WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Skip to content
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors
First Aid Center
Exclamation Point

Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.

Font Size
A
A
A

Traveler's Diarrhea Treatment

Self-Care at Home

  • Drink 2-3 quarts of fluid per day. In the first 24 hours the best fluids to drink are bottled fruit juices and beverages, caffeine-free soft drinks, hot tea, and broth.
  • During the next 24 hours, eat bland foods such as rice, soup, bread, crackers, eggs, and cereals. Advance to regular foods after 2-3 days.
  • With more severe cases, over-the-counter medications may help reduce symptoms and shorten the time they last.

    • Antimotility agents, such as loperamide ( Imodium), give the stools more consistency and provide some relief from your symptoms.

    • Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) is also moderately effective. Use according to package directions or upon direction of your doctor.

WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth

Reviewed by Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD on May 24, 2006