Diarrhea is a condition of an increased number of bowel movements and looseness of stools. Its causes include gastrointestinal infection caused by viruses, bacteria and other microbes. Diarrhea is classified into two main types, acute or short term and chronic or long term. Usually symptoms like runny bowel movements, frequent stools, nausea, or vomiting last from several hours to several days. If symptoms continue beyond two or three days, the disease is termed chronic.
 

There are many causes of microbial infection in the gastrointestinal tract or system, which are causes of diarrhea. Let us discuss various elementary causes, remedies, and treatments of these symptoms.
 

Among the main causes of chronic diarrhea, norovirus directly infects the gut and causes various symptoms like regular or frequent loose motions that lead to other adverse symptoms or conditions like severe dehydration and require immediate treatments. Though there are many remedies to prevent gastrointestinal infection or hazardous symptoms of diarrhea, it is always wise to first understand the actual causes of the illness and accordingly seek remedies. Some of the causes of diarrhea, especially the chronic phase, include:

• Infectious symptoms are caused mainly by viral, bacterial, or any other microbial infection. The causes are contaminated food, water, or improper sanitation. E.coli and rotavirus are two common microbial agents that cause of diarrhea. Some active remedies can prevent the chronic symptoms.

• Contaminated water may contain infectious microbes. It causes chronic diarrhea and requires immediate treatments.

• Malnutrition has also been listed among the major causes of chronic diarrhea. In fact, in children under 5 years of age, this is the major cause of the condition becoming chronic, may lead to hospitalization, and in many cases, it causes death.

• Wash hands properly before eating.

• Six months of breastfeeding newborns keeps children safe from severe chronic diarrhea.
 

With the rise of severe symptoms, it is necessary to start immediate treatment to prevent the condition from turning adverse or fatal. Some treatments include:

• The primary factor required in all treatments is rehydration through the supply of oral rehydration salts.

• Zinc supplements can prevent the hazardous symptoms of chronic diarrhea.

• A nutritious diet can compensate for the malnutrition caused by chronic diarrhea.

• The chronic condition caused by viral infection in the gut can be treated through medicines such as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate. However, drugs treatments are not recommended for a bacterial gut infection.