Serious Causes of Diarrhea

Sometimes diarrhea goes on ... for weeks. That's when a more serious problem is probably responsible. Your doctor can ferret out the cause. See a doctor for your diarrhea if:
  • You see blood in your stool.
  • You experience symptoms of dehydration, including dizziness when you stand up, scanty and deep-yellow urine, increased thirst, and dry skin. Children may also cry without producing tears.
  • You've got a fever or shaking chills.
  • Your diarrhea persists for more than 48 to 72 hours.
  • The person with diarrhea is very young, very old, or chronically ill.
Lactose intolerance. If you get diarrhea after drinking milk, your body may have lost some or all of its ability to digest lactose, the sugar in milk and dairy products. Lactose intolerance is the most common cause of chronic diarrhea. If you can't drink milk, take calcium supplements or drink calcium-fortified juice or soy milk.

Celiac disease. In this case, you can't digest gluten, which is part of wheat.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some people with IBS have constipation and some have diarrhea. Others alternate between the two.

Parasitic infections. These can hang on indefinitely.

Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These two conditions are similar, and no one knows their cause. But the end results are inflammation of the bowel and diarrhea, often accompanied by pain.

Systemic illnesses. Chronic diarrhea can be a complication of diseases such as diabetes, scleroderma, and hyperthyroidism.

Cancer. The cause of diarrhea is usually more benign, but one of the warning signs of tumors in the bowel is diarrhea, especially if blood is present.

Now that you know how to identify potentially dangerous conditions, go to the next page to find out how some simple home remedies can heal a run-of-the-mill bout of the runs.

For more information on the causes and consqeuences of diarrhea, try the following links:
 This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.