James left office promptly on a Friday evening to make his way across Kuala Lumpur to pick up his latest romantic interest for their first hot date. But it rained cats and dogs that evening causing massive traffic jams. Halfway through his journey, he experienced intense abdominal pains.
Within minutes, he released some flatulence – but to his utter horror, he also defecated a little in his pants. It was an unpleasant and untimely episode of diarrhoea! Still reeling in pain amidst the storm, James consoled himself that he was alone in his vehicle – saving him from any public humiliation.
Too embarrassed to explain to his date what actually happened, he told her, “Some unexpected work matter had come up and the jam is so bad!” Suffice to say, the date never happened.
While James is a fictitious character, he is not alone. Bouts of diarrhoea can result in people taking medical leave, skipping a work meeting or event, or an important engagement and it’s not uncommon to hear that daily routines are disrupted too.
Diarrhoea episodes in a vehicle are not surprising seeing that on average, people in Kuala Lumpur spend a long time daily in heavy traffic jams. Imagine what happens at those untimely calls of nature. Suffice to say, diarrhoea can really cramp your lifestyle!
While such episodes are both unpleasant and embarrassing, some people are willing to acknowledge the problem. However, they would most likely tell only close family members or friends to ‘save face’.
Diarrhoea is a bigger problem than most of us are willing to admit.
Expert studies reveal that acute diarrhoea is still a major public health concern in Malaysia.
It is not uncommon for people to cite food poisoning or contaminated food as a primary cause for diarrhoea. While there is some truth in this, there is more to it. World Health Organisation (WHO) points out that diarrhoea, is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms. Infection is said to be spread through contaminated food or drinking water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene1.
Acknowledging the problem is just half the battle won! More importantly, how do we treat diarrhoea? Good hydration is a significant step in the right direction since the most severe threat posed by diarrhoea is dehydration, as highlighted by WHO.
WHO pointed out that during diarrhoeal episodes, patients experience great loss of water and electrolytes (sodium, potassium and bicarbonate) through liquid stools, vomit, sweat, urine and breathing. Besides abdominal pains, this leads to patient feeling weak and tired.
While some people may consult a doctor or pharmacist to seek medical remedy, others would just drink lots of water or cancel work and rest.
One of the methods in treating and reducing recovery time for acute diarrhoea is diosmectite – an edible natural clay. One key study on the “Efficacy of Diosmectite (Smecta) in the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhoea in Adults” revealed Smecta significantly reduces time to recovery by 15 hours in adults2.
Smecta is an oral suspension that can be used for adults and children above 2 years old for symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhoea. It forms a protective layer on the intestine for faster recovery of damaged intestinal lining due to diarrhoea.
Smecta has been in the global market for 45 years and is well-known in Malaysia for its Orange-Vanilla flavour. The company also produces the SmectaGO oral suspension in sachet specifically formulated for people with busy lifestyles and constantly on the go! The caramel-cocoa flavoured SmectaGo looks poised to be a popular choice as a fast recovery solution, as it is easily consumed in a ready-to-drink oral suspension form. Smecta is also marketing its Smecta Strawberry flavour in sachet form, which is suitable for adults and children.
A virtual SmectaGO event called “Take a Stand with Smecta!” will take place on 8 July 2021, Thursday at 8pm. The virtual public event will feature top Malaysian celebrity comedians who will tickle your funny bone with stand-up comedy acts discussing those times when you just have to ‘go’. Malaysians can watch the comedy show at www.facebook.com/smectamalaysia
This health article was brought to you by Smecta. It is produced by Ipsen and marketed by EP Plus. Smecta is available at all leading pharmacies and clinics in Malaysia. For further information, visit www.facebook.com/smectamalaysia
References
1. WHO diarrhoeal disease factsheet: www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease
2. “Efficacy of Diosmectite (Smecta)® in the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhoea in Adults; Khediri et. al. Gastroenterology Research and Practice; 2011”
*K.K.L.I.U: 0902/2021 MAL19036016X MAL19116030XC. This is a medicine product advertisement
