Diarrhoea
Everyone occasionally has diarrhoea — loose, watery and more-frequent bowel movements. You might also have abdominal cramps and produce a greater volume of stool. The duration of diarrhoea symptoms can provide a clue to the underlying cause.
Acute diarrhoea lasts from 2 days to 2 weeks. Persistent diarrhoea lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Acute and persistent diarrhoea are typically caused by a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection of some sort.
Chronic diarrhoea lasts longer than does acute or persistent diarrhoea, generally more than four weeks. Chronic diarrhoea can indicate a serious disorder, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, or a less serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Causes
Acute or persistent diarrhoea causes may include:
• Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (or other medication side effects)
• Artificial sweeteners
• C. difficile infection
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Cryptosporidium infection
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection
• E. coli
• Food intolerances
• Food poisoning
• Fructose intolerance
• Giardia infection (giardiasis) (or other infections causes by parasites)
• Lactose intolerance
• Medicines, such as antacids containing magnesium and some cancer treatments
• Norovirus infection
• Rotavirus (or infections caused by other viruses)
• Salmonella infection (or other infections that may occur from bacteria)
• Shigella infection
• Stomach surgery
• Traveller’s diarrhoea
Chronic diarrhoea causes may include:
• Celiac disease
• Colon cancer
• Crohn's disease (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Medications used to treat heartburn, such as proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists
• Radiation therapy
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
• Whipple's disease
Some infections, such as giardia or C. difficile infection, may lead to chronic diarrhoea if not treated.
Diagnosis & Treatment
When to see a doctor
Most cases of acute diarrhoea resolve without treatment. However, severe diarrhoea (greater than 10 bowel movements a day or diarrhoea where fluid losses are significantly greater than oral intake) can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if untreated. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
Schedule a doctor's visit if you are experiencing these symptoms:
• Diarrhoea lasts more than two days without improvement
• Excessive thirst, dry mouth or skin, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness or light-headedness, or dark-coloured urine, which could indicate dehydration
• Severe abdominal or rectal pain
• Bloody or black stools
• A fever of more than 39 degrees celsius
Care at Chartwell Hospital
At Chartwell Digestive Health we have a team of experienced gastroenterology specialists, dedicated to providing the best possible care for all of our patients.
We diagnose and treat common abdominal symptoms such as rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit and abdominal pain which can be distressing for patients. In most cases, the symptoms are due to underlying health problems. However, for more serious cases, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment is key to recovery.
Our specialist team use comprehensive examinations and testing to diagnose various conditions. In addition to testing blood and stool samples, our Consultant Gastroenterologists may use other diagnostic tools including colonoscopy, gastroscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, MRI, X-rays, and CT scans.
Doctors & Departments
Department
Gastroenterology
Doctors
Meet our team of experienced gastroenterology specialists