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Digestive Health Digestive Health Basics

Diarrhea: When Should You Be Concerned?

Summary & Participants

Constant trips to the bathroom, burning, discomfort, we've all experienced diarrhea at one time or another. But why does it occur? Some say it's just the intestine's natural way to clean house. But in some cases diarrhea could mean something more serious. When should it become a health concern? Join our panel of specialists as they discuss diarrhea and its causes.

Medically Reviewed On: June 18, 2008

Webcast Transcript

DAVID MARKS, MD: Hi, and welcome to our webcast. I'm Dr. David Marks. Today we're discussing diarrhea. It's usually not serious and goes away on its own, but there are a number of conditions that can cause diarrhea.

Joining us today to talk about the topic are two experts. First is Dr. Lucy Harris. She's a gastroenterologist at Cornell Medical Center. Welcome.

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: Thank you.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Along with her, also from Cornell Medical Center, is another gastroenterologist, Dr. Mark Pochapin. Thanks for being here. Lucy, what is diarrhea?

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: I think you have to think of diarrhea in two ways. One is the frequency of bowel movements. I think that bowel movements greater than three times a day are generally what we as physicians consider to be diarrhea. Also, watery stools are also considered, the consistency, in other words, are also a component of what we consider diarrhea.

DAVID MARKS, MD: What about a change in a person's pattern of bowel movements?

MARK POCHAPIN, MD: That's very important, because some people who don't go very frequently as their baseline may actually have looser bowel movements or more frequent bowel movements. In addition to that, you may notice a change in the size or the shape of the bowel movement, and that might trigger a new problem that needs to be evaluated medically.

DAVID MARKS, MD: For example, if someone's normal cycle is, they go once every three days, and then they start going every day, is that considered diarrhea?

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: I wouldn't consider that strictly diarrhea. I'd consider it a change in bowel habit, for which consulting a physician might be an important thing to do.

DAVID MARKS, MD: What are some of the causes of diarrhea?

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: Some of the causes of diarrhea can be dietary. Certain people have food intolerances, either to lactose, which is a milk sugar. And we all lose the ability to digest that milk sugar as we grow up, to some extent, some people more than others. There can be other causes, such as sorbitol, which is found in chewing gums and artificially sweetened candies. Also, some people are not aware that high fructose corn syrup, which is in some of the juice-like beverages or fruit punches, can also be a cause of diarrhea.

In addition, there can be endocrinologic conditions like thyroid disease or diabetes that can cause diarrhea. Medications can be another cause.

DAVID MARKS, MD: I notice you didn't mention infections.

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: Infections, that is a very cause.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Could be the most common cause.

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: That's true.

MARK POCHAPIN, MD: The other thing, in addition to infections, are inflammatory conditions, where you have inflammation within the intestine itself. Now, an infection can cause an inflammatory condition, but sometimes it occurs on its own.

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