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How do you stop diarrhea symptoms? First, what is diarrhea? According to wikipedia.org, diarrhea is “frequent loose or liquid (watery) bowel movements” and having more bowel movements than normal. Some people refer to it as the “squirts.” Diarrhea is very common. Did you know there are over 2000 causes of diarrhea? However, some stomach diarrhea causes can be:

* Infectious Diarrhea – caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasites. Some of the most well known are: Food Poisoning, Traveler’s Diarrhea, Salmonella, E-coli, and Giardia.
* Malabsorption – means you can not absorb food. Some reasons for this could be Celiac Disease, Lactose Intolerant, Cystic Fibrosis, Pernicious Anemia, or Chemotherapy.
* Inflammatory Bowel Disease – such as: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
* Irritable Bowel Disease – (IBS)
* Alcohol
* And, others – Anxiety, Addison’s Disease, Dehydration, Fecal Impaction, Whipple Disease, Bowel Resection, Fistula, Medications, Stress, Overuse of Laxatives, Ischemic Bowel Disease, Bowel Cancer, Tumors, and Celiac Disease

How and why does diarrhea develop? Acute diarrhea can occur because of bacteria found in contaminated food or water which has been consumed by the affected person (Food Poisoning, E. coli and Salmonella). Diarrhea can occur because of parasites have contaminated food and water (Giardia). Diarrhea can, also, develop as a reaction when people have food allergies. With some viruses, bacteria and parasites cause increased secretion of fluid, either by invading and inflaming the lining of the small intestine or by producing toxins that also stimulate the lining to secrete fluid but without causing inflammation. Inflammation of the small intestine or colon can increase how quickly food passes through the intestines, reducing the time that is available for absorbing water. Thereby increasing water in the stool.

Diarrhea generally is divided into two types.

* Acute diarrhea – few days up to a week.
* Chronic diarrhea – three weeks or more and can cause chronic diarrhea pain.

What is used for diarrhea treatment? There are some OTC (over-the-counter) medications you can use. If diarrhea continues, see your local doctor for medical advice. There are anti-diarrheal medications, such as:

* Imodium AD
* Donnagel
* Lomotil
* Loperamide

If your diarrhea is caused by some form of bacteria or parasite, diarrhea treatment may be the -mycin and -cillin drugs which are prescribed by your local doctor.

When to seek medical attention? Please consult with your local doctor if any of the following occurs with your diarrhea:

* Fever
* Bloody stools
* No improvement within 48 hours
* Dehydration
* Prolonged vomiting
* Chronic diarrhea pain
* Acute diarrhea in pregnant women
* Diarrhea after returning from a developing country (Giardia)

If diarrhea over an extended period of time, it can become life-threatening. If you are experiencing diarrhea, drink plenty of water and fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can be very critical to infants, children, and the elderly population. For infants and children, pedialyte is recommended. For the elderly, ensure is recommended. Sometimes, IV therapy is necessary to stop diarrhea symptoms.