1 Causes of constipation and diarrhea

The delay in bowel movement lasting for three days without accumulation of defecation products in the large intestine after diarrhea can be quite natural. Indeed, constipation, replacing diarrhea, in this case can be explained by the fact that the intestine is virtually cleansed of stool, the organ's peristalsis is slowed down as a result of taking medicines against diarrhea.

These circumstances can lead to constipation for a short time even in the body of a completely healthy person. If antibiotics were used in the treatment of diarrhea, then constipation and increased gas formation occur as a result of the development of dysbacteriosis. Such a situation, as a rule, does not require medical intervention. If the intestines did not return to normal within 72 hours, this may indicate the development of the following pathologies:

1. One of the most common causes of constipation after diarrhea is irritable bowel syndrome. This condition occasionally occurs in 40% of the fair sex and 15% of men between the ages of 20 to 60 years. It is caused by the development of depression, stress or chronic lack of sleep. Sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition, reduced immunity due to the diseases, hormonal failure or pregnancy can also contribute to the development of such a syndrome. Such a diagnosis can be made if possible pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract have been ruled out, but the patient has been tormenting this condition for more than 3 months.
2. The cause of frequent constipation, alternating with diarrhea, may be enterocolitis or the simultaneous inflammation of the small and large intestines in a chronic form. In this case, every 2 hours after eating, there are pain in the abdomen, a person feels the urge to defecate. During the act, a liquid with a small amount of solid feces is released. This situation is repeated 5 to 7 times during the day. If this pathology is not treated, then it can lead to anemia, vitamin deficiency, degeneration, etc.
3. The greatest danger is diarrhea after constipation, which was caused by intestinal obstruction. Very strong convulsions, malignant tumors, scars and adhesions for a considerable period of time do not allow the progress of food to progress, which leads to their accumulation, decay and stretching of the intestinal walls. This contributes to the necrosis of part of the organ or peritonitis.
4. Constipation after diarrhea is considered one of the most characteristic symptoms of appendicitis. At the same time pathology at the initial stage manifests itself in the form of sharp pain in the entire abdomen and severe diarrhea, after 6-12 hours the patient already suffers from constipation.

It should be noted that the alternation of constipation and diarrhea is also a form of complication for patients who underwent gastrectomy. This condition can be explained by the ingestion of almost unprocessed food into the human intestine. To avoid this situation, patients are recommended to adhere to a special diet.

2 Methods of treatment

In order to normalize the patient's chair, a correctly diagnosed diagnosis is necessary. Only having it on hands, the attending physician can appoint adequate therapy. To eliminate the cause of the disease it is necessary to adhere to the diet, avoid stressful situations and, finally, take antibiotics, antidiarrhoeic and antispasmodic medicines.

If constipation lasts a long time, the attending physician may prescribe an enema procedure. If such problems occur against the background of oncological pathologies, surgery will most likely be required.

As a rule, constipation, replacing the condition of diarrhea, passes without medical intervention. Nevertheless, with severe form of constipation, a doctor's help will be needed. In this case, it is not recommended immediately to resort to the use of laxatives. To eliminate this condition, you need to consume more fiber, drinking water, increase physical activity, stop taking drugs against diarrhea, reduce the use of sugar, drink probiotics.

Sometimes it happens that the reverse situation develops and the person develops constipation after diarrhea. To treat this condition, you need to seek medical help in order to establish the cause. If it is in a fecal blockage, it will be necessary to remove the masses from the rectum and only then take the necessary measures to prevent the condition. Cul-de-sac is, as a rule, liquidated manually. Also, rectal suppositories are used to solve this problem. In exceptional cases, for the treatment of stools, surgical intervention is resorted to.