Is it normal for elderly to have diarrhea

Expert vik rajan, md jan 2013.Diarrhea may be a symptom of crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, hyperthyroidism, malabsorption disorders, and.Chronic diarrhea is defined as having loose stools or very frequent stools for more than two weeks, says anthony starpoli, md, gastroenterologist in new york city.Diarrhea can be either acute, persistent, or chronic.When your elderly loved one needs medical care for diarrhea.

However, there are things you can keep in mind to prevent and treat it.However, this situation does not last long.In addition, water reabsorption may be affected thereby resulting in excessive fluid within the bowels.An episode usually lasts about one or two days, and, typically, goes away on its own.Most people associate diarrhea with things like food poisoning, infections, or the stomach flu , which typically cause symptoms for just a few days.

It can affect people of all ages.Diarrhea is how the body gets rid of a.There are several reasons a person with alzheimer's may experience diarrhea and toilet problems, such as:The symptoms of chronic diarrhea in the elderly include:Diseases of the intestines (such as crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) eating foods that upset the digestive system.

In the elderly, these may be not as prominent and manifestations of the disease can be more.Older adults are less likely than younger people to recognize that they have diarrhea and therefore might not do anything about it until their symptoms become severe.Diarrhea is a common problem among the elderly that can have catastrophic results.