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SuperHealthyAI

Diarrhoea

Pending clinical review Educational information from public health sources, pending clinical review. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice.

Loose, watery poo. It is often caused by a stomach bug and usually stops within 5 to 7 days in adults. The most important thing is to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Get emergency help now (call your local emergency number (112 in India)) if you have:

  • Bloody poo, or vomiting blood
  • Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
  • Severe difficulty breathing, or fast, shallow breathing
  • Confusion, or not responding as usual
  • A sudden, severe tummy ache

Contact a doctor or clinician today if you have:

  • Signs of dehydration, such as dark, smelly urine or passing urine less than usual
  • Diarrhoea lasting more than 7 days

When to see a clinician

  • It lasts more than 7 days.
  • You are older, have a weakened immune system or another condition that raises your risk of dehydration.

What it can be associated with

This page cannot tell you what is causing your symptom. Many different things, minor and serious, can cause the same symptom, and only a clinician who can examine you can assess it. The list of things a symptom can be associated with is in alphabetical order, not in order of how likely they are.

  • A food intolerance or food allergy
  • A stomach bug
  • Anxiety
  • Coeliac disease
  • Diverticular disease
  • Food poisoning
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Medicines (check the leaflet)

General self-care

  • Drink plenty of fluids, little and often.
  • Avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks, which can make diarrhoea worse.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water often, and do not prepare food for others if possible.

For medicines, ask a pharmacist or doctor; SuperHealthyAI does not advise on medicines or doses.

Check for warning signs

Tick any that apply now. This does not diagnose anything; it tells you how soon to get help.

Warning signs

Sources

This page is general education, not personal medical advice. For diagnosis, treatment or medicines, please talk to a qualified doctor, registered dietitian or pharmacist. Read our medical & AI disclaimer.