Or it can last for days and disrupt your plans. But between medication, low-fiber foods, and avoiding foods that irritate your digestive system — such as dairy or artificial sweeteners — you can quickly relieve symptoms and enjoy diarrhea-free days.
Most of the time, diarrhea and vomiting are due to a stomach bug and clear up on their own within a couple of days. Learn about the other causes, as….
Discover 20 causes of abdominal pain and diarrhea including stomach flu, food poisoning, allergies, and more, as well as diagnosis, treatment, and…. When the stomach flu strikes, it can be difficult to keep anything down, but certain foods may help you bounce back quicker. Here are 17 foods and…. Almost everyone gets an upset stomach from time to time. These 12 foods can help settle your stomach and get you feeling better in no time.
Food poisoning occurs when you consume foods contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Symptoms are usually uncomfortable but not severe. Diarrhea can cause uncomfortable irritation around your anus, but you may be able to soothe the pain for yourself or your baby with home remedies. Learn about the connection between diarrhea and the common cold, as well as how to treat them and when you should call a doctor.
Learn how to use Pepto-Bismol to relieve diarrhea, heartburn, and other not-so-fun…. Many common foods can cause diarrhea. Some foods irritate the gut, and others trigger food intolerance symptoms. Learn about foods that cause diarrhea….
How long diarrhea lasts depends on the cause. Diarrhea caused by a viral or bacterial infection or colonoscopy prep won't last as long as chronic…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Anti-diarrheal medication. Flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Using a thin, lighted tube that's inserted in your rectum, your doctor can see inside your colon.
The device is also equipped with a tool that allows your doctor to take a small sample of tissue biopsy from your colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy provides a view of the lower colon, while colonoscopy allows the doctor to see the entire colon. Upper endoscopy. Doctors use a long, thin tube with a camera on the end to examine your stomach and upper small intestine. They may remove a tissue sample biopsy for analysis in the laboratory. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter.
Show references Diarrhea. Accessed May 10, Diarrheal diseases: Acute and chronic. American College of Gastroenterology. Mayo Clinic; Merck Manual Professional Version. Accessed May 11, However, people who are taking antibiotics should finish the course before taking probiotics.
Find out more ways to treat diarrhea at home here. The treatment for acute diarrhea in infants differs from that for adults. For example, OTC anti-diarrheal medications are not suitable for children unless a doctor has prescribed them.
An infant with diarrhea must continue to feed and drink as normal. People who are breastfeeding should continue to do so if the infant is still willing to drink fluids. Oral rehydration solutions can help replace the fluids and electrolytes lost during episodes of diarrhea.
Examples of such solutions include:. A review article notes that daily zinc supplements may help to treat and prevent episodes of acute diarrhea in infants. They suggest that children older than two months may benefit from 20 milligrams of zinc per day over 10 days. Additional research is necessary to determine whether this type of treatment has applications for adults.
Learn more about diarrhea in children and why they might have green poop here. People who are experiencing diarrhea should avoid foods and ingredients that could make their diarrhea worse.
This includes the following:. Persistent or recurrent episodes of diarrhea may indicate an underlying food sensitivity or intolerance. Anyone who has a suspected food sensitivity or intolerance should avoid foods that trigger bouts of diarrhea. Learn more about alcohol and diarrhea here.
They add that children should see a doctor if their diarrhea lasts 24 hours or more. Contact your GP or call NHS 24's service for advice if you're concerned about yourself or your child. It's important to see your GP if the diarrhoea is particularly frequent or severe, or associated with other symptoms, such as:. You should also contact your GP if your or your child's diarrhoea is particularly persistent, as this may be a sign of a more serious problem. In most cases, diarrhoea should pass within about a week.
Read more about diagnosing diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is often caused by an infection. You can reduce your risk by making sure you maintain high standards of hygiene. It's also important to practise good food and water hygiene while travelling abroad, such as avoiding potentially unsafe tap water and undercooked food.
Read more about preventing diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is where you frequently pass watery or loose poo. Some people may also have other symptoms, depending on the cause. The excessive loss of water in your poo can also sometimes lead to dehydration , which can be serious if it's not recognised and treated quickly. Read more about the symptoms of dehydration.
Contact your GP or call NHS 24's service for advice if you are concerned about yourself or your child. You should also contact your GP in the situations outlined below, as they may mean that you or your child has, or is at risk of, a more serious problem. You should contact your GP or health visitor urgently if your baby has had 6 or more episodes of diarrhoea in the past 24 hours, or if they have vomited 3 times or more in the past 24 hours.
You should also contact your GP if your child has persistent diarrhoea. Most cases will pass in 5 to 7 days. You should also contact your GP if you have persistent diarrhoea. Most cases in adults will pass in 2 to 4 days.
Diarrhoea usually occurs when fluid cannot be absorbed from the contents of your bowel, or when extra fluid is secreted into your bowel, causing watery poo. Diarrhoea is usually a symptom of a bowel infection gastroenteritis , which can be caused by:. The patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine should state whether diarrhoea is a possible side effect. Persistent diarrhoea can also sometimes occur after surgery on the stomach, such as a gastrectomy.
This is an operation to remove part of the stomach — for example, as a treatment for stomach cancer. Read more about when to visit your GP if you have diarrhoea.
Your GP may ask you for a stool sample so it can be analysed for signs of an infection if you have:. Your GP may suggest you have some blood tests if they suspect your diarrhoea is being caused by an underlying health condition. For example, your blood can be tested for signs of inflammation, which may suggest inflammatory bowel disease.
Read more about the possible causes of diarrhoea. Your GP may recommend a digital rectal examination DRE if you have unexplained persistent diarrhoea, particularly if you're over It can be useful for diagnosing conditions that affect your rectum and bowel. If you have persistent diarrhoea and your GP is unable to find the cause, they may refer you to your local hospital for further investigation.
Diarrhoea will usually clear up without treatment after a few days, particularly if it's caused by an infection. In children, diarrhoea will usually pass within 5 to 7 days and will rarely last longer than 2 weeks.
In adults, diarrhoea usually improves within 2 to 4 days, although some infections can last a week or more. While waiting for your diarrhoea to pass, you can ease your symptoms by following the advice outlined below.
It's important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration , particularly if you're also vomiting. Take small, frequent sips of water. Ideally, adults should drink a lot of liquids that contain water, salt, and sugar. Examples are water mixed with juice and soup broth. If you're drinking enough fluid, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear.
It's also very important for babies and small children not to become dehydrated. Give your child frequent sips of water, even if they are vomiting. A small amount is better than none. If you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby and they have diarrhoea, you should continue to feed them as normal.
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