What could cause severe abdominal pain and diarrhea?

When you get severe stomach pain and diarrhea, it is often because something is upsetting your digestive system. One common reason is gastroenteritis, which is an infection that happens when viruses, bacteria, or sometimes parasites invade your stomach and intestines. This infection makes your tummy hurt and leads to diarrhea as your body tries to flush out the germs. Food poisoning is another possible cause when you eat food that has been contaminated with harmful germs. In some cases, severe symptoms may also be linked to longer-lasting issues, sometimes called chronic diarrhea, where other conditions like inflammatory bowel diseases affect your gut. With these conditions, your body experiences ongoing irritation in the stomach and intestines that causes pain and loose stools. If you have these severe symptoms, especially if you feel very weak or are becoming dehydrated, it is important to identify what's causing your discomfort by taking a free symptom checker test and talking with a doctor. They can help figure out the exact cause and give you the right treatment, so you can start feeling better.