How Long Does Diarrhea Last?
This is not always an easy question to answer. How long
diarrhea lasts will depend a lot on what is causing it. In most cases, diarrhea lasts one to three days. However, it is possible for diarrhea to last for several months or even longer.
Understanding Acute Versus Chronic Diarrhea
There are two types of diarrhea -- acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea. Acute diarrhea is diarrhea that improves within two weeks.
There are many possible acute
diarrhea causes. A few of the more common causes of acute diarrhea include:
- Viral infections, such as the stomach flu
- Bacterial infections, such as those involving Salmonella typhi or E. coli
- Parasites, such as Giardia
- Medicines, such as antibiotics
- Anxiety.
Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts longer than two weeks.
There are many causes of chronic diarrhea. In fact, some of the things that cause acute diarrhea can also cause chronic diarrhea. Specific causes of chronic diarrhea include:
- Infection with a bacteria, virus, or parasite
- Certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, or celiac disease
- Medicines, such as laxatives (when they are chronically abused)
- Certain tumors, such as colon cancer
- Certain types of surgery, including gastric bypass surgery or gallbladder surgery
- Travel.
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