top of page

Diarrhea

Definition-​ Diarrhea is defined as loose, watery and more-frequent passage of stool.  It is common to have diarrhea occasionally, but if it lasts for more than a few days and associated with other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or weight loss, fever, blood in the stool, mucus in the stool it can be a sign of something more serious.

​

Seek immediate care if you have had diarrhea for more than 2 days and have a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

If you have ongoing issues with diarrhea more than once every 2 months, you may have an imbalance in your gastrointestinal system caused by a bacterial overgrowth or parasite or an autoimmune dysfunction.  Functional medicine can help resolve these issues and bring lasting results.  See Functional Medicine Approach section below.

Causes

​​​​​

  • Viruses

  • Bacteria and parasites

  • Medicines- Antibiotics can cause diarrhea by killing the good bacteria in your gut. Anticancer drugs and antacids with magnesium can give you diarrhea.

  • Lactose intolerance due to lack of an enzyme

  • Fructose added to foods can lead to diarrhea.

  • Artificial sweeteners- Sorbitol, erythritol, and mannitol are nonabsorbable artificial sweeteners

  • Surgery- Partial intestine or gallbladder removal

Related Diseases

  • Medicine side effects

  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

  • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

  • Gastrointestinal infection

  • Celiac disease

  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease.​​

​

Diarrhea complications after more than 2 days-

  • Dehydration

  • Rectal pain

  • Bloody or black stools

  • Malnutrition

 

Seek immediate care if you have a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

​

In children, particularly young children, diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration. Call your doctor if your child's diarrhea doesn't improve within 24 hours or if your child:

  • Becomes dehydrated.

  • Has a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

  • Has bloody or black stools.

 

There is a vaccine for rotavirus, the most common cause of viral diarrhea in children.

​

Symptoms

  • Symptoms of dehydration in adults

  • Excessive thirst.

  • Dry mouth or skin.

  •  Little or no urination.

  • Weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness.

  • Fatigue.

  • Dark-colored urine.

​

Symptoms of dehydration in infants and young children-

  • Not having a wet diaper in three or more hours.

  •  Dry mouth and tongue.

  • Fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius).

  • Crying without tears.

  • Drowsiness, unresponsiveness or irritability.

  • Sunken appearance to the belly, eyes or cheeks.

Preventing infectious diarrhea

  • Preventing infectious diarrhea

  • Wash your hands frequently- before and after preparing food, after handling uncooked meat, using the toilet, changing diapers, sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose

  • Lather with soap for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer

  • Preventing travelers’ diarrhea when traveling to countries with poor sanitation and contaminated food.

  • Watch what you eat. Eat hot, well-cooked foods. Don't eat raw fruits and vegetables unless you can peel them yourself. Don't eat raw or undercooked meats and dairy foods.

  • Watch what you drink. Drink bottled water, soda, beer or wine served in its original container. Don't drink tap water or use ice cubes. Use bottled water even for brushing your teeth. Keep your mouth closed while you shower.

    • Beverages made with boiled water, such as coffee and tea, are probably safe. Remember that alcohol and caffeine can aggravate diarrhea and worsen dehydration.

  • Check for travel warnings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a travelers' health website where disease warnings are posted for various countries.

​​

Know what is typical for you!

Stool Chart

Functional Medicine Approach

  • You will have a full assessment of your current lifestyle, nutrition, stress level and management, and sleep health and hygiene.

  • Individualized plans of care will be created by the practitioner and patient. 

  • Depending on your specific symptoms, there may be more targeted assessment and testing of blood sugar metabolism, thyroid function, pituitary. or hypothalamus function and cardiovascular assessment, gut imbalances, food intolerances, toxin screening, hormone imbalance, antibody intolerances, inflammatory markers, and/or deficiencies of nutrients.  

  • After finding the root cause of illness plans may be revised.  Solutions can be multi-layered and take time, especially auto-immune disease and hormone imbalance.  We may need to integrate care with a specialist after referral.

  • Detox plans are gentle and supervised if necessary.

Goals of Treatment

​

Results vary and depend on the stage of your disease process and your commitment to treatment.

​

  • Decreased diarrhea and bathroom emergencies

  • Decreased rectal pain and hemorrhoids 

  • Decreased anxiety about outings and travel

  • Decreased abdominal pain

  • Decreased joint pain

  • Decreased visits to the doctor’s office

  • Decreased money spent on medication

  • Return to normal weight

  • Increased ability to eat a variety of foods

  • Increased energy for friends, family, and activities

  • Increased suppleness of hair, skin, and nails

 

​

Commitment to treatment will improve outcomes.

We will support you every step of the way!

bottom of page