Diarrhea is a very common disease that usually heals itself. There is no exact definition, but generally speaking, diarrhea is defined as having more than three watery stools per day. In most cases the cause is an infection with viruses or bacteria.
Hygiene plays an important role in this case in order not to infect other people. In the case of long-lasting diarrhoea, however, the cause can also be non-infectious. Here a clarification by the doctor is necessary.
This is how long a diarrhoea illness lasts
A diarrhea illness lasts for different lengths of time depending on the cause. If the cause is viral, the diarrhoea can last from one day to two weeks. It is not uncommon for it to be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Bacterial diarrhoea can be persistent. In most cases, symptomatic therapy can also help, but antibiotic therapy is recommended in cases of severe course or existing symptoms. If a bacterial diarrhea disease is suspected, a doctor should be consulted.
- One of the best known viral diarrheal diseases is the norovirus infection. This disappears in 12 to 48 hours. One example is travel diarrhoea, which is often caused by the bacterium E. Coli and lasts for about one to four days.
This is what I can do to shorten the diarrhea
For more information we recommend our page on: How to stop diarrhea quickly?
- The most important thing in diarrhoea is to drink enough fluids. The body needs water and salts (electrolytes).
Water and sweetened tea is highly recommended. There are also certain drinks that have a high electrolyte content and contain sugar. Salty broths can also be helpful.
- In order to do something good for the intestines, only light food is recommended.
This means rice, rusk, jacket potatoes and salt sticks. One should do without greasy, as well as roasted and spicy food.
- In cases of severe nausea and vomiting, one can also take medication, so-called antiemetics. If oral administration is not possible, they are also available as suppositories. Also antispasmodic medications, for example Buscopan, can be helpful for severe intestinal cramps.
- There is also limited evidence that probiotics based on Saccharomyces boulardii can shorten the duration of diarrhea. For more information we recommend our page on: How to stop diarrhea quickly?
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