Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffMost diarrhea clears up on its own within a few days. To help you cope with your signs and symptoms until they go away, try to:
- Drink plenty of clear liquids, including water, broths and juices every day. But, avoid apple and pear juices until you feel better because they can make your diarrhea worse. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Eating gelatin also may help.
- Add semisolid and low-fiber foods gradually as your bowel movements return to normal. Try soda crackers, toast, eggs, rice or chicken.
- Avoid certain foods such as dairy products, fatty foods, high-fiber foods or highly seasoned foods for a few days.
- Ask about anti-diarrheal medications. Over-the-counter (OTC) anti-diarrheal medications, such loperamide (Imodium A-D) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), may help reduce the number of watery bowel movements you experience. Certain infections — bacterial and parasitic — may be made worse by these OTC medications because they prevent your body from getting rid of what's causing the diarrhea. Also, these drugs aren't always safe for children. Check with your doctor before taking these medications or giving these medications to a child.
References
- Schiller LR, et al. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Diarrhea. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea. Accessed May 13, 2010.
- Understanding food allergies and intolerances. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parml=5679. Accessed May 14, 2010.
- Surawicz CM, et al. Diarrheal diseases. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/diarrheal.asp. Accessed May 13, 2010.
- Nutrition therapy for diarrhea. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed May 13, 2010.
- Guarino A, et al. Probiotics as prevention and treatment for diarrhea. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology. 2008;25:18.
- An introduction to probiotics. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/probiotics. Accessed May 14, 2010.
- Wash your hands. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HandWashing. Accessed May 14, 2010.
- Basics for handling food safely. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Basics_for_Handling_Food_Safely/index.asp. Accessed May 14, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on