Diarrhea

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 (or other medication side effects)
• 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) (or other infections causes by parasites)
• Lactose intolerance
• Medicines, such as antacids containing magnesium and some cancer treatments
• Norovirus infection
• Rotavirus (or infections caused by other viruses)
• Salmonella infection (or other infections that may occur from bacteria)
• 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)