Amisha

Diarrhea describes bowel movements (stools) that are loose and watery. It is very common and usually not serious. Many people will have diarrhea once or twice each year. It typically lasts two to three days and can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Some people have diarrhea often as part of irritable bowel syndrome or other chronic diseases of the large intestine.
Doctors classify diarrhea as "osmotic," "secretory," or "exudative."Osmotic diarrhea means that something in the bowel is drawing water from the body into the bowel. A common example of this is "dietetic candy" or "chewing gum" diarrhea, in which a sugar substitute, such assorbitol, is not absorbed by the body but draws water from the body into the bowel, resulting in diarrhea. * Secretory diarrhea occurs when the body is releasing water into the bowel when it's not supposed to. Many infections, drugs, and other conditions cause secretory diarrhea. * Exudative diarrhea refers to the presence of blood and pus in the stool. This occurs with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, and several infections.
What Causes Diarrhea?
The most common cause of diarrhea is a virus that infects the gut. The infection usually lasts for two days and is sometimes called "intestinal flu" or "stomach flu." Diarrhea may also be caused by: * Infection by bacteria (the cause of most types of food poisoning) * Infections by other organisms * Eating foods that upset the digestive system * Allergies to certain foods * Medications * Radiation therapy * Diseases of the intestines (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) * Malabsorption (where the body is unable to adequately absorb certain nutrients from the diet) * Hyperthyroidism * Some cancers * Laxative abuse * Alcohol abuse * Digestive tract surgery * Diabetes * Competitive running
Diarrhea may also follow constipation, especially for people who have