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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause traveler's diarrhea tends to resolve itself, you may get better with self-care. If these techniques aren't working, you can turn to several medications to help relieve symptoms.
- Anti-motility agents. These agents — which include loperamide (Imodium), medications containing diphenoxylate (Lomotil), and opiates, such as paregoric and codeine — provide prompt but temporary relief by reducing muscle spasms in your gastrointestinal tract, slowing the transit time through your digestive system and allowing more time for absorption. They aren't recommended for infants or people with fever or bloody diarrhea, as they can delay clearance of the infectious organisms and make the illness worse. Also, don't use them if signs or symptoms last more than 48 hours. In such cases, see a doctor.
- Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). This over-the-counter medication can decrease the frequency of your stools and shorten the duration of your illness. However, it isn't recommended for children, pregnant women or people who are allergic to aspirin.
- Antibiotics. If you have severe symptoms or three or more loose stools within eight hours, a doctor may prescribe a three- to five-day course of antibiotics.
Before you leave for your trip, talk to your doctor about appropriate medications to take with you so that you don't have to buy diarrhea medications while traveling. Some of the drugs available abroad are unsafe and have been banned in the United States.
- Traveler's diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Wanke CA. Traveler's diarrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's diarrhea (turista). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch016/ch016b.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Snider CB, et al. Travel medicine. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-10/833243685/1621/89.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50046-7_615. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Burakoff R, et al. Gastrointestinal disease. In: Noble J, et al. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-12/0/959/648.html?tocnode=51449457&fromURL=648.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..X5001-8--section10_3188. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's health: Prevention of specific infectious diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Diarrhea.aspx. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- First steps for managing an acute outbreak of diarrhoea. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/publications/en/first_steps.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Norovirus: Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Sur DK, et al. Evaluating fever of unidentifiable source in young children. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1805.
