Can Diarrhea Induce Paralysis or Cause Death

Arlenroy had acute diarrhea. The problem was that he was in a public place when he had to use a toilet.

This is how it went...

"I ran into 7-11 because I couldn't hold on much longer. The feeling of unleashing that toxic foam was incredibly relieving, but I had pinched a nerve in my lower back when I sat down so fast (I have a moderate disc hernia).

This hurried diarrhea squat rendered me paralyzed from the waist down. I couldn't relieve the pressure on my nerve that caused the paralysis because that requires standing up, and I couldn't stand up because I was paralyzed. The EMTs came to lift my naked ass of the toilet and I regained feeling in my body."

Diarrhea is bad for Seniors:

Two weeks ago I helped myself to an avocado smoothie that's been in my ref for three days. It was already a bit rancid but, being an avocado junkie, I took it just the same.

As soon I downed everything, I felt my stomach groan in protest and immediately knew that I will be visiting the toilet more often than I want to.

For wanting to stretch my food to their shelf-life limits, I paid a very high price - diarrhea - something I, or any person my age can hardly afford to have.

Why? Because diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, vitamin and mineral deficiencies which, if untreated, can lead to weakness, or even death, according to Anil Minocha, M.D. in his book, "The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders."

And seniors are particularly susceptible because of the deterioration of their digestive and immune systems due to aging. They can easily get it from viral infection, lactose intolerance, contaminated water, too much beer, anxiety, and side-effects of some drugs they are taking for other medical issues.

In case your loose bowel movement episode is similar to that of Alrenroy's, you can easily deal with it at home using these steps to help you avoid serious complications:

1. Stay home, don't go out:

Diarrhea can sap your energy and can be embarrassing if you had to rush to the toilet each time you need to discharge.

So stay home and near your toilet. With your wobbly legs, poor balance, and poor eyesight, you can experience a fall while if you have to cover some distance to relieve yourself, especially at night.

2. Hydrate yourself:

Drink lots of water after each discharge to make up for fluid loss.

Take electrolytic drinks, like Gatorade, to replenish the loss of your body's electrolyte through frequent discharge.

Dehydration is one of the main causes for seniors to end up in hospital emergency rooms.

3. Eat the right kinds of foods:

Eat lots of fruits like bananas, or white rice, applesauce, and white bread.

In between, eat baked potatoes, plain crackers, pretzels, baked chicken (without the skin and fat).

Avoid fatty foods like milk, butter, ice cream, cheese, alcohol, caffeinated drinks, artificial sweeteners, and foods that can produce excess gas like cabbage, beans, broccoli, and cauliflower.