People of all ages experience occasional diarrhea – stool that is looser, watery and more frequent than usual – often due to a virus, medication or medical condition. However, if diarrhea lasts longer than a few days or interferes with normal activities, talk with your provider about treatment before it leads to such serious complications as dehydration and malnutrition.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Diarrhea is caused by the intestines pushing stool through the bowel faster than the body can reabsorb the water it contains or bowel inflammation that causes the stool to absorb too much water.
Digestive conditions like Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can trigger diarrhea. Other potential causes include:
- Food poisoning
- Lactose intolerance
- Viruses such as norovirus and hepatitis
- Medication. Antibiotics, for example, can disturb the normal balance of good bacteria in the intestines, which can lead to diarrhea.
- Bacteria and parasites. Contaminated food or water, often ingested while traveling in developing countries, can cause diarrhea.
- Artificial sweeteners. Nonabsorbable sugars – sorbitol, erythritol and mannitol – used to sweeten sugar-free foods can trigger diarrhea. In addition, fructose, a natural sugar in fruit and honey and added to beverages, can be challenging to digest and lead to diarrhea.
- Abdominal surgery
In addition to experiencing more frequent and loose bowel movements, related symptoms can include:
- Stomach cramps or pain
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Bloating
- The urgent need to move your bowels
- Blood or mucus in the stool
- Fever
To diagnose diarrhea, our specialists will conduct a full medical exam and ask key questions about your lifestyle, diet and general health.
Treatment Options
Treating diarrhea typically involves addressing its cause. If testing reveals yours is related to a gastrointestinal condition like Crohn’s or IBD, our team of providers will help you make dietary and lifestyle changes and prescribe medication to minimize the diarrhea. For other causes, we may prescribe antibiotics or over-the-counter medication.
For anyone with diarrhea, helpful lifestyle changes can include:
- Increasing fluid intake. Diarrhea can cause dehydration which can be dangerous for young children and older adults. Drink plenty of water, over-the-counter hydration solutions and/or sports drinks. Avoid milk, carbonated drinks and alcohol until the diarrhea is controlled.
- Adding probiotics. Foods and beverages containing this “good bacteria” – kombucha, cottage cheese, sourdough bread, yogurt, tempeh and pickles – help restore a healthy balance in your intestines. You can also take probiotics in pill or powder form.
- Tracking what you eat. We know certain low-fiber foods help you ease diarrhea. Try following the BRAT diet - bananas, white rice, applesauce and toast – to help. On the other hand, people prone to diarrhea don’t tolerate other foods. We suggest avoiding things like alcohol, beans, green leafy vegetables, corn, coffee or tea, ice cream and berries.
Living with the Condition
Members of our team work with all patients to develop and implement personalized tactics, including lifestyle changes or medication, that will help avoid or ease diarrhea. Our nutritionists can help tailor diet plans to meet your specific needs.