Sometimes, diarrhea may signal a health problem and require medical attention. Severe diarrhea, or diarrhea that lasts longer than a few days, warrants a trip to the doctor for possible further treatment or testing for an underlying issue. However, in most cases a bout of diarrhea will typically clear up in a few days and not lead to any further health problems. There are steps you can take at home to help speed that process along and make diarrhea go away quicker. If you have diarrhea, the following may help you feel better. You can help replenish electrolytes by drinking fruit juices or sports drinks and eating soups with clear broth. However, pay attention to the amount of sugar in these drinks, as too much sugar can worsen diarrhea symptoms. For children, talk to your pediatrician about oral rehydration solutions, such as Pedialyte, as a way to treat diarrhea and prevent dehydration. If the diarrhea is severe, your doctor may determine that you need to be treated with fluid via intravenous therapy (IV). (1) Some foods that are good to eat on a bland diet include bread, crackers, and pasta made with refined white flour; soup, especially broth; cooked, canned, or frozen vegetables; eggs; tofu; and lean, tender protein, such as poultry or whitefish, that is steamed, baked, or grilled with no added fat. While you’re on a bland diet, foods that you may want to avoid include fatty or fried foods; raw vegetables; sugary foods; dried fruits or seedy fruits like berries or figs; whole-grain bread, crackers, or pasta; strong cheeses; spicy or strongly flavored items like hot peppers and garlic; and highly seasoned, cured, or smoked meats and fish. (2) Talk to your doctor about when you should go back to eating other foods again. These options include loperamide (commonly known by names including Imodium and Maalox) and bismuth subsalicylate (sold under Pepto-Bismo and Kaopectate, among others). However, while these medications may make you feel better sooner, it’s important to keep in mind that they may keep any parasites, bacteria, or viruses in your system longer. If diarrhea lasts longer than a few days, see your doctor as additional treatment may be needed. A round of antibiotics can help treat diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites. However, if your diarrhea is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not help.
Switch Medications or Treat Underlying Problems
Diarrhea may be a resulting symptom of a more serious health condition, such as a food allergy or an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. Your doctor will work with you to figure out the underlying issue through testing and come up with an appropriate treatment plan. Sometimes, diarrhea may be a side effect of medication you’re taking to treat another health problem. If that’s the case, your healthcare provider may alter the dose or switch you to another medication. (1) Studies show that taking probiotics might be helpful in treating certain cases of diarrhea. For example, in 2010 researchers from the Cochrane Collaboration analyzed 63 studies with about 8,000 total participants that looked at the effectiveness of probiotics for acute diarrhea. The results showed that about 34 out of 100 people who didn’t take probiotics no longer had diarrhea after three days. Of the people who did take probiotics, 55 out of 100 were diarrhea free after three days. Another way to look at it is probiotics appeared to help diarrhea go away faster in 21 out of 100 people. (3) However, more research is needed to better understand which strains of bacteria and what doses are most helpful. RELATED: 3 Ways to Treat Diarrhea
