Yogurt with live cultures can rebuild intestinal flora after diarrhea.
The most common causes of yellow diarrhea are related to the liver, gallbladder, or small intestine and can be a sign of a serious health problem, such as parasitic infection, liver disease, and intestinal disease. Diarrhea that resolves on its own in a day or two and is usually associated with diet or medication. Pale bowel movement and chronic yellow diarrhea suggest more serious causes, such as gallstones or cancer.
Salmonella, a common cause of food poisoning, can cause diarrhea.
If diarrhea persists for more than two days, your doctor may perform a stool culture or blood test, or may suggest avoiding certain foods to assess your risk of more serious illness. Medical history and a physical exam are also essential to determine the cause of persistent diarrhea. Most experts agree that eliminating toxins, avoiding fatty foods, and consuming electrolytes are essential to quickly resolve diarrhea.
An infection in the small intestine can cause yellow diarrhea.
If yellow diarrhea comes on suddenly, the most common cause is a bacterial or parasitic infection, especially if the patient also has bloody stools. Bacteria and parasites contracted by consuming contaminated food or water can usually enter the body and take up residence in the small intestine, where they can cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including yellow diarrhea. Bacteria and parasites that cause diarrhea include Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Giardia lamblia. Treatment may include antibiotics instead of over-the-counter medications like loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate. Also, a viral infection can cause severe diarrhea and usually resolves on its own in three to seven days.
The pancreas and spleen are located below the left side of the rib cage.
Yellow diarrhea can also be caused by a problem with the liver or gallbladder. Also, liver and gallbladder problems are often accompanied by pain under the right rib cage. Pain below the left side suggests problems with the pancreas or spleen. The color of the stool is directly related to the amount of bile salts excreted by the liver. If this process is inhibited in some way, such as by a gallstone, the stool will gradually change color and turn yellow or light gray.
Yellow diarrhea can be caused by a problem with the liver or gallbladder.
If the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder suffer from fat malabsorption, the stool can become yellow or gray, soft and foul-smelling, and difficult to rinse. Cancer is also a possibility for those with chronic yellow diarrhea that persists for more than four weeks. On a lighter note, some antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and antacids that contain magnesium can affect the liver and cause yellow diarrhea. A doctor should be consulted for alternative remedies and treatments if necessary.
Parasites that live in raw meat can cause yellow diarrhea.
Regarding the small intestine, a variety of intestinal diseases can cause chronic yellow diarrhea along with fever, bloody stools, and abdominal pain, just to name a few. If these symptoms are present, your doctor will likely perform a medical history and physical exam, a stool culture, or a colonoscopy. Blood tests can be used to determine if a patient is at risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease. These illnesses are serious, and the severity of symptoms can be reduced by avoiding fatty foods, eliminating gluten, and identifying other contributing factors.
