Do I Need to Consult a Healthcare Professional About Loose Stool : Identifying the Red Flags

Are There Different Types of Diarrhoea?

According to WHO, diarrhoea is defined as the passage of loose/ liquid stools three or more times a day- which is usually higher than normal for an individual.

Moreover, it is also important to note that frequent passage of formed stools is not considered diarrhoea, and the consistency of your poop is important to determine if you suffer from diarrhoea or not!

Now let us move on to the types of diarrhoea.

Diarrhoea is clinically divided into three types:

• Acute Watery diarrhoea: This type of diarrhoea lasts for several hours or days
• Acute Bloody diarrhoea: Also known as dysentery.Presence of Blood/ mucus with loose stools
• Persistent Diarrhoea: Last for more than 14 days/ 2 weeks.

Diarrhoea can lead to serious complications like dehydration that can dry out your body causing depletion of salts and electrolyte imbalances required to maintain the osmotic balance of your body. It can also lead to reduced immunity and impaired physical and mental functions of your body.

Now, Let's find out the causes of loose stools.

What Are the Common Causes of Loose Stools?

The common causes of diarrhoea include: 

• Bacterial/viral/parasitic infections
• Intake of Incompatible and unhealthy foods
• Malabsorption
• Lack of personal hygiene
• Allergies to certain food items
• Certain medications
• Radiation therapy
• Stress and anxiety
• Menstruation
• Certain digestive disorders

In many cases, diarrhoea is seen to be self-limiting and short-lived, and it gets relieved by itself even without taking any medications. In cases caused by underlying medical conditions like IBS and IBD proper management strategies should be adopted as they are life-long conditions. 

In some other cases, immediate medical attention is required as they can worsen the condition due to the presence of toxins induced by the pathogens.

When to Call For Help? Identify These Red Flags for Medical Attention

It is essential to know when to seek medical attention in any health condition. However, when you experience loose stools, some of the signs of complications go unidentified. You must keep yourself informed as to what may cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances  from loose stools.

1. Chronic Diarrhoea: In case if you suffer from chronic diarrhoea, that persists for more than 14 days immediate medical attention is required to manage the condition, Chronic diarrhoea can cause extreme dehydration causing fluid and electrolyte imbalances which can impair your body function lowering your immunity and energy levels.

2. Diarrhoea with Blood: It can be an indicator of a life-threatening disorder and should be treated immediately. Bloody diarrhoea is usually caused by certain viruses or by conditions like IBD.

3. Diarrhoea and Vomiting: Diarrhoea with vomiting is a typical symptom of viral gastroenteritis, also called the stomach flu, which is an intestinal infection of viral origin commonly caused by norovirus and is associated with other symptoms like abdominal cramps, tiredness and lowered energy levels.

4. Black Stool without Blood: Black stools can be formed due to the intake of certain foods like black liquorice, spinach or certain medications like iron tablets, whereas in certain cases it can be due to GI bleeding which needs immediate medical attention.

5. Constant / Persistent Diarrhoea: Persistent/non-stop diarrhoea might be indicative of an underlying medical condition like IBS/ IBD. This should be consulted with a qualified medical practitioner before you start adopting effective management strategies at the earliest.

What are the Other Concerning Symptoms? 

The following symptoms, when combined with loose stools, could indicate a more serious issue: 

• Nausea and Diarrhoea: In most of the cases nausea associated with diarrhoea is an indicator of a stomach bug. In certain cases, it can be caused due to food poisoning.

• Bloody Mucus in Stool: Small amounts of mucus in your stools are considered normal, whereas an excess of mucus with stool can be due to certain underlying digestive disorders like IBS, Crohn's disease or certain infections. Frequent appearance of mucus in excess with stool may be an indicator of colon cancer.

• Severe Diarrhoea: This type of diarrhoea is usually caused by certain infections, lack of hygiene or food intolerances. In very few cases it is self-limiting but in most of the conditions, it needs emergency medical attention as it causes fluid and electrolyte imbalances making you feel dehydrated and depleted.

Do Not Hesitate to Seek Professional Help!

Immediate medical attention should be provided in cases of severe diarrhoea if it is not self-limiting. Home remedies can be administered in mild cases of diarrhoea but if the episodes are frequent and the symptoms are severe, proper medical care should be administered. In complicated cases of diarrhoea like diarrhoea with blood, proper investigation of the cause should also be noted and treatment should be given immediately.

Conclusion: 

Diarrhoeal disease is one of the most common diseases with high prevalence globally and is preventable and treatable at the same time. 

According to the latest reports of WHO, it is known that proper maintenance of hygiene with safe drinking water, and proper sanitation can help to cut down the number of cases globally. 

It is important to track down the red flags of loose stools as it can cause serious conditions that may deplete your body by lowering the energy by imbalanced fluid and electrolyte levels and impaired immunity leading to serious life-threatening conditions.