AS post Christmas parties wind up, diarrhea can be a next scenario.

Food can be a factor but stress can also trigger diarrhea including headache and high blood pressure. In most cases, diarrhea is caused by a parasitic or bacterial infection.

On the other hand, if the patient has just started taking an antibiotic or another drug, the diarrhea may be a side effect of the medication. Also, it is becoming much more common to see patients who have diarrhea related to certain diet foods.

Many sugar-free foods contain sorbitol or fructose, compounds that are not easily absorbed by the digestive system and that lead to looser stools. The fat substitute sometimes can cause loose stools because it is not absorbed.     One of the most common causes of chronic diarrhea is irritable bowel syndrome. Patients with this type of syndrome typically complain of intermittent diarrhea and constipation, associated with abdominal cramps. Patients who have stress-related diarrhea often also experience IBS symptoms.

It is wise for anyone who has this type of experience to be evaluated by a doctor. This is especially true if the diarrhea is associated with rectal bleeding, weight loss, fever or a family history of colitis or colon cancer.