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Discussion: Cramping and Diarrhea
Discussion: Cramping and Diarrhea
Discussion: Cramping and Diarrhea
Week 3 discussion In Week 3 you learned about other common adolescent health conditions. Review the following case study and answer the following questions: An 18 year old white female presents to your clinic today with a 2 week history of intermittent abdominal pain. She also is positive for periodic cramping and diarrhea as well as low grade fever. She also notes reduced appetite. She notes that She admits smoking ½ PPD for the last 2 years. Denies any illegal drug or alcohol use. Does note a positive history of Crohn’s Disease. Based on the information provided answer the following questions: What are the top 3 differentials you would consider with the presumptive final diagnosis listed first? What focused physical exam findings would be beneficial to know? What diagnostic testing needs completed if any to confirm diagnosis? Using evidence based treatment guidelines note a treatment plan. Submission Details: Post your response to the Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Respond to at least two posts by the end of the week.
Diarrhea affects almost everyone at some point. Abdominal pain or cramping may accompany diarrhea. Some of the most common causes include food sensitivities, bacterial or viral infections, and medication or alcohol use.
It may also result from or chronic conditions, such as (IBS).
Here we describe some common causes of abdominal pain and .
Diarrhea may be acute and occur suddenly, or chronic and develop slowly and last for a few days.
Some of the most common causes of abdominal pain and acute or chronic diarrhea include:
1. Infection
Diarrhea may result from a bacterial or viral infection of the stomach and bowel, which doctors call .
People may get bacterial gastroenteritis by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms usually occur within a few hours or days of consuming the contaminated food.
People may also contract viral gastroenteritis, which some people call stomach , from someone who has the infection.
Symptoms typically go away without treatment after a few days in both cases. People can try home remedies, such as drinking plenty of fluids, resting, and taking over-the-counter medications to ease discomfort.
Parasitic infections can also cause acute diarrhea and abdominal pain. This type of infection often clears up within a few weeks. Persistent outbreaks may require medical treatment.
2. Reactions to food
Something a person has eaten or drunk can potentially cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other types of stomach problems. Symptoms typically occur for short periods and will usually go away a few hours after eating.
Diarrhea after eating may have causes including:
- sudden changes in diet
- eating rich, fatty foods
- food sensitivities
- , where the body cannot break down gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley
More than of people experience food sensitivities, according to some research.
It is not always clear why diarrhea occurs after eating. Keeping a food diary can help. Once people know which foods are causing the problem, they can address it.
Remedies may include introducing new foods and dietary changes slowly, eating fewer rich meals, and limiting or avoiding trigger foods. People with celiac disease will need to remove gluten from their diet permanently.
3. Indigestion and overeating
Overeating can result in , diarrhea, and stomach ache because the digestive system struggles to deal with large amounts of food.
Both adults and children can experience the side effects of overeating, but children may be more likely to do so. This is because children cannot always differentiate between feeling hungry and feeling full.
