Chronic diarrheacan interfere with your ability to enjoy your life. Sometimes, a simple diet change or over-the-counter (OTC) medication can quickly resolve the problem. Often, a combination of strategies that may include prescription medication and counseling can help relieve your symptoms.Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D) is a common cause of chronic diarrhea, and many of the strategies for managing this condition also apply to other types of chronic diarrhea.
DietInti St. Clair / Getty ImagesFood can make a big difference when it comes to managing diarrhea. Some foods are friendlier to the gastrointestinal (GI) system, while others can be irritating. Many people get stomach upset and diarrhea after consuming dairy products.If you have a sensitive stomach, a heavy or fatty meal can cause diarrhea. And gluten is another common culprit.There is a strong chance that you won’t develop diarrhea fromall of the foods that are commonly associated with diarrheaand that you are more sensitive to some than others. Consider eliminating one type of food from your diet at a time so you can pinpoint the problem.HighFODMAPfoods may cause diarrhea in some people wiwh IBS-D.As you are recovering from a bout of diarrhea, there are alsofoods you can eatwhile you are starting to feel better.Foods for Diarrhea: Foods and Drinks to Help Ease Symptoms
Diet
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Food can make a big difference when it comes to managing diarrhea. Some foods are friendlier to the gastrointestinal (GI) system, while others can be irritating. Many people get stomach upset and diarrhea after consuming dairy products.If you have a sensitive stomach, a heavy or fatty meal can cause diarrhea. And gluten is another common culprit.
There is a strong chance that you won’t develop diarrhea fromall of the foods that are commonly associated with diarrheaand that you are more sensitive to some than others. Consider eliminating one type of food from your diet at a time so you can pinpoint the problem.
HighFODMAPfoods may cause diarrhea in some people wiwh IBS-D.
As you are recovering from a bout of diarrhea, there are alsofoods you can eatwhile you are starting to feel better.
Foods for Diarrhea: Foods and Drinks to Help Ease Symptoms
Self-Care Strategies
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Managing abdominal painwith at-home techniques such as applying a warm pack can help you as you are getting over a flare-up.Relaxation techniquesmay be helpful because there is a link between stress, anxiety, and the GI system.
One of the most upsetting symptoms is urgency, the feeling that you have to go immediately. Techniques fordealing with urgencyinclude deep breathing and emptying on a regular schedule.
Self-Care When You Have Diarrhea
Over-the-Counter ProductsSofie Delauw / Cultura / Getty ImagesOver-the-counter medications and supplements can be effective when it comes to managing diarrhea.Some popular supplements used for diarrhea includecalciumandprobiotics, which have been shown to help prevent flare-ups or alleviate them.Slippery elmis an herb that has been used for diarrhea.Despite the rising popularity of using probiotics to treat diarrhea, it’s important to understand research has been too limited for healthcare providers to formally recommend this treatment for IBS. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Gastroenterology Association recommend probiotics in the context of a clinical trial for symptomatic children and adults with IBS.Medications you can take without a prescription includeImodium (loperamide)and Lomotil (diphenoxylate). Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider, because chronic use (even of OTC medications) can cause side effects.
Over-the-Counter Products
Sofie Delauw / Cultura / Getty Images
Over-the-counter medications and supplements can be effective when it comes to managing diarrhea.
Some popular supplements used for diarrhea includecalciumandprobiotics, which have been shown to help prevent flare-ups or alleviate them.Slippery elmis an herb that has been used for diarrhea.
Despite the rising popularity of using probiotics to treat diarrhea, it’s important to understand research has been too limited for healthcare providers to formally recommend this treatment for IBS. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Gastroenterology Association recommend probiotics in the context of a clinical trial for symptomatic children and adults with IBS.
Medications you can take without a prescription includeImodium (loperamide)and Lomotil (diphenoxylate). Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider, because chronic use (even of OTC medications) can cause side effects.
Prescription Medication OptionsTetra Images / Getty ImagesIf you do not improve with at-home strategies and OTC medications, your healthcare provider may recommend a prescription-strength medication for you. Some of the prescription options used for chronic IBS include Xifaxan (rifaximine) and Viberzi (eluxadoline).Chronic diarrhea may also improve with muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and bile-acid binders. However, SSRI antidepressants (including Zoloft and Lexapro) may exacerbate diarrhea.
Prescription Medication Options
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If you do not improve with at-home strategies and OTC medications, your healthcare provider may recommend a prescription-strength medication for you. Some of the prescription options used for chronic IBS include Xifaxan (rifaximine) and Viberzi (eluxadoline).
Chronic diarrhea may also improve with muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and bile-acid binders. However, SSRI antidepressants (including Zoloft and Lexapro) may exacerbate diarrhea.
Counseling
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If medication isn’t alleviating your symptoms (or if it causes you to have side effects), therapy and counseling can help. You may be reluctant to consider this option out of concern that your diarrhea symptoms will be viewed as “just in your head.” But counseling and therapy can help reduce the symptoms of many true medical conditions.
Getting counseling for a medical problem can be effective as an adjunct to other treatments, such as diet, supplements, or medication.
There are several types of counseling and therapy that can help in managing chronic diarrhea.Cognitive behavioral therapyand hypnotherapy have also been found to lessen the severity of IBS symptoms.
CopingDavid Harriman / The Image Bank / Getty ImagesEnjoying your life can be challenging when you have frequent episodes of diarrhea. Day-to-day activities such as dining out, traveling,working, going to parties, and going to school can all be tricky when you have chronic diarrhea.Experiencing a disruptive symptom like diarrhea on a regular basis can make you feel like you should stay home near your own bathroom. That, however, is no way to live. With a little planning, it is possible to manage the needs of your body and lead a full life.One of the most important aspects of coping is to figure out what you will do if the worst-case scenario—a bathroom accident—occurs. Many people who have chronic diarrhea spend a lot of time being anxious about this possibility. But pushing through the negative thoughts and moving forward to decide what you would do if you have an accident will provide you with more peace of mind than just thinking of this possibility as a problem without a solution.Be sure to pack asurvival kit for bathroom emergenciesand to have a plan ofwhat to do if you have a bathroom accident.Keep in mind that it is not normal to have diarrhea. If it is impacting your life, it’s important to contact your provider.
Coping
David Harriman / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Enjoying your life can be challenging when you have frequent episodes of diarrhea. Day-to-day activities such as dining out, traveling,working, going to parties, and going to school can all be tricky when you have chronic diarrhea.
Experiencing a disruptive symptom like diarrhea on a regular basis can make you feel like you should stay home near your own bathroom. That, however, is no way to live. With a little planning, it is possible to manage the needs of your body and lead a full life.
One of the most important aspects of coping is to figure out what you will do if the worst-case scenario—a bathroom accident—occurs. Many people who have chronic diarrhea spend a lot of time being anxious about this possibility. But pushing through the negative thoughts and moving forward to decide what you would do if you have an accident will provide you with more peace of mind than just thinking of this possibility as a problem without a solution.
Be sure to pack asurvival kit for bathroom emergenciesand to have a plan ofwhat to do if you have a bathroom accident.
Keep in mind that it is not normal to have diarrhea. If it is impacting your life, it’s important to contact your provider.
9 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.Böhn L, Störsrud S, Törnblom H, Bengtsson U, Simrén M.Self-reported food-related gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS are common and associated with more severe symptoms and reduced quality of life.Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(5):634-641. doi:10.1038/ajg.2013.105Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Park SH, Han KS, Kang CB.Relaxation therapy for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review.Asian Nurs Res. 2014;8(3):182-192. doi:10.1016/j.anr.2014.07.001Didari T, Mozaffari S, Nikfar S, Abdollahi M.Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(10):3072-3084. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i10.3072Hawrelak JA, Myers SP.Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: A pilot study.J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(10):1065-1071. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0090Su G, Ko C, Bercik, P, ET al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the role of probiotics in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):697-705. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.059Meleine M, Matricon J.Gender-related differences in irritable bowel syndrome: Potential mechanisms of sex hormones.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6725-6743. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6725Mudyanadzo TA, Hauzaree C, Yerokhina O, Architha NN, Ashqar HM.Irritable bowel syndrome and depression: A shared pathogenesis.Cureus. 2018;10(8):e3178. doi:10.7759/cureus.3178Everitt HA, Landau S, O’Reilly G, et al.Assessing telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and web-delivered CBT versus treatment as usual in irritable bowel syndrome (ACTIB): A multicentre randomised trial.Gut. 2019;68(9):1613-1623. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2018-317805Additional ReadingHod K, Ringel Y, van Tilburg MAL, Ringel-Kulka T.Bloating in irritable bowel syndrome is associated with symptoms severity, psychological factors, and comorbidities.Dig Dis Sci. 2019;64(5):1288-1295. doi:10.1007/s10620-018-5352-5Ribas Y, Muñoz-Duyos A.Conservative treatment of severe defecatory urgency and fecal incontinence: Minor strategies with major impact.Tech Coloproctol. 2018;22(9):673-682. doi:10.1007/s10151-018-1855-5Viera AJ, Hoag S, Shaughnessy J.Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am Fam Physician.
9 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.Böhn L, Störsrud S, Törnblom H, Bengtsson U, Simrén M.Self-reported food-related gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS are common and associated with more severe symptoms and reduced quality of life.Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(5):634-641. doi:10.1038/ajg.2013.105Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Park SH, Han KS, Kang CB.Relaxation therapy for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review.Asian Nurs Res. 2014;8(3):182-192. doi:10.1016/j.anr.2014.07.001Didari T, Mozaffari S, Nikfar S, Abdollahi M.Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(10):3072-3084. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i10.3072Hawrelak JA, Myers SP.Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: A pilot study.J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(10):1065-1071. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0090Su G, Ko C, Bercik, P, ET al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the role of probiotics in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):697-705. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.059Meleine M, Matricon J.Gender-related differences in irritable bowel syndrome: Potential mechanisms of sex hormones.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6725-6743. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6725Mudyanadzo TA, Hauzaree C, Yerokhina O, Architha NN, Ashqar HM.Irritable bowel syndrome and depression: A shared pathogenesis.Cureus. 2018;10(8):e3178. doi:10.7759/cureus.3178Everitt HA, Landau S, O’Reilly G, et al.Assessing telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and web-delivered CBT versus treatment as usual in irritable bowel syndrome (ACTIB): A multicentre randomised trial.Gut. 2019;68(9):1613-1623. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2018-317805Additional ReadingHod K, Ringel Y, van Tilburg MAL, Ringel-Kulka T.Bloating in irritable bowel syndrome is associated with symptoms severity, psychological factors, and comorbidities.Dig Dis Sci. 2019;64(5):1288-1295. doi:10.1007/s10620-018-5352-5Ribas Y, Muñoz-Duyos A.Conservative treatment of severe defecatory urgency and fecal incontinence: Minor strategies with major impact.Tech Coloproctol. 2018;22(9):673-682. doi:10.1007/s10151-018-1855-5Viera AJ, Hoag S, Shaughnessy J.Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am Fam Physician.
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.
Böhn L, Störsrud S, Törnblom H, Bengtsson U, Simrén M.Self-reported food-related gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS are common and associated with more severe symptoms and reduced quality of life.Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(5):634-641. doi:10.1038/ajg.2013.105Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759Park SH, Han KS, Kang CB.Relaxation therapy for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review.Asian Nurs Res. 2014;8(3):182-192. doi:10.1016/j.anr.2014.07.001Didari T, Mozaffari S, Nikfar S, Abdollahi M.Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(10):3072-3084. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i10.3072Hawrelak JA, Myers SP.Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: A pilot study.J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(10):1065-1071. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0090Su G, Ko C, Bercik, P, ET al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the role of probiotics in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):697-705. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.059Meleine M, Matricon J.Gender-related differences in irritable bowel syndrome: Potential mechanisms of sex hormones.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6725-6743. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6725Mudyanadzo TA, Hauzaree C, Yerokhina O, Architha NN, Ashqar HM.Irritable bowel syndrome and depression: A shared pathogenesis.Cureus. 2018;10(8):e3178. doi:10.7759/cureus.3178Everitt HA, Landau S, O’Reilly G, et al.Assessing telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and web-delivered CBT versus treatment as usual in irritable bowel syndrome (ACTIB): A multicentre randomised trial.Gut. 2019;68(9):1613-1623. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2018-317805
Böhn L, Störsrud S, Törnblom H, Bengtsson U, Simrén M.Self-reported food-related gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS are common and associated with more severe symptoms and reduced quality of life.Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(5):634-641. doi:10.1038/ajg.2013.105
Saha L.Irritable bowel syndrome: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6759-6773. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759
Park SH, Han KS, Kang CB.Relaxation therapy for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review.Asian Nurs Res. 2014;8(3):182-192. doi:10.1016/j.anr.2014.07.001
Didari T, Mozaffari S, Nikfar S, Abdollahi M.Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis.World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(10):3072-3084. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i10.3072
Hawrelak JA, Myers SP.Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: A pilot study.J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(10):1065-1071. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0090
Su G, Ko C, Bercik, P, ET al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the role of probiotics in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):697-705. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.059
Meleine M, Matricon J.Gender-related differences in irritable bowel syndrome: Potential mechanisms of sex hormones.World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6725-6743. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6725
Mudyanadzo TA, Hauzaree C, Yerokhina O, Architha NN, Ashqar HM.Irritable bowel syndrome and depression: A shared pathogenesis.Cureus. 2018;10(8):e3178. doi:10.7759/cureus.3178
Everitt HA, Landau S, O’Reilly G, et al.Assessing telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and web-delivered CBT versus treatment as usual in irritable bowel syndrome (ACTIB): A multicentre randomised trial.Gut. 2019;68(9):1613-1623. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2018-317805
Hod K, Ringel Y, van Tilburg MAL, Ringel-Kulka T.Bloating in irritable bowel syndrome is associated with symptoms severity, psychological factors, and comorbidities.Dig Dis Sci. 2019;64(5):1288-1295. doi:10.1007/s10620-018-5352-5Ribas Y, Muñoz-Duyos A.Conservative treatment of severe defecatory urgency and fecal incontinence: Minor strategies with major impact.Tech Coloproctol. 2018;22(9):673-682. doi:10.1007/s10151-018-1855-5Viera AJ, Hoag S, Shaughnessy J.Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am Fam Physician.
Hod K, Ringel Y, van Tilburg MAL, Ringel-Kulka T.Bloating in irritable bowel syndrome is associated with symptoms severity, psychological factors, and comorbidities.Dig Dis Sci. 2019;64(5):1288-1295. doi:10.1007/s10620-018-5352-5
Ribas Y, Muñoz-Duyos A.Conservative treatment of severe defecatory urgency and fecal incontinence: Minor strategies with major impact.Tech Coloproctol. 2018;22(9):673-682. doi:10.1007/s10151-018-1855-5
Viera AJ, Hoag S, Shaughnessy J.Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am Fam Physician.
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