Rare causes of chronic diarrhea (lasting over 3 weeks) are listed below; symptoms are added to help to recognize a cause. Read about common causes of chronic diarrhea and causes of acute (sudden) diarrhea. Causes of Chronic Diarrhea in Adults 1. Diabetes Old patients with long lasting, poorly controlled diabetes may >> Read More ...
Water and Food Poisoning Due to Bad Sanitation Inappropriate sewage disposal may result in contamination of drinking water with human and animal stools containing viruses, bacteria or parasites. Drinking or swimming in such water is the main source of stomach and bowel infections in tropical areas. If water, contaminated >> Read More ...
What Is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)? Various bacteria are present in the human small intestine as part of normal intestinal flora, but when they overgrow, they may cause diarrhea. They may also break down bile acids, necessary for absorption of fats, thus reducing absorption of fats and >> Read More ...
Stomach Problems Due to Chronic Infections Stomach pain, bloating, belching, gas and diarrhea, lasting for several weeks or months may result from chronic infection by parasites, bacteria or, rarely, viruses or yeasts. There is often no fever in these infections. Parasites Intestinal parasites, like giardia >> Read More ...
Cystic Fibrosis (Mucoviscidosis) Cystic fibrosis (mucoviscidosis) is a recessive genetic disorder in which viscous mucus is excreted from bronchial glands, pancreas, sweat and salivary glands. Cysts and fibrosis in the pancreas affect its enzyme excretion resulting in fat malabsorption and leading to mucous, fatty diarrhea >> Read More ...
Diarrhea from Bowel Surgery An abdominal (or other) surgery may trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), derange the normal gut flora or cause a bowel infection, all of which may result in diarrhea. Dumping Syndrome (Rapid Gastric Emptying) Within 6 months after a partial or complete surgical removal of the stomach >> Read More ...
Who Is at Risk to Get Traveler’s Diarrhea? Travelers are at risk of diarrhea, when they move from a high hygiene area to low hygiene areas. For western travelers, high risk areas are: Africa, South Asia, Central and South America, Caribbean and the Pacific islands. Prevention of Traveler’s Diarrhea 1. >> Read More ...
Dehydration is low levels of water and electrolytes (salts) in the body. It arises when the loss of water exceeds the intake of water. It can happen through several routes. Fluid and salts may be lost with excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhea. Intestinal Water Absorption and Diarrhea A healthy adult gets about 9 >> Read More ...
Cancers Causing Diarrhea The following cancers can (rarely) cause diarrhea: Spread of any tumor (metastasis) into any abdominal organ Hormone-producing tumors causing carcinoid syndrome (read below) or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome(pancreatic or duodenal cancer secreting large amounts of gastrin resulting in peptic ulcers, >> Read More ...
