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, let the broth cool, strain through a sieve or cheesecloth. Use this remedy half an hour after eating in the amount of one tablespoon.

In this article, we told you how diarrhea in older people is treated. Now you can help yourself and others get rid of this disease. Nevertheless. You shouldn’t rely solely on your knowledge and grandma’s methods. If you experience diarrhea, do not let it go and see a doctor as soon as possible.