Diarrhea refers to abnormal bowel movement characterized by watery and loose stools. If a person faces loose and watery bowel movements for three consecutive days, it could be a sign of dysentery.

The symptoms of acute diarrhea generally resolve within a few days, even without treatment. For chronic diarrhea, the symptoms may last for a few weeks to months. These symptoms may appear intermittently or continuously. Read on to know about the causes and symptoms of diarrhea.

Causes of diarrhea
The causes of acute and chronic forms of diarrhea differ. Here are the causative factors that contribute to the development of this condition:

• Causes of acute diarrhea
  Acute diarrhea is caused by an infectious agent that could be a virus, parasite or bacteria. This condition is generally known as gastroenteritis.
  Usually, people may face this problem when they switch homes or travel to an area where sanitary practices and climate differ. This short-term gastroenteritis is called traveler’s diarrhea. Jet lag could also give rise to this condition. Fortunately, all these infections subside with a short time frame.
• Causes of chronic diarrhea
  The cause of chronic diarrhea could be conditions like gluten intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, chronic infection of the bowel, inflammation or even bowel cancer. If one faces any of these conditions, they must consult a doctor immediately. Medications like anti-cancer medicines and antibiotics can also cause chronic diarrhea.

Symptoms of diarrhea
Diarrhea is characterized by frequent bowel movements. The stool may contain pus, mucus, blood, and fats. Some of the symptoms of this condition are:

• Fever
• Weakness
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramps

In some cases, people may lose excess water from the body which leads to dehydration. It is a common problem that adults and children face. Some of the symptoms of dehydration include:

• Lack of energy
• Thirst
• Dizziness
• Limited urination
• The skin of the hand becomes less toned

Sometimes, children may face mild to moderate dehydration due to diarrhea. It is vital to check this condition as soon as possible because it could be dangerous. Here are some of the symptoms which indicate dehydration in children:

• Dry mouth
• Irritability
• Reduced production of tears
• Sunken eyes
• Limited urine production
• Listlessness

Thus, the symptoms of diarrhea are pronounced in both adults and children. Most often, children tend to face the problem of dehydration due to diarrhea. Thus, children with diarrhea need immediate medical attention.

Tips to help to prevent diarrhea
One can easily prevent diarrhea by following these tips:

• One should drink plenty of fluids like oral rehydration solution (ORS), water, cordial concentrate dilute solution or soft drinks. One should avoid pure lemonade as well.
• One should change their diet a little and consume dry and bland foods. It is best to avoid cooked vegetables and grains
• Restrict the consumption of fatty, spicy or sweetened foods

Now that you know about the causes of diarrhea, you can avoid them and also get the right treatment.