Can Stress Cause Diarrhea? Symptoms & Medical Care

Syed Daniyal Hussain
Syed Daniyal Hussain December 11, 2022
Updated 2022/12/11 at 1:21 PM
13 Min Read
Stress cause diarrhea

What is Stress?

can stress cause diarrhea

The usual response of the body to a stimulus that emanates from the outside environment; for instance, the perception that one is being threatened or that one is under a great deal of pressure.

A healthy dose of stress may be beneficial since it has the potential to improve one’s performance, boost one’s drive, and concentrate and focus the mind.

On the other hand, stress that is either excessive or chronic may have a substantial influence on a person’s physical health in addition to their mental health. This is because the body reacts differently to the two types of stress.

Can You Get Diarrhea from Stress?

stress diarrhea

Stress has been shown to stimulate the synthesis of chemicals in the body that have been linked to a hastened aging process as well as an increased risk of sickness.

A broad variety of distinct physical symptoms have the potential to be brought on by stress, some of which include issues with the gastrointestinal tract like diarrhea.

In the following paragraphs of this article, we will discuss can stress cause diarrhea? as well as the symptoms that are often linked with this condition.

It is likely that this condition may cause you to feel as if your life is an absolute living hell.

In addition, we will provide advice on how to cure diarrhea from stress and how to enhance one’s capacity to manage stress and diarrhea, both of which have been discovered to be associated with the sickness.

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Symptoms of Diarrhea

Diarrhea is the term used in medicine to describe bowel motions that are described as being loose or watery in character.

There are a variety of medical disorders that might be the root cause of diarrhea.

It is not a disease in and of itself; rather, it is a symptom of a more basic issue that needs to be addressed.

The following is a list of symptoms that may or may not be present at any particular moment in conjunction with diarrhea:

  • a sense of cramping in the region of the stomach in addition to general uneasiness throughout the area.
  • a strong need to promptly purge one’s bowels of whatever is now present in them.
  • a condition in which a person is unable to control their bowel motions, as a result of their illness.

Acute Diarrhea VERSUS Chronic Diarrhea

There is a possibility that someone may get acute as well as chronic kinds of diarrhea.

Acute diarrhea often only lasts between one and two days at a time, in contrast to chronic diarrhea, which may last for up to four weeks at a time or even longer in certain cases.

People who have diarrhea that lasts for a significant amount of time should seek medical treatment in order to have the underlying reason explored.

Causes Of Diarrhea from Stress

Causes Of Diarrhea from Stress

Anxiety and stress have the potential to have a significant detrimental effect on the health of a person’s digestive system if they are not managed in an acceptable manner and correctly regulated.

When the brain detects the existence of a threat, it releases a torrent of hormones, which, in turn, causes the heart rate to speed and the blood pressure to raise. This chain of events is known as the “fight or flight” response.

The sense of having butterflies in the stomach is created by the brain sending messages of stress to the belly through the sympathetic nervous system. Because of this, a person could discover that they are bothered by the uncomfortable feeling of having butterflies in their stomach.

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After these signals have been received by the digestive system, that system will then begin the process of producing its own hormones in response to the stimulus that was received. These hormones cause the rate at which food flows through the large intestine to speed up, while at the same time causing the rate at which food moves through the stomach and the small intestine to slow down.

Despite the fact that the treatment is carried out by the body in order to clear itself of potentially harmful chemicals, some people experience stress diarrhea as a side effect of the process.

If a person exhibits one or more of the following symptoms, it is possible for them to have stress diarrhea;

    • headaches
    • The signs of muscle stress may include irritability, weariness, and restlessness.
    • feeling overwhelmed sadness
    • depression
    • a shift in the total quantity of sexual desire might be attributed to sleep issues.

Stress Diarrhea: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

stress and diarrhea

A person who suffers from stress diarrhea has to take care of both the physical symptoms and the tension that is brought on by the condition.

Treatment of Stress Diarrhea

In the vast majority of instances, stress diarrhea does not need treatment from a qualified medical practitioner since it often only lasts for a few days at the most and typically clears up on its own.

However, following the recommendations that are provided below may help in lowering the severity of diarrhea from stress as well as the symptoms that are associated with it, which will enable the person in healing from this disease more quickly.

Be sure to stay hydrated – When someone has stress diarrhea, their small intestine and colon are unable to absorb nutrients and water as well as they normally would. This makes it difficult for the person to maintain proper nutrition. Because of this, it will be challenging for the person to keep up a diet that is healthful.

As a consequence of this, you face the danger of being dehydrated; thus, it is important that you consume a sufficient amount of water.

In addition to drinking a lot of water, people may enhance the amount of hydration that is present in their bodies by consuming certain types of fruit juices and soups.

Taking soup may help correct a potassium shortfall, and consuming some fruit juices may help correct a salt deficiency if you are drinking such liquids. Soup is a good source of potassium.

Consume Unrefined Carbohydrates in Moderate Amounts – Consuming unprocessed carbohydrates, such as rice and pasta that has been cooked, is an excellent strategy for getting fluid into the body.

Consuming unprocessed carbs in appropriate quantities helps keep blood sugar levels stable. Along the same lines, the most basic and uncomplicated forms of carbohydrates are also the ones that lack taste.

Be Wary of Meals That Are Either Very Fatty or Excessively Spicy: Dishes that are particularly fatty or spicy may place additional strain on the digestive system, which may cause the disease to become more severe or last for a longer amount of time.

Medication For Stress Induced Diarrhea

In the early stages of stress diarrhea, it may be helpful to use over-the-counter medications that may help reduce the number of times you have to use the toilet.

These medications may help reduce the frequency of your bowel movements. Among these therapies are the ones that include the use of laxatives.

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These drugs should never, ever, under any circumstances, be given to newborns or very young children. Ever!!!

They do not even come close to being a good match for them at all.

When Should You Make an Appointment with A Doctor?

Make an Appointment with A Doctor

The vast majority of the time, individuals who are afflicted with stress diarrhea do not face any significant ramifications.

Diarrhea that is really severe or that lasts for a significant length of time may be an indicator of an underlying medical problem that is more dangerous.

It is strongly suggested that a person get medical attention as soon as possible if they are suffering any of the following symptoms:

    • One of the symptoms that may lead to dehydration is stress diarrhea that lasts for more than two days in adults or more than twenty-four hours in children. This length of time may cause the body to lose water.
    • a significant degree of discomfort in the area of the abdomen stools that seem to be black or tarry and also those that include blood or pus. feces that have the look of being black or tarry.
    • People who are presently taking medicine and who are concerned that the stress diarrhea may make the treatment ineffective should also book an appointment to see a doctor as soon as feasible.

A person should arrange an appointment with their primary care physician as soon as they possibly can if they have been under stress for a lengthy period of time or if they develop stress induced diarrhea.

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Altering one’s way of life, participating in talk therapy, or taking medication are all potential solutions that a medical expert can suggest to a patient in order to assist them in becoming better able to cope with the effects of anxiety or stress.

Overview

The term ‘stress’ refers to the normal physiological reaction that the body has in response to the demands that are placed on it by the environment or to perceived threats.

This reaction is known as the ‘stress response’.

There is a possibility that it will have an effect on a number of a person’s different aspects of their health, including their digestive system.

The majority of the time, the symptoms of stress diarrhea begin to improve not long after the stressful event that brought on the diarrhea has come to an end.

If a person is under stress for an extended period of time or if they have stress induced diarrhea as a result of their stress, they should make an appointment with their primary care physician as soon as they possibly can.

A physician might recommend that a patient make changes to their lifestyle, take part in talking therapies, or take medication in order to assist the patient in better managing stress and minimizing the negative effects that stress can have on their health, such as diarrhea.

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Syed Daniyal Hussain is a passionate blogger, an internet marketing professional, a legal consultant, and a website developer. By reading his posts it’s easy to see how passionate about his work and life Daniyal really is. He’s to the point, genuine, and tells how it is. He is definitely a man to look out for.
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