Amoebic Dysentery

James Godwin 2/7/2011

Godwin 2 James Godwin Mrs. Phillips Biology II A2 February 7, 2011 Amoebic Dysentery Amoebic Dysentery is the scientific term that most of us know of as diarrhea. This happens to many people at least once or twice each year. Amoebic dysentery can be treated by simple, over the counter medicines but usually lasts from two to three days. Irritable bowel syndrome and/or other chronic diseases of the large intestines cause diarrhea to occur quite often. Doctors have come to the conclusion that amoebic dysentery, or diarrhea, can be classified into three different classes: osmotic, secretory, and exudative. According to WebMD: The Basics of Diarrhea, osmotic diarrhea means that something in the bowel is drawing water from the body into the bowel. Dietetic candy or chewing gum diarrhea is a common example of this. In this process, a sugar substitute is not absorbed by the body but draws water from the body into the bowel, resulting in diarrhea. Secretory diarrhea can be caused by many infections and drugs. This is when the body is releasing water into the bowel when its not supposed to. Exudative diarrhea occurs with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis, and several other infections. This is when blood and/or pus are present in the stool. There are several causes of amoebic dysentery. The most common, however, is a virus that infects the gut. This infection is sometimes called "intestinal flu" or "stomach

Godwin 3 flu and usually last two to three days. Many other causes are: food poisoning, foods that upset the digestive system, allergies to certain foods, medications, some cancers, laxative abuse, alcohol abuse, diabetes, and competitive running. Diarrhea can also be followed by constipation, especially for those who have irritable bowel syndrome. The many symptoms of diarrhea are split into two groups: uncomplicated (or nonserious) diarrhea and complicated diarrhea. Complicated diarrhea may be the sign of a serious illness. These symptoms range from uncomplicated symptoms such as thin or loose stools, watery stools, sense of urgency to have a bowel movement, and nausea and vomiting to more complicated symptoms like blood, mucus, or undigested food in the stool, weight loss, and fever. If you have prolonged diarrhea or a fever that lasts more than 24 hours or if vomiting prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids you should contact a doctor as soon as possible. When treating diarrhea you can either treat it with an over-the-counter medicine or just let it run its course. Medicines that help with diarrhea include Imodium A-D, Kaopectate, and Pepto-Bismol. These medicines are available as liquids or tablets. You should also drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of fluid per day to keep your body hydrated from loosing fluids from diarrhea. Drinking fruit juice, broth, or soda (without caffeine) can benefit in the treatment of diarrhea. Avoid drinking liquids with meals and drink them between meals. Also, drink small amounts of fluids frequently throughout the day. Amoebic dysentery, also known as diarrhea, can be a simple, easily treated infection or a serious illness. Knowing what kind of diarrhea you have can help in how you can treat it. Using the several treatments displayed in this paper should sustain and calm common diarrhea. If diarrhea problems get any more serious a doctor should be

Godwin 4 notified as soon as possible. Waiting too long can cause many other infections and/or diseases.