What causes watery stools?

Whether it is an adult or a baby, the shape and state of stool is a very important thing that can judge our physical condition. If the stool is watery, we should be alert to whether it is caused by disease or lifestyle habits. Many times, if we eat something unclean, this kind of situation will occur in our stool. However, there are some diseases that can also cause watery stools.

1. Excessive consumption of raw and cold food

Raw and cold foods, such as cold drinks, iced fruits, ice cream, etc., are harmful to the spleen and stomach. Excessive consumption can cause spleen dysfunction, leading to abnormal water metabolism and diarrhea. This situation is more common in the hot summer weather.

Main symptoms

(1) Having watery stools, having bowel movements soon after eating, and having undigested food in the stools;

(2) Cold pain in the abdomen, accompanied by abdominal rumbling and bloating.

2. Caused by cold

Sometimes, excessive use of air conditioning or fans, cold showers, and failure to keep warm can cause patients to have diarrhea and watery stools.

Main symptoms

(1) The stool is like water, but not very often, usually about 3 times a day;

(2) May be accompanied by symptoms such as fever, headache, and dizziness.

3. Acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. This disease is common in summer and autumn. It occurs mostly due to improper diet, overeating, or eating raw, cold, rotten, dirty and unclean food.

Main symptoms

(1) Mild diarrhea caused by acute gastroenteritis. The patient is generally in good condition, with less than 10 bowel movements per day. The stool is yellow or yellow-green in color, contains a small amount of mucus or white soap blocks, and is not much in stool. Sometimes the stool is "egg drop soup-like".

(2) Acute gastroenteritis can also cause severe diarrhea, with bowel movements ranging from several to dozens of times a day. Large amounts of watery stools, small amounts of mucus, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and sometimes vomiting of coffee-like substances. If hypokalemia occurs, there may be abdominal distension and symptoms of systemic poisoning; such as irregular low or high fever, irritability and then lack of energy, blurred consciousness, and even coma.

3. Rotavirus enteritis

Diarrhea and watery stools may be caused by infection with rotavirus, an acute gastrointestinal infectious disease, which is a type of gastroenteritis. Diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection in infants and young children often occurs from June to October, also known as autumn diarrhea, and is more common in children aged 6 months to under 3 years old.

Main symptoms:

(1) The incubation period is usually 2 to 3 days, and the onset is acute;

(2) Yellow watery stool without mucus, pus or blood. A large amount, usually 5 to 10 times a day, and more than 20 times a day in severe cases;

(3) Most cases are accompanied by fever, with body temperature ranging from 37.9 to 39.5°C. 30% to 50% of children experience respiratory symptoms in the early stages. Infected adults have fewer fever and respiratory symptoms than children.

(4) Other associated symptoms include abdominal distension, abdominal rumbling, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, etc. Rotavirus infection in adults may cause symptoms such as general fatigue, aches, dizziness, and headache. Severe diarrhea may cause isotonic dehydration, metabolic acidosis and electrolyte imbalance.

(5) The course of diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection is short, generally 3 to 5 days, and most of them are self-limiting.

(5) Immunodeficiency patients may develop chronic symptomatic diarrhea.

3. Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis

Diarrhea and watery stools may also occur after being infected with Norwalk virus gastroenteritis through unclean water or food.

Main symptoms

(1) The incubation period is generally 24 to 48 hours, and the course of the disease is self-limited, generally 2 to 3 days, with no sequelae after recovery.

(2) The onset is sudden, with vomiting or diarrhea of ​​varying severity as the main symptoms. There may be vomiting or diarrhea alone, or vomiting first and then diarrhea. The diarrhea is yellow, watery stool, occurring several to dozens of times a day, without pus, blood or mucus.

(3) May be accompanied by low fever, headache, myalgia, fatigue and loss of appetite.

4. Bacillary dysentery

Diarrhea and watery stools may be caused by Shigella infecting the human body through the digestive tract, causing inflammation and ulcers of the colon mucosa, and releasing toxins into the blood.

Main symptoms:

(1) Abdominal pain and diarrhea, which starts with watery stools, which turn into bloody and purulent stools after 1 to 2 days, with a sense of tenesmus. Often accompanied by hyperactive bowel sounds and left lower quadrant tenderness;

(2) Fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite;

(3) The incubation period is generally 1 to 3 days (several hours to 7 days). The general course of illness is 10 to 14 days;

(4) Accompanied by systemic toxemia symptoms. In severe cases, the patient may experience high fever, severe abdominal pain, and may even develop septic shock and/or toxic encephalopathy;

5. Food poisoning

Eating rotten food, drinking contaminated water, or heavy metal lead poisoning can also cause diarrhea and watery stools. When poisoned by heavy metal lead, the stool will turn black, accompanied by symptoms of headache and dizziness, and in severe cases, the person may even fall into a coma and lose consciousness.