What happens if you have diarrhea

This simply means you need to drink more water or electrolyte replacement beverages, such as sports drinks. In more serious cases, you may get fluids through intravenous therapy. If a bacterial infection is the cause of your diarrhea, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Although diarrhea can occur for various reasons, there are actions that you can take to prevent it:.

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Take this medicine as you have been told to take it. You can bake or broil beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey. Cooked eggs are also OK. Use low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt. If you have very severe diarrhea, you may need to stop eating or drinking dairy products for a few days. Eat bread products made from refined, white flour. Pasta, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes are OK.

You may also try pancakes and waffles made with white flour, and cornbread. But don't add too much honey or syrup. You should eat vegetables, including carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, acorn squash, and peeled zucchini. Cook them first. Baked potatoes are OK. In general, removing seeds and skins is best.

You can include desserts and snacks such as fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit-flavored ice pops, cakes, cookies, or sherbet. You should avoid certain kinds of foods when you have diarrhea, including fried foods and greasy foods. Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn. Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating. Some people may also have other symptoms, depending on the cause.

The excessive loss of water in your poo can also sometimes lead to dehydration , which can be serious if it's not recognised and treated quickly. Read more about the symptoms of dehydration. Contact your GP or call NHS 24's service for advice if you are concerned about yourself or your child. You should also contact your GP in the situations outlined below, as they may mean that you or your child has, or is at risk of, a more serious problem. You should contact your GP or health visitor urgently if your baby has had 6 or more episodes of diarrhoea in the past 24 hours, or if they have vomited 3 times or more in the past 24 hours.

You should also contact your GP if your child has persistent diarrhoea. Most cases will pass in 5 to 7 days. You should also contact your GP if you have persistent diarrhoea. Most cases in adults will pass in 2 to 4 days. Diarrhoea usually occurs when fluid cannot be absorbed from the contents of your bowel, or when extra fluid is secreted into your bowel, causing watery poo. Diarrhoea is usually a symptom of a bowel infection gastroenteritis , which can be caused by:.

The patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine should state whether diarrhoea is a possible side effect. Persistent diarrhoea can also sometimes occur after surgery on the stomach, such as a gastrectomy.

This is an operation to remove part of the stomach — for example, as a treatment for stomach cancer. Read more about when to visit your GP if you have diarrhoea.

Your GP may ask you for a stool sample so it can be analysed for signs of an infection if you have:. Your GP may suggest you have some blood tests if they suspect your diarrhoea is being caused by an underlying health condition.

For example, your blood can be tested for signs of inflammation, which may suggest inflammatory bowel disease. Read more about the possible causes of diarrhoea. Your GP may recommend a digital rectal examination DRE if you have unexplained persistent diarrhoea, particularly if you're over It can be useful for diagnosing conditions that affect your rectum and bowel.

If you have persistent diarrhoea and your GP is unable to find the cause, they may refer you to your local hospital for further investigation. Diarrhoea will usually clear up without treatment after a few days, particularly if it's caused by an infection.

In children, diarrhoea will usually pass within 5 to 7 days and will rarely last longer than 2 weeks. In adults, diarrhoea usually improves within 2 to 4 days, although some infections can last a week or more. While waiting for your diarrhoea to pass, you can ease your symptoms by following the advice outlined below.

It's important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration , particularly if you're also vomiting. Take small, frequent sips of water. Ideally, adults should drink a lot of liquids that contain water, salt, and sugar. Examples are water mixed with juice and soup broth. If you're drinking enough fluid, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear. 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.