Acute diarrhea commonly occurs with viral infections such as norovirus or rotavirus, bacterial infections such as Salmonella, or food poisoning from contaminated food. Beyond infectious causes, it can also occur from eating too much at once, excessive drinking, severe stress, or a constitutionally weak digestive system.

Oriental Medicine Perspective

In Korean medicine, external pathogenic factors (cold or damp qi) or emotional disturbance are seen as disrupting the spleen-stomach qi, causing fluids to pass through the intestines without proper absorption. Treatment addresses both the triggering factor and the underlying vulnerability of the digestive system.