When I meet patients in the clinic who report chronic diarrhea, I first look at how it is affecting their daily life. This is because they may check bathroom locations before going out, avoid meal appointments, and tire easily. Diarrhea is not simply having frequent loose stools; it may be a sign that digestion and absorption, intestinal movement, and the body's cold-warm balance are all being disrupted.
If it continues for more than 3 weeks, the Causes should be checked
In adults, when loose stools recur and the number of bowel movements per day clearly increases for more than 3 weeks, it is considered within the category of chronic diarrhea. The Causes are often an overly sensitive intestine, as in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but medications being taken, inflammatory bowel disease, changes after intestinal surgery, malabsorption, and infectious factors should also be checked. Even if a medication you are currently taking seems suspicious, do not stop it on your own; please consult the Medical Team who prescribed it.
We also look at cold intestines and a weakened spleen-stomach
In Korean medicine, long-lasting diarrhea is viewed as guseol, or prolonged diarrhea, and we place importance on spleen-stomach qi deficiency, in which the energy of the spleen-stomach is weakened, and spleen yang deficiency, in which the body's warming and moving power is reduced. As diarrhea persists, appetite can decrease, Digestion can become slower, and fatigue, lack of energy, and cold sensations in the abdomen, hands, and feet are more likely to appear together. In this situation, rather than forcing only the intestines to stop, we also consider ways to restore digestive strength and help warm the body.
Herbal medicine treatment should be tailored to constitution and symptoms
For long-standing diarrhea, we set treatment principles to replenish vital energy and stabilize intestinal function. Depending on constitution, prescriptions may use herbs that replenish energy, such as ginseng, astragalus, atractylodes, and poria; herbs that reduce coldness, such as dried ginger and cinnamon bark; and herbs that support the intestines, such as Chinese yam and hyacinth bean. However, some herbs, such as aconite, require caution, so it is safer to receive a prescription after pulse diagnosis, abdominal examination, and symptom review rather than boiling and taking herbs on your own.
Foods that may be helpful to reduce when you have diarrhea
- Foods that make the intestines cold, such as cold drinks, ice, and cold noodles
- Meals that stimulate intestinal movement, such as spicy and salty foods or foods with strong spices
- Foods that may cause bloating and diarrhea depending on the person, such as milk and dairy products and flour-based foods
- Fried foods, pork belly, and other greasy foods, as well as overeating
- Habits that irritate the intestines, such as drinking large amounts of cold alcohol and smoking
When we recommend a Consultation
- When diarrhea repeats for more than 3 weeks or becomes increasingly frequent
- When it is accompanied by weight loss, decreased appetite, or severe fatigue
- When there is bloody stool, black stool, fever, or severe abdominal pain
- When you repeatedly wake up at night because of diarrhea
- When urination decreases due to dehydration and dizziness is severe
If you have paralysis, decreased consciousness, abdominal pain that is hard to tolerate, or severe dehydration symptoms, you should use 119 or go to the emergency room first. Chronic diarrhea is not something to simply get used to because it has been present for a long time. Looking at diet, body temperature management, and stress control together and finding a treatment direction that fits your body may help reduce the burden on daily life.