How Can I Make Diarrhea Go Away? | Relief Steps That Work

When diarrhea hits, it can feel like your day gets hijacked. If you’re typing “How Can I Make Diarrhea Go Away?” into search, start here. The goal is simple: replace what you’re losing, calm your gut, and watch for signs that call for medical care in most healthy adults.

This page is for common, short-term diarrhea in teens and adults. If you’re caring for a baby or older adult, jump to “When To Get Medical Care”.

What Diarrhea Is Telling You

Diarrhea is your intestine moving fluid and food along too fast. That can happen after a stomach virus, a meal that didn’t agree with you, travel germs, a new medicine, or a flare of an ongoing gut condition.

Most short-term cases settle on their own in a day or two. Your job is to stay hydrated and avoid choices that keep the stool loose.

How Can I Make Diarrhea Go Away? With Safe At-Home Steps

If you do one thing today, make it this: drink fluids that replace both water and salts. Loose stool drains water and electrolytes, and that’s what leads to dizziness, weakness, and headaches.

The easiest option is an oral rehydration drink or powder from a pharmacy. NIDDK’s diarrhea treatment guidance lines up with the steps on this page.

Pick Fluids Your Body Can Absorb

Small, frequent sips beat chugging a big glass. If your stomach feels jumpy, take a sip every couple of minutes and build from there.

• Oral rehydration solution (ORS) from a pharmacy
• Water plus salty foods like crackers or broth
• Weak tea or clear soups

Drinks To Skip For Now

Some drinks pull more water into your gut or irritate it, which keeps stools loose.

• Alcohol
• Energy drinks and strong coffee
• Fruit juice in big amounts
• Milk if you notice it makes cramps or gas worse

Food That Helps Stool Firm Up

Once you can sip fluids without nausea, add small meals. A totally empty stomach can make you feel weak, and it doesn’t speed recovery.

Start with bland, low-fat foods that are easy to digest. Think starch plus a little salt.

Easy First Foods

• Rice, noodles, potatoes, or toast
• Bananas and applesauce
• Oatmeal
• Chicken soup or broth with crackers

Foods To Pause Until You’re Better

These can keep stool loose or ramp up cramping.

• Fried or greasy meals
• Spicy food
• Large salads and raw vegetables
• Sugar-free candy or gum with sugar alcohols (often ends in “-ol”)

Homemade Oral Rehydration Drink Option

If you can’t get ORS packets, a home mix can bridge the gap.

Homemade ORS When You Can’t Get Packets

Start with safe water. If you’re not sure it’s safe, boil it and let it cool. If you can’t get ORS packets, the World Health Organization shares a simple home mix used for severe diarrheal illness: 1 liter of safe water with 6 level teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 level teaspoon of salt. Buy ORS packets when you can and follow the packet directions next time. See the WHO Q&A on cholera outbreaks for the exact mix and safety notes.

Measure with real measuring spoons, not cutlery. If it tastes saltier than tears, dump it and start over with fresh water.

How To Tell Hydration Is Catching Up

You don’t need fancy tools. A few simple signals tell you if fluids are doing their job.

• You’re peeing at least every 4–6 hours, and the color is light yellow.
• Your mouth feels less dry, and dizziness eases when you stand up.
• Your heart rate settles once you’ve had a few rounds of ORS or broth.

If urine stays dark, you can’t keep fluids down, or you feel faint, treat that as a safety issue and get medical care.

OTC Medicines: When They Help And When They Don’t

Over-the-counter options can cut down bathroom trips for a short spell. They don’t fix the cause, so treat them as a bridge. For a U.S. checklist, see NIDDK’s treatment of diarrhea page.

Loperamide (Imodium) Basics

Loperamide can slow stool movement. Skip it if you have fever, blood in the stool, or severe belly pain. The UK’s NHS lists loperamide and oral rehydration powders in its advice on diarrhoea and vomiting, along with age cautions.

Follow the package directions and stop once stools start to firm up. If you need it past two days, get medical advice.

Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) Basics

Bismuth can ease stool looseness and nausea for some people. Avoid it if you take blood thinners, have an aspirin allergy, or are pregnant unless a clinician says it’s ok. Check the label for age limits and drug interactions.

Table: Match Your Symptoms To Practical Moves

Use this table to pick the next step. Mix and match as needed.

What You’re Dealing With	What To Try Next	Why It Can Help
Watery stool, no fever	ORS or broth; small sips often	Replaces water and salts you’re losing
Diarrhea plus nausea	Pause solid food for a few hours; sip ORS	Less stomach stretching, steadier hydration
Loose stool after a rich meal	Rice, toast, bananas; skip fat for a day	Starch can help stool thicken
Lots of cramping	Warm compress; broth; small meals	Warmth can relax muscle spasm
Travel-related diarrhea	ORS; bland meals; avoid raw foods	Limits gut irritation while fluids replace losses
Diarrhea after antibiotics	Call a clinician if it’s severe or persistent	Some antibiotic-related infections need testing
Diarrhea that wakes you at night	Hydrate; note timing; arrange medical care	Night symptoms can point to infection or inflammation
Need short relief for a commute	Use loperamide if no red flags	Slows bowel movement for a short window
Stool is starting to firm	Add lean protein; keep fluids going	Food restores energy while you rehydrate

Stop The Spread While You Recover

If your diarrhea is from a virus or foodborne germs, it can pass to others through hands, surfaces, and shared towels. A few habits cut that risk.

• Wash hands with soap and water after the bathroom and before eating.
• Use your own towel and avoid sharing drinks or utensils.
• Clean the toilet handle and faucet after use.
• Wash soiled clothing and bedding on hot if the fabric allows.

When To Get Medical Care

Most diarrhea is mild. Still, some patterns call for medical care so you don’t end up dehydrated or miss a treatable infection.

The U.S. CDC lists warning signs of severe foodborne illness, including bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than 3 days, high fever, repeated vomiting, and dehydration, on its page about food poisoning symptoms.

Red Flags For Teens And Adults

• Blood in the stool, black stool, or stool with pus
• Fever at or above 102°F (38.9°C)
• Severe belly pain, a rigid belly, or pain that keeps rising
• Diarrhea lasting longer than 3 days
• Signs of dehydration: faintness, dry mouth, little urine, or confusion

Extra Caution Groups

Get help sooner if the person with diarrhea is pregnant, older, has kidney disease, has a weakened immune system, or can’t keep fluids down.

If you’re caring for a baby or small child, dehydration can happen quickly. If diapers stay dry, tears stop, or the child gets unusually sleepy, seek urgent care.

Table: Red Flag Checklist And What To Do

This table is a quick safety scan. If any line fits, don’t wait it out.

What You Notice	Why It Matters	Next Step
Blood or black stool	Can signal bleeding or invasive infection	Seek urgent medical care
High fever (≥102°F / 38.9°C)	May point to bacterial infection	Call a clinician today
Repeated vomiting	Makes dehydration more likely	Urgent care if fluids won’t stay down
Little or no urine	Classic dehydration sign	Start ORS and get medical care
Confusion or fainting	Possible severe dehydration	Emergency services
Diarrhea past 3 days	May need stool testing or treatment	Book medical care
Recent antibiotics	Risk of C. difficile infection	Call a clinician, ask about testing
Recent travel with fever	Some travel infections need treatment	Get medical care soon

Special Situations That Change The Plan

If You Have Chronic Gut Trouble

If you have Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, or irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea can be part of a flare. If your usual pattern changes or blood appears, contact your care team.

If Diarrhea Started After A New Medicine

Antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, and some diabetes medicines can trigger loose stools. Don’t stop a prescription on your own. Call the prescriber and ask what to do next.

If You’re Pregnant

Hydration matters because fluid loss can trigger contractions in some people. If diarrhea is paired with fever, dehydration signs, or belly pain, get medical care.

A 24-Hour Plan You Can Follow

This checklist keeps you moving without guesswork. Adjust the pace to how your stomach feels.

1. Hour 0–2: Start ORS or broth. Sip often.
2. Hour 2–6: Add bland starches in small portions. Keep drinking between bites.
3. Hour 6–12: Keep meals small. Add soup or oatmeal. Skip fat and spice.
4. Hour 12–24: If stool firms up, add lean protein. Keep ORS or broth nearby.

If you don’t see any slowing by day three, or you hit a red flag, arrange medical care.

Habits That Lower The Odds Next Time

Some bouts are bad luck. Others are preventable with basic food and hand hygiene.

• Wash hands with soap after the bathroom and before cooking.
• Cook meats fully and keep raw juices off ready-to-eat foods.
• Chill leftovers promptly.
• On trips, stick with sealed drinks and foods served hot.

If diarrhea keeps coming back, or lasts weeks, book a clinician visit.