Functional diarrhea is chronic diarrhea without any clear cause.
Even if the cause of your functional diarrhea is unknown, your symptoms are real and should be treated.
This article explains what functional diarrhea is, how it is diagnosed, and how it is treated.
Illustration by Julie Bang for Verywell Health
Functional diarrhea is characterized by a lack ofabdominal pain, while IBS-D can cause abdominal pain.
Invasive tests such as acolonoscopyor anendoscopycan also help identify a cause.
Treatment for Functional Diarrhea
Treatment for functional diarrhea typically aims to reduce symptoms through dietary changes.
For example, this may include eliminating food triggers and slowly increasing fiber intake.
If stress gives the impression of a possible contributing factor, stress-management strategies might be helpful.
2018 Aug;16(8):1252-1259.e5.
Epub 2018 Mar 3.
