Antibiotic-associated diarrhea Symptoms

Signs and symptoms
... AAD can cause signs and symptoms that range from mild to severe. Most often, you''ll have only a slight change in the bacteria in your digestive tract, which can cause loose stools or more bowel movem...

Causes
... Your digestive tract is a complex ecosystem that''s home to millions of microorganisms (intestinal flora), including more than 500 species of bacteria. Many of these bacteria are beneficial, performin...

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea Prevention

Prevention
... The following suggestions may help prevent AAD or reduce its severity: Take antibiotics only when you and your doctor feel it''s absolutely necessary. Keep in mind that antibiotics won''t help viral i...

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea Treatment

Complications
... Mild AAD isn''t likely to cause any lasting problems. But pseudomembranous colitis can lead to life-threatening complications, including: A hole in your bowel (bowel perforation). This results from ex...

Treatment
... If you have mild diarrhea, your symptoms are likely to clear up within a few days to two weeks after your antibiotic treatment ends. In the meantime, your doctor may recommend drinking plenty of liqui...

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea Other

Overview
... Antibiotics first came into general use during World War II. Every American soldier was issued a first-aid kit containing sulfa powder, and the Allied forces who stormed Normandy carried penicillin. S...