3 Ways to Treat Diarrhea

While not a pleasant topic to think about, everyone has gastrointestinal issues from time to time. One of the most common digestive problems is diarrhea, or loose, watery stools, usually accompanied by the frequent and urgent need to use the bathroom.

A typical bout of diarrhea only lasts a few days, going away on its own without any treatment.

“But severe diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than a few days, or prolonged episodes of diarrhea are all reasons to see a doctor, as they could indicate something more serious,” says Stephen Bickston, MD, professor of internal medicine and director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Center in Richmond.

It’s also important to remember that diarrhea treatments for adults, especially medication, may not be the same for children with diarrhea, so always consult your pediatrician before giving your children any medication.

If you have diarrhea, here are three ways to ease your discomfort:

1. Stay Hydrated

Your body can lose a lot of fluids and salts when you have diarrhea, making dehydration a major concern. Frequent loose and watery stools can quickly lead to fluid loss.

Here are some easy ways to stay hydrated:

• Select sports drinks or Pedialyte. Sports drinks work because of their sugar and salt content; both allow water to be more easily absorbed, and even more so when taken together. People can make their own sports drinks by adding a teaspoon of salt to a quart of apple juice, Bickston says. “That little amount of salt will help the body absorb fluids but isn’t enough to make the apple juice taste bad.” Bickston recommends keeping your drinks at room temperature because a warm drink will sit better with you than a cold one. Pedialyte is marketed toward kids, but adults can drink it, too. The drink contains both sugar and sodium to help replenish fluids.
• Stick to clear liquids. Some other good choices for treating diarrhea include clear broth and water.
• Avoid drinks that can worsen symptoms. Caffeinated, alcoholic, and sugary drinks can worsen dehydration. Milk and other dairy products can also make your symptoms worse because diarrhea can cause temporary lactose intolerance. (Temporary lactose intolerance can persist beyond the acute episode.)

2. Eat a Bland Diet

When dealing with a brief bout of diarrhea, you want to keep your diet bland. It’s important to eat if you can, although you may find it best to only have clear liquids for the first 24 hours. Then you can slowly add bland foods to your diet. Some bland foods include bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — otherwise known as the BRAT diet.

Research shows there’s not a lot of evidence to support the benefits of following this diet, but it may not hurt. At the same time, while bananas may be okay for adults, they’re not recommended for children who’ve been vomiting. Crackers and mashed potatoes — minus the butter — may offer a better alternative for both adults and children.

It’s best to avoid greasy, fatty, and fried foods because these can exacerbate your symptoms. You’ll also want to stay away from any foods and drinks that cause gas, which can lead to stomach cramping with diarrhea. These include beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, avocados, and carbonated drinks.

If diarrhea lasts more than a few days, you might want to investigate the foods you’re eating, as some can irritate your bowel and make diarrhea worse. These include foods high in fiber, such as bran, whole grains, and brown rice, as well as greasy and highly processed foods, dairy (including yogurt), and excessively sweet foods. Foods that are sweetened with sorbitol may also aggravate diarrhea, Bickston says.

Diarrhea that persists for more than two weeks should prompt a visit to your doctor. They can check for infections, food intolerances, and more serious illness. Tests are available to see if you have a food allergy or condition like lactose intolerance, celiac disease, or a gluten sensitivity. Do not try to eliminate these foods from your diet on your own before talking to your doctor because it can alter the results of your tests.

3. Take Over-the-Counter Medication

In most cases, over-the-counter medication can be helpful in stopping an occasional bout of diarrhea — especially traveler’s diarrhea, which may result from ingesting contaminated food or water while abroad. Over-the-counter options include Imodium (loperamide) and Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate). “These are reasonable to use on occasion and have the great advantage of not requiring a doctor’s prescription,” Bickston says, adding that they should not be used for more than two days.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you take pharmaceutical remedies for traveler’s diarrhea, they may make you feel better sooner, but they could keep any bacteria, parasites, or viruses in your system longer. In most cases, diarrhea will go away on its own within a few days. If the diarrhea persists, talk to your doctor.

A Word on Probiotics

Some early studies have shown possible benefits to taking probiotics, or live bacteria and yeast that naturally live in the body.

But the American Gastroenterological Association warns that more research is needed to better understand the true effects of probiotics on digestive symptoms and recommends against taking probiotics.