Most people think of diarrhea as an illness when they have more frequent, loose, watery stools.
Almost everyone has it at some point. In developing countries, where illnesses that cause diarrhea are common and where health care might be less easily accessible, diarrhea is a major health concern because of its potential to cause dehydration.
Diarrhea that comes on suddenly and goes away over a couple of weeks is called “acute diarrhea.” Most people get better on their own.
If diarrhea lasts more than four weeks, it’s considered “chronic diarrhea.” You usually need to go to a doctor so they can find the cause of chronic diarrhea and treat you for any complications.
What Causes Diarrhea?
Different things can cause diarrhea, ranging from infections to treatments for certain types of illnesses. Acute diarrhea is diarrhea that usually lasts about a week or so and, in many cases, goes away without any treatment.
Acute diarrhea is most often caused by viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections. You can get an infection from contact with someone else who has it or by consuming contaminated food or water. If you eat something that was improperly cooked or contaminated after cooking, the infection is often called food poisoning. Diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting are common with food poisoning. Children, especially if they’re in daycare, often get sick with infections like gastroenteritis (often called “stomach flu”) by putting their hands in their mouth after they’ve touched something that had the virus on it. They then can pass it to their families.
People who travel to some foreign countries can get “traveler’s diarrhea,” usually after drinking contaminated water or drinking something with ice cubes that were made from contaminated water. Infectious diarrhea is a problem in developing countries, where it may be hard to keep waste water and sewage separate from water used to cook, drink, and bathe.
Can stress cause diarrhea?
Many people feel their gut tighten up and they get cramps when they’re anxious or stressed. This can lead to diarrhea. Some may think it’s “in their head,” but stress does cause diarrhea in some people (or it can cause constipation in others).
Can alcohol cause diarrhea?
Drinking too much alcohol, especially beer and wine, can cause diarrhea the next day. The alcohol stays in your digestive tract for quite a while as your body absorbs it. While it’s there, the alcohol can cause damage to the cells so your body responds by trying to push the alcohol out.
Can caffeine cause diarrhea?
Caffeine can act like a laxative, especially if you drink more than 2 or 3 cups per day. The chemicals in caffeine stimulate your bowels to move. Switching to decaffeinated might help but not always because it also has a laxative effect.
If you get your caffeine through coffee, what you add to your coffee may add to the risk of having diarrhea. For example, if you’re lactose intolerant, the cream or milk will make you go to the bathroom, as can some types of sweeteners, like sorbitol and mannitol.
What is the main cause of diarrhea?
The most common cause of diarrhea is a viral infection.
Why do I have extremely watery diarrhea?
There are many possible reasons to have watery diarrhea, such as infections to lactose intolerance or diseases that affect your liver, pancreas, and intestines. If you have watery diarrhea and it doesn’t go away, speak to your doctor so you can try to find the cause.
Credit: Webmd
