What helps against diarrhoea? The best remedies for gastrointestinal complaints on holiday
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"Montezuma's Revenge", "The Pharaoh's Curse", "Delhi Belly" - these are not the names of but of gastrointestinal infections that often make life difficult for us tourists in particular. make life difficult for us tourists. In some countries in Asia, Africa and Central and South America, the likelihood of contracting In some countries in Asia, Africa and Central and South America, the likelihood of contracting diarrhoea during a trip is than to make it back home in good health. Because as exotic as the food here are unfortunately also the
the sanitary facilities, the hygiene concepts and the health system. It is therefore not surprising that even a slight rumbling of the stomach on holiday activates our panic mode. But what causes a cold sweat abroad should not be taken lightly in Germany either. Because even at home, diarrhoea, stomach aches and nausea are a pain and can quickly spoil the joy of eating. But don't worry - we'll show you which remedies work best for
We'll show you which remedies work best for gastrointestinal complaints and how you can protect yourself against them in advance.
Different causes and types of diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is when there is a trip to the toilet at least three times a day with soft or liquid stools. The volume and weight of the stool is usually increased, as the body also excretes also excretes a lot of water through the intestines. Fortunately, however, the symptoms often only last a few days and in many cases disappear again on their own. However, if the symptoms last longer than two weeks, it is no longer called acute diarrhoea, but a chronic disease.
In medicine, the term diarrhoea is described as follows:
- A defecation more than three times a day.
- A change in the consistency of the stool to mushy or liquid.
- An increased amount of stool over 250 g per day
Acute diarrhoea is almost always triggered by infections with pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. Since these are usually introduced into the body through contaminated food or drinks, they occur particularly frequently in tropical countries with low hygiene standards.Here, coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli), salmonella, shigella and campylobacter as well as rota or noroviruses are among the most common causes of travellers' diarrhoea. Their symptoms usually occur very suddenly, but also disappear again relatively quickly.
The opposite is the case with chronic diarrhoea. In this case, the symptoms do not subside even after but continue to cause problems or occur in episodes. Since various functional disorders, diseases or intolerances are possible here, a confirmed diagnosis by the attending physician and, if necessary, dietary adjustments or medication are particularly important.
Symptoms and accompanying symptoms of diarrhoea
The primary symptom of diarrhoea is clearly soft or watery stools that force us to go to the toilet several times a day. In addition to this, other gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, abdominal cramps and flatulence may also occur. In worse cases, these gastrointestinal symptoms are accompanied by fever, headache and pain in the limbs, as well as dizziness and circulatory problems.The latter indicate that the body is threatened by a lack of fluids and salts (electrolytes), which is why it is particularly important to drink plenty of fluids or even consult a doctor in order to avoid worse complications.
Diagnosis of diarrhoea: This helps with gastrointestinal complaints.
In acute, uncomplicated diarrhoea, the greatest danger comes from dehydration. Therefore, as much as possible should be drunk to rebalance the body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Water, broth, tea and electrolyte solutions are recommended for this purpose - coffee, alcohol and soft drinks, on the other hand, should be avoided. The following medicines are also recommended to prevent this fluid from being excreted again directly and to relieve the symptoms of gastrointestinal irritation:
- Tannacomp: This combination product of tannin and ethacridine relieves diarrhoea and supports the regeneration of the intestine. While the natural product tannin seals the intestinal wall, ethacridine fights harmful bacteria and has an antispasmodic effect.
- Loperamid acute-1A Pharma: This is one of the most widely used active substances for acute diarrhoea to slow down the increased movement of the intestinal wall. As a consequence, the food pulp stays longer in the intestine, the body loses less water and bowel movements occur less frequently.
- Charcoal comprettes: Since the charcoal is not absorbed by the body but remains in the intestine, it binds the diarrhoea bacteria and their toxins. Both are then excreted from the body with the stool to stop the disease.
- Perenterol forte: These well-tolerated capsules are suitable both as a preventive measure and in acute cases. The medicinal dry yeast binds the bacteria and toxins in the intestine, then excretes them and at the same time inhibits bacterial growth.
All these gastrointestinal remedies are particularly effective for diarrhoea and are largely symptom-free. Therefore, they should not be missing in the medicine cabinet at home or in the first-aid kit when travelling. However, if the symptoms are too severe or the drug therapy does not work fast enough, a doctor should be consulted. Only this person can ensure that the diarrhoea has no serious underlying causes and recommend further medical treatment.
Prevention is better than cure: How to protect yourself from (travel) diarrhoea
Acute diarrhoea is usually caused by viruses and bacteria that enter our bodies through contaminated objects, fluids or food. Therefore, washing and disinfecting hands thoroughly with soap is the first step to avoid contracting the virus or passing it on to others. When it comes to food, travellers should also follow the principle "cook it, peel it or forget it". This means that raw, unpeeled fruit and vegetables should be avoided and fish and meat should only be eaten well cooked. The easiest way to avoid tap water is to buy only mineral water from the supermarket. Alternatively, you can use a filter bottle, boil the water or use purification tablets. Also, don't underestimate the bacteria traps of toothbrush water from the tap and ice cubes in drinks. Especially for longer, more exotic long-distance trips, it is also advisable to see a doctor beforehand. Unfortunately, there is no vaccination against travellers' diarrhoea yet, but a possible cholera vaccination or the compilation of a first-aid kit can be discussed. Because when you have diarrhoea, vomiting and circulation problems, you don't want to have to fight your way through a foreign country to the pharmacy, but are happy if the German medicines are already waiting in your luggage and Tannacomp, Loperamid acute-1A Pharma, Charcoal comprettes and Perenterol forte are ready to hand.
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