It may produce watery diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, mucus-laden diarrhea or a mixture of the three. Inflammatory bowel disease: This can affect either the small intestine, large intestine, or both.It is often (but not always) first treated with the antibiotic vancomycin. difficile requires admission to the hospital for monitoring and proper treatment to avoid dangerous levels of dehydration. difficile and / or the replacement of normal gut bacteria, will continue to produce watery diarrhea. difficile, unless treated with targeted antibiotics for C. difficile unchecked and able to reproduce in large amounts.
However, for individuals treated with antibiotics, the normal gut bacteria may have been killed along with the harmful bacteria causing an infection. difficile is a bacterium that lives peacefully in a normal bowel as it is often kept at low levels by normal gut bacteria. difficile occur in part because of treatment for other diseases. Difficile, Campylobacter): Some infections like C. However, in some cases like Cyclospora, diarrhea can continue unabated for months and it is treated primarily to shorten the duration of infection.Ĭhronic causes of watery diarrhea are those that are longer-lasting or more difficult to eradicate and may require hospitalization. Giardia, a type of bacteria that occurs when drinking fresh, untreated water from streams or lakes, is treated with antiprotozoal agents because of its ease of transmission. Treatment in most cases shortens the duration, and, importantly, the transmission of the disease to other individuals. Protozoa: Protozoa are often treated with antibiotics even though the body can frequently eliminate protozoa without treatment.When this occurs, dialysis or an artificial filtering system for the kidneys is necessary until they recover. Coli can release toxins that interfere with, and, in large amounts, can shut down the proper functioning of the kidneys. Similarly to viral causes, most of these types of bacteria will cause illness that resolves on its own. Common bacteria include salmonella, campylobacter, shigella, multiple strains of E. Bacteria: Bacteria are also rarely life-threatening, but in some select cases can cause more severe diarrhea or can affect other organ systems.Remember to wash your hands and keep your living areas sanitized and tidy so the illness doesn't spread to your house or roommates. If you suspect that you have a virus causing diarrhea, stay hydrated with soups, broths, and electrolyte drinks and get plenty of rest. In all but the very young, very old, and immunosuppressed, they are not life-threatening. They can occur in enclosed spaces like cruise ships or college dorms. Common types of viruses include norovirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, and rotavirus among others. Viruses: Viruses are usually not life-threatening and there are a wide array of viruses that cause diarrhea in different parts of the world and in different seasons.Accordingly, the treatment for most infectious diarrhea is supportive care with some variations, such as whether you need to take an antibiotic, which will depend on your specific case and stamina.
Unless an individual has a weakened immune system, they can often clear and destroy the infection-causing agent themselves (provided they avoid becoming excessively dehydrated in the process). These forms of diarrhea are usually caused by an infection. What causes watery diarrhea? Acute causesĪcute causes are those that have a sudden-onset and a relatively speedy resolution (e.g.
This article will discuss both the most common and most dangerous causes of watery diarrhea. For the vast majority of people, if you can deal with diarrhea responsibly with fluid replacement, you will recover well. It is important to watch for large amounts of blood in stool and to continue to consume both water and electrolytes to replace the fluid lost through diarrhea. As the body eliminates the infections and repairs the walls of the intestines, symptoms resolve within a few weeks. For most people, watery diarrhea is dangerous only if it causes severe dehydration. Watery diarrhea is a common sign of infection, but can also be caused by other inflammatory diseases, or cancer-related diagnoses.