There are some instances, though, when diarrhea is a warning sign of a more serious condition. If you have severe diarrhea that is accompanied by other concerning symptoms or has certain characteristics, then the best course of action is to see your doctor. “Be evaluated by a physician for diarrhea that lasts more than four weeks; bloody diarrhea; nocturnal diarrhea; or diarrhea associated with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fever, or weight loss,” said Aline Charabaty, MD, director of the Center of Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Here are some of the underlying causes of diarrhea that go beyond an upset stomach, and will often need your doctor’s evaluation and a treatment plan.
Diarrhea and Medications
Medications to treat certain conditions are very common causes of diarrhea. Hundreds, in fact, may be to blame, said Dr. Kussin. Luckily, when it comes to medicine and diarrhea the advice is fairly straightforward. “If a new medication is started and diarrhea follows within a few days to weeks, your doctor may want to stop the agent and see what happens,” said Kussin. “There are so many therapies for so many conditions that if a medication causes diarrhea, there are alternatives that can take its place.”
Diarrhea and Digestive Disorders
Medical conditions such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease can also cause of diarrhea. Ulcerative colitis can lead to sores or ulcers on the internal lining of the colon, resulting in frequent bouts of diarrhea and abdominal cramps. “Crohn’s is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that often manifests with diarrhea as well as abdominal pain, blood in the stool, anemia, and sometimes weight loss and fever,” said Charabaty. “Celiac disease is a disease caused by an allergy to gluten, which is a protein present in wheat, rye, and barley. In patients with celiac disease, gluten is toxic to their small bowel, destroying its normal lining. This in turn prevents the absorption of water and nutrients, causing not only diarrhea, but also weight loss, anemia, osteoporosis, and other intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms.”
Diarrhea After Surgery
A variety of surgeries in and around the digestive tract can cause short-term diarrhea as a potential side effect. In most cases, this should pass after a few days, but see your doctor if it continues unabated. “Resection of part of the small bowel or the large bowel can cause diarrhea because we are removing a portion of the gut responsible for absorbing water,” said Charabaty. “Certain types of surgeries also promote small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which in turn can cause diarrhea. Removal of the gallbladder can also cause diarrhea because of the bile salts irritating the colon and causing leakage of water into the colon lumen.”
Diarrhea and Allergies
It’s not a common symptom, but some people who experience the red eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and wheezing of allergies in the spring may also have a case of diarrhea on top of it all. “Diarrhea as the sole symptom of seasonal allergies would be uncommon,” said Kussin. “As a part of a suite of symptoms that recurs yearly, then it is likely caused by a sensitivity to an environmental allergen.” In addition to other diarrhea medications, Kussin said that this symptom may respond to antihistamines just like your other allergy symptoms. With any underlying disorder causing your diarrhea, your doctor will likely treat the diarrhea along with the other symptoms of the condition to get you feeling better.
