Gastrointestinal Medicine - Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common symptom, commonly known as loose stool, which refers to the frequency of defecation significantly more than usual habits, thin fecal material, increased water, more than 200g daily defecation, or with undigested food or pus and blood, mucus . Diarrhea often accompanied by urgency, anal discomfort, incontinence and other symptoms. Normal daily about 9L liquid into the gastrointestinal tract, through the intestinal absorption of water, eventually the water in the feces is only about 100 ~ 200ml. If the amount of fluid entering the colon exceeds the absorptive capacity of the colon or (and) the absorption capacity of the colon decreases, it results in water excretion increased in the stool and diarrhea. Clinically according to the duration of the disease, the diarrhea divided into acute and chronic two categories.Acute diarrhea attack rapidly, duration of 2 to 3 weeks, mostly caused by infection. Chronic diarrhea refers to the recurrence of diarrhea with a course of more than two months or intermittent within 2-4 weeks. The cause of the disease is more complicated and can be caused by infectious or non-infectious factors.