Symptom Finder - Diarrhoea
Diarrhea
This discussion will focus on the physical findings of chronic diarrhea, because acute diarrhea is usually due to an infectious disease and is often
self-limited.
The physician looks for an enlarged thyroid (hyperthyroidism) as well as hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes (Addison
disease). Flushing of the face is indicative of a carcinoid tumor. Sometimes a malignancy of the intestinal tract presents with diarrhea, so
one should look for an abdominal mass. A rectal examination is essential not just to look for carcinoma or occult blood but to rule out a fecal
impaction that may be the cause of diarrhea, especially in the elderly. A smooth tongue and cheilitis may suggest malabsorption syndrome as may a foaming stool that floats to the top in the commode.
Bloody diarrhea suggests ulcerative or granulomatous colitis but may be seen in colon carcinoma and diverticulitis. An enlarged liver may be a sign of metastatic carcinoma from a pancreatic or colon primary.
This discussion will focus on the physical findings of chronic diarrhea, because acute diarrhea is usually due to an infectious disease and is often
self-limited.
The physician looks for an enlarged thyroid (hyperthyroidism) as well as hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes (Addison
disease). Flushing of the face is indicative of a carcinoid tumor. Sometimes a malignancy of the intestinal tract presents with diarrhea, so
one should look for an abdominal mass. A rectal examination is essential not just to look for carcinoma or occult blood but to rule out a fecal
impaction that may be the cause of diarrhea, especially in the elderly. A smooth tongue and cheilitis may suggest malabsorption syndrome as may a foaming stool that floats to the top in the commode.
Bloody diarrhea suggests ulcerative or granulomatous colitis but may be seen in colon carcinoma and diverticulitis. An enlarged liver may be a sign of metastatic carcinoma from a pancreatic or colon primary.
