Why diarrhoea is watery

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For most people, watery diarrhea is a symptom of the stomach bug. It can be caused by a wide variety of germs including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, some of which can easily be treated with medications. In some cases, however, watery diarrhea can lead to potentially serious or even fatal complications such as dehydration or malabsorption. Learn more about the symptoms, causes , diagnosis, and treatment methods for watery diarrhea.

Watery diarrhea means that you have liquid stools—usually, it occurs three or more times in one day. When these symptoms appear and how long they will last depends on what is causing them.

In many cases, watery diarrhea will go away on its own without any treatment. However, this isn't always the case. Immediate medical attention should be sought if diarrhea lasts longer than two days for adults or 24 hours for young children and infants. Medical attention should also be sought if the diarrhea is accompanied by fever, severe abdominal or rectal pain, black or bloody stools, or signs of complications like dehydration.

Depending on the cause of the illness, diarrhea can sometimes coincide with other gastrointestinal issues like nausea , vomiting, loss of appetite, or cramping. While often harmless and fleeting, watery diarrhea can lead to more serious conditions in some cases. The two primary complications caused by watery diarrhea are dehydration and malabsorption.

When you have watery diarrhea, it can be easy for your body to lose more fluids than it takes in. The human body mostly consists of water. It needs water to function properly.

When babies lose fluids through watery diarrhea, it can be tough to replenish them quickly enough to prevent dehydration. For this reason, diarrhea is one of the biggest killers of children worldwide, taking the lives of more than 2, kids every day, largely in developing nations.

Signs and symptoms of malabsorption include:. A wide variety of germs can cause watery diarrhea, many of which are spread through contaminated food, water, or objects.

However, certain health conditions can also prompt diarrhea to occur. Viral gastroenteritis occurs when a virus infects the intestines, prompting watery diarrhea along with other gastrointestinal symptoms such as cramping and nausea. A lot of viruses can infect the intestines, but some of the most common ones are rotavirus, norovirus, adenovirus, and astrovirus. Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach bug is responsible for roughly one in five cases of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and is the most common cause of foodborne disease in the United States.

The virus leads to roughly , emergency room visits every year in the United States—most cases are in young children. Globally, astroviruses are one of the most common causes of watery diarrhea in young kids and adults with weakened immune systems.

Bacterial infections are another common cause of watery diarrhea. There are several types of bacteria most often associated with watery diarrhea. Cholera is rarely spotted in affluent countries like the United States, but outbreaks of the bacteria are common in low-income countries.

An estimated 1. Campylobacter is a common cause of foodborne disease in the United States, resulting in an estimated 1. Escherichia coli E. Some strains cause gastrointestinal discomfort, while others cause respiratory illnesses, urinary tract infections, and other types of illnesses. The kind of E.

Salmonella causes an estimated 1. Infections are predominantly linked to contaminated food—the bacterium is found in a range of raw and processed foods, including sprouts, nut butters, and chicken nuggets—but the bacterium can also spread from animals to people.

Those with shigellosis —or an infection of the bacterium Shigella —usually start feeling sick about one to two days after they eat or drink something contaminated with the bacteria or have sexual contact with someone who is or recently was infected.

Symptoms typically go away within a week, but it can sometimes take months for bowel movements to go back to normal. Kids are the most likely to get shigellosis, though travelers, men having sex with men, and those with weakened immune systems are also at an increased risk of becoming infected. The foods associated with shigellosis are salads, raw vegetables, milk, and dairy products. Read more about the symptoms of dehydration.

Contact your GP or call NHS 24's service for advice if you are concerned about yourself or your child. You should also contact your GP in the situations outlined below, as they may mean that you or your child has, or is at risk of, a more serious problem.

You should contact your GP or health visitor urgently if your baby has had 6 or more episodes of diarrhoea in the past 24 hours, or if they have vomited 3 times or more in the past 24 hours. You should also contact your GP if your child has persistent diarrhoea. Most cases will pass in 5 to 7 days.

You should also contact your GP if you have persistent diarrhoea. Most cases in adults will pass in 2 to 4 days. Diarrhoea usually occurs when fluid cannot be absorbed from the contents of your bowel, or when extra fluid is secreted into your bowel, causing watery poo.

Diarrhoea is usually a symptom of a bowel infection gastroenteritis , which can be caused by:. The patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine should state whether diarrhoea is a possible side effect. Persistent diarrhoea can also sometimes occur after surgery on the stomach, such as a gastrectomy. This is an operation to remove part of the stomach — for example, as a treatment for stomach cancer. Read more about when to visit your GP if you have diarrhoea.

Your GP may ask you for a stool sample so it can be analysed for signs of an infection if you have:. Your GP may suggest you have some blood tests if they suspect your diarrhoea is being caused by an underlying health condition. For example, your blood can be tested for signs of inflammation, which may suggest inflammatory bowel disease.

Read more about the possible causes of diarrhoea. Your GP may recommend a digital rectal examination DRE if you have unexplained persistent diarrhoea, particularly if you're over It can be useful for diagnosing conditions that affect your rectum and bowel. If you have persistent diarrhoea and your GP is unable to find the cause, they may refer you to your local hospital for further investigation. Diarrhoea will usually clear up without treatment after a few days, particularly if it's caused by an infection.

In children, diarrhoea will usually pass within 5 to 7 days and will rarely last longer than 2 weeks. In adults, diarrhoea usually improves within 2 to 4 days, although some infections can last a week or more. While waiting for your diarrhoea to pass, you can ease your symptoms by following the advice outlined below.

It's important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration , particularly if you're also vomiting. Take small, frequent sips of water. Ideally, adults should drink a lot of liquids that contain water, salt, and sugar. Examples are water mixed with juice and soup broth. If you're drinking enough fluid, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear.

It's also very important for babies and small children not to become dehydrated. Give your child frequent sips of water, even if they are vomiting. A small amount is better than none. If you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby and they have diarrhoea, you should continue to feed them as normal. Contact your GP immediately if you or your child develop any symptoms of dehydration. Your GP or pharmacist may suggest using an oral rehydration solution ORS to prevent dehydration if you're at risk — for example, if you're frail or elderly.

ORS can also be used to treat dehydration that has already occurred. Rehydration solutions usually come in sachets available from your local pharmacist without a prescription. They are dissolved in water and replace salt, glucose, and other important minerals that are lost if you are dehydrated.

Your GP or pharmacist may recommend giving your child an ORS if they are dehydrated or at risk of becoming dehydrated. The usual recommendation is for your child to drink an ORS each time they have an episode of diarrhoea. The amount they should drink will depend on their size and weight. Your pharmacist can advise you about this. The manufacturer's instructions should also give information about the recommended dose. You may be able to give your baby an ORS if they become dehydrated, but check with your GP, pharmacist, or health visitor first.

Opinion is divided over when and what you should eat if you have diarrhoea. It is especially dangerous for young children and older adults. In babies and young children, dehydration can also cause a lack of tears when crying.

Older adults and children are at particular risk of dehydration, so it is essential to identify the symptoms of dehydration early. Severe or persistent diarrhea episodes can trigger intestinal malabsorption. This is where the intestines are unable to absorb all the nutrients the body needs to function correctly.

Many cases of diarrhea are preventable if people take the appropriate precautions. We outline some examples below. Washing the hands thoroughly and regularly reduces the risk of infections that can cause diarrhea. Handwashing is especially important in the following situations:. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , people should wash their hands frequently in soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Food poisoning resulting from a bacterial infection is a common cause of watery diarrhea.

To reduce the risk of food poisoning, a person should:. The risk of food poisoning is higher when traveling to countries with poor sanitation. As such, people should take the following precautions when traveling to such destinations:.

The CDC recommend that infants receive the first dose of the rotavirus vaccine before 15 weeks of age and the second dose before 8 months. The CDC currently only recommend the cholera vaccine for adults aged who are traveling to an area where there is an active cholera outbreak. Adults should see a doctor if their diarrhea persists beyond a few days. Parents or caregivers should take babies and young children to see a doctor if their diarrhea persists for 24 hours or more.

Most people who have watery diarrhea will recover within a few days following appropriate home care or medical treatment. The type of pain felt in the abdomen can vary greatly. Children may feel stomach pain for a range of reasons and may need treatment.

Severe allergic reactions anaphylaxis and asthma attacks need urgent emergency first aid. In an emergency, always call triple zero Around half of cases of anal fissures heal by themselves with proper self-care and avoidance of constipation.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of diarrhoea Diarrhoea can be dangerous for babies and young children Causes of acute diarrhoea Causes of chronic diarrhoea Diagnosis of diarrhoea Treatment for diarrhoea Risk of spreading infection Dietary adjustments may help diarrhoea Where to get help Things to remember.

Symptoms of diarrhoea The symptoms associated with diarrhoea include: abdominal cramps abdominal pains urgency to go to the toilet frequent passing of loose, watery faeces nausea vomiting. Serious symptoms of diarrhoea In most cases, acute diarrhoea is self-limiting and will resolve by itself within a day or two.

Diarrhoea can be dangerous for babies and young children Acute diarrhoea can be life threatening to babies and young children.