Speak To An Expert
Get clear, personalised advice for your situation.
Jot down a few questions to make the most of your conversation.
Diarrhoea - How to Stop It? #Shorts | UHL NHS Trust
Understanding Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is characterized by frequent, loose, or watery stools. It can be caused by various factors including infections, food intolerances, and chronic conditions like IBS. Understanding its cause is crucial in managing symptoms efficiently.
Immediate Steps to Take
When experiencing diarrhoea, it’s essential to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids like water, oral rehydration solutions, and clear broths. Avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol as they can worsen dehydration.
Adjust Your Diet
Eating right can help manage diarrhoea. Opt for bland, easy-to-digest foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, commonly known as the BRAT diet. These foods can help firm up your stools and replace lost nutrients.
Medications and Over-the-Counter Solutions
Over-the-counter medications like loperamide (Imodium) can reduce symptoms by slowing down bowel movements. However, always consult your pharmacist or healthcare provider before taking any medication, especially if you have underlying health issues.
When to See a Doctor
Consult a healthcare professional if diarrhoea persists for more than a few days, is accompanied by severe pain, fever, or blood in the stools. Chronic diarrhoea could indicate a more serious condition that requires professional medical attention.
Preventing Diarrhoea
Good hygiene practices can prevent diarrhoea. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Ensure food is cooked thoroughly and avoid drinking untreated water.
Support from UHL NHS Trust
The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust offers extensive resources and support for managing diarrhoea. For more information and personalised advice, consult your local healthcare provider or visit the UHL NHS Trust website.
Diarrhoea - How to Stop It?
What is Diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea means having loose or watery poo often. It can happen for different reasons like infections or certain foods that upset your tummy. Knowing why it happens can help you feel better.
What to Do Right Away
When you have diarrhoea, drink lots of water. This stops you from getting too thirsty. Water, special drinks called oral rehydration solutions, and clear broths are good to drink. Don't drink coffee or alcohol because they can make you more thirsty.
Change What You Eat
Eating certain foods can help you feel better. Try bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are part of the BRAT diet and can make your poo firmer and give back some nutrients that you lost.
Medicines You Can Use
You can take medicines like loperamide (Imodium) from the pharmacy to help stop diarrhoea. These slow down your tummy. Always ask a pharmacist or doctor if you are unsure about taking a medicine, especially if you are already not well.
When to Go to the Doctor
If diarrhoea lasts more than a few days, or if you have bad pain, a fever, or blood in your poo, see a doctor. This can mean something more serious is wrong, and you need a doctor to help you.
How to Stop Diarrhoea from Happening
Washing your hands with soap and water can help stop diarrhoea. Do this a lot, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Make sure your food is cooked well and do not drink water that might not be clean.
Help from UHL NHS Trust
At University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, there are lots of resources to help with diarrhoea. For more info and to get advice made just for you, talk to your local healthcare provider or visit the UHL NHS Trust website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common causes of diarrhoea include infections such as gastroenteritis, food poisoning, certain medications, and underlying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
To stop diarrhoea, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Oral rehydration solutions are particularly effective. Avoid dairy, fatty foods, and caffeinated beverages. Eat bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the BRAT diet).
Consult a doctor if diarrhoea persists for more than a few days, if you experience severe pain, high fever, signs of dehydration, or blood in your stool.
Over-the-counter medications like loperamide (Imodium) can be used to reduce diarrhoea symptoms. Always follow the instructions and consult with a pharmacist if unsure.
Probiotics may help restore the balance of bacteria in your gut and can be beneficial in managing diarrhoea, especially after taking antibiotics.
Yes, it is safe to eat. Focus on light, easy-to-digest foods. The BRAT diet can be helpful, which includes bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of clear fluids, oral rehydration solutions, or electrolyte drinks. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they can exacerbate dehydration.
Yes, avoid dairy products, fatty and fried foods, spicy foods, and caffeinated beverages. These can aggravate diarrhoea and make symptoms worse.
Yes, stress and anxiety can cause or exacerbate diarrhoea by affecting gut motility and secretion.
The best liquids for hydration include water, clear broths, oral rehydration solutions, and diluted fruit juices. Avoid sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol.
Diarrhoea caused by infections, such as viral or bacterial gastroenteritis, can be contagious. Practice good hygiene, such as thorough handwashing, to prevent spreading the infection.
Yes, certain medications like antibiotics, antacids containing magnesium, and chemotherapy drugs can cause diarrhoea as a side effect.
Ensure your child stays hydrated with oral rehydration solutions. Avoid sugary drinks and offer bland, easy-to-digest foods. Consult a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen, or if there are signs of dehydration.
Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, excessive thirst, infrequent urination, dark-coloured urine, fatigue, dizziness, and in severe cases, confusion. Seek medical attention if you or someone else shows these symptoms.
Yes, food poisoning is a common cause of acute diarrhoea. It typically occurs after consuming contaminated food or water. Symptoms usually include vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea.
Diarrhea can happen because of different reasons. Some common ones are:
- Infections like tummy bugs.
- Eating food that has gone bad.
- Some medicines.
- Health problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
If you need help, you can use tools like picture cards or ask someone to explain things to you. It's also good to talk with a doctor if you have questions.
When you have diarrhoea, drink lots of water. This helps you stay healthy. Special drinks like oral rehydration solutions are very good. Do not eat dairy foods like milk and cheese. Stay away from fatty foods and drinks with caffeine. Eat simple foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This is called the BRAT diet.
See a doctor if you have runny poo for more than a few days. You should also see a doctor if you have bad tummy pain, a high fever, feel very thirsty and tired, or if there is blood in your poo.
You can use medicine called loperamide (Imodium) to help stop a runny tummy. This medicine is easy to buy from a shop. Always read the directions and ask a pharmacist if you have questions.
Probiotics can help make the bacteria in your tummy better. They are good for stopping diarrhoea, especially if you have taken medicine like antibiotics.
Yes, it is safe to eat. Try eating light and easy foods. You can try the BRAT diet. This means eating bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
To stop your body from getting too dry, drink lots of clear drinks like water. You can also have special drinks called oral rehydration solutions or electrolyte drinks. Don't drink caffeine and alcohol. These drinks can make your body lose water faster.
Yes, you should stay away from milk and cheese, greasy and fried foods, spicy foods, and drinks with caffeine. These can make diarrhoea worse.
Yes, feeling stressed or worried can make you have runny poop. This happens because stress and worry change how your tummy works.
The best drinks to stay hydrated are water, clear soups, special drinks that help with hydration, and fruit juice with some water added. Stay away from sugary drinks, things with caffeine, and alcohol.
Diarrhoea can spread to other people if it is caused by germs like viruses or bacteria. These germs can make your tummy hurt. You can help stop it from spreading by washing your hands very well.
Yes, some medicines can make you have diarrhea. These include antibiotics, antacids with magnesium, and medicines for cancer treatment.
Here are some tips that might help:
- Ask a doctor or nurse if there are other medicines you can try.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Eat foods that are easy on your tummy, like bananas or rice.
- There are apps and tools that can read text aloud to you, like screen readers. These can be helpful if reading is tricky.
Make sure your child drinks plenty of special drinks to stay hydrated. Do not give them sugary drinks. Give them plain, simple foods that are easy to eat. See a doctor if your child does not get better, gets worse, or shows signs of not having enough water.
When you don't have enough water, your body gives you signs. Some signs are:
- A dry mouth
- Being really thirsty
- Not going to the toilet much
- Peeing a dark color
- Feeling very tired
- Feeling dizzy
- If it's really bad, feeling confused
If you see these signs in yourself or someone else, it's important to talk to a doctor. They can help you feel better.
Here are some tips to help:
- Use a water bottle to remind you to drink water.
- Set a timer to remember to drink water regularly.
- Eat fruits and veggies with lots of water, like watermelon or cucumber.
Yes, food poisoning can make you sick with bad tummy problems. This can happen if you eat food or drink water that is not safe. When this happens, you might feel like throwing up, have a hurting tummy, and need to go to the toilet a lot.
Ergsy Search Results
This website offers general information and is not a substitute for professional advice.
Always seek guidance from qualified professionals.
If you have any medical concerns or need urgent help, contact a healthcare professional or emergency services immediately.
Some of this content was generated with AI assistance. We've done our best to keep it accurate, helpful, and human-friendly.
- Ergsy carefully checks the information in the videos we provide here.
- Videos shown by Youtube after a video has completed, have NOT been reviewed by ERGSY.
- To view, click the arrow in centre of video.
- Most of the videos you find here will have subtitles and/or closed captions available.
- You may need to turn these on, and choose your preferred language.
- Go to the video you'd like to watch.
- If closed captions (CC) are available, settings will be visible on the bottom right of the video player.
- To turn on Captions, click settings.
- To turn off Captions, click settings again.