Diarrhea is a common symptom of various medical conditions. It involves having loose, watery stools three or more times per day. Acute, or short-term, diarrhea usually lasts for a couple of days.

If you’re experiencing diarrhea along with other possible symptoms of a contagious illness, you may need to stay home from work, school, and other public places until you’ve recovered. Diarrhea is ...