digestive health, but your mental health as well.
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When to see a doctor
Diarrhea may happen from time to time and is not always a cause for concern. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek professional help, according to Healthline:
Frequency: If diarrhea occurs several times a week for more than three weeks, or if you have diarrhea for three days in a row, make an appointment with your doctor.
Fever: If you have diarrhea and a fever over 102°F (38.8°C), seek medical treatment.
Pain: If the diarrhea is common but you start experiencing severe abdominal pain or rectal pain during a BM, talk with your doctor.
Dehydration: Staying properly hydrated when you have diarrhea is important. Water or drinks that contain electrolytes can help you stay well despite the diarrhea. However, if you start showing signs of dehydration, seek medical attention.
Signs of dehydration include:
- extreme thirst
- confusion
- muscle cramps
- dark-colored urine
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Discolored stool: If you start having black, gray, or bloody stools, talk with your doctor. These can be signs of a more serious gastrointestinal problem.
Colomier suggests that meal-related symptoms should be considered when diagnosing such disorders as irritable bowel syndrome and bloating — a category of health problems known as DGBIs, disorders of gut-brain interactions.
READ: 10 Natural Ways to Improve Digestive Health
“In clinical practice, assessing meal association in all patients with DGBIs could be of major importance for improving and individualizing treatment. Here, patients could benefit from a multidisciplinary care approach, including dietary and lifestyle advice, psychological support and pharmacological therapy,” Colomier adds.
Although there isn’t a tool or test that can help doctors identify what may be causing your gastro issues, they may recommend certain treatment methods one at a time until they are able to find one that works consistently. This will help doctors understand what is causing your gastro issues and come up with a permanent treatment plan.