Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsShort-Term CausesLong-Term ConditionsRisks of Chronic DiarrheaTreatment and PreventionFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Short-Term Causes

Long-Term Conditions

Risks of Chronic Diarrhea

Treatment and Prevention

Frequently Asked Questions

Occasional morning diarrhea (watery or loose stool) is completely normal and usually not something to worry about. However, if diarrhea is happening frequently or consistently (which is calledchronic diarrhea), there could be something more going on.

This article discusses short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) causes of morning diarrhea, problems you may develop due to diarrhea, and how to get digestive issues under control.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Causes of Short-Term vs. Long-Term Diarrhea - Illustration by Theresa Chiechi

Most of the time, diarrhea is acute and self-limiting, meaning it doesn’t last long and will go away on its own. That’s because it often arises from a cause that is short term. These are some of the acute reasons for diarrhea.

Infection or Illness

Diarrhea from a virus may co-occur with vomiting, and some people also have a fever.Blood in the diarrheais not a usual symptom of this type of diarrhea.

Bacteria can also cause diarrhea. This can happen after traveling or eating food that contains the bacteria. Bacterial diarrhea can result fromfood poisoningor a food-borne illness.

There are several types of bacteria that can cause diarrhea, and bacteria can cause other symptoms, including fever, bloody stool, or inflammation (redness and swelling) in the intestine.

Parasitesare also a cause of diarrhea, however, these infections are much less common in developed countries. Diarrhea that goes on for more than seven days might be a reason for a doctor to test for a parasitic infection. Along with diarrhea, there may be vomiting, blood in the stool, or inflammation in the intestine.

A Verywell Report: These Foods Are the Biggest Culprits of Foodborne Illness

Too Much Caffeine

Caffeinehas an effect on body systems, including the digestive tract. This includes increasing stomach acid and causing the muscles in the digestive tract (called smooth muscles) to relax. It may also increase the risk of inflammation in the digestive system. This could mean that stools become looser.

Emotional Stress

Side Effect of Medication

Diarrhea is a common adverse effect of medications and supplements. Reading the patient materials or talking to the doctor who prescribed the drug can help in understanding if a medication might cause diarrhea.

Pregnancy

Pregnant people may experience diarrheafor various reasons. This can include a change in diet, food sensitivities, or hormonal changes. Sometimes diarrhea in the third trimester is a sign that labor is near.However, diarrhea can continue for some time before active labor starts.

Chronic (long-term) conditions like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatitis can also cause diarrhea. You may also have diarrhea after surgery, such as a cholecystectomy. In these situations, diarrhea may not resolve on its own but may need treatment. This is particularly true if there is a disease that can be progressive (get worse).

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)is a common cause of diarrhea. IBS with diarrhea may be diagnosed in people with abdominal pain at least one day a week and about 25% of bowel movements being diarrhea during the last three months.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) includes Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis. These can cause diarrhea, among other symptoms such as blood in the stool, weight loss, and abdominal pain. A diagnosis of IBD is usually made through tests that look at the digestive tract lining to see if there are ulcerations.

Food Allergy or Intolerance

People who eat food they are allergic to may have diarrhea.Food allergiesare diagnosed with skin prick or blood tests but might also be diagnosed based on the symptoms after eating the suspected food.

If food is moving too fast through the digestive system, it can also mean that vitamins and minerals are not getting absorbed properly. This could result in vitamin deficiencies.

Persistent diarrhea can also be rough on the skin around the anus (called theperianal skin). Acidic stool and wiping can break the skin down, causing pain or even broken skin and bleeding.

Constant diarrhea could also lead tohemorrhoids.Hemorrhoidsare enlarged veins in the anus. They can be painful and cause itching and bleeding. Straining and spending too much time on the toilet could lead to the development of hemorrhoids.

It may not be possible to avoid diarrhea all the time. However, several things can be done to prevent it.

When traveling, it’s important to avoid foods that may contain bacteria. Drinking bottled water, eating only cooked foods, and avoiding ice or undercooked foods are some of the recommendations.

Antidiarrheal medicationsmight be used for some types of diarrhea. However, these might not be recommended in the case of infection or chronic diarrhea. Talking to a doctor before taking antidiarrheal drugs is a good idea if you’re not sure.

For diarrhea from IBS, acombination of treatmentsmight be used. This can include changes to diet, eating more fiber, psychological therapies, supplements, and medications.

IBD causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Stopping that inflammation is part of treating diarrhea. Sometreatmentscan include dietary changes, psychological therapies, medications, and supplements.

Summary

Diarrhea is common, and it usually goes away on its own. If diarrhea continues for several days or causes complications (such as dehydration), it’s important to see a doctor to get treatment. Chronic diarrhea will need to be diagnosed and treated differently than acute diarrhea.

A Word From Verywell

Having diarrhea can be miserable, especially when it’s from an infection that is also causing other symptoms like nausea or vomiting. It can be hard to know when to see a doctor about diarrhea. If someone you are around has been sick with diarrhea and had the stomach flu, the cause might be clear. But it’s best to have a doctor diagnose diarrhea that goes on for more than three days and causes dehydration or other complications.

Some of the common reasons for diarrhea with no other symptoms could be a medication’s adverse effect, too much caffeine, or a food that doesn’t agree with you. These types usually will go away on their own without any treatment.

Bowel movement consistency can vary. However,watery stools that interrupt sleepare outside of what’s normal. Keeping a food and symptom diary and making some changes to diet and stress levels could be a place to start in stopping the morning diarrhea.If nothing seems to be helping, talk to a doctor, nurse, dietitian, or any combination of these to get started on figuring out the cause of diarrhea.

Bowel movement consistency can vary. However,watery stools that interrupt sleepare outside of what’s normal. Keeping a food and symptom diary and making some changes to diet and stress levels could be a place to start in stopping the morning diarrhea.

If nothing seems to be helping, talk to a doctor, nurse, dietitian, or any combination of these to get started on figuring out the cause of diarrhea.

Pain in the morning could be a sign that something about your morning routine needs to be changed. Keeping a symptom and food log can help, but if they don’t, it’s time to see a healthcare professional.

Anxiety or emotional stresscan lead to diarrhea for some people. In some cases, this could be expected—a stressful event can’t always be avoided. It’s worth addressing stress levels in whatever way that makes sense for you.

10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(3):180-189.Rodak K, Kokot I, Kratz EM.Caffeine as a factor influencing the functioning of the human body-friend or foe?Nutrients. 2021;13:3088. doi:10.3390/nu13093088.Culpepper T, Christman MC, Nieves C Jr, et al.Bifidobacterium bifidumR0071 decreases stress-associated diarrhoea-related symptoms and self-reported stress: a secondary analysis of a randomised trial.Benef Microbes.2016;7:327-336. doi:10.3920/BM2015.0156.Body C, Christie JA.Gastrointestinal diseases in pregnancy: Nausea, vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, and diarrhea.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2016;45(2):267-83. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2016.02.005Singh P, Lee HN, Rangan V, et al.Similarities in clinical and psychosocial characteristics of functional diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.2020;18:399-405.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.08.020.Gecse KB, Vermeire S.Differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: imitations and complications.Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:644-653. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(18)30159-6.Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Szajewska H, Lack G.Food allergy and the gut.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14:241-257. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.187.Misselwitz B, Butter M, Verbeke K, Fox MR.Update on lactose malabsorption and intolerance: pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical management.Gut. 2019;68:2080-2091. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318404.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.When and how to wash your hands.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Travelers' diarrhea.

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(3):180-189.Rodak K, Kokot I, Kratz EM.Caffeine as a factor influencing the functioning of the human body-friend or foe?Nutrients. 2021;13:3088. doi:10.3390/nu13093088.Culpepper T, Christman MC, Nieves C Jr, et al.Bifidobacterium bifidumR0071 decreases stress-associated diarrhoea-related symptoms and self-reported stress: a secondary analysis of a randomised trial.Benef Microbes.2016;7:327-336. doi:10.3920/BM2015.0156.Body C, Christie JA.Gastrointestinal diseases in pregnancy: Nausea, vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, and diarrhea.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2016;45(2):267-83. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2016.02.005Singh P, Lee HN, Rangan V, et al.Similarities in clinical and psychosocial characteristics of functional diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.2020;18:399-405.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.08.020.Gecse KB, Vermeire S.Differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: imitations and complications.Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:644-653. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(18)30159-6.Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Szajewska H, Lack G.Food allergy and the gut.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14:241-257. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.187.Misselwitz B, Butter M, Verbeke K, Fox MR.Update on lactose malabsorption and intolerance: pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical management.Gut. 2019;68:2080-2091. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318404.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.When and how to wash your hands.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Travelers' diarrhea.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Barr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(3):180-189.Rodak K, Kokot I, Kratz EM.Caffeine as a factor influencing the functioning of the human body-friend or foe?Nutrients. 2021;13:3088. doi:10.3390/nu13093088.Culpepper T, Christman MC, Nieves C Jr, et al.Bifidobacterium bifidumR0071 decreases stress-associated diarrhoea-related symptoms and self-reported stress: a secondary analysis of a randomised trial.Benef Microbes.2016;7:327-336. doi:10.3920/BM2015.0156.Body C, Christie JA.Gastrointestinal diseases in pregnancy: Nausea, vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, and diarrhea.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2016;45(2):267-83. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2016.02.005Singh P, Lee HN, Rangan V, et al.Similarities in clinical and psychosocial characteristics of functional diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.2020;18:399-405.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.08.020.Gecse KB, Vermeire S.Differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: imitations and complications.Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:644-653. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(18)30159-6.Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Szajewska H, Lack G.Food allergy and the gut.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14:241-257. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.187.Misselwitz B, Butter M, Verbeke K, Fox MR.Update on lactose malabsorption and intolerance: pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical management.Gut. 2019;68:2080-2091. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318404.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.When and how to wash your hands.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Travelers' diarrhea.

Barr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(3):180-189.

Rodak K, Kokot I, Kratz EM.Caffeine as a factor influencing the functioning of the human body-friend or foe?Nutrients. 2021;13:3088. doi:10.3390/nu13093088.

Culpepper T, Christman MC, Nieves C Jr, et al.Bifidobacterium bifidumR0071 decreases stress-associated diarrhoea-related symptoms and self-reported stress: a secondary analysis of a randomised trial.Benef Microbes.2016;7:327-336. doi:10.3920/BM2015.0156.

Body C, Christie JA.Gastrointestinal diseases in pregnancy: Nausea, vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, and diarrhea.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2016;45(2):267-83. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2016.02.005

Singh P, Lee HN, Rangan V, et al.Similarities in clinical and psychosocial characteristics of functional diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.2020;18:399-405.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.08.020.

Gecse KB, Vermeire S.Differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: imitations and complications.Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:644-653. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(18)30159-6.

Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Szajewska H, Lack G.Food allergy and the gut.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14:241-257. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.187.

Misselwitz B, Butter M, Verbeke K, Fox MR.Update on lactose malabsorption and intolerance: pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical management.Gut. 2019;68:2080-2091. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318404.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.When and how to wash your hands.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Travelers' diarrhea.

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