Affects: Large intestine12–48 h
Chronic diarrhea
Loose or liquid stools most of the time for more than four weeks. It is a symptom, not a diagnosis: the point is to find the cause.
What happens
Chronic diarrhea means the gut is absorbing less water than it should, secreting more than normal, or moving contents through too fast. Behind it may lie celiac disease, intolerances, diarrhea-predominant IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, bacterial overgrowth, bile acid malabsorption, persistent infections, pancreatic problems or medication effects.
Why it deserves investigation
Precisely because the list of causes is long and the treatments differ greatly. Taking antidiarrheals indefinitely can mask a disease that needs a different approach, and in some infections it is actually counterproductive.
Signs not to overlook
- Blood or mucus in the stool
- Diarrhea that wakes you at night
- Fever or persistent abdominal pain
- Unintentional weight loss
- Anemia or signs of malnutrition
While the cause is being investigated
Keep well hydrated with fluids that provide salts and some glucose, eat small portions, and for now avoid alcohol, caffeine, excess fat and sweeteners such as sorbitol or mannitol, which make diarrhea worse.
When something goes wrong
- IBSA disorder of gut-brain interaction: the bowel works abnormally and is more sensitive, even though there is no visible damage to its structure.
- Chronic constipationInfrequent, hard or difficult-to-pass bowel movements for at least three months, with straining and a sense of not being finished.
- IBDChronic immune-driven inflammation of the digestive tract, running in flares and periods of remission. It includes Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.
