When Should I See The Doctor For Diarrhea?
It might be something we don’t like talking about, but it’s definitely something we all go through. But when can this ordinary condition turn into something more? Continue reading to know the signs and when to see a doctor.
Why We Get Diarrhea
Some of us might already make the connection between certain foods we eat and the unfortunate consequences of it. However, many people don’t know what actually causes diarrhea.
When we eat, food travels through our digestive tract and eventually finds its way to our intestines. From the moment we swallow till the small intestine, it mostly stays liquid. The small intestine then works to absorb and utilize a lot of that fluid. When something prevents that, we get loose, watery stools. The two types of diarrhea are acute, lasting just a couple of days, or chronic, persistent, or over 30 days.
Acute Diarrhea
This type is usually caused by a viral intestinal infection. Norovirus and Rotavirus are common causes with symptoms only lasting a few days. Whenever we can link our symptoms back to a specific buffet or perhaps a “stomach bug” that has been traversing our office, this is most likely the type of diarrhea you have.
Chronic Diarrhea
Diarrhea that persists, or lasts more than 30 days by the medical definition, is considered chronic. This type can be the result of health issues and food intolerances. These include, but aren’t limited to -
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
Lactose intolerance
Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease
Chronic pancreatitis
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
Surgical removal of the gallbladder
Certain over-the-counter or prescription drugs
High doses of supplements like vitamin C or magnesium
The general rule of thumb is that diarrhea lasting less than a few days and not accompanied by any other symptoms can go without a visit to the doctor. For young children, however, you want to see a doctor after more than 24 hours of loose stools.
Home Remedies
If your only symptom is diarrhea, then you might be wondering what home remedies can get you feeling better faster. Though acute diarrhea doesn’t last long, even one bathroom visit with it isn’t fun.
Keeping up or increasing fluid and electrolyte intake is necessary to combat the liquids you aren’t getting because of diarrhea. If you can trace your symptoms back to a specific contaminated food then throwing that out is also recommended. Along with maintaining good bathroom cleanliness habits to prevent the spread to others in your life.
You might be tempted to take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, and while they might help, they don’t usually shorten the time we suffer from acute diarrhea. These medications also don’t treat the underlying issues of chronic diarrhea, so it is still important to see a doctor.
When to See a Doctor
When other symptoms are present or diarrhea is lasting way too long, it’s important to see a medical professional to get to the bottom of it. The initial concern with diarrhea is dehydration, but there are other things doctors are looking for when you come in with this complaint.
For Adults
Symptoms lasting longer than two days
Severe abdominal pain
Blood in the stool (this can also appear as dark black stool)
A fever of 102°F or higher
Diarrhea with vomiting
Dehydration symptoms appear
As we said earlier. Loose, watery stools for more than 2 days carry the risk of causing severe dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration are an intense sense of thirst, dry skin and lips, peeing less or not at all, feeling weak, and feeling dizzy or lightheaded. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, even if your diarrhea hasn’t lasted more than 2 days, then see a doctor.
For Children
The youngest of us are more sensitive to the fluid loss that comes with diarrhea so the signs to watch out for are a little different.
Symptoms lasting longer than 24 hours
Blood in stool
Dehydration symptoms mentioned above
Crying without tears
Fever of 102°F or higher
Not needing a diaper change for more than 3 hours
Abnormal drowsiness or irritability
Unresponsiveness
Sunken appearance in abdomen, eyes, or cheeks
Other people that shouldn’t follow the 2-day rule also include the elderly and those that have compromised immune systems.
Chronic Diarrhea Treatment
Seeing a doctor is the first step, and while the first thing they might do is treat dehydration, there are plenty of treatments depending on what is causing your chronic diarrhea. This is also when you might be recommended to a gastroenterologist that works specifically with these types of issues and helps get you back to normal.
Chronic diarrhea caused by food sensitivity disorders, like IBS or lactose intolerance, can be treated by avoiding certain foods. You might be asked to keep a food diary to figure out what specifically is causing your symptoms. There are also specific tests that can be conducted to diagnose certain food intolerances.
Hydrogen Breath Test
This test is used to diagnose lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance can cause high levels of hydrogen in the breath due to undigested lactose. A drink is given with a set amount of lactose and then you will be asked to breathe into a balloon-type container and the hydrogen is measured. If your hydrogen levels are high then you might be diagnosed with a lactose intolerance.
Fasting Test
This type of test can be used to diagnose a variety of food intolerances. Your doctor will ask you to slowly eliminate common allergens/intolerances from your diet and see if symptoms improve. This is done one at a time so they can see exactly which food is causing the issue.
If your doctor believes your chronic diarrhea isn’t caused by food-related issues then there are other routes they can take. It is important though to switch to a healthier diet that includes fiber so your body can retain the nutrients it needs. Other tests include -
Colonoscopy or Sigmoidoscopy
We’re sure everyone has heard of these procedures of colonoscopy at some point. These are where a lighted camera connected to a tube is inserted into the rectum to check the colon for abnormalities. You will be sedated for the procedure for comfort. A colonoscopy looks at the entire colon while a sigmoidoscopy focuses only on the lower part and the rectum.
Stool Test
This is most common for acute diarrhea and involves collecting a sample of your stool that will be sent away for testing. This helps determine exactly what parasite or bacteria is causing symptoms.
Blood Test
This test involves blood samples being taken and a complete look at your blood count. This can diagnose problems such as infection, anemia, inflammation, or imbalances in electrolytes that could be causing your problem.
Working with a gastroenterologist will guarantee that all options are looked at to get you on the road to better bathroom visits. They will look at the full picture of your symptoms, family history, medical history, and medication to see what could be causing chronic diarrhea. There are also in-office exams like feeling your abdomen that can be done to start getting to the root of the issue. Because this is their area of focus, if you are a sufferer of chronic diarrhea then you should strongly consider seeing a gastroenterologist.
