Speech Bubble Icon. Share Icon. Facebook Icon. LinkedIn Icon. Pinterest Icon. Pocket Icon. Share Link Icon. Copied to clipboard. Table of Contents. Watery diarrhea symptoms explained Watery diarrhea is a common sign of infection, but can also be caused by other inflammatory diseases, or cancer-related diagnoses.
Common characteristics of watery diarrhea Associated characteristics of watery diarrhea may include the following. Diarrhea that may be excessive Watery diarrhea containing amounts of blood Watery diarrhea containing amounts of mucus Abdominal pain or discomfort that may persist or recur Limited urination Dizziness or lightheadedness Nausea Loss of consciousness.
What causes watery diarrhea? Acute causes Acute causes are those that have a sudden-onset and a relatively speedy resolution e. Viruses : Viruses are usually not life-threatening and there are a wide array of viruses that cause diarrhea in different parts of the world and in different seasons.
Common types of viruses include norovirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, and rotavirus among others. They can occur in enclosed spaces like cruise ships or college dorms. In all but the very young, very old, and immunosuppressed, they are not life-threatening. If you suspect that you have a virus causing diarrhea, stay hydrated with soups, broths, and electrolyte drinks and get plenty of rest.
Remember to wash your hands and keep your living areas sanitized and tidy so the illness doesn't spread to your house or roommates. Bacteria : Bacteria are also rarely life-threatening, but in some select cases can cause more severe diarrhea or can affect other organ systems. Common bacteria include salmonella, campylobacter, shigella, multiple strains of E. Coli, and Clostridium difficile. Similarly to viral causes, most of these types of bacteria will cause illness that resolves on its own.
However, Shigella and a type of E. Coli called Enterogenic Hemorrhagic E. Coli can release toxins that interfere with, and, in large amounts, can shut down the proper functioning of the kidneys. When this occurs, dialysis or an artificial filtering system for the kidneys is necessary until they recover. Protozoa : Protozoa are often treated with antibiotics even though the body can frequently eliminate protozoa without treatment.
Treatment in most cases shortens the duration, and, importantly, the transmission of the disease to other individuals. Giardia, a type of bacteria that occurs when drinking fresh, untreated water from streams or lakes, is treated with antiprotozoal agents because of its ease of transmission.
However, in some cases like Cyclospora, diarrhea can continue unabated for months and it is treated primarily to shorten the duration of infection. Chronic causes Chronic causes of watery diarrhea are those that are longer-lasting or more difficult to eradicate and may require hospitalization.
Chronic infections C. Difficile, Campylobacter : Some infections like C. However, for individuals treated with antibiotics, the normal gut bacteria may have been killed along with the harmful bacteria causing an infection. This leaves C. Often treatment of C. It is often but not always first treated with the antibiotic vancomycin. Inflammatory bowel disease: This can affect either the small intestine, large intestine, or both.
It may produce watery diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, mucus-laden diarrhea or a mixture of the three. It is commonly treated with drugs that temper and lower the immune response. If you have long-standing watery diarrhea that does not respond to antibiotics, you may have inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. However, a proper diagnosis will require a colonoscopy or a scope usually inserted through the anus to examine the walls of the intestines.
Irritable bowel syndrome: This can have many different kinds of symptoms. Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea is defined as abdominal pain or discomfort lasting at least three days per month with improvement on defecation and onset of discomfort associated with a change in the frequency of stool or the appearance of stool.
It should be noted that IBS is a syndrome which means a series of symptoms, not a single disease. Treatments vary widely from avoidance of food allergens and lactose and increasing consumption of fiber and physical activity levels. Irritable bowel syndrome is only diagnosed after inflammatory bowel disease or cancer has been ruled out.
Food poisoning Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness or "stomach flu," is an acute infection of the digestive tract from food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other toxins. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and sometimes fever and chills. Rarity: Common Top Symptoms: nausea, abdominal pain stomach ache , headache, abdominal cramps stomach cramps , dizziness Symptoms that never occur with food poisoning: severe fever, being severely ill, bloody diarrhea Urgency: Self-treatment Diarrhea caused by a bacteria called vibrio The Vibrio genus of bacteria causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that can be very serious.
Rarity: Rare Top Symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, stomach bloating, headache, abdominal cramps stomach cramps Symptoms that always occur with diarrhea caused by a bacteria called vibrio: diarrhea Urgency: Self-treatment Normal occurrence of diarrhea Diarrhea can be an indication of serious illness — especially in young children — but in some cases it has a much simpler cause and can be easily cured. Rarity: Common Top Symptoms: diarrhea, mild diarrhea Symptoms that always occur with normal occurrence of diarrhea: diarrhea Symptoms that never occur with normal occurrence of diarrhea: bloody diarrhea, severe diarrhea, worsening diarrhea, being severely ill, ill appearance Urgency: Self-treatment Microscopic colitis Microscopic colitis is caused by inflammation of the large intestine than can only be seen with a microscope.
Rarity: Rare Top Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain stomach ache , stomach bloating Symptoms that always occur with microscopic colitis: diarrhea Symptoms that never occur with microscopic colitis: bloody diarrhea Urgency: Primary care doctor Food poisoning by the staphylococcus bacteria Food poisoning by staphylococcus bacteria refers to the stomach and intestinal upset caused by eating foods contaminated with the staphylococcus, or "staph," bacteria.
Rarity: Uncommon Top Symptoms: nausea, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps stomach cramps , vomiting Symptoms that always occur with food poisoning by the staphylococcus bacteria: nausea or vomiting Urgency: Self-treatment Traveler's diarrhea Traveler's diarrhea is a digestive tract disorder that commonly causes loose stools and abdominal cramps.
Rarity: Common Top Symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain stomach ache , fever, stomach bloating Symptoms that always occur with traveler's diarrhea: diarrhea Symptoms that never occur with traveler's diarrhea: anxiety Urgency: Self-treatment Shigella infection Shigella infection, or shigellosis, is an intestinal infection caused by a strain of Shigella bacteria.
Symptoms include fever; abdominal pain and cramps; and severe diarrhea, which may contain blood. Diagnosis is made through patient history, physical examination, and testing of a stool sample.
It's also very important for babies and small children not to become dehydrated. Give your child frequent sips of water, even if they are vomiting. A small amount is better than none. If you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby and they have diarrhoea, you should continue to feed them as normal. Contact your GP immediately if you or your child develop any symptoms of dehydration. Your GP or pharmacist may suggest using an oral rehydration solution ORS to prevent dehydration if you're at risk — for example, if you're frail or elderly.
ORS can also be used to treat dehydration that has already occurred. Rehydration solutions usually come in sachets available from your local pharmacist without a prescription. They are dissolved in water and replace salt, glucose, and other important minerals that are lost if you are dehydrated.
Your GP or pharmacist may recommend giving your child an ORS if they are dehydrated or at risk of becoming dehydrated. The usual recommendation is for your child to drink an ORS each time they have an episode of diarrhoea.
The amount they should drink will depend on their size and weight. Your pharmacist can advise you about this. The manufacturer's instructions should also give information about the recommended dose. You may be able to give your baby an ORS if they become dehydrated, but check with your GP, pharmacist, or health visitor first. Opinion is divided over when and what you should eat if you have diarrhoea. However, most experts agree you should eat solid food as soon as you feel able to.
Eat small, light meals and avoid fatty or spicy foods. Good examples are potatoes, rice, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables. Salty foods help the most. You don't need to eat if you've lost your appetite, but you should continue to drink fluids and eat as soon as you feel able to. If your child is dehydrated, do not give them any solid food until they have drunk enough fluids. Once they have stopped showing signs of dehydration, they can start eating their normal diet.
If your child is not dehydrated, offer them their normal diet. If they refuse to eat, continue to give them fluids and wait until their appetite returns. Antidiarrhoeal medicines may help reduce your diarrhoea and slightly shorten how long it lasts.
However, they're not usually necessary. Loperamide is the main antidiarrhoeal medicine used, as it has been shown to be effective and causes few side effects.
Loperamide slows down the muscle movements in your gut so more water is absorbed from your stools. This makes your stools firmer and they're passed less frequently. An alternative to loperamide is a different type of antidiarrhoeal medicine called racecadotril, which works by reducing the amount of water produced by the small intestine. Evidence suggests this medication may be as effective as loperamide for treating diarrhoea. Some antidiarrhoeal medicines can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription.
Check the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine to find out whether it's suitable for you and what dose you should take. Ask your pharmacist for advice if you're unsure. Do not take antidiarrhoeal medicines if there is blood or mucus in your stools or you have a high temperature fever.
Instead, you should contact your GP for advice. Most antidiarrhoeal medicines should not be given to children. Racecadotril can be used in children over 3 months old if it's combined with oral rehydration and the other measures mentioned above, although not all doctors recommend it.
Painkillers will not treat diarrhoea, but paracetamol or ibuprofen can help relieve a fever and a headache. If necessary, you can give your child liquid paracetamol or ibuprofen. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication to check if it's suitable for you or your child and find out the correct dose. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin. Treatment with antibiotics is not recommended for diarrhoea if the cause is unknown.
This is because antibiotics:. Antibiotics may be recommended if you have severe diarrhoea and a specific type of bacteria has been identified as the cause. This is as opposed to ulcerative colitis, which is limited to your large intestine and rectum. This can also be a sign of celiac disease, a condition in which eating gluten leads to an immune response in your small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Severe stomach pain with diarrhea can signal many issues, from something as simple as gas to a potentially life-threatening condition like appendicitis , Christine Lee, M. Pus is a yellow-ish, mucus-y liquid your body produces when trying to fight infection , Dr. Diarrhea that contains pus is a common sign of ulcerative colitis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Those sores it creates in your gastrointestinal tract can lead to pus that comes out in your poop. Blood in your poop could hint at a range of things.
You could have a hemorrhoid a clump of bulging veins in your rectum or around your anus , Dr. Lee says, but that typically causes only a bit of blood, not the kind that might set off alarm bells. It can also be a sign of a foodborne illness, the Mayo Clinic says. For instance, Campylobacter bacteria is notorious for causing this, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Diarrhea usually clears up quickly without treatment. To help you cope with your signs and symptoms until the diarrhea goes away, try to do the following:. Ask about anti-diarrheal medications. Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, such as loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate, might help reduce the number of watery bowel movements and control severe symptoms.
Certain medical conditions and infections — bacterial and parasitic — can be worsened by these medications because they prevent your body from getting rid of what's causing the diarrhea.
Some of these medications are not recommended for children. Check with your doctor before taking these medications or giving them to a child. You might start by seeing your primary care practitioner. If you have persistent diarrhea, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the digestive system gastroenterologist.
When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fast before certain tests. Make a list of:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Your doctor will ask about your medical history, review the medications you take, conduct a physical exam and may order tests to determine what's causing your diarrhea.
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