Traveller's diarrhoea is easily diagnosed from the symptoms. In most cases, it will not require medical attention.
However, if you visit a GP or another healthcare professional while you are abroad, they are likely to ask you about some of the following:
- how long you have had diarrhoea
- how often you are going to the toilet
- the consistency of your stools
- if there is any blood in your stools
- if you have any other symptoms
- where you have been travelling
Stool sample
If you have other symptoms, such as blood in your stools or a fever, your GP or the healthcare professional treating you may want to run further tests. They may take a stool sample from you and test it in a laboratory to find out the cause of your diarrhoea.
If particular bacteria are responsible for your diarrhoea, the test results may help your GP work out which antibiotic medicine will be most effective at killing the bacteria.
