Functional diarrhoea

The bowel can move stool quickly or handle water differently even when scans and routine examinations do not show a structural problem. Functional diarrhoea may occur without prominent abdominal pain, which helps distinguish it from some patterns of irritable bowel syndrome. Symptoms can be influenced by meals, stress, infection recovery, medicines, or food intolerance. A clinician may ask about stool appearance, urgency, night-time symptoms, travel, weight change, family history, and medicines before deciding whether tests are needed.

Keep hydrated, especially when stools are frequent, and record meals, medicines, bowel movements, urgency, and related symptoms for an appointment. Do not remove broad food groups for a long period without advice, because unnecessary restriction can reduce nutrition. A clinician may suggest a focused dietary change or medicine after considering the cause and your health history. Persistent diarrhoea deserves assessment because infections, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid overactivity, and other conditions can look similar at first.

Arrange prompt medical review for blood or black stool, fever, severe or worsening abdominal pain, repeated night-time diarrhoea, unexplained weight loss, or symptoms that persist after travel. Seek urgent help for fainting, confusion, very little urine, severe weakness, or inability to keep fluids down, because these can indicate significant dehydration or another acute problem.

Ask which causes need to be ruled out, whether stool or blood tests are appropriate, how to replace fluids, and which foods or medicines could be contributing. Discuss a safe symptom plan and the point at which you should return for reassessment.