How is diarrhea treated?

General: Diarrhea usually requires little to no medical treatment, but anti-diarrheal medications may help reduce symptoms. If an infection is causing diarrhea, antibiotics are prescribed to treat the infection. If a medication is causing diarrhea, a doctor may recommend a different drug. However, patients should talk to their doctors before changing doses or stopping their medications.

Drink fluids: Individuals with diarrhea should drink plenty of water. Patients may also benefit from drinks that contain electrolytes, such as Pediatric Electrolyte®, Pedialyte®, or Enfalyte®.

Avoid diuretics: Individuals should avoid diuretics, such as caffeine, because they worsen symptoms of dehydration. These drugs help the body get rid of water, thereby increasing the amount of urine output. Certain foods, including rice, dry toast, and bananas, may help reduce symptoms of diarrhea.

Avoid certain foods: Certain foods, including dairy products, fatty foods, high-fiber foods, or highly seasoned foods, may worsen symptoms of diarrhea. These foods are more difficult than most foods to digest, and they may aggravate the digestive tract. Therefore, these foods should be avoided or limited until the diarrhea has gone away.

Anti-diarrheal medications: Anti-diarrheal medications, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-bismol®, Bismatrol®, or Kaopectate®) or loperamide hydrochloride (Imodium®), may also be taken to reduce diarrhea in patients older than three years of age. Bismuth subsalicylate balances the way fluids move through the digestive tract. It also binds to harmful bacterial toxins, causing the toxins to be flushed out with the stool. Loperamide hydrochloride slows down the speed at which fluids move through the bowels.

Antibiotics: If an infection is causing symptoms, an antimicrobial medication may be prescribed. The specific type, dose, and duration of treatment depend on the severity and type of infection. However, antibiotics are not effective for viral infections.

You should read product labels, and discuss all therapies with a qualified healthcare provider. Natural Standard information does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Most people with acute diarrhea will recover on their own; it generally runs its course in a few days. In particularly severe or prolonged episodes, replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) is essential to combat dehydration. Clear liquids are the first choice. For mild cases of dehydration, juices, soft drinks, clear broth, and safe water are recommended. Apple juice and sodas are good. Citrus juices are not. Neither are alcoholic beverages.

For more severe cases, sports drinks like Gatorade can replace sugars and electrolytes, but too much may cause further diarrhea. Rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte are probably best, particularly for children with diarrhea.

Products such as kaolin and pectin (Kaopectate) give the stool a firmer consistency. Medications that work to slow the bowel include paregoric, opiates, and diphenoxylate with atropine (Lomotil), all of which are available by prescription only, as well as loperamide (Imodium), which is available over the counter. These provide quick but temporary relief by reducing muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They should be used only for a few days, however. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) also seems to work pretty well; it may turn the stool and tongue black, so don't be alarmed if that happens.

Be aware, however, that using these remedies for symptomatic relief is controversial, particularly for some types of bacterial gastroenteritis. While they may make you more comfortable, they suppress the diarrhea that helps cast the offending bacteria out of your system. If you slow down the process, the bugs stay in your system longer.

After the first 24 hours, a little food is probably okay. But it may be best to try to go without food as long as possible. If you are really hungry, try going on a BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and white toast. The bananas bind the stool, slowing the movement a little. The rice, applesauce, and dry (white bread) toast are low in fiber and easily digested.

A wide range of probiotic and prebiotic products have been proposed as treatment for diarrhea. (Probiotics are live microorganisms used to benefit health. Prebiotics are non-living substances intended to promote the growth of beneficial organisms.) The most commonly tested probiotic ingredient for diarrhea is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Some trials have shown it may shorten the duration of diarrhea.