This prolongs the duration of the diarrhea | Duration of diarrhea

This prolongs the duration of the diarrhea

A diarrhea illness can be prolonged by the wrong diet. One should stick to a light diet for the time being and only gradually start eating other foods again. There are some drugs that are supposed to work against diarrhoea. However, these are not given routinely as they can prolong the duration and severity of the disease.

  • Ballast-rich food such as vegetables and fruit should be avoided for the duration of the illness.
  • Spicy and fatty foods can also aggravate the diarrhea.
  • In the case of a bacterial diarrhea disease, a lack of antibiotic therapy can also lead to prolonged diarrhea.
  • However, if the cause is an intolerance, continued intake of the wrong food can lead to persistent diarrhea.

Duration of sick leave

The duration of the sick leave varies greatly depending on the cause. However, if we assume an infectious diarrhea disease, then the sick leave must be for the entire time the diarrhea lasts. Only after 24 hours of freedom from symptoms, the affected person can go back to work.

In the case of a norovirus infection, it is even recommended to wait up to two days after the symptoms have subsided. Special cases are persons who are professionally involved with food. In these cases, the person affected should return to work at the earliest two days after the diarrhoea and observe hygienic measures for at least four weeks.

How long does diarrhea last after antibiotics?

If antibiotics are taken within the last 12 weeks before the beginning of the diarrhea, the antibiotics are to be considered as a possible trigger. In some cases the antibiotic attacks the intestinal flora, so that one can suffer from diarrhea during the duration of the antibiotic intake. This should stop within a short time when the medication is discontinued.

The extreme case is a Clostridium difficile infection, which can occur 2 to 10 days after starting treatment with antibiotics. Typical symptoms are very high fever, intestinal cramps and malodorous diarrhea.In this case a medical presentation is necessary. The extreme case is a Clostridium difficile infection, which can occur 2 to 10 days after starting treatment with antibiotics. Typical symptoms are very high fever, intestinal cramps and malodorous diarrhea. In this case a medical presentation is necessary.