Loose green stools in an adult: causes and treatment methods

A change in the color or content of feces in all cases indicates the presence of malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract or other systems within the body.

Green diarrhea is a symptom of a large number of diseases, therefore, in order to determine the root cause of its occurrence, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and determine what caused its formation.

Green diarrhea in an adult may indicate some dangerous pathological process. Even if there is a slight change in the shade of stool, you should pay close attention to this.

Feces of an uncharacteristic color are a signal of disorders within the body. To find out why the pathology appeared, you need to consult a specialist.

Green diarrhea in adults: causes and treatment

Diarrhea is a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract that occurs due to various circumstances in both adults and children.

For infants, this condition is extremely dangerous and can cause rapid development of dehydration.

Feces during diarrhea may have a different pathological color and contain impurities that should not be present normally.

The unexpected formation of green, liquid stool should cause concern, since in many situations this is considered a characteristic symptom of infection in the intestines, dysbiosis and other diseases.

But there are cases when green diarrhea does not pose any health hazard and occurs as a result of the use of medications or certain foods.

Establishing the cause of such changes in the color and content of stool, as well as prescribing therapy, is the immediate task of the specialist.

Prevention

Prevention includes:

Increasing fluid intake; Taking rehydrating medications; Spending at least two hours in the fresh air; Exclusion from the diet of low-quality food, exclusion of fast food, food containing dyes; Quitting alcohol and tobacco; Taking medications only as prescribed by a doctor; Maintaining hygiene;

Liquid green stool in an adult can occur in patients of all ages.

Diarrhea can be a consequence of taking various medications or the presence of infectious diseases. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, you should contact a professional specialist.

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Causes

To find out why this phenomenon occurs, it is necessary to establish the factors that provoked it. There are several known reasons for the appearance of green stool:

• The presence of a significant number of dyes in food products leads to a change in the color of the stool.
• Treatment with antibacterial agents may adversely affect the intestinal microflora. Long-term use of medications leads to dysbiosis. Beneficial microflora dies, and the intestines are colonized by pathogenic microorganisms.
• Green diarrhea appears in people after eating a significant amount of vegetables. They help stimulate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cause the appearance of similar stools.
• Green diarrhea in an adult forms after infection with bacteria in the intestines. The patient's stool contains blood and a significant amount of mucus.
• After eating food products of poor quality, toxic substances penetrate into the intestines, changing the color of the stool.
• Changes in the color of diarrhea may indicate liver or gallbladder damage.
• Green diarrhea can be caused by gastrointestinal bleeding. In this case, the color of the blood changes due to the influence of digestive enzymes on it.
• Another reason for green feces is liver pathology.

Identification of the cause that caused green diarrhea is carried out taking into account the general well-being of the patient, the presence of concomitant symptoms, test data and, if necessary, special instrumental diagnostics.

Associated symptoms

Flatulence. This is one of the common symptoms associated with diarrhea. Increased gas formation in the intestines is often accompanied by bloating and intestinal colic, which is relieved or disappears temporarily after the gases pass.

Pain. It can be dull and aching, acute and paroxysmal, localized in the upper abdomen or spread along the anterior abdominal wall and radiate to the sides and lower back.

Increased body temperature. This symptom usually accompanies diarrhea of ​​infectious origin, and can also occur in acute inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Nausea. It can be of varying intensity: from mild to severe, passing only after several episodes of vomiting.

Each of the listed symptoms is important, therefore, when contacting a doctor, it is important to talk about each of these signs, when it began to appear, how severe, etc. This will allow the doctor to get an overall picture of the disease and make it easier to make a diagnosis.

Treatment of green diarrhea in adults

Before starting therapy, it is necessary to establish the reasons why green diarrhea appeared in an adult.

When, in addition to disruptions in the functioning of the stomach, there is an increase in temperature, intense pain inside the abdominal cavity, a gag reflex, and lethargy, then you should call a doctor.

If there are no acute symptoms of the disease, treatment can be carried out at home. Treatment of green diarrhea, regardless of the cause of its formation, is carried out according to the same scheme.

One of its main elements will be proper dietary nutrition, which excludes fermented milk products, fatty foods, raw fruits and vegetables.

When to see a doctor?

It is imperative to contact a professional specialist if:

The patient has an increase in body temperature from 37°; There are sharp, unbearable pain sensations in the abdominal area; There is mucus or blood clots in the stool; Increased gas formation and flatulence have developed; If the patient's age is younger than 3 years and older than 60 years: If diarrhea occurs in a pregnant girl; If diarrhea provokes nausea or a gag reflex; If the patient has undergone recent abdominal surgery; If the patient suffers from diabetes, epilepsy or heart failure; If diarrhea persists for more than three days;

Diet

To eliminate disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract, you must follow a strict diet. It involves the consumption of astringent food products that help strengthen the stomach, as well as the removal from the menu of dishes that irritate the mucous membrane.

Dietary nutrition is aimed at normalizing the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, as well as restoring the inflamed mucous membranes of damaged parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

When a patient has diarrhea, it is necessary to limit the intake of any product that causes the formation of gases, fermentation, or increases gastric motility.

The list of prohibited products includes:

• fatty foods, which make it difficult to process food masses;
• fermented milk products, since they increase fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract;
• semi-finished products that contain flavorings and dyes;
• fruit juices, which contribute to the deterioration of the patient’s well-being during diarrhea;
• consumption of salty foods and marinades affects irritation of the intestinal walls;
• During the period of diarrhea treatment, the intake of spicy foods should be avoided;
• mushrooms increase the load on the digestive system weakened by the disease;
• the menu of a person who has green diarrhea should not include legume dishes;
• It is forbidden to eat cabbage, radish and onions;
• highly carbonated drinks make it difficult to treat the patient;
• When green diarrhea is diagnosed, it is forbidden to drink alcohol.

Products that help the patient recover during digestive disorders include:

• crackers and biscuits that benefit patients at any age;
• dried black bread helps reduce the frequency of bowel movements;
• jelly with blueberries eliminates complications of severe diarrhea;
• strong tea can speed up recovery if greenish diarrhea occurs;
• Bird cherry decoction has the same properties;
• It is permissible to eat baked apples and bananas.

If the patient’s general condition has improved, then lean meats can be included in the menu. It is optimal to pass it through a meat grinder. This makes it easier to digest food products.

Drug therapy

When the cause of green diarrhea is an infection, treatment requires serious medication.

The doctor must prescribe the following medications:

• Antibiotics. The most commonly used drugs include Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, and Tetracycline. However, knowing about the individual characteristics of the patient’s body, the doctor is able to prescribe other medications. The course of treatment usually lasts for a week, and even if you feel better on the 2nd day after therapy, you should drink it to the end. You should not purchase antibacterial agents yourself or carry out independent treatment.
• Probiotics to preserve intestinal microflora. The most popular medication is Linex, although it has a large number of analogues, for example, Normoflorin, Acipol. These drugs are prescribed when the cause of green diarrhea is dysbacteriosis. They also have a calming effect on the mucous membrane, reducing inflammation.
• Sorbents. They are drugs that help eliminate poisoning and cleanse the body. These include Enterosgel, Smecta or Polysorb.

The main advantage of these medications is that they stop diarrhea, reduce the formation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract, remove toxic substances and stabilize the patient’s condition.

Medicines

Sorbents

Enzymes

Probiotics

Antiseptics

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine has proven itself well. These include:

• Oak bark. Pour in a pinch of crushed bark and 0.3 liters of water. The mixture is boiled over low heat for 10 minutes. The decoction is effective for the treatment of chronic diarrhea.
• You can get rid of green diarrhea using tincture of walnut kernels. Its inner part is crushed. Pour the mixture with 2 cups of boiling water and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. The cooled tincture is filtered through cheesecloth. Take 100 g once a day.
• Wormwood. To prepare the decoction, you need to mix 1 tbsp with boiling water. l. wormwood leaves and boil for 5 minutes. The product is best consumed warm, without sugar.
• A decoction of St. John's wort is beneficial for green diarrhea in adults. It is taken 100 g three times a day before meals.
• Blueberry. It is a universal berry containing substances that can eliminate severe diarrhea. With constant consumption of blueberry jelly, the patient’s general well-being improves.

When green diarrhea is diagnosed, it is necessary to prevent dehydration, particularly in a situation where a child has diarrhea.

Prevention of dehydration consists of increasing the volume of fluid consumed and using special rehydration solutions.

They help replenish the loss of water and electrolytes in the body. To prescribe treatment for green diarrhea in an adult, its root cause must be identified.

When intense diarrhea is observed, it is not recommended to take any medications yourself until the doctor arrives, since this can complicate diagnosis.

IMODIUM® Express in the fight against diarrhea

IMODIUM® Express is a drug that is approved for use in the symptomatic treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea of ​​various origins. The active substance, loperamide, has the following effects:

• helps restore intestinal motor function - slows down the movement of feces and reduces the frequency of the urge to defecate;
• helps reduce the volume of water released into the intestinal lumen;
• helps regulate and restore the normal level of absorption of water and salts dissolved in it by the intestinal walls.

Before taking IMODIUM® Express, you should read the instructions and consult a specialist.