Most of us get the runs now and then. Something we eat or drink disagrees with our system and our body rejects the offending substance by expelling it through the bowels. The diarrhea soon passes and we are back to normal. But when diarrhea is a recurring condition, the impact on daily life becomes unbearable. The two biggest causes of diarrhea are diet and a stressful lifestyle. Bacteria or parasites found in uncooked or contaminated foods can cause acute diarrhea. Most chronic diarrhea is associated with either irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and proctitis. Dehydration is often a complication of chronic diarrhea; if unchecked, dehydration can have serious, life-threatening consequences.

In Chinese medicine, there are three possible causes of diarrhea: emotional imbalances affecting the liver system, unhealthy eating habits that damage the spleen system, and exhausting work and excess sexual activity, which deplete the kidney system. In most cases of acute diarrhea, the culprit is a pathogen from the outside, such as bacteria from contaminated food, a flu virus, or parasites. Chronic conditions always involve the liver, spleen, and kidney systems. Both acute and chronic diarrhea respond well to acupuncture and herbal therapy together with nutrition and stress management.