When should I see a doctor about diarrhoea?

When should I see a doctor about diarrhoea?

In most cases, you do not need to see a doctor. It will clear up on its own. There is more information about when to see a doctor later.

How to get rid of diarrhoea

You usually don’t need to do anything. Diarrhoea will go away.

Why? Most episodes of diarrhoea are due to gastroenteritis (bacterial or viral – some due to ‘food poisoning’. Most cases are mild and get better in 2-3 days. They do not need treatment, and you do not need to see a doctor.

It will get better of its own accord.

You should see a doctor if you have diarrhoea that is more severe or frequent than usual; or if it lasts for more than two weeks without improvement.

But. When should I see a doctor?

You should also see a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Dehydration. If so, you may feel thirsty, tired, or dizzy, and you may have less urine or a dry mouth. Other signs of dehydration include dark-coloured urine, dry skin, or lightheadedness
• Abdominal pain – with severe abdominal or rectal pain
• Blood in your poo, or if the poo had gone black (can be due to melaena). This may be a sign of bleeding inside your intestines
• Fever – of more than 39°C
• Other symptoms – e.g. persistent vomiting, weight loss, or diarrhoea that occurs at night and disturbs your sleep
• Skin rash – an unexplained skin rash, especially on the legs or around the bottom.

Summary

We have described when you should see a doctor about diarrhoea. For most cases, you don’t need to see a doctor. We hope this has been helpful.