When “nocturnal diarrhea” is present, which means you wake up from sleep to empty your intestines, it is a sign of infection or inflammatory disease.
Anyone who enjoys spicy food knows that the effects can include loose, watery stools. But sometimes diarrhea can signal a more serious health problem.
“Spicy dishes contain a phytochemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin irritates pain receptors in the intestines, which the body wants to get rid of as soon as possible,” says gastroenterologist Alexandra Alisova, especially for MedicForum.
Diarrhea: when to see a doctor urgently
Consequently, digestion speeds up and diarrhea occurs, but there are other classic diarrhea triggers:
- Non-fermented dairy products
- Caffeine
- Sugar, including artificial sweeteners.
“When you have diarrhea, it's because that your intestines are filled with an abnormal amount of water.”
This happens in several ways: either the small intestine does not absorb water properly, or water is drawn into the intestines. To clarify, when eating fatty foods that are difficult for the digestive system to digest, the excess fat can “draw in water.”
The 6 Most Important Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
If a person has one or two times loose stools, this is likely due to the fact that he ate something.
However, if the problem persists, such as three bouts of diarrhea within 24 hours, it may be an infection known as gastroenteritis ( for example, stomach flu).
Signs of infection may include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Blood in stool.
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When “nocturnal diarrhea” is present, which means you wake up from sleep to empty your bowels, this is a sign of an infection or inflammatory disease.
Examples of inflammatory bowel disease that can result to nocturnal diarrhea include colitis and Crohn's disease. You can distinguish an infection from an inflammatory disease by the speed of the onset of symptoms.
Earlier, MedicalForum wrote about the benefits of cherries. Important! The information is provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and under no circumstances self-medicate. At the first sign of illness, consult a doctor.