DISEASE

Frequent Bowel Movements

OVERVIEW | CAUSES | Care and Treatment | Home remedies | when to call a doctor | REFERENCES

Frequent Bowel Movement

OVERVIEW

Frequent bowel movements is a condition in which a person defecates (eliminates waste from the bowel) more often than usual. There is no “normal” number of bowel movements. Many healthcare providers agree that healthy bowel movement frequency can range from three times a day to three times a week. However, your 'normal' pattern may be different from these numbers. To say that a person’s bowel movements have become more frequent is based on an increase in that person’s usual pattern, not on a standard definition that applies to everyone.

The two main bowel movement conditions are constipation (fewer than three bowel movements per week) and diarrhea (more than three movements of loose stools per day).

CAUSES

Some cases of frequent bowel movements last for a short time only and are not a cause for concern. These can be caused by digestive upset from eating spoiled, fatty or spicy food, a food that is not tolerated, or an intestinal “bug” that clears in a day or two.

Other possible causes of frequent bowel movements include an increase in physical exercise, certain medications like antibiotics or metformin, or a change in the diet (more fiber, water, fats or sugars). Bowel movements may return to the usual after the person adapts to these changes or makes modifications to his or her diet.

When the person has other symptoms to go along with the greater number of bowel movements, there may be other causes, including the following:

Bacterial infection
C. difficile infection (which can be serious if untreated)
Viral infection
Parasitic infection, such as from worms or protozoa
Diverticulitis (the small pockets along the wall of the colon fill with stagnant fecal material and become inflamed)
Inflammatory bowel disease (a group of disorders, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, that cause irritation and swelling of the digestive tract)
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Celiac disease (an autoimmune disease that causes sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye or barley)
Cancer of the colon or elsewhere in the digestive tract
Food allergies
Gallbladder problems
Lactose intolerance (the inability to digest lactose, the sugar primarily found in milk and dairy products)
Irritable bowel syndrome (a disorder of the colon or lower bowel with symptoms that include abdominal pains or cramps)
Side effects of medications (including antacids, laxatives, stool softeners)
Foods and beverages, including certain herbs and herbal teas, alcohol and caffeine
Use of antibiotics, which can upset normal bacteria in the gut
Bowel obstruction
Complications of intestinal or abdominal surgery
Complications of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Care and Treatment

Experts recommend seeing a doctor if diarrhea lasts more than 2 days.

Frequent solid bowel movements do not present the same risk of dehydration as diarrhea. However, a person who is frequently passing solid stools should see a doctor if they:

Develop a fever
Notice blood in their stool
Start vomiting or feeling nauseated
Experience painful stomach cramps
Cannot control their bowel movements

The doctor may ask you the following:

The time of your last bowel movement
How often you urinate
The consistency of stool (watery or shaped)
If there is blood around or in the stool
If you have bleeding from the rectum
If you are dizzy or have cramps, pain, fever or nausea
What foods and drinks you consume
If you have had any recent changes in your weight
The medications you take
If and when you have traveled recently

The doctor may conduct a physical examination and may order blood and stool tests, urinalysis and X-rays.

Depending upon the diagnosis, the course of treatment is determined.

Home Remedies

Mild cases of diarrhea can be treated with an over-the-counter medicine available as liquids or tablets. Follow the instructions on the package.

Note: do not take antidiarrheal medicines if a bacterial infection or parasites are the suspected cause (symptoms include fever or bloody stools). It is important to allow bacteria or parasites to pass through the digestive system.