Is It Normal to Have Diarrhea Every Day?

Published September 22, 2023 by

Is it normal to have diarrhea every day? The quick answer is NO. Chronic diarrhea is caused by various conditions and disorders. If you are having more than your share of loose and watery bowels, keep reading to discover what might be the reason.

Chronic Diarrheaperson with chronic Diarrhea.

Almost anyone can have a bout of diarrhea from the flu or food poisoning, but that only lasts a day or two and resolves. Chronic diarrhea hangs around for more than four weeks (which seems like a long time). At this point you should be contacting GI Solutions to find out what’s going on.

It can be accompanied by abdominal pain, spasms, and dehydration.

Other signs include the following:

  • It wakes you up at night
  • You have anal irritation and inflammation
  • Loss of bowel control
  • Urgency

More serious symptoms include blood or mucus in your stool and weight loss.

What Are Common Causes of Having Diarrhea Every Day?

Your Diet

Your diet can be the culprit. The good news is it’s easy to fix once you know the exact reason. You may be sensitive to certain foods or you react to anything in excess. Some people find they react to sugars, especially the artificial ones like sorbitol and mannitol because they can’t digest them. Fructose can also trigger diarrhea like anything with high fructose corn syrup in it. Lactose can also cause chronic diarrhea as it is a form of sugar.

Certain foods themselves can bring on diarrhea because unabsorbed foods cause diarrhea. Think gluten intolerance, histamine intolerance, and carbohydrate intolerance.

Too much alcohol, coffee, and tea could lead to chronic diarrhea.

Medications

Some examples include antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, some herbal supplements, antacids with magnesium, antidepressants, beta blockers, overuse of laxatives, and chemotherapy drugs.

Parasitic Infections

Digestive Disorders

These include Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Treating Chronic Diarrhea at Home

You can try a few ways to determine the cause of your chronic diarrhea.

  • See if eliminating diet sodas or anything else you consume with artificial sweeteners helps.
  • Ask your gastroenterologist if your normal medications could be causing diarrhea.
  • Eliminate dairy products and find out if you are lactose intolerant.
  • Try an elimination diet.

Avoid dehydration and drink plenty of water and an electrolyte mix sports drink.

When To See a Gastroenterologist in Chicago

If the diarrhea has gone on for weeks without any resolution, it’s time to see a physician.

If you have lost weight without trying, have blood in your stool, fever, fatigue, and pain, it’s time to see a physician.

If you are having diarrhea every day, don’t wait to contact GI Solutions at (773) 631-2728 for an evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.

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