Diarrhoea

Ayurvedic Name: Atisar

What is a diarrhoea (diarrhea)?

Diarrhoea ia also called loose motions. Diarrhoea is not itself a disease, but can be a symptom of several disease. Diarrhoea means there are frequent, loose or liquid stools. There may abdominal pain, which may reduce after a stool is passed. Acute diarrhoea may come on suddenly for a short time. Chronic diarrhoea may affect someone for a long period of time. If you have diarrhoea for long periods of time, it may very troubling and you may feel very weak and tired.

Diarrhoea causes dehydration. Children are more likely than adults to die from diarrhoea because they become dehydrated more quickly. Diarrhoea is also a major cause of child malnutrition.

What are the symptoms of diarrhoea?

• Frequent, loose, watery stools.
• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea
• vomiting.
• Stomach pains.
• Fever.
• Abdominal pain.
• Abdominal cramps
• Dehydration.
• Pricking sensation.
• Sometimes bacterial or parasitic infections sometimes cause bloody stools.

You may recover complete from diarrhea within three to seven days. One out of every ten people with cancer may suffer from diarrhoea at some time during their illness. If the diarrhoea lasts more than three weeks, it is considered chronic.

What are the causes of diarrhoea?

There are many causes of diarrhoea, including food poisoning, infection, malnutrition. Diarrhoea may also be caused due to a chronic problem like viral stomach flu. Diarrhoea occurs when the lining of the small or large intestine is irritated. It leads to increased water being passed in the stools.

The causes of diarrhoea are many. Out of which the main causes are listed below:

• Bacterial Infections: Several types of bacteria which get into our body through contaminated food or water, are the main causes of diarrhea.

• Viral infections . Many viruses are also responsible for the cause diarrhea, including rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and viral hepatitis.

• Parasitic infections are also a cause for diarrhoea.

• Food Intolerance - Some people are not able to digest some component of food properly, such as lactose, the sugar found in milk - which ultimately leads to diarrhea.

• Some medicines also react wrong way and cause diarrhoea.

• Intestinal diseases.

• Functional bowel disorders.

• Sometimes too much swimming also causes diarrhoea.

Some Herbal Remedies for Treatment of Diarrhoea

Meadowsweet may prove to be good for gentle treatment for diarrhea as it tones the lining of the small intestine. It is especially helpful in childhood diarrhea.

Other herbal products good for treating diarrhoea may include:

• Agrimony (leaves, flowers).
• Ladies Mantle (leaves).
• Cranesbill.
• Ribwort (leaves).
• The stronger astringents such as Oak Bark should only be used as a last resort, when you think that every other thing has failed.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Diarrhea

• Mixture of 1 gm each of Kutaja Churna, Gangadhara Churna and Hingavashtaka Churna may be taken daily with luke warm water.
• Mixture of 240 mg of Raman Churna, 240 mg of Mahagandhaka Yoga and 120 mg of Sanjivani may be taken daily with honey.
• Mixture of 240 mg of Piyushvalli Rasa and 500 mg of Kutaja Churna, when taken with fleaseed husk three times daily, also has proved to be good in treating diarrhea.
• 15 gm of Rasanjanadi Churna and 1.5 gm of Yamani Shadava can also be taken two times daily after the main meals.