Dos and Don'ts for Quick Diarrhea Treatment at Home
Diarrhea — a condition characterized by having three or more loose, watery stools a day — can stem from bacteria, viruses, medication, foods, or a digestive disorder like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Diarrhea is not only unpleasant, but it can sometimes be dangerous if left untreated, potentially leading to dehydration and other problems.
Drinking enough liquids, watching what you eat, and certain lifestyle measures can help. Here are a few dos and don’ts.
Diarrhea can cause your body to excrete fluids more quickly than usual, so replenishing them is crucial to avoid dehydration, says Matthew Sullivan, DO, a gastroenterologist with Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “However, not all beverages are created equal in this scenario,” he says.
Do
Try herbal tea. Products containing certain herbs may help an upset stomach, says Rucha Shah, MD, a gastroenterologist with HonorHealth Medical Group in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ginger, for example, may help ease nausea and settle your stomach, she says. “Peppermint can also help with that.”
Drink plenty of fluids. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least one cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement. “Water is simple and best,” Shah says. When you lose more water than you take in, as is the case when you have diarrhea, you also lose essential electrolytes — important minerals that are found in blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. Electrolyte-rich drinks like Pedialyte can help replenish these — plus, they contain dextrose (a type of sugar) and salt, Sullivan says. Salt helps slow down the fluid loss, and sugar will help your body absorb the salt.
“Sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade), diluted fruit juices, and soup broth are also reasonable choices to consume along with water or a product like Pedialyte,” Sullivan says.
Dilute your water with fruit juice. Water can sometimes be nauseating when you have diarrhea, says Lisa Ganjhu, DO, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. If you’re having trouble drinking it plain, she recommends diluting it with pure fruit juice like cranberry or apple. “This will allow for better hydration and help balance the electrolytes lost with diarrhea,” she says.
Just be sure to avoid juices high in high-fructose corn syrup, as this may worsen diarrhea, Shah says.
Don’t
Drink milk. Many people have difficulty digesting lactose, a type of sugar present in dairy products. Lactose can be even harder to process when you have a diarrheal illness and may worsen symptoms, Sullivan says.
Consume beverages at extreme temperatures. Consume all liquids at room temperature or slightly warmed, Ganjhu says. “Anything too hot or too cold can cause nausea.”
Drink caffeine, alcohol, or certain sodas. Caffeine can increase gut motility, meaning it makes things move faster through it, Sullivan says. This can worsen diarrhea. Alcohol has the same effect and can also irritate the intestinal tract, contribute to dehydration, and worsen symptoms like nausea.
Sodas and other drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sugars like sorbitol or lactulose may worsen diarrhea because these ingredients can be difficult for the intestines to process.
“Everything you eat must go through your gut,” says Erin Lisemby Judge, RDN, a dietitian in the Nashville area who specializes in gut health. As a result, she says, nutrition can play an important role in managing diarrhea and related symptoms.
Do
Stick with bland foods. When you have diarrhea, it’s best to stick with foods that are easy for the body to digest. “You don’t want the digestive tract to be overstimulated,” Shah says
These foods are bland, low in fiber, and starchy, and they can help firm up your stools.
Other BRAT diet–friendly foods include:
Chicken or vegetable broth
Crackers
Eggs
Oatmeal
Creamy peanut butter
Canned peaches
Potatoes
Cream of wheat
Eat small meals. Too much food will stimulate your gastrointestinal tract to move even more, says Ganjhu, and possibly worsen the diarrhea. Eating five or six small meals, rather than three large ones, can give your intestines a chance to digest the food more easily, she says.
Eat when hunger strikes. Listen to your body and don’t force yourself to eat, which can worsen symptoms. Trust your body to tell you when — and how much — it can tolerate, notes Ganjhu.
Don’t
Eat fried food. Prepare foods like beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey by baking or broiling, not frying, which can worsen diarrhea. Certain types of fats, like those found in greasy, fried foods, can be difficult to digest, says Lindsay Malone, RD, a clinical dietitian and instructor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. They may also contribute to inflammation, which can irritate the digestive tract, she adds.
Consume foods that cause gas. Foods that promote gas can also worsen discomfort and diarrhea, Malone says.
Foods that often cause gas include:
Beans and lentils
Bran
Broccoli
Cabbage
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Leafy greens
Foods containing lactose
Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener
Along with knowing what to eat and drink when you’re dealing with gastrointestinal woes, it’s also important to be mindful of other everyday habits to help you deal with diarrhea. Certain lifestyle measures may also offer some relief. “Simple daily habits can go a long way in preventing diarrhea and improving your overall health,” says Andrew Moore, MD, gastroenterologist at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital in Chicago.
Do
Wash your hands. Diarrhea can sometimes be transmitted by person-to-person contact or from contaminated surfaces, says Catherine Ngo, MD, a gastroenterologist at Hoag, a health system in Aliso Viejo, California. “For this reason, it’s important to wash your hands after using the restroom, before sitting down to a meal, or after touching any common surfaces that may have been contaminated by an ill person,” she says.
Handwashing can reduce episodes of diarrhea by about 30 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here’s how to wash properly:
Wet your hands
Apply soap
Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, making sure to include the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails
Rinse with clean, running water
Dry thoroughly
An alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60-percent alcohol can work, too.
Consider medication. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine containing bismuth subsalicylate (like Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate) can help reduce intestinal inflammation and kill diarrhea-causing organisms. (Note that bismuth products can cause dark or black stools that look like blood.) In severe cases, a doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic to help clear the infection, Ngo says.
Consider prebiotics and probiotics. Infectious diarrhea can take a toll on your gut microbiome (the community of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, living in your digestive tract). “Diarrhea essentially wipes out your normal gut flora,” Shah says.
Prebiotics and probiotics can increase the number of good bacteria, thereby helping to restore balance. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that nourishes probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can aid recovery.
Although you can get prebiotic and probiotic supplements, Shah says it’s best to get them from food. If you’re interested in a supplement, talk to your doctor first.
Prebiotic-rich foods include:
Garlic
Onions
Bananas
Jerusalem artichokes
Soybeans
Probiotic-rich foods include:
Pickles
Kimchi
Kombucha
Sauerkraut
Yogurt
Wipe gently to alleviate soreness. Gently wiping with water and unscented soap after a bowel movement may help alleviate soreness, Moore says. “You can also consider using a barrier cream like zinc oxide [such as Gold Bond Medicated Baby Powder or Calmoseptine] to help with irritation,” he says. Sitting in lukewarm water may help alleviate soreness as well.
Don’t
Use antidiarrheals without talking to a doctor. Although loperamide (Imodium), another OTC antidiarrheal medication, is sometimes recommended, Ganjhu advises against it. This is an antimotility, meaning that it stops your gastrointestinal tract from moving. Although it can slow down diarrhea, it’s better for it to come out,” she says. “It’s your body’s way of ridding itself of any toxins.”
Antidiarrheals can also have side effects such as:
Constipation
Bloating
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Allergic reaction
Stomach pain
Difficulty urinating
These medications may be appropriate, however, if diarrhea causes significant dehydration, Ngo says. Ask your doctor before trying them.
Exercise vigorously. Strenuous exercise has the potential to cause dehydration, Ganjhu says. It’s wise to avoid it until your diarrhea subsides, advises Ganjhu, who says to wait until you’re fully recovered to go back to the gym.
Diarrhea usually resolves on its own within a day or two. However, it’s important to see your doctor if you experience certain symptoms.
“The thing we worry about most is dehydration,” Ganjhu says.
A decrease in skin turgor, the elasticity of the skin
If you think you’re dehydrated, Moore recommends seeing your doctor right away.
Seek medical help if you have any of the following symptoms:
Your diarrhea lasts more than two days
You experience severe abdominal pain or pain in your rectum
You’re dehydrated or exceptionally weak
You have a fever of 102 degrees F or higher
Your stools are bloody or black and tar-like
Severe, persistent diarrhea can cause complications, including kidney and urinary issues. It may also signal an underlying condition, such as Crohn’s disease, IBS, or a more serious infection.
Diarrhea usually resolves on its own after a day or two, but making a few changes in what you eat and drink may help you feel better in the meantime.
Hydration may be the most crucial component of diarrhea treatment, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids.
See your doctor if your diarrhea is persistent or severe or you experience additional symptoms, such as bloody stool, fever, or intense abdominal pain.
