Treatment of diarrhea depends on its cause. If it's caused by bacterial or parasite infection, it's often treated with antibiotics. Diarrhea from other causes, such as a stomach virus, often improves with simple home treatment. The tips below may help ease your symptoms.
- Drink plenty of fluids. This helps prevent too much fluid loss (dehydration). The fluids should contain water, salt, and sugar. Oral rehydration solution (ORS), a mixture of glucose and sodium, works best. You can buy it without a prescription.
- Don't have drinks with caffeine. Don't drink alcohol, coffee, tea, or milk. These can irritate your intestines and make symptoms worse.
- Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas. These include broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn.
- Don't drink fruit juices or liquids that are high in sugar.
- Suck on ice chips first if drinking fluids makes you queasy.
- Eat more starchy foods like rice, cereal, and crackers. Don't eat red foods. They might look like blood in diarrhea.
- Return to your normal diet slowly. You may want to eat bland foods at first, such as rice and toast. You may need to stay away from certain foods for a while, such as dairy products. These can make symptoms worse. Ask your health care provider if there are any other foods you should stay away from.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Don't stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
- Don't take anti-diarrhea medicines without asking your provider first.
- Keep in mind that you may be infectious. Wash your hands often with soap and clean, running water. Or use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.