Diarrhea can really ruin someone’s day! This is why everybody needs to know how to stop diarrhea fast. Thankfully, this isn’t too difficult and includes such options as dietary changes, medication (over the counter and prescription), and more. The key danger of diarrhea is dehydration, so you must learn to avoid that.
How to Stop Diarrhea Fast:
As stated, your main goal has to be to stop dehydration. This can be dangerous, so it really has to be avoided. While you lose fluids, you also lose sugars, salts, and other nutrients. Hence, while drinking water is better than not drinking at all, you should consider drinking broth and certain fruit juices as well. If you are too nauseous, then sucking on ice chips can be beneficial. Babies, meanwhile, should not be given anything carbonated nor any fruit juice.
Medication:
Once you know you won’t be dehydrating, it is time to really find out how to stop diarrhea fast. There are a number of good over the counter remedies available, such as Pepto-Bismol and Imodium A-D. These are available from any good pharmacist, and although they are over the counter, you should discuss using them with the pharmacist, particularly if you already take other medication (including herbal medications and supplements), or if you are buying for a child or other person.
Rest:
Next, you need to rest. Allow your body to settle down and to recover. Feeling ill is stressful and exhausting on mind and body, and you have to allow yourself plenty of time to feel better again.
Seek Medical Attention:
If none of the above works, if the situation gets worse, if you experience severe pain, or if you notice blood in your stool, you should seek medical attention. Diarrhea is always symptomatic of something else, and a physician may be able to give you the treatment for whatever else is ailing you, thereby also stopping the diarrhea.
Caring for Children with Diarrhea:
If you are an adult, you will know yourself whether you feel really ill, or whether this is something you can recover from. Children, however, find this much more difficult. They cannot tell you if they are dehydrating, feel worse despite treatment, or even how bad their pain is. You, as their primary care giver, know them best. If you notice any signs of dehydration, therefore, you need to seek medical attention immediately.
Signs to look out for include dry, cracked skin, irritability and drowsiness, a decrease in urine production, dry and cold skin, and no tears being present when the child cries. The onset of dehydration in the very young can be incredibly rapid, and incredibly dangerous. This is one thing that you should not try to resolve yourself. In fact, the only way to truly stop diarrhea fast in this case is to take the children to the emergency room and have them checked out. If need be, intravenous fluids can be provided to the children so that they do not dehydrate even further and so that they can replenish their lost electrolytes.
