What I need to know about 

Diarrhea

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

U.S. Department 

of Health and 

Human Services National Digestive Diseases 

Information Clearinghouse

 

What I need to know about 

Diarrhea 

U.S. Department 

of Health and
�

Human Services
�

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 

National Digestive Diseases 

Information Clearinghouse
Contents 

What is diarrhea? .................................................... 1 

What causes diarrhea?............................................ 2 

What other symptoms might I have 

with diarrhea?.......................................................... 3 

When should I see a health care provider 

for diarrhea? ............................................................ 6
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When should I take my child to a health 

care provider for diarrhea? .................................... 7
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How is the cause of diarrhea diagnosed?.............. 8
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How is diarrhea treated? ........................................ 9
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Can diarrhea be prevented?................................. 12
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Points to Remember ............................................. 14
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Hope through Research ....................................... 15
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Pronunciation Guide............................................. 16
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For More Information .......................................... 17
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Acknowledgments ................................................. 18
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What is diarrhea? 

Diarrhea* is frequent, loose, and watery bowel 

movements. Bowel movements, also called 

stools, are body wastes passed through the rectum 

and anus. Stools contain what is left after your 

digestive system absorbs nutrients and fluids 

from what you eat and drink. If your body does 

not absorb the fluids, or if your digestive system 

produces extra fluids, stools will be loose and 

watery. Loose stools contain more water, salts, and 

minerals and weigh more than solid stools. 

Diarrhea that lasts a 

short time is called 

acute diarrhea. Acute 

diarrhea is a common 

problem and usually 

lasts only 1 or 2 days, 

but it may last longer. 

Diarrhea that lasts 

for at least 4 weeks is 

called chronic diarrhea. 

Chronic diarrhea 

symptoms may be 

continual or they may 

come and go. 

The digestive system 

Anus 

Esophagus 

Liver 

Stomach 

Large 

intestine Small 

intestine 

Pancreas 

Gallbladder 

Rectum Appendix 

Duodenum 

*See page 16 for tips on how to say the words in 

bold type. 

1 
 

 

 

 

What causes diarrhea? 

Causes of diarrhea include 

●	 bacteria from contaminated food or water 

●	 viruses that cause illnesses such as the flu 

●	 parasites, which are tiny organisms found in 

contaminated food or water 

●	 medicines such as antibiotics 

●	 problems digesting certain foods 

●	 diseases that affect the stomach, small intestine, 

or colon, such as Crohn’s disease 

●	 problems with how the colon functions, caused 

by disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome 

Sometimes no cause can be found. As long as 

diarrhea goes away within 1 to 2 days, finding the 

cause is not usually necessary. 

2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

What other symptoms might I have 

with diarrhea? 

possible symptoms include 

In addition to passing frequent, loose stools, other 

●	 cramps or pain in the abdomen––the area 

between the chest and hips 

●	 an urgent need to use the bathroom 

●	 loss of bowel control 

You may feel sick to your stomach or become 

dehydrated. If a virus or bacteria is the cause of 

your diarrhea, you may have fever and chills and 

bloody stools. 

3 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dehydration 

Being dehydrated means your body does not have 

enough fluid to work properly. Every time you 

have a bowel movement, you lose fluids. Diarrhea 

causes you to lose even more fluids. You also lose 

salts and minerals such as sodium, chloride, and 

potassium. These salts and minerals affect the 

amount of water that stays in your body. 

Dehydration can be serious, especially for children, 

older adults, and people with weakened immune 

systems. 

Signs of dehydration in adults are 

● being thirsty 

● urinating less often than usual 

● having dark-colored urine 

● having dry skin 

● feeling tired 

● feeling dizzy or fainting 

4 
 

 

 

 

Signs of dehydration in babies and young children 

are 

●	 having a dry mouth and tongue 

●	 crying without tears 

●	 having no wet diapers for 3 hours or more 

●	 having sunken eyes, cheeks, or soft spot in the 

skull 

●	 having a high fever 

●	 being more cranky or drowsy than usual 

Also, when people are dehydrated, their skin does 

not flatten back to normal right away after being 

gently pinched and released. 

5 
 

 

 

 

provider for diarrhea? 

When should I see a health care 

You should see a health care provider if you have 

any of the following symptoms: 

● signs of dehydration 

● diarrhea for more than 2 days 

● severe pain in your abdomen or rectum 

● a fever of 102 degrees or higher 

● stools containing blood or pus 

● stools that are black and tarry 

Diarrhea often goes away by itself, but it may be a 

sign of a more serious problem. 

6 
 

 

 

 

 

When should I take my child to a 

health care provider for diarrhea? 

Take your child to a health care provider right away 

if your child has any of the following symptoms: 

● signs of dehydration 

● diarrhea for more than 24 hours 

● a fever of 102 degrees or higher 

● stools containing blood or pus 

● stools that are black and tarry 

Children with diarrhea become dehydrated much 

more easily than adults. Getting treatment quickly 

is most important if your baby is 6 months old or 

younger. 

7 
 

 

 

How is the cause of diarrhea 

diagnosed? 

To find the cause of diarrhea, the health care 

provider may 

●	 perform a physical exam 

●	 ask about any medicines you are taking 

●	 test your stool or blood to look for bacteria, 

parasites, or other signs of disease or infection 

●	 ask you to stop eating certain foods to see 

whether your diarrhea goes away 

If you have chronic diarrhea, your health care 

provider may perform other tests to look for signs 

of disease. 

8 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is diarrhea treated? 

Diarrhea is treated by replacing lost fluids, salts, 

and minerals to prevent dehydration. 

Taking medicine to stop diarrhea can be helpful 

in some cases. Medicines you can buy over 

the counter without a prescription include 

loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate 

(Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate). Stop taking these 

medicines if symptoms get worse or if the diarrhea 

lasts more than 2 days. If you have bloody 

diarrhea, you should not use over-the-counter 

diarrhea medicines. These medicines may make 

diarrhea last longer. The health care provider will 

usually prescribe antibiotics instead. 

Over-the-counter medicines for diarrhea may be 

dangerous for babies and children. Talk with the 

health care provider before giving your child these 

medicines. 

9 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eating, Diet, and Nutrition 

To prevent dehydration when you have diarrhea, it 

is important to drink plenty of water, but you also 

need to drink fluids that contain sodium, chloride, 

and potassium. 

●	 Adults should drink water, fruit juices, sports 

drinks, sodas without caffeine, and salty broths. 

●	 Children should drink oral rehydration 

solutions—special drinks that contain salts and 

minerals to prevent dehydration. These drinks 

include Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Infalyte, and 

CeraLyte. These drinks are sold in most grocery 

stores and drugstores. 

If you have diarrhea, eat soft, bland foods such as 

●	 bananas 

●	 plain rice 

●	 boiled potatoes 

●	 toast 

●	 crackers 

●	 cooked carrots 

●	 baked chicken without the skin or fat 

Once the diarrhea stops, you can go back to eating 

your regular foods. 

If a certain food is the cause of diarrhea, try to 

avoid it. 

10 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While you wait for the diarrhea to end, avoid foods 

that can make it worse: 

● drinks with caffeine, such as coffee and cola 

● high-fat or greasy foods, such as fried foods 

● foods with a lot of fiber, such as citrus fruits 

● sweet foods, such as cakes and cookies 

During or after an episode of diarrhea, some 

people have trouble digesting lactose, the sugar 

in milk and milk products. However, you may be 

able to digest yogurt. Eating yogurt with active, 

live bacterial cultures may even help you feel better 

faster. 

When babies have diarrhea, continue breastfeeding 

or formula feeding as usual. 

After you have had diarrhea caused by a virus, 

problems digesting lactose may last up to 4 to 

6 weeks. You may have diarrhea for a short time 

after you eat or drink milk or milk products. 

11 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can diarrhea be prevented? 

Two types of diarrhea can be prevented—rotavirus 

diarrhea and traveler’s diarrhea. 

Rotavirus Diarrhea 

Two vaccines, RotaTeq and Rotarix, protect against 

rotavirus—a common virus that causes diarrhea in 

babies and children. RotaTeq is given to babies in 

three doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Rotarix is 

given in two doses. The first dose is given when the 

baby is 6 weeks old, and the second is given at least 

4 weeks later but before the baby is 24 weeks old. 

To learn more about rotavirus vaccines, talk with 

your child’s health care provider. You can also 

find more information at the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention rotavirus vaccination 

webpage at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rotavirus. 

RotaTeq and Rotarix only prevent diarrhea caused 

by rotavirus. Children who have been vaccinated 

may still get diarrhea from another cause. 

Traveler’s Diarrhea 

People may develop traveler’s diarrhea while 

visiting developing areas of the world such as Latin 

America, Africa, and southern Asia. Traveler’s 

diarrhea is caused by eating food or drinking water 

that contains harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites. 

12
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You can prevent traveler’s diarrhea by being 

careful: 

●	 Do not drink tap water, use tap water to brush 

your teeth, or use ice cubes made from tap 

water. 

●	 Do not eat or drink unpasteurized milk or milk 

products. 

●	 Do not eat raw fruits and vegetables unless they 

can be peeled and you peel them yourself. 

●	 Do not eat raw or rare meat and fish. 

●	 Do not eat meat or shellfish that is not hot when 

served to you. 

●	 Do not eat food sold by street vendors. 

You can drink bottled water, carbonated soft 

drinks, and hot drinks such as coffee and tea. 

Before traveling outside the United States, talk 

with your health care provider. 

Your health care provider may 

suggest taking medicine with 

you. In some cases, taking 

antibiotics before traveling 

can help prevent traveler’s 

diarrhea. And early treatment 

with antibiotics can shorten an 

episode of traveler’s diarrhea. 

13 
Points to Remember 

● Diarrhea is frequent, loose, and watery bowel 

movements. 

● Acute diarrhea is a common problem. It usually 

lasts only 1 or 2 days, but it may last longer. 

●	 Being dehydrated means your body does 

not have enough fluid to work properly. 

Dehydration can be serious, especially for 

children, older adults, and people with weakened 

immune systems. 

●	 Diarrhea is treated by replacing lost fluids, salts, 

and minerals. 

●	 See your health care provider if you have signs 

of dehydration, diarrhea for more than 2 days, 

severe pain in your abdomen or rectum, a fever 

of 102 degrees or higher, stools containing blood 

or pus, or stools that are black and tarry. 

●	 Take your child to a health care provider right 

away if your child has signs of dehydration, 

diarrhea for more than 24 hours, a fever of 

102 degrees or higher, stools containing blood or 

pus, or stools that are black and tarry. 

●	 Two types of diarrhea can be prevented— 

rotavirus diarrhea and traveler’s diarrhea. 

14
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Hope through Research 

The Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition 

at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive 

and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) supports research 

on conditions such as diarrhea. Researchers are 

studying the causes of diarrhea and finding new 

ways to prevent and treat this condition. 

Participants in clinical trials can play a more 

active role in their own health care, gain access to 

new research treatments before they are widely 

available, and help others by contributing to 

medical research. For information about current 

studies, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov. 

15 
Pronunciation Guide 

abdomen (AB-doh-men)

antibiotics (AN-tee-by-OT-iks) 

anus (AY-nuhss)

bacteria (bak-TIHR-EE-uh)

chloride (KLOR-eyed)

colon (KOH-lon)

dehydrated (dee-HY-dray-ted)

diarrhea (DY-uh-REE-uh)

intestine (in-TESS-tin)

parasites (PAIR-uh-syts)

potassium (poh-TASS-ee-uhm)

rectum (REK-tuhm)

rotavirus (ROH-tuh-VY-ruhs)

sodium (SOH-dee-uhm)

unpasteurized (uhn-PASS-tyoor-eyezd)

vaccines (vak-SEENZ)

viruses (VY-ruhss-ez)

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For More Information 

American College of Gastroenterology 

P.O. Box 342260 

Bethesda, MD 20827–2260 

Phone: 301–263–9000 

Internet: www.acg.gi.org 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

1600 Clifton Road 

Atlanta, GA 30333 

Phone: 1–800–311–3435 

or 404–498–1515 

Internet: www.cdc.gov 

International Foundation for Functional 

Gastrointestinal Disorders 

P.O. Box 170864 

Milwaukee, WI 53217–8076 

Phone: 1–888–964–2001 

or 414–964–1799 

Fax: 414–964–7176 

Email: iffgd@iffgd.org 

Internet: www.iffgd.org 

North American Society for Pediatric 

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition 

P.O. Box 6 

Flourtown, PA 19031 

Phone: 215–233–0808 

Fax: 215–233–3918 

Email: naspghan@naspghan.org 

Internet: www.naspghan.org 

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Acknowledgments 

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are 

carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and 

outside experts. The National Digestive Diseases 

Information Clearinghouse would like to thank the 

following individuals for assisting with the scientific 

and editorial review of this publication: 

Mark Donowitz, M.D.
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Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
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John S. Fordtran, M.D.
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Baylor University Medical Center
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Thank you also to Joe Surratt at the Digestive 

Center of Excellence, University of Virginia, 

Charlottesville, for facilitating field-testing of the 

original version of this publication. 

The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific 

commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company 

names appearing in this document are used only because they are 

considered necessary in the context of the information provided. 

If a product is not mentioned, the omission does not mean or imply 

that the product is unsatisfactory. 

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Information Clearinghouse 

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Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov 

Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov 

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 

(NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of 

the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services. Established in 1980, the Clearinghouse 

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This publication may contain information about medications. 

When prepared, this publication included the most current 

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medications, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

toll-free at 1–888–INFO–FDA (1–888–463–6332) or visit 

www.fda.gov. Consult your health care provider for more 

information. 
U.S. DEPARTmENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUmAN SERvICES

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 11–5176

April 2011

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