Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesGas and Types of DiarrheaTreatmentWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Gas and Types of Diarrhea
Treatment
When to See a Provider
This article will discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of gas and diarrhea. It will also cover when someone should contact a healthcare provider.
Alihan Usullu / Getty Images
Causes of Excessive Gas and Diarrhea
Excessivegasanddiarrheacan be painful and interfere with daily activities. There are several causes, some of which are temporary, while others are lifelong. Below is a list of some of the causes, with explanations of each one.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Symptoms include abdominal cramping, gas, and changes in bowel patterns. Bowel pattern changes tend to be diarrhea but can also include constipation.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
SIBOoccurs when there is an increase in the number of or type of bacteria in the small intestine. The extra bacteria produce gas and can cause diarrhea.It is typically found in people who have had abdominal surgery or who have other health conditions likeCrohn’s disease,celiac disease, or a weakened immune system.
Celiac Disease
Food Intolerance
Food intolerance is a difficulty digesting certainfoods or drinks, which then causes excessive gas and diarrhea.
Fructose intoleranceis a type of food intolerance in which people get gas and diarrhea after consuming products that contain fructose. Fructose is a type of sugar found in fruits, fruit products, soft drinks, and foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup.
Infections
Infections are another common cause of gastrointestinal problems like gas and diarrhea. Types include:
Diarrhea symptoms will vary based on the infectious or noninfectious cause of the illness. Below are lists of different types of gas and diarrhea along with the corresponding symptoms.
Noninfectious Diarrhea Symptoms
Noninfectiousdiarrheasymptoms will vary based on the cause. The causes can range from medical conditions like Crohn’s disease and celiac disease to food intolerances.
Symptoms may include:
People with noninfectious diarrhea tend to not have a fever or othersigns of an infection.
Infectious Diarrhea Symptoms
Infectious diarrhea is broken up into two categories, inflammatory and noninflammatory. Inflammatory infectious diarrhea is more invasive with toxin-producing bacteria that produce more severe symptoms. Noninflammatory infectious diarrhea symptoms are typically from a virus and produce milder symptoms.
Noninflammatory infectious diarrhea symptoms include:
Inflammatory infectious diarrhea symptoms include:
Diarrhea DiagnosisViral infections are the most common cause of diarrhea. In most cases, there does not need to be a formal diagnosis to determine the exact cause. But when the diarrhea is severe, determining the cause is important.A healthcare provider will take a health history to find if there has been any recent travel, types of foods and drinks consumed, and look at other symptoms.Tests performed could include:Fecal occult bloodStool cultureClostridioides difficile(C. diff) testingParasite testing
Diarrhea Diagnosis
Viral infections are the most common cause of diarrhea. In most cases, there does not need to be a formal diagnosis to determine the exact cause. But when the diarrhea is severe, determining the cause is important.A healthcare provider will take a health history to find if there has been any recent travel, types of foods and drinks consumed, and look at other symptoms.Tests performed could include:Fecal occult bloodStool cultureClostridioides difficile(C. diff) testingParasite testing
Viral infections are the most common cause of diarrhea. In most cases, there does not need to be a formal diagnosis to determine the exact cause. But when the diarrhea is severe, determining the cause is important.
A healthcare provider will take a health history to find if there has been any recent travel, types of foods and drinks consumed, and look at other symptoms.
Tests performed could include:
Treatment: Relief for Gas and Diarrhea Symptoms
Gas and diarrhea tend to resolve on their own without treatment. However, if the symptoms persist or are severe then treatment is needed. People with underlying conditions should talk to their healthcare provider for a specific treatment plan. The treatments may include:
When Gas and Diarrhea Warrant a Provider Visit
Most incidences of gas and diarrhea will resolve on their own without treatment from a healthcare provider. However, when there are signs of dehydration along with diarrhea, contact a healthcare provider. Other symptoms that warrant a healthcare provider visit include:
Summary
8 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.John Hopkins Medicine.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive track.John Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of celiac disease.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Ghimire S, Sharma S, Patel A, et al.Diarrhea is associated with increased severity of disease in COVID-19: systemic review and metaanalysis.SN Compr Clin Med. 2021;3(1):28-35. doi:10.1007/s42399-020-00662-wBarr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea in adults.afp. 2014;89(3):180-189.UpToDate.Acute diarrhea in adults.
8 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.John Hopkins Medicine.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive track.John Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of celiac disease.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Ghimire S, Sharma S, Patel A, et al.Diarrhea is associated with increased severity of disease in COVID-19: systemic review and metaanalysis.SN Compr Clin Med. 2021;3(1):28-35. doi:10.1007/s42399-020-00662-wBarr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea in adults.afp. 2014;89(3):180-189.UpToDate.Acute diarrhea in adults.
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.
John Hopkins Medicine.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive track.John Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of celiac disease.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Ghimire S, Sharma S, Patel A, et al.Diarrhea is associated with increased severity of disease in COVID-19: systemic review and metaanalysis.SN Compr Clin Med. 2021;3(1):28-35. doi:10.1007/s42399-020-00662-wBarr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea in adults.afp. 2014;89(3):180-189.UpToDate.Acute diarrhea in adults.
John Hopkins Medicine.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive track.
John Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of celiac disease.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.
Ghimire S, Sharma S, Patel A, et al.Diarrhea is associated with increased severity of disease in COVID-19: systemic review and metaanalysis.SN Compr Clin Med. 2021;3(1):28-35. doi:10.1007/s42399-020-00662-w
Barr W, Smith A.Acute diarrhea in adults.afp. 2014;89(3):180-189.
UpToDate.Acute diarrhea in adults.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
