Table of Contents
What is stress diarrhea?
Stress diarrhea is a condition caused by excessive stress that leads to an overproduction of stomach acid. This causes the lining of the intestine to become inflamed, leading to diarrhea or loose stools. Stress diarrhea usually lasts for about two weeks and can be treated with antacids, calcium supplements, fiber-rich foods, and probiotics.
Doctors have identified a strong connection between the stress in our minds and how it affects our stomachs and intestines, specifically when it turns into something called diarrhea.
Why does stress cause diarrhea? Stress diarrhea is also known as functional or stress-related diarrhea. It’s caused by the body being under too much physical and emotional pressure, with one of those two triggers causing a person to have more frequent bowel movements than usual.
Stress can cause your colon muscles to contract erratically, which causes an abundance of loose stool that may be accompanied by various symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and constipation.
Stress is one factor in many people’s lives that contributes to the digestive problems they experience daily; it has also been shown to make them feel worse over time if left unchecked or unaddressed.
People who suffer from acute anxiety may be more prone to chronic long-term irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can often lead to stomach pain and poor digestion.
How long does stress diarrhea last?
Stress can cause a great many things to happen. For example, it might make your body stop digesting food properly, or it could just be that you’re not eating enough when stress is taking over your life and preventing you from functioning normally.
Can stress cause diarrhea for two weeks? Stress diarrhea typically lasts about two days before the system starts working better again; however, people have reported symptoms lasting for weeks on end without any relief in some rare cases!
What is the link between stress and diarrhea?
About 5% of diarrhea sufferers in the United States attribute their intestinal difficulties to stress or anxiety. Trying to juggle too many responsibilities at once can be a recipe for disaster, especially if you are also neglecting your need for rest. Stress and anxiety have both been linked with an increase in the production of cortisol by the body, which in turn increases stomach acid levels, leading to loose stools.
The nervous system controls the digestive system, and stress leads to changes in hormone levels. In addition, reduced blood flow due to increased adrenaline causes reduced gastric movement and leaves more cells lining the intestines exposed for a more extended period. As a result, normal bacterial flora can invade these cells, causing an infection that causes diarrhea.
Stress as a common cause of loose stools makes perfect sense given the physiological effects of the fight or flight response on our digestive system. The cells that line your gut are not designed to withstand vigorous physical activity, so when you’re fleeing from a bear, for example, they tend to evacuate their contents as quickly as possible.
Many people are plagued with intestinal problems. Infections of the small and large intestines, for example, can lead to diarrhea because most digestive enzymes that break down food reside in the small intestine. In addition, overeating will put more pressure on these organs so they cannot function as well, which may result in malabsorption or constipation-type symptoms.
Can stress make you have diarrhea? Mental health issues like stress, anxiety and depression can lead to diarrhea. People with these conditions often have abnormal levels of stress hormones in their bloodstream, which affect the lining of the small intestine. This leads to an overproduction of fluid by cells that line your gut, so it has a laxative effect.
What are other physical symptoms in the gut associated with stress?
T
here is a connection between your emotions and your gut. Therefore, stress and anxiety can lead to various physical symptoms, including loose stool, nausea, indigestion, constipation or appetite changes.
Besides stress or anxiety, there can be other underlying causes for your physical symptoms like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and food intolerance.
Anxiety and Diarrhea
Anxiety can lead to a fight or flight response, the body’s way of taking precautions. Unfortunately, these feelings may persist even if there is no threat against us, affecting our health and making us susceptible to diarrhea. Understanding this link may help you avoid stressful situations that may cause your body to react negatively.
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
IBS is a chronic disorder that results in abdominal pain and discomfort. In addition, it can lead to diarrhea, constipation or both at the same time.
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
The following may be signs you have irritable bowel syndrome: passing gas more often than usual, frequent bloating after eating food, feeling full after eating only a small amount of food, diarrhea and constipation. There’s also the possibility that your IBS could cause nausea or diarrhea as well. To diagnose this illness correctly, make sure you see a gastrointestinal (GI) doctor first for an evaluation.
Stress diarrhea in the morning
Stress can cause loose stools in the morning because it increases acid production, which may be due to increased cortisol and inflammatory response.
Scientists have found that the hormone cortisol, which is released at higher levels in the morning than at other times of day, can trigger nausea and stomach pain because it stimulates food from the intestines back into the body.
Therefore, people who have stress diarrhea in the morning are usually experiencing a mix of dehydration and diarrhea. When you drink in excess, sodium and potassium levels can decrease as they become diluted in the cellular fluids.
The next time you wake up feeling thirsty and then want to go straight back to bed, try drinking enough water before sleeping to counteract any loss of these electrolytes. Not only will it keep your levels more steady throughout the night, but it might also lead to fewer visits from Mr Diarrhea when you first get out of bed.
Stress diarrhea during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a stressful time for the body in general, so it’s not surprising that many women experience some degree of constipation, cramping and diarrhea.
The symptoms arise because hormone changes during pregnancy decrease the muscle contractions in the intestines. This increased abdominal pain usually resolves once you give birth as hormone levels drop down to pre-pregnancy levels.
Studies have shown that the effects of stress in pregnancy can be disastrous. For example, the two main types of diarrhea that occur during pregnancy (stress diarrhea and morning sickness) are likely to be exacerbated by stress. It is believed that this relationship exists because when stressed, a mother’s stomach produces more stomach acid.
With more acid than usual, conditions for irritable bowel syndrome increase– including problems such as gastroesophageal reflux – reduced clearance of gastric content up into the esophagus – altered motility in the intestines leading to abdominal cramps and constipation or diarrhea-and increased intestinal permeability leading to leaky gut syndrome (the unintended passage of substances from inside the intestine to the bloodstream).
The acid in your stomach can change the way you feel. The reflux that comes with this condition–alongside other symptoms, such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea or constipation-is enough to make anyone miserable. And if it gets worse? When there’s increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut syndrome), small molecules from inside our intestines may end up leaking into our bloodstreams which contribute even more discomfort on top of what we’re already dealing with
Furthermore, mood swings are also a common issue during this stage of pregnancy, with up to 80% of pregnant women reporting feeling irritable or weepy at some point in their 40 week gestation period (although many of these feelings come from hormones that fluctuate throughout pregnancy). Stress can then lead to an increase in stomach acid, which may result in regurgitation or heartburn.
Treatment of stress diarrhea
There are many different types of stress diarrhea treatment. One of the most common treatments for infectious diarrhea is antibiotics. These are often prescribed with or without an anti-diarrheal medication or other antiviral medication that reduces pain and fever.
A doctor can offer diagnosis-specific treatments by asking questions about your symptoms, going through a medical history, exclusion tests and various lab results such as stool samples to rule out more serious problems like food poisoning, parasitic infections, and hepatitis A.
Stress from any cause will be treated with rest to allow the body to calm down.
Another treatment for stress diarrhea is to add fiber. But watch out because if you go overboard on the fiber it can make you feel worse. So instead, it’s better to gradually increase your intake of soluble and insoluble fibers so that your stomach can adjust as needed.
Fiber helps with stomach emptying by adding bulk which draws liquid into the intestines where most foods get their calories before going any further into our bodies. Without these calories, fluids will stay inside instead of running back up and out–thus, reducing or eliminating symptoms substantially!
Drinking lots of water is another essential tip for chronic diarrhea treatment. Make sure you’re not dehydrated! Finally, another thing that may help is to take a probiotic.
It is important to drink lots of fluids and take in plenty of fiber. It’s also a good idea to watch for sources of stress that may be contributing to or causing diarrhea, such as infections, medications, dietary changes, dieting too quickly, overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), diabetes mellitus type I/II.
FAQ
What is the Enteric Nervous System (ENS)?
Your gut is controlled by a system called the enteric nervous system (ENS), which connects your brain with your gut.
What is Diarrhea?
In medical terms, diarrhea is a condition that involves loose, watery stools. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) defines diarrhea as having three or more loose, liquid stools in a 24-hour period.
Diarrhea is also defined as a condition where the passage of stool (faeces) becomes frequent and loose. Diarrhea may be watery or can contain blood, mucus, pus, or other substances. It can come with any number of unpleasant side effects, including dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that lead to an increased heart rate, postural hypotension, leading to dizziness, anxiety attacks or even death.
What are the symptoms of diarrhea?
Imagine the worst stomach pains you’ve ever experienced that just won’t go away. Now imagine those are in your bowels, causing constant and unrelenting pressure every time you take a step or bend over to tie your shoes. That’s diarrhea for you!
The symptoms of diarrhea can vary from person to person, depending on what they have eaten recently. Nonetheless, most people will experience some combination of these: abdominal pain, cramping with waves of intense spasms (often accompanied by violent vomiting), an urgency to relieve themselves immediately, passing small amounts which contain whole pieces and liquid at once; an inability to defecate without straining which may lead them into even more severe bouts afterwards, and not getting any relief whatsoever because watery stool is still coming out.
What Causes Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is a common disorder that afflicts many people on the planet. There are two types of diarrhea: acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea; they have different causes.
Diarrhea can be caused by infection from bacteria or viruses and parasites like giardia lamblia (a parasite found in contaminated water). It may also occur due to an autoimmune disorder where your body attacks its cells. This type of diarrhea will appear immediately after exposure to whatever triggers it, with no incubation period needed before symptoms start appearing.
Some foods such as milk products might trigger stomach cramps or irritate already inflamed intestines causing pain-related conditions like colitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and celiac.
Furthermore, diarrhea often accompanies infections from common bacteria like E-coli and Salmonella and parasites such as Giardia lamblia. It can also be caused by when people eat salads in unfamiliar countries where food handling practices at restaurants are unhygienic.
It can be caused by food poisoning from raw seafood or sushi; stomach flu (influenza). Lactose intolerance due to an allergy to milk products such as cheese, ice cream and yogurt, cause gas with bloating in some people who have a deficiency for lactase enzymes needed to break down dairy sugars found naturally in foods like cow’s milk. Dairy sugars are also added during production into varieties of other processed items, including baked goods and spaghetti sauces.
Other causes might include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which may affect how quickly your body moves stool through your intestines, leading it to pass too fast, causing diarrhea instead of constipation.
What are the foods that cause diarrhea?
Many foods cause diarrhea, but there is one in particular – coffee. In addition, foods such as chili and broccoli can make you go to the bathroom more often than usual by loosening your stool or making it softer (which means easier passage through your intestines).
This is not inherently dangerous since people usually poop every day! However, suppose this happens too much for an extended period. In that case, dehydration may become a concern because without enough fluids going into our bodies, we could end up with headaches and constipation.
Foods that cause diarrhea include, but are not limited to:
· -Hot peppers like jalapeños and cayenne
· -Nuts inside a shell or nut butter (like peanut)
· -Dairy products including cheese, ice cream and yogurt.
The first step in the process is to find out what’s causing your diarrhea. If there are no other contributing factors, then it may be necessary for an expert to examine your diet.***
What if I have had diarrhea for more than a few days?
An underlying medical issue often causes diarrhea that lasts more than a few days, so it needs to be checked out.
What is Persistent Diarrhea?
Persistent diarrhea is a rare condition in which someone has constant bowel movements, with at least three loose or watery stools per day. The symptoms can be sudden and come on quickly without warning, but they can also gradually worsen over time. Persistent diarrhea often comes about because of an underlying health condition called irritable bowel syndrome.
Persistent diarrhea lasts less than four weeks but more prolonged than two. It is not related to a person’s diet, but more often, it occurs due to an underlying health condition such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Persistent diarrhea may also be caused by an infection in your intestines or stomach, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease (a digestive disorder), ulcerative colitis. In addition, persistent diarrhea can become an issue when it becomes a cause of dehydration and malabsorption of nutrients.
What is chronic diarrhea?
Chronic diarrhea is defined as lasting more than four weeks. The causes of chronic diarrhea are a little different from the causes of persistent diarrhea. Chronic or long-term diarrhea can be caused by celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition, infectious enteritis and other digestive diseases like ulcerative colitis can also cause chronic diarrhea.
What chemicals in the brain can affect bowel motility?
Bowel motility is part of the process that aids in digestion. Many chemicals, including hormones and neurotransmitters, can affect how fast your food moves through your gut once you eat it.
A lot depends on what types of foods you’re eating, too; for example, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables will help keep things moving along more quickly, while a big greasy burger with fries might make things slow down substantially!
Scientists believe that the chemicals our brains produce can have a direct response to how our bowels work. One of those chemicals is the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF).
What is the gut microbiome?
The gut microbiome refers to the trillions of bacteria that live in the human intestines and are responsible for many aspects, including digestion, immune responses and metabolism. Recent studies have linked changes to this delicate balance with stress-induced diarrhea among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
What are the symptoms of stress-induced diarrhea?
Stress-induced diarrhea is a common problem among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The symptoms of stress-induced diarrhea include abdominal pain, cramps and loose or watery stools.
What are the causes of stress-induced diarrhea?
The exact reason for this condition is not yet known, but various factors such as psychological distress, anxiety, grief and anger are suspected to be involved.
A new study has found that one of the causes is an overactive immune response, leading to inflammation. In addition, psychological stress can also lead to a change in gut bacteria composition and prevent normal digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food by changing the levels of various hormones like gastrin, cholecystokinin, pepsin and secretory IgA.
How is stress diarrhea treated?
There are several ways to manage this condition, including:
· Eating a light meal before bedtimes such as an apple or banana
· Drinking plenty of water throughout the day, avoiding caffeine which can lead to dehydration
· Adding more soluble fiber to your diet. Soluble fibers form a gel in the stomach, slowing down the transit time of food, leading to less gas and bloating. Examples include oats, barley, beans or lentils.
· Practicing deep breathing exercises before bedtime can help lower stress-related hormones
If these self-care measures do not help, stress-induced diarrhea might signify coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Contact your doctor to get further advice and treatment.
Other types of diarrhea
Diarrhea due to abnormal motility
Diarrhea is often caused by hypermotility, which means the food moves through your intestines too quickly. This type of diarrhea can be called mobility-related diarrhea or fast transit diarrhea. It’s usually not harmful to most people, with a few exceptions like pregnant mothers with an inflamed colon who are at risk for dehydration because they might have difficulty absorbing liquids from their stool when there’s so much moving in their GI tract!
Anorectal dysfunction
This is an uncommon cause, but diarrhea can be caused by anorectal dysfunction if there are problems with the nerves or muscles in your back passage. As a result, the bowel empties more slowly, producing a soft stool that may come out in small amounts. Treatment often includes targeted pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles at the opening of the anus.
Exudative diarrhea
Exudative diarrhea is a type of stress-induced diarrheal disease. This condition can be caused by many different things, including infections, medications and other diseases.
Exudative diarrhea is usually caused by IBD, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Other possible infection causes include E. coli. Depending on the underlying cause of your diarrhea, you may require steroid medications or immunosuppressants to remedy your condition.
If blood and pus are in your stool, go to the doctor right away.
Inflammatory and Infectious Diarrhea
An overgrowth of bacteria causes inflammatory diarrhea in the small intestine triggered by stress or eating certain foods such as onions, garlic, green peppers and other spicy food. Infectious diarrhea involves viruses or parasites that cause a person to have loose stool more than three times a day.
Viruses or bacteria can cause infectious diarrhea contracted from contaminated food and water, contact with animals or people who have the illness or wiping oneself after going to the toilet without washing one’s hands. However, viruses usually don’t cause dehydration as severe as bacterial infections, and they may not cause fever.
Osmotic diarrhea
Osmotic diarrhea is the result of a large intake of food and water in individuals who cannot absorb it properly. It can be caused by excess consumption of sugar or alcohol but more commonly occurs with the administration of drugs such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and diuretics that cause excessive urination.
Having lactose intolerance is a potential cause of osmotic diarrhea for many and the consumption of artificial sweeteners.
Affecting more than 10% of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), IBD-associated osmotic diarrhea sometimes arises owing to decreased absorption in the intestines after injury or surgery to that organ.
If you are experiencing osmotic diarrhea, consider avoiding dairy products and all sweeteners.
Paradoxical diarrhea
Paradoxical diarrhea occurs when someone has severe constipation, and the liquid behind the backup leaks out. In other words, you can be constipated, and at the same time see liquid stool flowing out of your body, which can be alarming and confusing.
Pseudodiarrhea
Pseudodiarrhea is a condition in which stool consistency changes but does not contain excess water, or there are no symptoms of diarrhea. This can be due to stress, anxiety, and depression. There may also be an underlying physical cause like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If the person has pseudodiarrhea for more than two weeks, this condition should be discussed with a doctor.
Pseudodiarrhea can also occur in people experiencing chronic constipation, and they strain too hard to have bowel movements. This is because the watery stool may come out of the rectum as an overflow due to pressure from dry stools behind it.
Secretory diarrhea
Secretory diarrhea is often mistaken for osmotic diarrhea, but there are some differences.
For instance, if you have been avoiding dairy and sugar, which are the culprits for causing osmotic diarrhea, and you’re still experiencing diarrhea even when you’re not eating, it is most likely secretory diarrhea.
This kind of diarrhea occurs as a result of the intestines secreting electrolytes into the colon, which causes water to collect in the digestive system
Several factors may contribute to secretory diarrhea, including infection or an endocrine problem.
In cases where the problem is due to an infection, it may be because of a parasite or bacterium.
There are two possible causes for endocrine problems: too little thyroid hormone and not enough parasympathetic activity in the intestines.
If you have secretory diarrhea, you should speak to your doctor.