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 when you have watery or loose stools at least three times per day. Abdominal pain and cramps can also accompany it, as well as sudden urges to go.

There are numerous causes of diarrhea. Some of these are contagious illnesses that may also cause other symptoms, like fever, nausea, and vomiting. Stomach viruses, bacterial infections, and travelers’ diarrhea can contribute to such illnesses and symptoms.

Staying home from work or school if you’re experiencing diarrhea will help give you time to heal, as well as help prevent others from getting sick, too.

If you’re unsure whether your situation warrants calling off from work, here’s what you need to know, including the possible treatment options that may be available for support.

While an occasional loose stool isn’t usually a cause for concern, more persistent symptoms of diarrhea could indicate an infection or other health condition.

What sets apart contagious illness-causing diarrhea from other conditions are its accompanying signs and symptoms. Some warning signs may include:

If you’ve determined you need to call in sick due to diarrhea, you do not need to outline any details to your employer. Telling them you have caught a stomach bug or virus is enough to suffice.

A stomach virus — sometimes called a “stomach bug” — is an informal name for viral gastroenteritis. While technically an intestinal infection, a stomach virus gets its name due to wide-ranging stomach-like symptoms, such as:

Stomach viruses usually last less than a week, and they don’t typically require medical treatment unless they cause severe dehydration.

The most common type of stomach virus is the norovirus, which is also highly contagious. While norovirus symptoms usually last 1 to 2 days, people who get sick with this stomach virus may be contagious from 3 days up to 2 weeks after recovery.

Another possible, though less common type of stomach virus in adults is rotavirus. Like noroviruses, rotavirus infections can last 1 to 2 days. However, people who get sick may be contagious for 1 to 3 weeks.

Travelers’ diarrhea is an umbrella term, referring to stomach viruses, as well as bacterial or parasitic infections you might acquire while traveling. Depending on the type of infection, symptoms may develop within several hours or up to 2 weeks after exposure.

If you’re not feeling well but are uncertain whether you have a stomach virus or another contagious illness, it’s best to stay home as a precaution. Most times, diarrhea resolves on its own with home treatment.

On the other hand, if you experience diarrhea once and have no other symptoms for several hours, there’s a chance you might not be sick and don’t necessarily need to stay home from work.

Stress can cause occasional diarrhea, but some people might also experience chronic diarrhea not related to an infection. Some possible causes of noncontagious diarrhea include:

Should I go to work after vomiting once?

You should stay home if you think you’re sick, even if you’ve vomited only once. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t go back to work until you haven’t vomited for 2 days in a row.

The presence of other symptoms, such as high fever and chills are other indications you ought to stay home and recover.

Most people with cases of acute diarrhea don’t require medical attention, and it will resolve with home treatments within 4 days.

If a doctor determines you have a bacterial or parasitic infection, they might recommend antibiotics. No antivirals are available to treat stomach viruses.

Taking over-the-counter drugs, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) or loperamide (Imodium A-D) can also alleviate symptoms of diarrhea while you stay home and recover. However, medical professionals don’t recommend these if you have a severe infection or a high fever.

Other home remedies that can help include taking probiotics, as well as eating a BRAT diet, which includes:

  • bananas
  • white rice
  • applesauce
  • toast

See a doctor for help if your symptoms don’t improve or if you have diarrhea for longer than 7 days.

Treating a stomach virus

There are no medications available that treat stomach viruses. However, staying hydrated is important to help replace fluid losses due to diarrhea and vomiting.

For people with severe cases of dehydration, a doctor may recommend intravenous (IV) fluids.

There are many causes of diarrhea, and it may not be possible to know the exact cause of your case unless a doctor runs tests. However, if you have sudden diarrhea along with other acute symptoms, there’s a chance you might have a stomach virus.

If you suspect you have a stomach virus or other illness that may be causing diarrhea, it’s best to stay home. Not only does this give you a chance to rest, hydrate, and recover comfortably at home, but you will also reduce the risk of spreading illnesses at your workplace.