Osmotic diarrhea is a pathological intestinal disorder, which is accompanied by an increased number of bowel movements and a change in the structure of feces. The osmotic type differs from other varieties in that it is characterized by a permanent disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Varieties of diarrhea
In medical practice, there are four types of diarrheal disorders:
- Secretory diarrhea.
- Osmotic.
- Mixed.
- Invasive.
With an understanding of the origin and pathogenesis of intestinal disorders, it is possible to identify the cause of the osmotic type of diarrhea and eliminate it, rather than treating the symptoms without a positive result.
Invasive type of diarrhea is accompanied by active damage to the colon by pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, the signs of the disease disappear after taking antibacterial drugs.
The appearance of secretory diarrhea is due to toxic damage to the body by the waste products of bacteria. In this case, the treatment consists in replenishing the balance of electrolytes and influencing the causative agent of the pathology.
Consider the definition of osmotic diarrhea. It is characterized as a continuous disorder in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by a violation of the digestive processes and peristalsis of the colon. The intestine becomes unable to fully perform its functions, which leads to the accumulation of water and sodium in it, which thin the stool and irritate the mucous membrane. Quite often, the symptoms of osmotic diarrhea occur against the background of various pathological processes in the digestive system, such as diseases of the intestines, gallbladder, pancreas in a chronic form.
Reasons
There are quite a few factors that can affect the onset of osmotic diarrhea. In most cases, it occurs as a result of an infectious lesion of the body, for example, with enterovirus or rotavirus. However, diarrhea can also appear against the background of other conditions:
1. Chronic pancreatitis quite often leads to stool disorders. Moreover, in this case, prolonged constipation is replaced by no less prolonged diarrhea. Osmotic type of diarrhea is a concomitant symptom of pancreatitis and occurs as a result of a lack of enzymes and bile acids. Eaten food is poorly digested and quickly enters the intestines in the form of coarse fibers. deficitpancreatic enzymes is also observed in oncological diseases of the pancreas and gallbladder, as well as obstructive jaundice.
2. Another cause of osmotic diarrhea is hereditary fermentopathy. Children often suffer from food intolerances such as lactose and gluten. Such pathologies are accompanied by colic, anxiety, pain in the abdomen and stool disorder. Diagnosis is usually not difficult. Disaccharide deficiency occurs as a result of impaired production of lactose and sucrose. Without disaccharides, these substances are not absorbed by the small intestine. Carbohydrates that have not been digested are excreted through the large intestine and cause osmotic diarrhea.
3. Another type of fermentopathy is hypolactasia. In this case, diarrhea occurs after the use of sour-milk and dairy products. After a couple of hours, the patient begins to feel flatulence, rumbling, pain. Fecal masses become liquid, voluminous and foamy. Such a condition is dangerous with the likelihood of developing a water-electrolyte imbalance. The only way to treat hypolactasia is to follow a special diet.
4. Another cause of diarrhea is surgical operations performed on one of the sections of the intestine, for example, anastomoses or resections. After such an intervention, the risk of osmosis disturbance is high. This is due to the shortening of the period of contact between the digested products and the intestinal wall that has undergone resection. Nutrients don't have enough time tofully assimilate. Against this background, polyfecal syndrome develops, when food remains are excreted with feces that have not had time to be digested.
5. Long-term use of laxatives in excess of prescribed dosages can also cause the development of pathology.
Symptoms
Osmotic diarrhea is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Increased stool output and frequent toilet visits.
- Pain in the large intestine.
- Discomfort associated with bloating.
- Liquefaction of feces, their watery contents. With a pathology caused by a bacterial lesion, the secreted masses acquire a greenish color.
- The body temperature rises as the body's response to a stimulus.
- Dehydration due to prolonged diarrhea with thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes.
If the symptoms of osmotic diarrhea do not go away for a long time, and the patient feels worse, a doctor should be consulted.
Diagnosis
At the initial stage of the examination of the patient, the doctor conducts a physical examination. In addition, a detailed history is collected with clarification of the contents of the feces and a proctological examination is performed. If there are blood impurities in the feces, as well as when an anal fissure, fistula or paraproctitis is detected, we can talk about Crohn's disease.
Microscopic examination reveals the presence of mast cells, protozoa and eggsworms in stool content. When conducting sigmoidoscopy, it is possible to diagnose dysentery, ulcerative or pseudomembranous colitis. Laboratory diagnostic methods are based on macro- and microscopic examination of a fecal sample.
If the diagnosis shows no inflammation, it can be concluded that the diarrhea is the result of malabsorption. Acute diarrhea can be caused by enteroviruses, so a blood test for the presence of these microorganisms is carried out.
When diagnosing osmotic diarrhea, it is necessary to find out if there is a connection between this symptom and an infectious or inflammatory disease. For this purpose, various studies of feces are carried out, including bacteriological, microscopic and sigmoidoscopy. To exclude inflammation as a factor in the appearance of diarrhea, a pathogenetic mechanism is determined. In some cases, for a correct diagnosis, dietary nutrition is prescribed for some time.
Treatment of osmotic diarrhea
The treatment of the disease involves two directions: the elimination of symptoms and the therapy of the cause of the pathology. At the initial stage, the patient is rehydrated. If the patient's condition is not characterized as severe, it is possible to establish a drinking regimen, thereby compensating for the lost volume. Rehydration involves frequent drinking of small amounts of water every 10-15 minutes. In more complex cases, the patient should be monitored in a hospital setting.stay. There, the patient will be given droppers with glucose, saline and Ringer's solution.
Antibiotics
After eliminating dehydration, antibiotics are prescribed. When an intestinal infection is detected, Bactrim, Biseptol and other drugs from the sulfonamide group are prescribed. Another popular drug for the treatment of intestinal infectious diseases is Nifuroxazide. This drug is an antimicrobial agent that has an antiseptic effect. The disadvantage of antibiotic therapy is the inhibition of not only pathogenic microflora, but also he althy bacteria in the intestine.
Probiotics
At the background of antibiotic therapy or after its completion, probiotics are also prescribed. These drugs restore the balance of the intestinal microflora and contribute to its normal functioning. These drugs include Linex, Acipol, Biogaya, Enterogermina, Lactofiltrum, etc. These drugs will help to avoid diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics, while not causing any harm to the body.
Drugs to slow down peristalsis
In the future, symptomatic treatment begins, which consists in taking drugs that can slow down intestinal motility. The most commonly prescribed drugs for osmotic diarrhea are:
1. "Loperamide". Peristalsis slows down as a result of the binding of the drug to the receptors of the mucous membrane of the colon and inhibition of the production of acetylcholine. The drug is produced in the form of capsules for oral administration. The most commonly prescribed regimen is to take one capsule after each pathogenic bowel movement. A very popular analogue of Loperamide is Imodium.
2. Codeine Phosphate. It is prescribed for the treatment of various syndromes, including cough, pain and diarrhea. The drug is taken in short courses and small dosages. The treatment regimen for Codeine Phosphate must be determined by the attending physician.
He alth food
None of the proposed therapies will give a positive result in the presence of signs of osmotic diarrhea, unless the patient begins to follow a special therapeutic diet. It is a gentle, dietary diet that will help restore the normal functioning of the intestines and stomach.
Recommendations
When drawing up the right diet, the following recommendations should be considered:
- Soups should be vegetarian.
- Cereals must be boiled in water.
- Crackers should be used instead of bread.
- Tea should be drunk without adding sugar.
- You can eat baked apples.
- Meat can only be low-fat varieties and in strictly limited quantities.
Follow the diet for several weeks, even after intestinal motility is fully restored.
Complications and consequences
If you do not take timely measures to treat osmotic diarrhea, the following complications may develop:
- Mild, moderate and severe dehydration. This condition is calculated based on the percentage of weight loss of the patient. In the first stage of dehydration, body weight loss is about three percent, in the second it reaches 4-6 percent, and in the third it is more than seven percent. In addition, a significant loss of fluid and electrolytes can provoke the development of kidney failure and other pathologies of these organs.
- Septic or hypovolemic shock.
- Metabolic acidosis.
- Hypokalemia.
- Persistent diarrhea.
- Convulsive syndrome, accompanied by loss of consciousness and falling into a coma.
- Intestinal bleeding.
To avoid the unpleasant consequences of osmotic diarrhea, it is necessary to consult a specialist in a timely manner and carry out both symptomatic and treatment aimed at eliminating the cause of the pathology.
