Diarrhea
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Reviewed By:
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (GP / Family doctor)
Dr Patel graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine. She worked in clinical research at the University of Illinois in Chicago and University of Nevada in Las Vegas focused on culturally adapted health interventions for preventive medicine in the community setting. Received her Master's of Science in Global Health (concentration in Health Policy) from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. Unnati went on to complete her family medicine residency in Chicago, Illinois at Norwegian American Hospital. | | She is currently working as a primary care physician in the city of Chicago and completing her Master's of Business Administration at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and Fellowship in Leadership in Value-Based Care.
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People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
I get a stool like water
Pattern of alternating between diarrhea and constipation
Diarrhea lasting more than 12 hours
Diarrhea does not stop
Alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation
Diarrhea stops after stop consuming milk
Diarrhea improves with lactose-free milk
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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
Diarrhea is loose, watery stools that occur more frequently than usual.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Fever
Seizure attack
Sensation of incomplete voiding
Respiratory wheeze
Abdominal pain
White or clay-colored stools
Headache
Possible causes
- Colonic polyp
Colonic polyps are benign growths that appear on the inner lining of your large intestine. They have a small chance of turning malignant, or cancerous, over the next 5-15 years, hence require monitoring by a doctor.
- Bacterial gastroenteritis
Bacterial infection of the gut. It can be prevented by cleansing fruits and vegetables, cooking raw meat properly to kill the bacteria that can cause food poisoning, and ensuring all water is boiled before consumption.
- Viral gastroenteritis
Viral infection of the stomach and intestines ("stomach flu"). It is transmitted from other patients who have the same illness. Washing of hands and not sharing food/drinks is important in breaking the transmission of this disease.
CMPA (Cow's milk protein allergy)
- Meckel's diverticulosis
- Salmonella
Related serious diseases
- Uremia / chronic renal failure
Severe decrease in kidney function. There are many causes of this, from repeated damage due to infections, diabetes, high blood pressure to autoimmunity (body's immune system attacking itself).
- Tuberculosis (TB) (including scrofuloderma)
- Hyponatremia
Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom
Do you have loose stools or diarrhea?
Do you often have diarrhea in the morning before leaving for school?
Do you have a fever?
Do you have nausea or vomiting?
Do you feel fatigued?
Other Related Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from the same body system / part
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
Reviewed By:
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (GP / Family doctor)
Dr Patel graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine. She worked in clinical research at the University of Illinois in Chicago and University of Nevada in Las Vegas focused on culturally adapted health interventions for preventive medicine in the community setting. Received her Master's of Science in Global Health (concentration in Health Policy) from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. Unnati went on to complete her family medicine residency in Chicago, Illinois at Norwegian American Hospital. | | She is currently working as a primary care physician in the city of Chicago and completing her Master's of Business Administration at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and Fellowship in Leadership in Value-Based Care.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD
Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)
National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan