Is Diarrhea...Good? - Gastroenteritis Explained (Causes and Treatment)

Diarrhea and loose bowel motions that develop within 24 hours after eating something dodgy are most commonly caused by an infection (also called acute gastroenteritis). Diarrhea is both good and bad: loose bowel motions help excrete the infection along with any potential toxins. However there is a downside - your body loses a lot of water and electrolytes in the process. Dehydration is a common complication of infectious gastroenteritis.

The most important treatment for gastroenteritis is rehydration: replacement of both water and electrolytes. For mild cases of diarrhea, fruit juices and sports drinks can be sufficient. You can even make electrolytes replacement drinks at home by mixing 500ml of water, half a tablespoon of salt, 2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar or hone and 250ml of orange juice. But for more serious diarrhea, you may need to buy oral rehydration solutions.

A slow and steady approach to re-introducing foods is the best approach. Initially, the best foods to re-introduce are those that are easy to digest. These include starchy foods like noodles, rice or pototatoes, soups, fruits and vegetables. It's a good idea to avoid high fat foods because these can be difficult to digest. Also, it is common to get a brief period of lactose intolerance after gastroenteritis, so it's a good idea to avoid to temporarily avoid dairy.

Anti diarrhea medications (eg. Loperamide) are effective for reducing the frequency of motions, but they need to be used cautiously. If used continuously, these medications may prevent excretion of the infection and lead to fluid build up in the intestines.

In research studies, {robiotics were associated with a modest reduction in the duration of diarrhea, with an average reduction of 25 hours. Probiotics are worth considering if you would like to reduce the duration of gastro as much as possible.

In healthy adults and children, gastroenteritis resolves by itself in 4 to 7 days once the immune system has cleared the infection. So antibiotics are not used routinely. However if you have severe gastroenteritis or see blood mixed in with diarrhea, then antibiotics can be helpful.

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Timestamps
0:40 What causes diarrhea
1:26 How long it takes for diarrhea to resolve
1:49 Treatment for diarrhea - Rehydration
2:25 What foods to eat during an episode of gastro
2:59 Anti-diarrhea medications
3:16 Probiotics for gastro
3:44 Antibiotics in the treatment of gastro

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#gastro #diarrhea #docunlock

References and Further reading:

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Video credits:

Music:

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[duydang]

Once I have bloody diarrhea, my medical prescription also has Zinc besides what you've mentioned. So what can Zinc help in this situation? Should I take zinc every time I have diarrhea?

[oliviadrazuler]

Who else is sitting on the toilet while watching this😂😂

[matross]

Every few hours? I wish, I’ve been every 10-15 minutes for 5 days straight now, barely any sleep. Pray for me, and my stomach

[Thebigboy]

I’m so glad I’m not watching this on the toilet. Drop an F for everyone who came to watch this video while having diarrhea

[criticalthinker]

Sitting on the toilet at 3am. Whoever is reading this, you'll get through it too.

[janelee]

I was told many times that dairy should be avoided when one has diarrhea because "it makes it worse". Now I know why. Thanks DocUnlock!

[notleviathan]

Watching this as I'm blowing my bowels out. Thanks man.

[coupleofbeers]

Anxiety can also cause diarrhea. This kind comes out of the blue and is resolved within 1 hour. I unfortunately suffer from that. :(

[HeartzHugzKissez]

One time, I made the mistake of taking an anti-diarrheal after eating some contaminated meat and falling ill... I was in agony for days and I just wanted my body to hurry flush away the infection.

[waniqilahiam]

I'm just having diarrhea and when I watch this video, i feel so touched. As it can totally understand me 😢👍. Love this vid

[kadendick]

This man said every few hours... nah every few minutes

[Ophelia]

I'm on Day 4 of this mess. Every time I eat, my gut starts gurgling and I end up having to run to the toilet 5-10 minutes later like clockwork. Doesn't matter what I eat or drink, NOTHING stays. Even anti-diarrhea medicine doesn't work. Praying this goes away soon. 😖

[Fernxia_Official]

I had this after having mcdonalds.
Im never having mcdonalds again until Im older probably

[babyb]

*Everybody Gangsta until it clogs the toilet*

[essentialeugene]

In 2017 I had severe gastroenteritis. The stool was watery. I ran to the bathroom every 4 minutes. It lasted 10 days.

[lavanderxluv]

He's good at explaining, *but how do I tell my parents that it's not chocolate on the floor?*

[hehe]

I was literally in the bathroom for 2 hours and while suffering the pain my allergies attacked then made every part of my body itchy like real bad. I woke up with scratches. Worst and memoravle night of my life (just wanted to share)

[monicaant.]

Who else always say they won't eat that shit again but eat the thing the next day 😭

[DocUnlock]

Got a question or suggestion for a future video? Let me know!
Please remember that this video is for educational purposes only and cannot replace advice from a medical professional. It is always best to see your doctor to make sure you get the right diagnosis and treatment for your specific situation. Thank you and I'll see you in the next video!

[LoveBanime]

I always avoided dairy. I ate something that caused me diarrhea throughout the day. Not fun, but at least, like this guy said, it gets rid of crap.
My stomach is crying in hunger, but I'm afraid to eat anything for it might trigger me to sit on toilet longer.