Quick Answer
For most people, diarrhea is a temporary condition that lasts 1-2 days as the body clears out the infection or irritant that caused it. Mild diarrhea usually resolves on its own within a few days as bowel movements return to normal. More severe diarrhea can last up to 2 weeks before bowel habits normalize. Rehydration and resting the bowels by avoiding solid foods for 24 hours can help recovery. If diarrhea persists for more than 2 weeks or is accompanied by severe symptoms like blood in stool, fever, or dehydration, see a doctor right away. With proper care, the bowels typically return to normal within 2 weeks even after a bout of acute diarrhea.
What is diarrhea and what causes it?
Diarrhea refers to abnormally loose or watery bowel movements that occur more than 3 times per day. It is usually caused by:
– Viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections
– Food poisoning
– Reaction to medications
– Chronic conditions like IBS, IBD, celiac disease
– Food intolerances like lactose intolerance
When the body detects an irritant or infection, it tries to flush it out quickly by sending extra fluid and electrolytes into the intestines. This speeds up transit time and results in loose, watery stools. Viruses that cause diarrhea like norovirus typically clear in 1-3 days as the virus leaves your system. Bacterial infections may persist longer until treated with antibiotics. Parasites need medication to kill off the organism.
How long does acute diarrhea last?
For otherwise healthy people, a bout of acute diarrhea due to infection or food poisoning usually lasts:
– 1-2 days: Viral infection like norovirus
– 2-3 days: Food poisoning like salmonella
– 1 week: Bacterial infection like campylobacter
– 2-3 weeks: Parasitic infection like giardia
Most mild, acute diarrhea goes away on its own without treatment as the body clears the infection. Using over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications can help manage symptoms, but slowing bowel movements also keeps the infection inside the body longer. Staying hydrated and resting the bowels by avoiding solid foods for 24 hours allows the body to flush out the irritant faster.
With proper hydration and care, even more severe infectious diarrhea usually resolves within 2 weeks at most. See a doctor if it lasts longer than that or if you have concerning symptoms like bloody stools, high fever, or signs of dehydration.
How long does diarrhea last with food poisoning?
Cases of food poisoning usually resolve once the problematic food is out of your system. Depending on the source of contamination, symptoms can last:
– Staphylococcus food poisoning: 1-3 days
– E. coli: 3-7 days
– Salmonella: 4-7 days
– Campylobacter: 1 week
– Listeria: up to 2 weeks
– Botulism: 2 weeks
food poisoning is often caused by swallowed bacteria like salmonella or E. coli, so it lasts a bit longer than viruses because the bacteria must be cleared from the intestines. Contaminated foods that produce toxins directly in the gut, like staph and botulism, may go away faster but also tend to cause more severe symptoms. Particularly potent toxins like those from Vibrio bacteria in shellfish or aflatoxins in nuts may take longer to process out of the body.
Staying hydrated, limiting solid food intake for 24 hours, and using OTC medication can relieve food poisoning symptoms faster. See your doctor if diarrhea lasts more than 2 weeks.
How long does virus-related diarrhea last?
Viruses like norovirus and rotavirus that directly infect the lining of the intestines often cause more abrupt but shorter bouts of diarrhea compared to food poisoning and bacterial infections. Common causes of viral diarrhea include:
– Rotavirus: 1-3 days
– Norovirus: 1-2 days
– Adenovirus: 5-12 days
– Cytomegalovirus (CMV): 7-14 days
Viruses damage the intestines and cause inflammation, which leads to fluid secretion and diarrhea. The immune system clears the viruses within days in most healthy people. However, viral diarrhea can persist for up to 2 weeks in cases of weakened immunity. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are the biggest concerns.
How long does toddler and infant diarrhea last?
Diarrhea lasting more than 1-2 days is common in babies and toddlers as their young immune systems adapt to new foods and organisms. Common causes and durations include:
– Rotavirus: 4-6 days
– Food protein intolerance: 1 week
– Salmonella: 1 week
– Giardiasis: 3+ weeks
– Antibiotics: during course and 1-2 weeks after
Babies have underdeveloped gut immunity, so infections that clear quickly in adults can persist longer. However, antibiotics are very effective at treating bacterial and parasitic causes. Limiting dairy and certain solids until the diarrhea improves is important. See a pediatrician if it lasts more than 2 weeks or is accompanied by concerning symptoms like blood, severe cramping, or fever over 104°F (40°C).
How long does traveler’s diarrhea usually last?
Traveler’s diarrhea affects over half of international travelers every year. The unfamiliar food and water supplies in foreign countries often contain different bacteria, viruses, or parasites that cause diarrhea lasting:
– 1-3 days: Viral infection
– 3-5 days: Bacterial infection like E. coli
– 1-3 weeks: Parasitic infection like giardia
Diarrhea that starts during or immediately after returning from travel usually resolves within 1-5 days as the infection passes. Taking OTC anti-diarrheal medication can help control symptoms faster. Seek medical care if severe diarrhea lasts more than 2 weeks, especially if you also have a fever over 101°F (38.3°C), blood in stool, or feel dizzy/faint.
How long does diarrhea last from medication side effects?
Many medications and supplements can cause diarrhea as a temporary side effect lasting:
– Antibiotics: during the course and 1-2 weeks after
– Chemotherapy: 2-7 days after infusion
– Heartburn medications: 1-2 weeks, sometimes indefinitely
– Laxatives/supplements with magnesium: duration of use
– Oral diabetes medications: 1-2 weeks, sometimes indefinitely
Medication-related diarrhea stops soon after discontinuing the drug. Laxatives and magnesium produce osmotic diarrhea during use. Long-term medications like metformin and PPIs can cause chronic diarrhea lasting months or years. See your doctor about alternative options if diarrhea is persistent and disruptive to your daily life.
How long does IBS diarrhea last?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that involves recurring abdominal pain and diarrhea/constipation. IBS diarrhea episodes tend to be short-lived but can be triggered by:
– Stress: lasts hours to 1-2 days
– Food triggers: lasts 12-24 hours
– Overeating: lasts 6-12 hours
– Menstrual period: lasts 3-5 days
Managing IBS requires identifying and avoiding triggers, using anti-spasmodics and anti-diarrheals when needed, and reducing stress. Although individual IBS flare-ups may be short-lived, IBS is an ongoing condition without a cure. See a gastroenterologist if diarrhea disrupts your daily life.
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if you have diarrhea lasting more than 2 weeks or accompanied by these severe symptoms:
– Blood or pus in stool
– Severe abdominal pain and cramping
– Fever over 101°F (38.3°C)
– Signs of dehydration like dizziness, rapid heart rate, dark urine
Chronic diarrhea persisting more than 2-4 weeks needs medical evaluation to determine the cause and proper treatment. Seek urgent care for dehydration symptoms, bloody stool, high fever, or if diarrhea returns right after stopping medication. Call 911 if vomiting and diarrhea prevent you from drinking any fluids.
Home care and remedies
You can help your bowels return to normal faster after diarrhea with at-home care:
– **Drink plenty of clear liquids** like water, broth, or electrolyte beverages. Avoid citrus, caffeine, alcohol.
– **Avoid solid foods** for 24 hours to give the bowels rest.
– **OTC anti-diarrheal medications** like loperamide can help slow excessive bowel movements.
– **Probiotic supplements** help restore healthy gut bacteria.
– **BRAT diet** – banana, rice, applesauce, toast provide gentle fiber when restarting solids.
– **Peppermint, chamomile, ginger** may reduce intestinal spasms.
Most infectious diarrhea improves within 24-48 hours of home treatment. Call your doctor if symptoms don’t start improving after 48-72 hours.
When do bowels return to normal?
For otherwise healthy adults, the intestines usually return to normal within:
– **24-48 hours** after last diarrhea episode for mild viral infection.
– **3-5 days** for mild food poisoning or bacteria.
– **1-2 weeks** for parasite, more severe infection.
– **2+ weeks** for chronic infection or conditions like IBS.
The bowels resume regular functioning once the infection or irritant clears. For recurring conditions like IBS, periods between flare-ups are considered back to normal bowel habits. See your doctor if you go more than 2 weeks with loose stools or other symptoms. Monitoring with a food and symptom diary can help identify triggers.
Conclusion
Most cases of acute diarrhea resolve within 48 hours to 2 weeks with proper hydration and rest. Underlying conditions like food sensitivities, IBS, and infections may cause longer lasting diarrhea but bowels typically return to normal after the trigger resolves. Seek medical advice for any diarrhea persisting more than 2 weeks or accompanied by severe symptoms like blood in stool or high fever. Identifying and avoiding triggers is important, and OTC medication can help manage diarrhea episodes.
| Cause | Duration of Diarrhea |
|---|---|
| Viral infection | 1-3 days |
| Food poisoning | 1-7 days |
| Bacterial infection | 3-7 days |
| Parasitic infection | 2-3 weeks |
| Medication side effect | Hours to indefinitely |
| IBS flare-up | Hours to days |
| Toddler diarrhea | 4-6 days typical |
| Traveler’s diarrhea | 1-5 days typical |
When to see a doctor for diarrhea
- Lasting more than 2 weeks
- Bloody or black stools
- Severe cramping
- Fever over 101°F (38.3°C)
- Signs of dehydration
Tips for faster bowel recovery
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Avoid solid foods for 24 hours
- OTC anti-diarrheals
- Probiotics
- BRAT diet
- Herbal teas