10 Things That Can Cause Diarrhea - Article Health

There are about 179 million cases of diarrhea in the U.S. every year, and there are many, many reasons why a bout of loose, watery stool might happen to you.

But most causes of diarrhea can be broken down into two main categories: those that are infectious and those that aren't.

Infectious causes of diarrhea include bacteria, viruses, and other microbes, which are often spread through contaminated food. Diarrhea caused by an infection usually comes on quickly and goes away in a few days, says Lawrence Schiller, MD, past president of the American College of Gastroenterology. “Most people’s immune systems will clear it quickly.”

Food contamination
Food contamination is one of the main ways bacteria, viruses, and parasites make their way into your system. In addition to diarrhea, many people have vomiting and stomach cramps as well.

Bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Listeria have traditionally lurked in eggs, raw and undercooked meats and shellfish, unpasteurized milk, and raw vegetables. They can also be found in foods that have not been refrigerated well enough.

Viral infections
Viruses are another major culprit in causing diarrhea. Fortunately, these stomach bugs usually work their way out of your system in a few days. You can get infected through contaminated food or even from visiting farms or touching animals.

Norovirus is probably the most common of the diarrhea-causing viruses. There have been several high-profile outbreaks on cruise ships.

Traveling
Foodborne illness is common enough at home. It’s even more of a risk when you’re traveling, especially to the developing world. In fact, it’s so common abroad that it has earned various nicknames, among them traveler’s diarrhea (not to be confused with vacation constipation) and Montezuma’s revenge.

Medication
Ironically enough, some of the medications used to treat bacterial diarrhea–namely, antibiotics–can actually also cause diarrhea. The problem is that antibiotics don’t always distinguish between “bad” bacteria

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