Why it Happens
Everything from illness to regular body functions can cause diarrhea. Sometimes a virus or a bacterial infection disrupts the balance in your digestive system, or stress, such as travel, can be the trigger. In other cases, the wrong food may be the culprit.
Causes of acute (temporary) diarrhea include:
- Viruses such as rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and viral hepatitis.
- Parasites such as Giardia Lamblia, Entamoeba Histolytica and Cryptosportidium can enter the body through food or water
- Bacteria consumed through contaminated food or water such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli
- Overindulgence of certain foods and alcohol, stress and menstruation
Causes of chronic (longer than 4 weeks) diarrhea include:
- Food intolerance or allergy, the most common of which are milk and wheat. (For more information on lactose intolerance call 1-800-LACTAID.)
- Reactions to medicines, such as antibiotics, blood pressure medications and antacids containing magnesium
- Intestinal diseases, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, and functional bowel disorders, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Learn more about some common causes of diarrhea and what to do about them in this section.
Diarrhea Facts:
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