Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Medically Reviewed on 7/22/2022
Doctor's Notes on Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common condition that is characterized by frequent and loose bowel movements. Diarrhea that comes on suddenly is often due to a viral infection. Diarrhea that is persistent and lasts more than 4-6 weeks usually is a sign of an underlying problem with the gastrointestinal tract. Causes of chronic diarrhea may include:
- irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease,
- infections (such as salmonellosis, shigellosis, rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cholera, giardiasis, and cryptosporidiosis)
- food poisoning, and
- medication side effects.
Associated symptoms that often accompany diarrhea depend on the cause and may include:
- abdominal pain or cramping,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- fever,
- blood in the stool,
- bloating,
- feeling the need to urgently have a bowel movement,
- watery stool, or
- pus in the stool.
What Is the Treatment for Diarrhea?
Treatment of diarrhea depends on the cause and severity. For most cases of diarrhea, medication is not necessary. Possible treatments may include:
- Hydration, either oral or intravenous
- Bland diet
- Medications may include:
- Loperamide (Imodium), which slows the passage of food through the digestive tract
- Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate)
- These medications are not suitable for children or for people with bloody stools
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Dehydration in Children
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Diarrhea vs. Loose Stools
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Fever in Adults
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Flatulence (Gas)
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Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu) Symptoms, Transmission, Contagious, and Cure
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Vomiting and Nausea
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What Causes Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is defined as loose stools occurring three or more times in a day. Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that is persistent or lasts from two to four weeks. There are many possible causes of diarrhea, such as eating certain foods, viral infections (norovirus, rotavirus, viral gastroenteritis, COVID-19), bacterial infections, parasitic infections, digestive problems and diseases, some medications, long-term use of medications, laxative use, caffeine intake, alcohol use, food allergies and intolerances, and complications due to past abdominal surgeries.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.