Diarrhea: When Loose Stools Signal Something More Serious

4. Symptoms of Persistent Diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea is categorized by the fact that a patient has the same symptoms for more than two weeks. The cause of the urgent bathroom breaks needs to be identified. You will have to explain the symptoms to a doctor as well as your medical history. Some common questions your physician will want to know include:

• How long have you had it?
• Does it come and go, or is it continuous?
• Do certain foods or situations make your symptoms better or worse?
• Is your stool bloody, oily, fatty, or watery?
• What other symptoms do you have, and for how long?
• Does anyone in your family have a history of chronic diarrhea?
• Have you recently traveled somewhere?
• Are you currently on any medications?

The more accurate you can be with these questions, the more you will get out of your visit. A plethora of factors can result in diarrhea, including stress, particular medicines, and dietary changes. A doctor can also determine if a more serious condition is the reason for your persistent diarrhea, like inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndrome, or colorectal cancer.