Cause Symptoms
Viral (stomach flu) gastroenteritis Nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, fever, aches. Usually 1-3 days.
Bacterial infection Diarrhea, fever, chills, sometimes blood or mucus in the stools. Vomiting less common.
Food intolerance/lactose intolerance Bloating, gas, cramps, loose stools hours after eating dairy products or other offending foods. No other signs of illness or infection.
Emotional distress Cramping, loose stools, predictable during times of stress.
Nonbloody diarrhea is usually caused by infections with other bacteria, viruses, or parasites or by ingestion of a toxin (poison) produced by bacteria. A common viral intestinal infection is rotavirus, which usually causes explosive, watery diarrhea.
Many of the viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause diarrhea also cause other symptoms, such as fever, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration.
Occasionally the germs that cause diarrheal infections may spread into the bloodstream and cause infections in organs far from the intestines. Salmonella bacteria, for example, can cause infections in the bones (osteomyelitis), joints (arthritis), brain (brain abscess), membranes covering the brain (meningitis), and elsewhere. This stuff can be very serious.........TAPOUTM