Diarrhea

Diarrhea — loose, watery stools occurring more frequently than usual — is a common symptom rather than a disease itself, and is usually the body's way of clearing an irritant or infection quickly.

Causes of Diarrhea

Acute diarrhea (lasting less than two weeks) is most often caused by a viral or bacterial infection, such as gastroenteritis or food poisoning, though it can also follow antibiotic use, which disrupts normal gut bacteria.

Chronic diarrhea (lasting four weeks or longer) points to a different set of causes, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, food intolerances (such as lactose intolerance), celiac disease, or certain medications — and needs proper medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause rather than ongoing symptom management alone.

Treatment for Diarrhea

Staying hydrated is the priority for any diarrhea — water, oral rehydration solutions, or diluted broths replace lost fluids and electrolytes better than large amounts of plain water alone.

Diet: bland, easy-to-digest foods (bananas, rice, toast, boiled potatoes) are tolerated well as symptoms improve, while dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and fatty or spicy foods are worth avoiding temporarily.

Medication: over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication can help with mild, uncomplicated acute diarrhea in adults, but should be avoided if there's fever or blood in the stool, since it can worsen certain infections by slowing their clearance.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor for diarrhea lasting more than two days in adults (or 24 hours in young children), blood or pus in the stool, a high fever, signs of dehydration, severe abdominal pain, or diarrhea that's chronic or keeps recurring.