🦠 Diarrhoea

📢 We have received a high number of health forms regarding diarrhoea over the last 7 days.

As many people are currently reporting similar symptoms, we have put together this information to explain what to expect, how to look after yourself at home, and when you should seek further medical advice.

⏳ What to expect

Diarrhoea is very common and is usually caused by a short-lived infection, often called a stomach bug or gastroenteritis.

✅ It usually gets better by itself and rarely needs specific treatment or antibiotics.

Many people improve within a few days, although diarrhoea can sometimes last for up to 10–14 days before your bowel habit returns fully to normal.

💧 The most important thing: keep drinking

When you have diarrhoea, replacing the fluid you are losing is more important than eating.

Large drinks can sometimes make you feel sick or be difficult to tolerate. Drinking small amounts frequently is often much easier.

🥄 If you are struggling with fluids, try around 10 mL (2 teaspoons) every 10 minutes.

If you are tolerating this, gradually increase the amount you drink.

💧 Water or dilute squash are suitable.

💊 A pharmacist can also recommend an oral rehydration solution, which helps replace the water and salts lost through diarrhoea.

🚫 Avoid alcohol. Fruit juice and fizzy drinks can sometimes make diarrhoea worse.

🚽 Keep an eye on your urine

Passing urine is a useful indication that you are managing to take in fluid.

✅ If you are still passing urine at least once or twice during the day, significant dehydration is less likely.

However, urine output is only one guide, so pay attention to how you feel as well.

⚠️ Signs of dehydration can include:

• passing much less urine than usual
• very dark or strong-smelling urine
• a dry mouth or tongue
• increasing thirst
• dizziness or light-headedness, particularly when standing
• unusual weakness, tiredness or drowsiness.

If these occur despite drinking regularly, seek medical advice.

🍽️ What about food?

Don’t worry if you don’t feel like eating for a short period.

💧 Fluids are more important than food while you are acutely unwell.

Eat when you feel able and don’t force yourself to eat. Small amounts may be easier to manage initially.

🛌 Rest and recovery

Give yourself time to recover and get plenty of rest.

👵 If you are older or frail, maintaining your fluid intake is particularly important because dehydration can develop more easily.

If you care for somebody who is frail or elderly, offer them small amounts of fluid regularly throughout the day and make sure they are able to rest.

🧪 Do I need a stool sample?

Most episodes of diarrhoea do not need a stool test, particularly during the first few days, because they usually settle without treatment.

In otherwise well people, the laboratory will not normally need to test for infection during the early stages of a straightforward episode.

🔬 In our usual practice, stool testing is generally considered when diarrhoea has persisted for around 10 days or longer, or when there is another specific reason to investigate.

A stool sample may be appropriate sooner if:

• 🩸 there is blood in the diarrhoea
• 🤒 you are particularly unwell or becoming dehydrated
• 💊 you have recently taken antibiotics
• 🏥 you have recently been in hospital
• ✈️ you have recently travelled abroad
• 🛡️ you have a weakened immune system
• 🦠 there is concern about an outbreak or particular infection
• 👩‍⚕️ a healthcare professional feels that earlier testing is necessary.

✅ Having diarrhoea for several days does not usually mean that you need a stool sample or antibiotics.

🩸 If you have diabetes

Illness and dehydration can affect your blood glucose and may affect how some diabetes medicines should be taken.

⚠️ Please remember to follow your usual diabetes sick-day rules.

Check your blood glucose more frequently if this forms part of your sick-day plan.

💉 If you use insulin, do not simply stop your insulin because you are not eating. Follow the individual sick-day guidance provided by your diabetes team.

If you are unsure what to do with your diabetes medication, or are struggling to control your blood glucose or ketones, contact your diabetes team, GP, pharmacist or NHS 111.

🧼 Help prevent spreading it

If your diarrhoea is caused by an infection, it can spread easily to other people.

• 🧼 Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.
• 🍳 Avoid preparing food for other people while you are unwell.
• 🚽 Regularly clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps and frequently touched bathroom surfaces.
• 🧺 Do not share towels or flannels.
• 🏠 Stay away from work, school or nursery until you have had no diarrhoea or vomiting for at least 48 hours.

⚠️ When should I seek medical advice?

Although diarrhoea can sometimes take up to 10–14 days to settle completely, seek medical advice sooner if you are concerned or becoming more unwell.

Contact your GP, NHS 111 or another appropriate healthcare professional if:

• 💧 you cannot keep fluids down
• 🚽 you are passing significantly less urine than normal
• 🥵 you have signs of dehydration despite drinking regularly
• 🩸 there is blood in your diarrhoea or bleeding from your bottom
• 🤕 you have severe or worsening abdominal pain
• 🌡️ you have a high temperature and are becoming increasingly unwell
• 😴 you become increasingly weak, drowsy or confused
• 👵 you are elderly or frail and are struggling to maintain your fluid intake
• 🩸 you have diabetes and are struggling to manage your blood glucose, ketones, medication or fluid intake
• 🛡️ you have a weakened immune system or another significant medical condition
• 📅 your diarrhoea is persisting and is not showing signs of improvement.

🚨 When is it an emergency?

Seek urgent medical attention if you become very drowsy or confused, faint, are so dizzy that you cannot stand, cannot keep fluids down, or appear severely dehydrated or seriously unwell.

📞 Call 999 for a medical emergency.

📌 Remember

💧 Drink little and often. If you are struggling, try around 10 mL every 10 minutes and gradually increase this as you improve.

🍽️ Don’t worry about food initially — fluids are more important.

🚽 Keep an eye on how often you are passing urine and how you feel.

🛌 Rest and give your body time to recover.

💊 Most diarrhoea gets better by itself and does not need antibiotics or other specific treatment.

🧪 A stool sample is not usually needed in the early stages.