How To Stop Diarrhea Fast: 7 Effective Tips & Ways To Try In 2024

Diarrhea is quite an uncomfortable condition that interferes with your daily routine and health and is one of the most common causes^[1] of death worldwide in children. It causes feelings of fatigue and leaves you drained and lethargic. Therefore, finding immediate solutions to halt it and reclaim optimal gut health is critical. Here you will learn how to stop diarrhea fast and manage its symptoms effectively.

Keep reading to learn if adding probiotics or superfoods to your diet can help. After reading this, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how to stop diarrhea in adults and kids. Let’s start.

How To Stop Diarrhea Fast

What you eat may affect your digestive health. For instance, you can be prone to diarrhea or constipation^[2] if you mainly devour fast and highly processed foods. These might be a result of the excessive quantity of artificial ingredients, fat, salt, or sugar.

However, your gut health will be superb if you eat a healthy diet rich in gut-healing foods.

You May Use Foods Associated With The BRAT Diet

Many diets are available on the Internet superhighway. Still, the BRAT diet^[3] may be suggested as a choice for halting diarrhea in children, but only if the foods are part of the child’s regular diet. It comprises bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Studies support^[4] that green bananas are the best at stopping persistent diarrhea and its recurrence in children. Studies on rice suggest^[5] that it helps the intestine walls better balance fluid and electrolytes.

However, more recent research favors probiotics^[6] over the BRAT diet as the latter is too limited and lacks nutrients. It is considered an outdated diet with insufficient nutrients to aid in recovery from diarrhea and is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in young children.

Stay Hydrated And Use Oral Rehydration Solutions

When you have diarrhea, you make many trips to the bathroom. These frequent trips dehydrate^[7] you from excessive fluid loss. Hydtaring might be one way to stop diarrhea fast at work or home.

You can counter dehydration by drinking plenty of clear fluids such as water, fresh fruit juices, and herbal teas. Oral rehydration solutions are also quite helpful. With the use of rehydration solutions,^[8] you can quickly restore electrolyte balance and replenish lost fluids from explosive bouts of diarrhea.

Avoid Certain Foods

Spicy,^[9] fatty and dairy products containing lactose can irritate the GI tract and worsen diarrhea. Avoiding such foods during a diarrhea episode can help reduce episodes. 

Try Probiotic Supplement

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can shorten the duration of acute diarrhea.^[10] They help restore the balance of gut flora and help you respond faster to treatments you may receive. Consider introducing these beneficial bacteria into your system using probiotic supplements for better results. Another option is adding probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. 

Over-The-Counter Anti-Diarrheal Medications

OTC  anti-diarrheal medications can quickly treat diarrhea and even halt diarrhea symptoms immediately. These OTC medications may soothe an upset stomach, reduce inflammation, and slow down food movement of the intestines. This minimized frequency of bowel movements helps reduce diarrhea episodes.

Rest And Avoid Stress

Stress^[11] and exhaustion^[12] can cause digestive issues, including diarrhea. These factors may trigger changes in bowel movements^[13] leading to loose stools and digestive discomfort. Ample rest and stress reduction allow your body systems to regain their optimal functioning.

Great techniques like deep breathing,^[14] meditation,^[15] or gentle exercises like yoga^[16] may help reduce stress and exhaustion.

Seek Medical Attention

You must understand that diarrhea is a digestive reaction to various potential reasons, including infections, illnesses, or food sensitivities. In some instances, diarrhea may also develop when a woman’s period^[17] is in progress if she has IBS or if contaminated food is eaten.

You may also have diarrhea caused^[18] by celiac disease^[19] or digestive and kidney diseases that may turn fatal if untreated. So, if diarrhea persists despite applying other remedies, see a doctor immediately.

Symptoms Of Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a rather embarrassing situation characterized by loose, watery stools that could gash out at a simple cough. So, understanding its symptoms is crucial for timely intervention and management. Here are the main symptoms related to diarrhea:

• Loose Watery Stools: Diarrhea consists of frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements. This is because of the rapid movement of fecal waste through the intestines. This fast-paced movement limits water absorption producing watery stools.
• Cramping: Before, during, and after diarrhea, you could experience stomach cramps.
• Dehydration: Since diarrhea fosters excessive fluid loss through watery stool, dehydration is one of the immediate effects. Signs of dehydration are thirst, dry mouth, dark urine, and fatigue.
• Fever: Diarrhea accompanied by fever indicates an underlying condition that requires medical attention. 
• Nausea and Vomiting: If you have diarrhea, feelings of nausea and vomiting are common symptoms. These two symptoms together lead to dehydration.
• Blood in Stools: You may notice bloody stool in severe cases. This may suggest a possible intestinal inflammation or infection requiring medical attention.

How to get rid of diarrhea fast at home is easy. You make dietary adjustments and stay active. However, persistent or severe symptoms beyond home remedies warrant medical attention. A doctor’s intervention helps you fully identify the cause and navigate how to stop diarrhea in adults and children. 

What Foods To Avoid

Now, if you have diarrhea, please avoid the following foods:

• Spicy foods irritate the intestines, intensify diarrhea, and cause discomfort.
• Greasy, high-fat foods are challenging to digest and may worsen diarrhea by increasing bowel movement frequency.
• Beans, cabbage, and onions are foods that cause gas, which can cause bloating and exacerbate diarrheal symptoms.
• Whole grains, raw vegetables, and bran are examples of foods high in insoluble fiber that can be difficult on the digestive system when experiencing diarrhea.
• If you have a lactose intolerance, dairy products like milk, cheese, and ice cream can cause you problems. They could cause diarrhea, bloating, and gas.
• Alcoholic and caffeinated^[20] beverages can dehydrate the body and irritate the digestive tract, worsening diarrhea.
• Artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and other sugar substitutes can have a laxative effect,^[21] contributing to loose stools. Some brands of prune juice contain these sweeteners.
• Carbonated drinks contain bubbles that can create gas in the intestines, exacerbating diarrhea discomfort.
• Spicy condiments such as hot sauces, pepper, and chili powder can intensify gut irritation and increase bowel movement frequency.
• Contaminated food might aggravate diarrhea.

Remember that individual tolerances may vary, and it’s essential to identify specific trigger foods that affect you personally. So always opt for probiotic superfoods and other gentle foods for your digestive health. Also, remember to eat small meals even after treatment to facilitate proper bowel movement.

The Takeaways

Diarrhea happens to a lot of people for various reasons. It’s sometimes explosive and messy, but it is always uncomfortable for anyone. So, grasping how to stop diarrhea fast with medicine or home remedies is crucial for alleviating digestive discomfort and potentially deadly complications, especially in children.

You might experiment with adding foods from the  BRAT diet, staying hydrated, and avoiding spicy, fatty, and lactose-containing dairy products. Avoid stress and exhaustion at all costs. Conversely, consume gut-healing foods like fermented dishes plus probiotic supplement with digestive enzymes to balance gut flora and promote optimum absorption. If you are experiencing diarrhea, you may use over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication for fast relief.

Suppose severe diarrhea and other symptoms linger; please visit a healthcare professional for advice. Taking proactive measures to prevent diarrhea and dehydration to ensure normal bowel function is vital for regaining good gut health.

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