What does it mean when diarrhea and constipation alternate? The causes of this pathology will be considered below.
In some situations, people may experience diarrhea, which alternates with constipation. Such an alternation of stool disorders may indicate any malfunctions in the body, and the patient should consult a doctor. The causes of alternating constipation and diarrhea can be very diverse, and not always even a specialist can establish an accurate diagnosis without a full preliminary examination. The patient himself in such a situation is perplexed, not understanding what is happening with his body. Most often, the cause should be sought in the processes that constantly occur in the digestive tract against the background of various diseases and are responsible for intestinal motility.
If a person has constipation, then diarrhea, the reasons should be determined by the doctor.
Causes of alternating diarrhea and constipation
Diarrhea and constipation develop against the background of the presence of certain causes and are not considered a disease in themselves, representing only symptoms. Diarrhea can occur up to 4 times a day, and feces in this period become quite rare. Constipation, in turn, causes a slowdown in bowel cleansing, bowel movements rarely, sometimes once for several days. Normal is considered to be a delay in bowel movement for one day. In the case when defecation is less common, you should think about the presence of digestive disorders.
The normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is indicated by defecation, which occurs no more often than three times a day, but no less than three times a week.
If constipation and then diarrhea are tormented, the causes in women and men often coincide.
Experts believe that the simultaneous occurrence of diarrhea and constipation indicates the occurrence of significant pathological disorders in the body.
Possible pathologies
Such symptoms occur, as a rule, if the following diseases are present:
- Inflammation of the colon or small intestine, which has a chronic form.
- Bowel irritation syndrome.
- Dysbacteriosis
- Gastrointestinal diseases of oncological nature.
- Helminthic invasion.
- Constipation in chronic form with the simultaneous use of laxatives.
In all these cases, constipation is followed by diarrhea. The reasons are discussed in more detail below.
It is important to remember that diarrhea and constipation are a special reaction of the body to various factors. Among the predisposing factors are food poisoning. When microbes enter the body, it begins independent attempts to get rid of them. As a result, the patient develops diarrhea. When dehydrated against a background of a lack of fluid, the body reacts accordingly - the appearance of constipation.
Physiological factors
The main physiological factors that play an important role in the alternation of diarrhea and constipation are considered to be:
- Violation of intestinal patency as a result of mechanical blockage of the intestinal lumen by a neoplasm or foreign body.
- Violation of intestinal patency as a result of a malfunction in the intestinal motility.
Any of these conditions requires the help of a specialist, so you should not postpone a visit to a medical institution.
It is important to understand that as a result of prolonged diarrhea, the patient may experience severe dehydration, and constipation threatens to poison the entire body with toxic substances. Such conditions are extremely dangerous.
When a person has constipation, then diarrhea, the cause of this may be IBS or irritable bowel syndrome.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Quite often, the main cause of the simultaneous occurrence of constipation and diarrhea in patients of adult and childhood is an irritable bowel disease. This pathological condition can affect people of any age. It is characterized by a violation of intestinal motility and a pathological change in the large intestine.
Diarrhea occurs after constipation. The reasons for this pathology are interesting to many.
The primary source of this condition is considered to be dystrophic changes that affect the walls of the organ. The main risk group is adults.
Causes of IBS
A disease can develop for several reasons, but most often its development is due to a combination of factors:
- Food abuse causing overeating in a chronic form.
- Too frequent consumption of a large number of alcoholic and carbonated drinks.
- Frequent use of harmful foods and semi-finished foods.
- Lack of a balanced diet, lack of food of certain trace elements.
- Dysbacteriosis
- Frequent stressful situations at home and at work.
Among women
In women, there is some connection between the activity of the intestine and the hormonal background of the body. Hormonal failure in women can be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms in the form of:
- Prolonged migraines.
- General weakness.
- Sensation of incomplete bowel movement.
- Frequent manifestations of flatulence.
- Pain in some muscles and lower abdomen.
- Alternating diarrhea and constipation.
An irritated bowel often develops as a result of a depressive state in women of different ages. They note the appearance of nausea, unreasonable anxiety, suffer from a lack of appetite. Most often, bowel movement leads to the disappearance of some of these symptoms.
Quite often, the alternation of stool disorders is observed in women with climacteric changes, when the body undergoes a global hormonal restructuring.
If alternation is observed - then constipation, then diarrhea - enterocolitis may be the cause of this.
Enterocolitis
The alternation of diarrhea and constipation may indicate a person's disease with enterocolitis. For this ailment, a violation of motility and a deterioration in the assimilation of useful substances necessary for the body are characteristic. The most dangerous consequence of enterocolitis may be atrophy of the intestinal mucous membranes or dystrophy. Enterocolitis is able to develop over several years. The root causes of the pathology lie in poorly treated acute enterocolitis. However, it is necessary to take into account that the duration of the pathology directly affects the depth of damage to the intestinal mucosa.
When women and men have constipation, then diarrhea, it is important to identify the cause as soon as possible.
Clinical signs
Clinical signs of enterocolitis are irregular bowel movements and alternating diarrhea with constipation. Diarrhea is the result of increased intestinal motility. In this condition, the liquid and trace elements are not able to be absorbed normally. Diarrhea can also develop as a result of the fact that feces are excessively liquefied. Moreover, the higher the degree of damage to the intestinal walls, the more often the patient has a bowel movement.
If the inflammatory process affects only the small intestine, bowel movements can occur up to 4 times a day. This disease is not accompanied by pain, and the urge to defecate occurs immediately after eating.
If the inflammatory process affects all parts of the intestine, urge to defecate can occur up to 10 times. At the same time, the presence of mucus is observed in the feces, and the number of bowel movements decreases over time. Painful diarrhea is replaced by persistent constipation, in which a person does not go to the toilet until several days.
What other reasons are known? Either constipation or diarrhea occur in various neoplasms.
Tumor formation in the rectum
The rectum is the final section of the digestive tract, through which excrement is excreted. The main factors that provoke the development of cancer pathologies in the rectum, it is customary to include:
- Polypous formations on the walls of the intestine.
- Proctitis.
- The presence in the history of chronic colitis.
- Hereditary predisposition.
Some experts believe that the main factor contributing to the development of cancer is malnutrition. If the patient's daily diet is saturated with fried foods, and the number of fruits and vegetables is limited, this can cause persistent constipation. Also a predisposing factor is immobility and the presence of excess weight.
Symptomatology
Clinically, oncological pathology of the rectum manifests itself quite specifically, which suggests the presence of a tumor in the early stages. Symptoms are as follows:
- In the feces there are abnormal inclusions - particles of the tumor, greenish pus, mucus, blood blotches.
- The patient feels the presence of a foreign body in the anus.
- With bowel movements, severe pain occurs.
- The patient experiences frequent urge to defecate.
- There is a constant alternation of diarrhea and constipation.
In the case when the tumor formation is localized in the upper intestine, diarrhea occurs, and the bowel movements are black, and this indicates an impurity to blood feces. Very often, patients take oncological manifestations for hemorrhoids, trying to independently and unsuccessfully cure it at home. It is important to note that there is a significant difference: hemorrhoids are accompanied by the release of feces, on the surface of which there is blood (it can leave the anus also before or after defecation), and with oncology, the blood is mixed with stool. Constipation with cancer damage is becoming a daily occurrence.
And very often there is an alternation of diarrhea, then constipation. Causes and treatment are interconnected.
Therapy for alternating diarrheal manifestations and constipation
In order to normalize the process of excreting feces in patients of adult and childhood, it is first necessary to identify the cause of such a violation. Experts recommend that patients undergo an in-depth examination, which includes the following methods:
- Performing a biochemical study.
- Conducting bacteriological laboratory tests of feces.
- Determination in the stool of the presence of occult blood.
- Performing a digital examination of the rectum.
- Radiography of the intestine.
- Laboratory study of urine and feces.
The main goal of therapy should be to eliminate the root cause of this condition, its manifestations. Along with the use of medications, the treatment includes a complete review of the patient's diet, minimizing stress factors. Of the medicines, the use of sorbents, analgesics, laxatives or antidiarrheals, antibiotics, enzyme agents is indicated. If constipation is persistent, cleansing enemas should be used. If the patient is diagnosed with oncological pathology in the rectum, he is shown to undergo surgery and radiation therapy. It is only important to determine the cause correctly.
Constipation, then diarrhea for a long period of time are very dangerous signs, the patient should not risk his health, postponing a visit to the doctor and trying to fix the problem on his own. This condition can occur for various reasons, the elimination of which requires a certain technique, which only a doctor can choose after diagnosis. Timely therapy will avoid the development of complications and in the shortest possible time will allow a person to return to a normal rhythm of life.
We examined the causes of alternating diarrhea and constipation.