Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea occurs when antibiotics disturb the natural balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in your intestinal tract, causing harmful bacteria to grow beyond their normal numbers. The result is often frequent, watery bowel movements.

Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is fairly mild and clears up shortly after you stop taking the antibiotic. But sometimes you may develop colitis, an inflammation of your colon, or a more serious form of colitis called pseudomembranous colitis. Both can cause abdominal pain, fever and bloody diarrhea.

Effective treatments exist for mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea, as well as for colon inflammation. In addition, taking supplements of beneficial bacteria or eating yogurt may relieve symptoms or help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea.