How do you get rid of diarrhoea?

Answer 1

Over-the-counter medicines like Immodium are usually helpful, but if it persists you may need to see a doctor.
You find and treat the cause of it.

If it is the normal virus the community gets every year, it will go in a day or two.

If it is caused by a bacteria, an antibiotic might help.

Some diarrhoea causing diseases such as cholera or typhoid are Notifiable Diseases, and the patient has to be treated under supervision of a doctor and in isolation.

If it is due to food poisoning, it should clear up within 72 hours.

If it is due to inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as Crohn's disease, the person needs to be treated by a Doctor specialising in diseases of the bowel.

If it is due to food allergy or intolerance, the food causing the diarrhoea should be avoided.

Eating too much fruit can cause diarrhoea and you get rid of it by learning your lesson and eating sensible amounts in future.

ADVICE:

In most cases it is wiser to let the diarrhoea to take its course as it is Nature's way of removing whatever is causing it, although there are exceptions to that rule. The most dangerous problem with diarrhoea, especially in young babies, children and the elderly, is dehydration. Dehydration will kill someone before diarrhoea will. There are special rehydrating powders available to replace the salts the body loses in diarrhoea, and they are mixed with clean water and sipped by the patient. Basically, the patient should drink lots of clear fluids - no milk - until their urine is pale and clear. They should not eat for a day or so to give the digestive system a rest.

A simple test for dehydration is to gently pinch the skin on the back of the hand. If the skin springs back immediately, the patient is not dehydrated. If it goes down slowly, the patient is dehydrated and that must be dealt with urgently. In babies, the fontanelle or 'soft spot' on the head may be sunken. In that case, the baby should be taken to hospital straight away.