DIARRHOEA

If a patient presents with such a diagnosis they should be referred. Also Loss of electrolytes and fluids can cause dangerous dehydration particularly in the young so as always if response is slow or the condition reoccurs refer the patient.

ACONITE

Sudden attacks of diarrhoea that occur after a fright or exposure to cold dry winds. The usual Aconite symptoms of great restlessness, anxiety , fear, and great thirst should be present.  Nausea and perspiration before or after the attack of diarrhoea. There may be sharp cutting pains with a distended burning hot abdomen.  The stools may be white or green like chopped spinach.

ALOES

A good acute diarrhoea remedy when there is a great hurry to get to the bathroom in time after eating or drinking something.   There is usually loud abdominal rumbling.  The stools are gurgling, sputtery, lumpy and watery. They may pass a stool when they have flatus. Diarrhoea is usually about 5 am causing patient to leap out of bed and head for bathroom very quickly!  Diarrhoea can be caused by drinking beer. Stools can be mushy with mucus.

ARG NIT.

Especially for diarrhoea due to emotional states or anticipatory anxiety e.g., of exams, performing, flying, driving test; also from eating sweets.  Patients who need this remedy have a marked craving for sugar/sweets but cannot digest them easily, and consequently suffer diarrhoea from indulging in them.   They are generally warm people, and heat aggravates them.  There is marked noisy flatulence, wind, and abdominal distension.  They can vomit at the same time as the diarrhoea attack.  There is great exhaustion with the attacks.  The stools are watery, noisy, also can be green like chopped spinach. There is diarrhoea immediately on eating or drinking.

ARSENICM ALB.

For diarrhoea attacks with the usual Arsenicum symptoms of extreme restlessness, anxiety, and prostration or weakness.  He will not want to be alone.  The patient will be in terrible anguish, and pain, may even feel he will die.  They will be chilly even if there is a high fever and be thirsty for frequent small sips of cold water.  There may be severe nausea. As always with Arsenicum there is burning e.g., burning pains in the abdomen, in or around the anus which are better for warmth. Heat or hot drinks relieve the patient. The diarrhoea can be bloody and watery or black, also watery and burning, with a very offensive  odour. Vomiting and purging are often simultaneous.   The tongue may be black. The attack may come on about 1 or 2 am. A good remedy in food poisoning.

BRYONIA

This is often a good remedy for acute gastroenteritis often with fever, or for hangovers, especially if the nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea are aggravated from the slightest movement.   Their tongue maybe coated white or brown in the middle. The diarrhoea is worse in the morning after the patient gets up. The stools are usually pasty and mushy and can smell like old cheese.  The patient is usually warm and irritable and just wants to be left in peace, they are thirsty and may well have a headache.

CAMPHOR

The remedy to consider if there is a great state of collapse, with extreme, icy coldness.  There is great anguish weakness and pain as in Ars alb.  Bluish coldness is very marked, especially skin, and tongue, even the breath feels cold.  There can be internal burning.  There is extreme pain in the stomach, he may feel he will die (like Ars alb. again).  The patient will want to be UNCOVERED   when cold, but covered when he is hot.  The stools tend to be blackish or like rice water and may be involuntary.

CROTON TIG.

A wonderful remedy for summer diarrhoea in children.  The stools are dirty green in colour. There is very noticeable rumbling and gurgling in before passing stool but the evacuations are  very sudden and shoot forcibly out.  Flatulence followed by the urgent desire to pass stools. May occur after drinking (or nursing in babies).

NUX VOMICA

Although a good constipation remedy, Nux is valuable in treating diarrhoea from mental over exertion, overindulgence in food, coffee, alcohol or drugs.  There is heartburn, nausea, empty retching, headache, backache, irritability, and the feeling that if they could only be sick they would feel better.  The diarrhoea is frequent but small amounts of brown liquid or ‘mucousy’ stools.  There is constant urging but little or no result. (A good hangover remedy.) The patient feels better for heat to the abdomen.

PODOPHYLLUM

One of commonest diarrhoea remedies for   explosive watery profuse offensive stools, so profuse that patient wonders where it  is all  coming from.   The stools are yellow or green and often completely liquid. Before the episode they can feel unsure as if going to be sick or have diarrhoea and after the attack they  feel faint and weak.  The attack is aggravated by eating, drinking and moving around.   The attacks are painless or the pain only occurs during the bowel movement. Often needed for diarrhoea when the weather is hot.

VERATRUM ALB

This remedy has symptoms of excessive, copious, and very painful watery diarrhoea, that is forcibly evacuated, accompanied by forceful vomiting and followed by great prostration.  Like Camphor there is chill, blueness and weakness, but with marked sweating on forehead.  The diarrhoea can even feel cold. and can be black or contain fresh blood.  The abdomen can be very swollen, sensitive to pressure, and there can be severe colic.