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Diarrhea
2020-06-16
Definition
Everyone occasionally has diarrhea — loose, watery and more-frequent bowel movements. You might also have abdominal cramps and produce a greater volume of stool. Diarrhea varies in specific symptoms, severity and duration.
Acute diarrhea, which lasts from two days to two weeks, is typically caused by a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection of some sort.
Chronic diarrhea lasts longer than does acute diarrhea, generally more than four weeks. Chronic diarrhea can indicate a serious disorder, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, or a less serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Causes
Acute diarrhea causes may include:
- Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
- Artificial sweeteners
- C. difficile infection
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Cryptosporidium infection
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection
- E. coli
- Food intolerances
- Food poisoning
- Fructose intolerance
- Giardia infection (giardiasis) (Giardia infection)
- Lactose intolerance
- Medicines, such as antacids containing magnesium and some cancer treatments
- Norovirus infection
- Rotavirus
- Salmonella infection
- Shigella infection
- Stomach surgery
- Traveler's diarrhea
Chronic diarrhea causes may include:
- Celiac disease
- Colon cancer
- Crohn's disease (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Medications used to treat heartburn, such as proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists
- Ulcerative colitis
- Whipple's disease
When to see a doctor
Most cases of diarrhea resolve without treatment. However, severe diarrhea can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if untreated. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
Seek medical attention for your child if:
- Diarrhea doesn't improve after 24 hours
- Hasn't had a wet diaper in three or more hours
- Has a fever of more than 102 F (39 C)
- Has bloody or black stools
- Has a dry mouth or tongue or cries without tears
- Is unusually sleepy, drowsy, unresponsive or irritable
- Has a sunken appearance to the abdomen, eyes or cheeks
- Has skin that doesn't flatten if pinched and released
Schedule a doctor's visit for yourself if:
- Your diarrhea lasts more than two days without improvement
- You become dehydrated — indicated by excessive thirst, dry mouth or skin, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness, or dark-colored urine
- You have severe abdominal or rectal pain
- You have bloody or black stools
- You have a fever of more than 102 F (39 C)
