Q: Dear Dr. Mao,
What are the causes of diarrhea and what is the difference between diarrhea and dysentery?
A: Diarrhea is usually caused by increased peristalsis, irritation of the intestines because of improper diet, drugs, bacterial infections, parasites, or worms.
Diarrhea is generally due to digestive weakness, biological imbalance, and is in general, a chronic condition. Dysentery, on the other hand, is caused by an infectious condition.
