Diagnosis of Diarrhoea

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If you have acute diarrhoea, the symptoms are very likely to settle down within a week and tests are usually unnecessary.

However if your diarrhoea becomes more persistent or if you have other symptoms (such as blood in your stools or dehydration) your doctor may ask for a stool sample to investigate for bacteria or parasites.

Other tests for chronic diarrhoea may include blood tests or a sigmoidoscopy (a procedure that involves passing a thin fibre-optic tube, attached to a viewing lens, through the rectum to view the intestine).